Rain, wilderness , very light traffic for most of the ride

 New strategy, sleep in to 7:00 and shove off after rush hour.  Knowing I was headed for an national forest area virtually devoid of human life, I stopped by Food Lion very close to my campground and stocked up on food.  After breakfast purchased at the same store I start south on route 17 but turned off just down the road onto an alternate road.  The trade here was a longer route in exchange for a safer ride.  521 to 41 was virtually traffic free off and on all day.  Not long after my departure from 17 the skies rained upon me  for about an hour. The rain gear is a hassle but basically does the job, sweat inside, rain outside, at least my body stays warm.  At three hours and thirty-five miles behind me I stopped at the only convenience store on my route. For the next thirty miles the road was flat and straight through a national forest preserve.  Tall pines on both sides but still no shoulder.  After fifty miles the body and mind started  thinking about where to stay for the night.  No warmshowers came through, a camp ground was a possibility given the forest and hotels would only be miles ahead as I closed in on Charleston. With several miles remaining  on route 41 the rush hour traffic picked up and the skies opened up.  I could see the see the dark clouds ahead hoping I would be spared...no such luck.  Pulling onto a development driveway I struggle with the poncho getting it adjusted property, slipped a baggy over my cell phone and covered my bar bag with a yellow pannier cover.  The rain, rush hour and shoulder less road made for a tense ride.  Fortunately, my rear flasher and horizontal flag kept the cars and trucks at bay.  It was not a good situation.  Making matters worse, 41 ended and 17 began,  three lanes of fast moving vehicles with rain and mist making visibility dangerously bad.  Being an upscale area with many luxury developments, a nice sidewalk had been built.   I got onto it immediately. Miles passed but no hotels, everything but what I needed.  Pushing seventy miles on the odometer and no hotel in site, I started looking for someone to ask for where a hotel might be hiding. Pulling off into tree covered driveway , I hailed two drives, the second on new of a hotel right around the corner and led me there, a Courtyard Mariott.  God bless the woman.  A very nice place had me thinking dollar signs; I didn’t care.  After parking the bike and removing all my gear, I went to the front desk.  The checkin clerk was very pleasant person who listened to me explain my ride.  Taking mercy on my she gave me the employee rate and found a vacant conference room to safely store my bike.  Once in my room, very nice layout, the process of laying out my wet gear began.  What a relief to be out of the elements after seventy miles.  A hot shower followed by a take out dinner in a totally vacant dining room. Before hitting the sack, I worked my route out for tomorrow, Waltersville, sixty-one miles away. Staying in Charleston for rest day is the other option. Rain is forecast so a short ride to town sounds appealing.