stayed dry for eight hours of riding only to encounter a downpour 16 miles from my destination of gettysburg, PA. yes, land of (one of?) the bloodiest american battles and home of lincoln’s famous address—-i had to wage my own war with the elements of nature. the rain not obstacle enough, just rounding the town square my clutch cable snaps with a loud ”spink!”
on the sage advice of the wise james, i purchased and packed a spare cable.
(”if your clutch cable breaks, you got nothin’.”) amen.
twenty minutes later i was entirely soaked, but heading east once more.
thinking of treating myself to a motel, i found a single room for a staggering 89dollars. ouch. so i made my way according to my original plan of staying at the KOA campground.
raising a soggy tent, eating a mushy leftover BLT, showering and putting on some dry togs, i went to sleep.
next day and the input of the front desk guy offered no relief from the rain, and the four-inch-wide wolf spider that was waiting in my vestibule to say good morning, showed that all creatures were trying to escape the torrent.
i break camp, rolling the water right into the tent sack and with a hearty ”stay dry” from a woman in a bright yellow poncho.
rain needles piercing my knuckles, i flee the battlefields of gettysburg.