June 10, 2017
Day 10: Take it one minute at a time
My tent leaks. Which, as you can imagine, I discovered the hard way.
Luckily the rain didn't start until an hour or so before I got up, so it wasn't a disaster. And I wasn't drenched, just dripped on. Still...
The frustrating thing is that this is the first trip I have used this tent, though I have had it for a while. It was a tent model I have used for years and REI was closing them out for some ridiculously low price like $50, so I bought 3. The others were fine but I am guessing this one sat too long doing nothing and the waterproofing wore off? Who knows? Except this morning I had a wet tent and the prospect of the rest of the trip without a tent I can trust. Still...
If there is one thing I am learning in bike touring is that things can change in an instant so it's best not to let low moments get you do down. Things usually work out, somehow. I did sulk a bit as I ate breakfast in the rain, though I had moved under a small pavilion so at least I wasn't actually being rained on while I was sulking.
Today's route included route 12 from McCay's Bay campground to Kamiah, which is not recommended by Adventure cycling because of a narrow road and traffic volume. Except the guys at the Nez Perce visitor's center said they were working on widening the road to Orofino. Also, since it was Saturday morning I assumed there was less traffic. But it was raining, which reduces visibility, but I was pretty much committed at this point. So off I went, a bit grumpy if you want to know the truth, riding in the rain.
But then the first good thing happened. Road construction, with a pilot car! Yes that's right, a pilot car. Which to a motorist is cause for consternation but for a touring cyclist is cause for glee. First, I was allowed to ride in the soon to be repaired lane all by myself, while cares were shepherded back and forth by the pilot car. Then, after I passed the construction area, I had the road to myself, except for the short periods of time where a clump of vehicles would pass all at once. I moved over and stopped, let them pass, then I had the road to myself again for 10-15 minute stretches. Poor bliss, even if it was raining!
It went like that pretty much the whole way to Orofino, where I saved two dogs who were running around in the road. I'm an animal lover, you may know if you are a regular reader, so I stopped traffic hollered at a guy doing yard work, or something, to help find the dog's owner. And the dog saving thing I didn't think much of until later when I think maybe God thanked me later, but I'll get to that.
At Orofino the sun came out and I sat down to what is now my current favorite touring breakfast, french toast, bacon, eggs and coffee. But then I was still hungry so had a side order of toast.
I agree with adventure cycling that the road from Orofino to Kamiah is not advisable. I pulled off the road a number of times to let cars past where it narrowed.
Overall I think the road is doable but I would recommend it only on a weekend or holiday, and to ride the stretch to Orofino early Saturday morning, stay the night and then get up early on a Sunday morning and ride the rest of the way. And it was about 5 miles from Kamiah that the weather closed in again. $&@#!
I was cold and miserable and when I arrived in Kamiah drowned my sorrows in a helping of meatloaf and mashed potatoes at the local restaurant on main street before kicking me out rather suddenly because I didn't notice their early closing time.
I considered a hotel, really considered it, because my tent was still wet, and was leaking anyway, though I am not sure how bad, but I didn't want to spend the extra money on a hotel. So I headed to the local KOA for a tent site hoping the rain would ease, which it seemed to be doing by about 5pm.
It was there I met Kerry the manager who, as it turns out, was born in Scotland but you would never know it because she sounds like an American.
"I took some speech therapy classes to get rid of my accent," she said.
We talked for a long time about where she was from and my trip to Scotland with Leo and Steph a couple of years ago. I was still debating on hotel but finally said,
"I'll a take tent site, but do you have a place I can dry my tent," I asked.
She did and showed me a room with table and chairs they must use for special events.
"You know," I said. "Would it be okay if I just spread out my mattress in here and slept here tonight?"
It was, but there was a problem with me setting off alarms at night, which she was trying to figure out.
"Tell you what," she said. "I have an extra hotel room, why don't you stay in that."
And then she quoted me such a ridiculously low price and I am not going to say what it was because I don't want other cyclist riding in and thinking they can get some great deal when this was just a one off because, over the course of a longer time that I described here, we built a little bond.
But it just goes to to show you what I mentioned earlier. Things usually work out. Maybe it's karma for saving the dogs? Maybe God is a dog lover too and it's Gods way of saying thanks. But either way I was so happy to have a nice warm shower and dry my tent. It all worked out in the end. It usually does.
Tomorrow I climb, until then.
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Today's ride: 66 miles (106 km)
Total: 506 miles (814 km)
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