I checked my weather app before going to bed. It said there was a decent chance for a sprinkle in my area.
Did I ignore the warning? Yes.
Did I put my rain fly on the tent? Nope.
I camped out in this tiny park; not much more than a small river access area, a three minute loop hike and an outhouse. The surrounding area didn't have any clear, flat areas so this was the next best option. The park wasn't in a town, so I figured the likelihood of being bothered was low.
My campsite was just to the right of the water.
Around 2 in the morning a light rain woke me up. I quickly threw on the fly and immediately fell asleep again from the prior day's exhaustion.
Did I cover my bike with a tarp? Nope.
My bags were soaked when I woke up. Not just wet, soaked. Sopping inside. Pools of water in them.
When asked about the weather, I always respond with if it rains, I get wet. Well, I suppose my reaction to my gear being wet should be about as nonchalant as my response.
I rode for about an hour before stopping in a sleepy diner for coffee and some breakfast. My rig must have gained at least fifteen pounds in water weight from the rain - riding was more difficult than normal.
This tank sat in a grassy field just outside the diner.
Inside the diner, a couple introduced themselves to me: Rex & Barbara. They noticed the bike outside and it wasn't difficult to figure out who was riding it.
Rex told me about his adventures riding around Michigan. One day, out of the blue, he told his wife he wanted to ride to the upper peninsula. He went down to the store, bought a bike, trained for a few weeks and then did it.
Well into his seventies, Rex said his mobility was declining and felt uneasy about riding long distances. But after breakfast he planned to hop on the bike and put around.
Go Rex.
The rest of the day I put in a lot of miles. There wasn't much to do or see.
What the heck is this...
I stopped in a small town of 500 people that had a beautiful city park. The park even included a quite large forested area, complete with hiking trails. I trudged about a quarter mile down one of the trails and setup in the darkness.
Joe