Saturday, May 22, 2010
We’ve been on the road three weeks now and are still doing well. Our good weather luck ran out and we had four days of scattered showers and clouds and one day of heavy rain. We plugged along, though, and are still on schedule. Two days ago we crossed the Ohio River by ferry and entered IL. We are in Murphysboro, IL tonight and will be crossing into MO tomorrow. It was sunny today (and hot) and is supposed to be sunny and in the low-90s tomorrow.
We seem to be getting used to the riding as we find ourselves able to go 70 or 80 miles a day without hurting. We’re mostly staying in, shall we say, “less expensive” hotels but have stayed in a bed and breakfast that was a two- room tent, two fire stations (they just gave us the use of one of their rooms), tented on a concrete slab under the veranda of a very run-down convenience store (and shared a pleasant, home-cooked dinner with the owner and his wife), and stayed in one hostel that would, anywhere else, be ruled a “trash house” and bulldozed. But, hey, it’s all part of the adventure (although I don’t see why Holiday Inn Express couldn’t be part of the adventure once in a while)
At the tent B&B the owner had a mason jar of 200 proof moonshine. I had one sip and managed to gasp, “Whoa” before my throat constricted from the fumes. Another experience. We’ve eaten catfish, frog legs and, tonight, the best ribs I’ve had in a long time. I don’t think I’m losing any weight!
The riding is good most of the time, the people we’ve met have been great, and I’m really happy I did this. We’ve put in 1200 miles, 3,000 to go.
Take care.
Bruce
