Oct. 14 – Prayers and Parties

Life is good when you start the day with a Warmshowers host who makes eggs & ham, fruit, toast, coffee and juice for breakfast. Garth sets the bar high! Then we loaded my bike and gear back in his truck and he took me to the highway and away I went. It was another blustery, cold and windy day. The wind was blowing across me, but at just enough angle to give me a little push. But road looked like this all day:

My first stop, after 35 miles, was Newton – a nice little town and home to the local Mennonite college – I think they said it was Berea College. While I was riding into town I met up with a local biker, Dave, and we chatted about touring. He and his wife had done some long tours in years past. He told me that if I needed any snacks I should stop at a store on Main Street called Prairy…so I did. It was an interesting and eclectic natural food store that also had a small menu and a seating area. I got the soup of the day, some bread, a cookie and some key lime ice cream along with my snacks for later. Everyone was really friendly – the cashiers and a couple more local cyclists who were having lunch. I socialized a little, ate and then got my blog caught up. I filled up my water bottles and was about to leave on my bike when one of the cashiers, a college-aged girl , came running out and wanted to know if she could ask me a question. I said “sure”. She said, “ as I saw you leaving, I just got the feeling that I should pray for safety on your trip – are you ok with that?” Of course I said yes – and she proceeded to say a very heartfelt and sweet prayer for my safety. I was very touched! With that I got on my bike, put my head down and pedaled through the wind for another 40 miles or so until I reached the town of Cassoday, where I could camp in the city park. When I reached the town I passed the park and rode over to the Main Street to see what it was like – the street was blocked off for some kind of celebration, and I could see a table set up with people around it a block or 2 up, so I went over. Amazingly, for a town of only 100 people, there were two major events happening. At the table and around it there was this big annual race – including a marathon, a 100 K, a fifty mile race and a 100 mile race! As I stood there, some of the 50 mile racers started coming in:

Pretty Impressive! So then I rode back to Main Street and walked my bike past the barricades. Some kind of celebration and auction was going on. That’s when I met the two Krista’s – they explained that it was their annual town party and fundraiser and that after the auction there was going to be a big BBQ dinner and a band – and I should join in the festivities. I think they had already joined in several times to the jars of apple pie moonshine that were being passed around – but they were very hospitable! I’m always up for a party!

The Krista’s had organized the festivities along with their husbands (who work for the city) and their families.

The party was on! Too bad it was pretty windy and cold. Luckily the dinner and band were set up in a partially constructed building that provided some shelter. I was handed a big plate with a pulled pork sandwich, cole slaw, carrot salad, potato salad, potato chips – and on a separate plate a big piece of peach pie. I was in heaven and sat with a couple of local good-ole-boys to eat. One of them was the pit-master and also the moonshine-maker. Then the band started playing and people started dancing. Unfortunately for me, soon afterwards it started getting dark and it was really cold – and I had not set up my tent or anything…..so I said goodbye and rode back to the park. There was a gazebo there that had electrical outlets on it, so I set up my tent right on it and could charge all my electronics from my tent – a first! What a fun and interesting day.