Long tough day

 Seaside Heights faded quickly in my rear view mirror  after I shoved off sat 7:40.  I climbed a substantial bridge to get onto the mainland and continued on into a head wind similar to yesterday. Making slightly better time than yesterday, things looked promising when suddenly my rear tire went flat.  What a total drag particularly since had a new inner tube with “slim” To seal any punctures.  All the bags can off, the bike turned side down, the wheel removed, the replacement of the tube with a new one, reattachment of the wheel and finally reloading the bike.  I was not a happy biker and let me pit crew at Mystic Cycle Center that I was not pleased. Back on the road again for a few more hours until I crested thirty miles I stopped for some cheese and an orange at a super sized liquor store thinking it was a grocery store. Back on the bike again the wind continued to hammer on me and with scattered showers my legs were talking to me, they weren’t happy.  Three times I struggled getting my poncho on and off again.  Each time used my rain gear I ended up a sweaty mess,  even with air flowing through. Rain gear on a bicycle is never a satisfactory arrangement but no gear at all is worse.  

Forging onward I decided to contact Doug Walker, the warmshowers contact Bruce and Sonja had given me.  He got back to me with a thumbs up.  However he was twenty-three miles south west away outside of Egg Harbor City.  Once again  google map sent me almost ten miles out of my way.  I stopped twice along the way for vitamin drinks and anything loaded with sugar to supercharge my system.  The wind eased off but it was a test of my will power as the miles clicked off. At sixty-two miles, I arrived grateful to have made it. Doug was there to meet me and set me up in a large industrial tent resting on a wood platform he had made. At sixty-one his wife had just divorced him after seventeen years of marriage. With several houses and out buildings on his property, he was clearly in need of someone to help him bring the dwellings up to snuff. Through a combination of renting them out including airbnb he is trying to cover the property taxes and cost of maintaining the property.

After a hot shower we went to his favorite Italian  restaurant where we both had superb dinners.  Along the way we talked and seemed to have a whole bunch in common including our gay sons. Through a super natural series of events he has found religion but is not locked into any religious organization.  It was quite interesting and seemed very much on the level. Anyways on our way home he showed me the way south for tomorrow.  If it pours rain  tomorrow Doug said I could stay for another day.  What is the rush anyways.