49.3 mi
3.06.28 st
15.8 avg
TTD-2525.07
3.06.28 st
15.8 avg
TTD-2525.07
Hammertime!
After watching the Weather Channel last night, we knew we’d need to be up and going early this morning. There are severe thunderstorms forecast for the area and we wanted to get as far as possible before they hit.
After watching the Weather Channel last night, we knew we’d need to be up and going early this morning. There are severe thunderstorms forecast for the area and we wanted to get as far as possible before they hit.
Because we were on the frontline of the storms coming in from the west, we had a crosswind for the first 25 miles as we went south. When we turned east on hwy A20, it turned to a nice cross/tailwind. We stopped for a quick fig bar break and to get rain covers on the computers and front pack and get the back flasher on. Better to be ready if caught in rain than to do all that while getting wet.
We pedaled hard through Stanton on to Maumee, watching the skies the whole time. The clouds were building up on the west, forming some thunderheads, but they moved north of us. We could see it raining where we had come from. There were also thickening clouds to the southwest and later we could see that it was most likely raining ahead of us. It was like we were riding in a dry pocket.
We pedaled hard through Stanton on to Maumee, watching the skies the whole time. The clouds were building up on the west, forming some thunderheads, but they moved north of us. We could see it raining where we had come from. There were also thickening clouds to the southwest and later we could see that it was most likely raining ahead of us. It was like we were riding in a dry pocket.
In Perrysburg we stopped at a downtown bench for a short break. We asked a lady about nearby motels and talked with her for about 15-20 minutes(a few too many as it turned out). 
She told us that the storm was forecast to hit here in about an hour and a half with golf ball sized hail. That was enough to get us moving again. We got about ½ mile when the rain started, and it came straight down and heavy. We took refuge on a porch for five minutes and when it started to let up we took off again.
She told us that the storm was forecast to hit here in about an hour and a half with golf ball sized hail. That was enough to get us moving again. We got about ½ mile when the rain started, and it came straight down and heavy. We took refuge on a porch for five minutes and when it started to let up we took off again.About a mile down the road we came on the business district with motels and restaurants. Okay, LaQuinta....Holiday Inn...Executive Inn...Comfort Inn -those are all above our budget. There’s a Days Inn. Nooo, not a Days Inn. All my experiences with Days Inns have not been the best and I’ve steered clear of them. Well, we can at least check their rates before going on further and, besides, it’s looking like we don’t have a lot of time.
The lady quoted us a rate of $68, then dropped it to $63 with AARP. When Gerry said that was still above our budget and asked her if there were any cheaper motels down the road, she paused and said she could go down to $55. Sold! So, yes, here I am in a Days Inn. Another work of humility in my heart. (On this trip we've stayed in some places that are much worse than this, so this is simply pride.) This Days Inn is typical of what we've experienced before: laundry facilities are out of order, the room phone doesn't work, the internet isn't working, the carpet is dirty.
Well, we were safe and sound from the weather and we kept waiting for it to hit. We kept checking the skies, expecting the rain and hail to come in torrents. The sky turned a weird white, but still no precip.
The lady quoted us a rate of $68, then dropped it to $63 with AARP. When Gerry said that was still above our budget and asked her if there were any cheaper motels down the road, she paused and said she could go down to $55. Sold! So, yes, here I am in a Days Inn. Another work of humility in my heart. (On this trip we've stayed in some places that are much worse than this, so this is simply pride.) This Days Inn is typical of what we've experienced before: laundry facilities are out of order, the room phone doesn't work, the internet isn't working, the carpet is dirty.
Well, we were safe and sound from the weather and we kept waiting for it to hit. We kept checking the skies, expecting the rain and hail to come in torrents. The sky turned a weird white, but still no precip.
We showered then had an early dinner at the China Buffet across the parking lot (One of the nicer Chinese buffets I've eaten at - clean restaurant, fresh, hot food, and only $5.99.) Still we waited. We went to bed without any rain. I feel like we’ve been duped! We could’ve easily gotten another 15-20 miles in before stopping if we had known the weather was going to hold. But, I have to believe that God had us here for a reason.
Staying dry,
Gerry and Pat
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