Another day for touring...

Jul 24 - Namekagon River Camp near Springbrook WI to Cumberland WI: 64.1 miles

Wake up to a pitter patter on the tent. Rain!!

Now I'm fully awake. I sit up. 5.45 am.

"Get up, gotta pack."  I'm thinking: get the tent down before it starts really raining. But, the tent is the only dry spot to write out turn-by-turns. Crap.  So we do that in the tent, as well as get dressed, pack our stuff, drink coffee that appears from Heather, and now its really raining.  The tent is fully wet. Sigh.  

We agree to get as far as Haugan, "...but really it would be ideal to get to Cumberland." (an additional 17 or so miles).  Heather doesn't reply.

We're actually far off-route at this campsite; the bike shop mechanic in Hayward provided a recommendation to get back onto our route that he claims is his favorite ride in the area, and goes by the house he grew up in.  So today, I write the turn-by turns, including directions all the way to Cumberland. 

We're packed by 8am but only finally make it out by 8.40 after really confirming the plan for the day, reviewing maps together, checking camping options. I think we've agreed to get to Cumberland. 

So now we're headed straight south and a little easterly, via the town of Stone Lake to our route.

The rain has stopped, and the ride is glorious: fresh morning air, beautiful route, no cars as promised by our mechanic, not a cloud in the sky.

I treat myself to a latte in Stone Lake at the local cafe. From my porch perch, I've got access to power, and I watch people come and go. There's a knitting circle gathered inside. Its getting warm. The coffee shop air conditioning is a relief each time I go in. 

Heather has come, drunk her coffee and is leaving, so I finally tear myself away from my comfortable spot as well, and we head off together, eastbound out of town to rejoin the ACA route. There are LOTS of turns and all of them are on crappy rough roads.  Its another "touring day":  nice changing scenery, no need to push it and batter our bikes, gear, and selves over bumpy roads. Lots of rolling terrain, and a mix of forest land, and lake-side cabins and houses with winding roads.

HAUGAN GROCERY STORE, WHERE THE PROPRIETOR HOLDS THE DOOR OPEN FOR ME WHEN I ARRIVE.  I SIGN MY SECOND CROSS-COUNTRY CYCLE TOURIST LOG BOOK  HERE.

I make a Haugan pit stop at the tiny grocery store for COLD water.  The proprietor greets me at the door and insists that I sign his cross-country cyclists log book. Apparently a lot of us stop here. I fill my bottles from a gallon of water, drink all the rest, and then I hook the empty bottle onto my rear pack until I can find somewhere to get rid of it. 

I also make my quick pitch to Heather to push on to Cumberland, its still early.  I think I get a grudging acceptance, so I'm going for it.

The final push to Cumberland is now on straight roads through new farmland, up and down hills on good pavement, and against the wind. 

There are clear signs to the city-run Eagle Point campground as soon as I arrive at Cumberland.  I set up on a tent-only site and do chores: get everything out to dry, beeline to the shower, wash my clothes in the sink, get out the solar charger, go shopping at the food co-op in town, eat.

Heather rolls in with a broken spoke, and news that she can't use her bottom two gears and so the hills really sucked. Her knees hurt, and she's not hungry.

Still, we've got tofu, rice, pesto, and a spinach salad with carrots and parmesan. Real grocery store food.

Nice storm clouds

Eagle Point campground is a peninsula, and it's time to hang out by the water next to the boat launch, and catch up on my notes for the blog. 

Holding up the tent in the wind and rain

NOW, I can see the weather.  The source of the rumbles in the distance are clearer now that I can SEE the dark clouds gradually sidling up to us. I watch for a while in hopes that it will just pass us by. OK, maybe not. There's a queue of boats trying to get out of the water at the launch. I'd better get back to camp to batten down the hatches, or at least put out all the tent lines, cover the bikes, and pack all my gear that has been drying and is currently spread out on the picnic table into our dry bags and into the tent. 

Just in time. 

Heather and I are holding up the walls in the tent and laughing. It is POURING rain. Then I can feel my backside getting wet. There is a river running through the tent. Thank goodness all our stuff is in dry bags.

Post Storm gear assessment

There's a gorgeous post-storm sunset enjoyed by many.   And there's no better place to put the tent, ALL of the ground in the tent-only sites where we are is in run-off and is waterlogged.  We get everything out anyways, to try to dry the tent as best we can before settling back in as it gets dark.

I am stretched out now in my rain gear on my sleeping pad in our very wet tent (inside and out). My nice dry down sleeping bag is put away in a dry bag.  I'm warm enough for now. I hope that sleep comes.