48 miles cycling, 30′ of climbing (3682.2 total) – to read from the beginning, click here.
Slow morning for me as Dave went off to work. I made some coffee and started to pack up. Dana was slow moving too, but we met at her cousin Tony’s and got going about 11. It was overcast, and there was a threat of rain, but the future radar showed just light rain passing through for our ride back to State College.
My bike is named “Papa Hobo” after a song by Paul Simon, and I quoted this line in my 2022 X-country blog: “It’s just after breakfast, I’m in the road, and the weatherman lied.”
And lie they did. Well, more like imprecise science presented with feigned certainty. The ride from Altoona to Tyrone was dry, and just outside of Tyrone, it started to drizzle. We decided to stop at Sheetz and use the facilities and check on the radar. Still showing light rain moving across our path. By the time we were on our way to Warriors Mark, the drizzle became steady, and by the time we got to PA 350 and Dry Hollow, it was a downright downpour. We ducked into a self-serve farm store for a few minutes. This is one of the few places we cycle regularly where the cell service is spotty if you can even get a signal. Data is even rarer. So, with no info except a small lessening of the rain, and already being wet, we carried on.
The rain continued until we got back. We made it to my house about 4 PM and stripped off our wet clothes and dried off. Dana took a shower and I started to unpack my bike and blew off some of the wet from the chain and gears with a leaf blower. That was our homecoming! There was a good angle to it all as reflected in the texts from my daughter Sarah:
Sarah: I’m sure it’s messing with your plans, but thanks for bringing the rain back with you! It’s barely rained since the beginning of august…😂
Me: We just pulled in. Very wet.
Sarah: I bet. Seriously, though. Barely drizzles for almost two months!!
You’ve performed a public service…
Welcome home!!!!! 🎉❤️🍾
Glad to be of service. Wasn’t that bad, really, and for only having 6 rain days out of 70 on the road, quite OK. We were very lucky with the weather overall.
When it finally stopped raining, Dana headed for her house and a pile of junk mail similar to my pile in the pic below. Took a while to sift through and find the important stuff (and there was some, but mostly crap). We both settled in to sleep in our own beds for the first time in over two months.
The overall trip was fantastic! We can’t say enough about the kindness of strangers and the warm welcomes we received from a wide variety of people. And, oh, the things we saw! And, oh, the miles we put in. All very worthwhile. I will write an epilogue to this trip in a few days — need to let being home sink in first.
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