Erie, Pennsylvania - rest day

We are almost there! This is our last rest day. We only have six more days of riding before we get to Burlington, Massachusetts. Where did the past six weeks go? In some ways, Manhattan Beach seems a long time ago and, yet, only yesterday…

In my last blog, I forgot to mention that Peter started playing, "name the counties of England." Of course, neither Al nor I could name more than a few. I guess it was payback for "States' Capitals" that Al started the day before.

I think tomorrow's diversion should be bicycle haiku.

Five - seven - five

Wind pushes into me
I am a sail for the wrong
direction - headwind (Jonathan Neske)

The answer my friend
is not blowing in the wind
it's riding a bike (Jaberwock)

Yesterday, rain; today, it's drizzling in Erie. Early this morning, Ira and I walked down to the waterfront on Lake Erie, where we met Al coming the other way. A few blocks back up State Street was a Starbucks, my first of the trip. George was already there, reading about contract bridge, and Hank stopped in with his brother. Several other riders were out, on their way to the Laundromat or looking for breakfast. Amazingly, you could shoot a cannon down State Street without hitting anyone, on a Thursday morning, during rush hour! By far, there were more Cross Roads people on the street than Erie residents.

When I got back to the hotel, I spotted some of our group out front cleaning their bikes. I checked the forecast for tomorrow, 80% chance of precipitation, and just cleaned my bike's chain. It's almost time for my nap.

Wouldn't you know it, the wind is out of the west…on our day off!