Day 23--Milan to Westlake, OH

Tuesday, may 8, 2012

Squish, squish, drip, drip. Oh what a relief it is . . . to be warm and dry in the Westlake, OH, Holiday Inn!

Nelson fixed me two poached eggs on toast and coffee for breakfast. After breakfast, at about 8:30 when it looked like the rain had stopped, we went to the barn to inflate my tires (they didn't need it) and to fetch B.O.B. I loaded him up, and Nelson got some wire to try to hold up B.O.B.'s flag. Thank you again Nelson and Ginny for your help and hospitality.

The flag standard is splintering and failing where it goes into the tube that holds it (see below). Poor B.O.B. He's finding it harder and harder to hold the flag up. Also, the flag is fraying and ragged with the wind. I wonder what my beautiful Heartland to Harbor for Hospice flag would look like at this point.

The wire that Nelson twisted to keep B.O.B.'s flag erect

Very short report because I took no pix on the ride. It was thickly foggy and rained for the first 35 miles of my 41-mile ride. I was soaked and did not want to stop for fear of getting chilled, so rolled rubber for 41 miles nonstop--except for red  lights. It is really too bad that it was foggy and rained today, too, because for most of the ride, Lake Erie was to my left and the old homes, parks, and resort names at its edge would have made good camera fodder. I'm rolling along the lake most of tomorrow too, so hope it is a nicer day.

When I got to the Holiday Inn, Diane at the front desk said: "You must be the bicyclist." I really don't know how in the world she knew. I asked her to take a couple of photos (see below) and then I hightailed it to the room and a hot shower. Diane recommended that I get into the hot tub, but I needed food and drink. I could hardly wait to get to the dining room. I had a huge club sandwich, three sections of which are in the refrig at the mo and will serve as dinner tonight. Will soak in the hot tub before bed tonight and sleep like the proverbial log.

The drowned rat on arrival at the Holiday Inn Westlake.

This is why I throw my socks away after a ride in the rain

After lunch I asked Diane for some old rags from housekeeping. I cleaned the bike, B.O.B., and B.O.B.'s bag. I stuffed my shoes with the current USA Today, and  I washed all of my riding clothes, and cleaned off my O2 jacket. When I took off my shoes and socks, my feet were white and wrinkled just as though I'd been in the swimming pool too long.

Dirty B.O.B. after his ride in the rain



Grit in the sink after washing out clothes; the tub was filled with this grit after my shower, too



Thank you Diane for the discounted room at the Holiday Inn, for the cleaning rags, and for your hospitality!

That's it for  today. Tune in again tomorrow to learn how my ride to Mentor, OH went.