Ready to be Home, but Not Yet

I have to be reminded every now and then the importance of being flexible and adaptable. It is not easy for me, being somewhat concrete sequential. 

We met Patti and Chris cycling the roads of Washington oh so long ago. For a couple days we would overtake them on some pass, gap, notch , aka big hill.  They came to expect us and the last time we saw them Chris estimated we would catch them by 10. It was 9:59. Rhonda has been staying in touch with Patti ever since. 

It was a surprise to see the text with a photo of them entering Maine ahead of us. Since we skipped eastern MT and all of ND we had been a week ahead of them. Long story short, they took a shorter route that included entering Canada and found their way home. 

I’m ready to be home. Even with shorter days, I’m tired. My legs are tired. My body is sore. I’m homesick. And the remnants of Ida are bearing down on us. So what do we do? 

We changed our plans. We got a text from Patti and Chris inviting us to stop in. So our 30 mile day turned into 72 miles with 4000 feet of climbing. Traffic was heavy leaving the affluent and touristy Naples. We experienced inner city in Lewiston,ME. Two extremes for sure. We rolled up and down, mostly up, through the landscape as we followed Google’s directions. To my dismay she led us to a dead end which required us to backtrack and regain any elevation we lost. My right hand, which suffered a ski injury a couple seasons ago, now has arthritis and starts cramping after so many hours. It’s been frustrating. I’m ready to be done. But we forge on and found the Hamilton Farm where eggs, elderberry tincture, and organic sheep wool throws are sold. 

We were welcomed to their home/farm/barn. We canceled a motel for the next two nights and will stay here to weather the storm. We could hear the rain pitter patter all night long from our warm bed in the barn’s loft. We are treated to Patti’s excellent meals. Now Chris has invited us to the coastal town of Belfast while he visits his mom. We are rubbing shoulders with reality. 

One week from today we board a plane west. Home will come soon enough.