Day 42: Wet Riding/Camping

 It was bound to happen. After forty-one nearly perfect days of bicycle riding, we had our first dose of wet riding. The rain started at 4:30 and hasn’t stopped yet. Only one brief respite around noon when we ran into a dollar store for dry socks and plastic bags and then a big lunch at the Preacher’s Cafe.

We all waited around this morning until nearly 8:30 and then decided it was not going to let up and took off in a Mississippi downpour. About 5 minutes later, despite multiple layers and rain gear, we were soaked through, and we still had 60 miles to ride.

The good news is we did cross another state line into Alabama, and from what we saw it is a beautiful state. This is state #7, only Florida remains. After 10 days of straight riding with no days off, we are camping on Dauphin Island tonight with a day off tomorrow and a sunny day forecast. The temp should be in the mid 70s, so we hope to explore the area, along with a good dose of usual day off relaxing.

 We were hoping to have raised more funds for Custom Canines (www.customcanines.org) during these 52 days cross country by bike. Our goal was to raise $30,000. With that, we hoped to be able to fund the basic needs, training and equipment for at least all the service dogs for children on our autism service dog waiting list, so they would not have to wait more than 12 months for a placement of their dog. We still spread the word with every town we enter.



 We have had some interest, handed out numerous Custom Canines fliers and may still get some press from a TV station in Tallahasee next week, but we are far from our goal and that is disappointing. We are looking forward to start out a new puppy in training when we return home. It has been a while since we have had a new puppy around, so hopefully some kind breeder will donate a roly-poly English lab with a sweet an calm personality for our pet dog Monte to mentor again.

On a different note, one thing we have been reminded of recently is that the evil people who are responsible for the brutality in Boston are in the minority; there are so, so many more wonderful people who show acts of kindness and compassion to complete strangers on a daily basis, I have seen living proof of this over these 42 days!