🎹 Smoke Gets in My Eyes 🎹

July 15, 2023

Another rest day. Or should I say: I’m too early for RAGBRAI gotta slow down day. Kinda hazy when I woke up this morning. And a faint Smokey odor. I guess Canada is still on fire. This is the first time I have experienced it but it makes me wonder if La Niña and the smoke have not been working in cahoots to pee on me whenever they like. But no pee…..I mean rain today. The smoke has kept the temps down though.
It’s hard for me to sit around and do nothing. I get pretty antsy if I’m not doing something. I tried to mend my cycling gloves with a needle and thick thread from DG (they have a little of everything). But the knitting on my old fashioned gloves is falling apart and beyond help. New gloves are in my future.

I tried lying in the tent but that is not even comfortable at night. For some reason I can’t get Clunk in a comfortable position even with a blow up pillow between my knees. I have discovered that the local Community Center has a motel attached. $65 a night and laundry on site. I may take advantage tomorrow or Monday.

After eating my instant oatmeal with Craisins I went to see if the guy that stopped me yesterday and offered bike repair services might be home. Steve was indeed as was his wife Pat. He has been an avid recumbent rider since the late 90s and has a fleet of nine, all of which look brand spanking new. Very nice. I was imposing on his lunch time so was asked into their immaculate log home to join in for salad and tuna. We spent at least 2 hours sharing bike stories but I think he won with his story of staying in a run down dirty home when no other shelter was available…….not just on one trip but two…..and taking two friends with him the second time. The tub was so dirty his buddy would not bathe. Later, and a day too late, they found the park across the street had clean bathrooms and showers. Maybe the homes residents used that after their bathroom got so dirty they too refused to use it!!!? Kinda like Woody Guthries Alice’s Restaurant. Remember? Alice didn’t live in the restaurant she lived in the church near the restaurant.

Pat commented that everyone in this small town knew I was here just minutes after my arrival. She had already heard from a friend before Steve got home yesterday after offering his mechanic services to me just a few blocks from his home.

After that great lunch I returned to my park camp to sit and contemplate how much I hate being idol when a 92 year old gentleman came over pretending to see if his headlights were working or not. I am sure he heard about the stinky bearded old rag tag foreigner squatting in the park and just wanted to get the scoop first hand. The two of us talked for a couple hours also. I learned all about his wife passing two years ago with Parkinsons and how that was not very kind of her as he cannot cook or do laundry and has to learn at this old age. And about his kidney surgery (had one removed but not sure why), his pancreatic surgery for a tumor that was supposed to kill him (but didn’t), and his bilateral total knee replacements (one at a time), as well as his joint pain thought for years to be from rheumatoid arthritis but diagnosed finally by a rheumatologist as lupus and how well he has done on hydroxychloroquine which is why he did not get Covid. We even shared surgical scars but no tall tails like in Jaws. At least he didn’t say I was stupid to try and cross the U.S. by bike like many others do. He thought it a great adventure.

Hunger got the best of me though and I had to excuse myself to forage for food. I found Gatorade, salad, yogurt, and a Heath Bar at Gragerts Grocery that would go pretty well with a sub from Subway. On the way I was stopped by Mr Gragert (at least I think that is who he is) whom I had met yesterday at his grocery and whom has walked the Camino in Spain. He was glad to hear I was comfortable at the park and recommended the motel if I needed a more comfortable place to sleep.

I Checked out the motel and it appears only one of 10 or so rooms was occupied….and they looked clean,cool, and inviting. Maybe I will.

Some Pics:

PS: I still have not had a Berry Pepper but found out it is Dr Pepper with cherry syrup frozen in a cup and eaten like a snow ball.

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