I’m learning to accept that the shellacked finish of bug spray on my body is a good thing, or at least the lesser of two evils, as I attend daily to upwards of 70 swollen bites. I’ve had exactly ONE leisurely evening by the campfire on this entire journey, as I’m driven inside nightly by the arrival of mosquitoes and other varmints who threaten to ruin me.
Hans and I met up again today, earlier than anticipated, along the great river at a small town called Savanna, IL. Our hunger was robust so we walked the streets in our usual fashion, looking for just the right place with just the right ambience to settle on for victuals. The town offers at least one bar or pub per block, but only a few eateries. We selected a true “mom and pop” place, run by an auntie, who put together two delicious sandwiches and home-made fries in a go-box, which we toted to the river and ate at a picnic table in the shade. The river on one side, and the railroad on the other. Quite picturesque and delightful. No bugs. After lunch, Hans entered the deliciously dry comfort of the Motherload to computer network, and I took off on my bike with Jubie for a splendid 10-mile ride along a river-hugging bike path. Bugs galore! I think they even went after Jubie, as midway, she tried to escape her back-seat basket by climbing up my back! It was a gorgeous ride, however, as long as I kept my mouth closed, my eyes narrowed to mere slits, and tried not to breathe through my nose!
A unanimous decision was reached by mid-afternoon that tomorrow we will do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING but hang out, read, nap, drink beer, munch. We all need a day of blessed rest. And with restored vigor we will map out the next phases of our journeys.
We bought supplies for a real BBQ, but fell into camp too tired and still too full from lunch to follow through. So tomorrow night, after a splendid day of torpor, we’ll have our BBQ, even if our hard-shelled, bug-sprayed bodies crack in the process!
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