Life as seen thru the windshield of a slowly motoring Dodge Sprinter. Tues AM I headed north to WI in the heat and humidity. I drove back roads until I hit the interstates that usurped the local roads. My goal was Palmyra, WI, for the Kettle Moraine trails. The GPS sent me thru the heart of Chicago. I overrode its plan by going well around Windy City. I made El Paso @ I-39 after dinner time. I checked out city camping spots. I picked my spot behind a closed restaurant and an on going medical building construction site. B4 bed time I saw headlights in the rear mirrors. I stuck my head out the driver’s door to see a rig blocking my exit. I didn’t make out what kind of rig. It didn’t leave. I got out and walked up to the driver’s door. It was a local law enforcement person. He was running my license. I asked if I was OK. He said I might want to park @ a mega hotel chain parking lot as they did not care and that the construction would wake me up. I declined his offer. He said he would contact dispatch to report my vetting. I went to sleep in the heat comfortable that I had already been found out and approved which was almost as good as sleeping in a paid for site. I did keep the door and window closed. 75 degrees when I woke up.
Wed I finished my drive to Janesville, WI to Micheal’s bike shop for ride info. Forecast called for 100 degrees, too hot to ride even for me. I grocery shopped lingering in the cool air conditioning. I bought a forest map and set out to find a camp spot. The map was lacking and incorrect. I found the John Muir TH and searched for a camp spot that the map showed. Not there. I studied a different map @ the TH, one created by the public office. The plexiglass window was foggy that blurred the map behind, even after cleaning the glass. I found Ottawa Lake XG and made the map get me there. I paid for a campsite in Pinewoods XG. A clerk there called out the errors on the map. She selected to her the best campspot. I accepted her choice. Great spot in a deeply wooded area under tree canopy. No internet coverage. Hot night but I kept the door and window open. No weather forecast knowledge. I went to sleep on top of the covers. Some time between the awake and sleep time I heard rain drops on the roof. Cool sound. Wait, that’s rain falling and my bikes are not covered. Shit. I jumped out of bed and put on my head lamp to over the bikes. rain was falling that the tree leaves were absorbing, mostly. I crawled back onto the bed. Shortly lightening, thunder , and mass rain fell. A piece of an overhanging tree hit the roof w/ a big bang. Torrents of rain fell. I closed my fresh air openings and surrendered to the heat. The rain amount caused fear that the trails I want to ride today would be too wet and be closed.
Central time zone means 1 hour later. I am still living on east coast time.
The rain fell for just a short while. In the AM the skies were dry. Amazing that the ground showed little puddling. maybe dry trails.
Plan is to ride John Muir trails, do my wash, and drive to Green Bay to Dave and Rebecca’s shop. I found a laundromat in Palmyra b4 the trails. I did laundry while rain evaporated. A local guy visited who told me little rain fell here as the storm was to the north. The trail is south of here. Might be good.
I noticed that the trails have facility for closing them if conditions warrant. A short drive from here will reveal the conditions.
Temp is cooling to 90.
Drought conditions: I noticed as I got north of El Paso that the state was actually mowing grass. Places the corn is stunted.
Laundry done. I do my wash on Thurs., because. At Phil’s he washed my riding clothes after each ride. Today it was only one set that I wore on my 2nd BC ride. I hang my riding clothes to dry inside my van. By counting the number of shorts I know how many days I rode that week. One! that’s all. Wait that’s not right.
I have poison ivy I believe on my ankles and tops of my feet from somewhere. Itching it brings temporary relieve followed by more itching.