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One of the things you get to see when you hike the hills. Check out their different horn styles. One of them stepped right up the fence and put his nose in my face as I tried to snap the picture. Amish people take such good care of their animals that they are not afraid of people.
The day started rainy--oh goody, I get to wear all my new rain gear...at least it wasn't raining hard--yet. We left our dear hosts, Lisa and Dave W. after a delicious homemade breakfast complete with fresh fruit. I was so apprehensive about the day's hills I really hated to leave. I wasn't even fake smiling.
Dave insisted I smile.
It rained harder and the hills were still steep. It wasn't long and I was hiking again. It rained. My glasses fogged. And the rain drops clung to them making it hard to see. The traffic was zipping by. The steep down hills were scaring me to death. Near the top of a giant hill I had just walked up, sat a three-sided bus shelter and we stood inside to get out of the pelting rain. Dave gave me a few pointers on how to more efficiently shift on hills and stay alive, and I was excited to give it a try and dived back out into the traffic and rain...(that's not exactly how the conversation went😊). But one of the things about touring is you have to keep going. What are your options?
downtown Lancaster, PA
Mid-day we arrived in Lancaster, PA. The rain stopped and we explored the town a bit. Headed first for coffee, hot water, and pie.
Somehow my PB pie slice was twice the size of Dave's.
After window shopping we headed to the library to charge electronics and Google camping spots and possible alternate tour routes as Quebec was seeming less of a realistic destination. I offered to wait out the trip in a campground as Dave made his route to Canada and he could pick me up on the return trip. Better possibilities seemed west or south.
Vintage
check out the tiny 3-d tiles
the library
Our campground for the evening was a county park. After setting up camp and cooking dinner we were informed there was no camping in that park so packed quickly with no where to go and sunset in half hour. Just then, Mary and Marv walked by and offered their home for the evening. Just the most wonderful people.
Dave, Mary, and Marv
They piled my bike gear into their car and drove slowly so Dave could follow on his bike. After a few miles we noticed Dave had stopped following. Driving back in the dark we learned his bike chain had broken! No, mangled! So Mary and Marv took me to their house several miles away and then returned to pick up Dave and his bike.
We had a wonderful evening talking and meeting their son and grandson.We learned another son, Glen Ladd, had been an avid touring cyclist crossing the USA a couple times and was also an RN with a medical group in Afghanistan in 2010 and had been killed with a group of 9 other medical personnel. Their story of Glen's death and all the redemptive consequences--one of which was that they always rescue cyclists--even benefited us greatly. You can check out his story by Googling: Glen Ladd. A very remarkable young man.
Mary making breakfast
In the morning, Marv drove Dave 20 miles each way to a bike shop that opened at 8:00am (more local shops opened 2 hours later) so he could get the parts he needed for his bike. And Mary prepared the most delicious breakfast for us. Just the most lovely people. I felt so at home.
Dave worked on his bike and went over more route ideas with their son, Jerry. After Mary made us more food for lunch and packed enough for dinner we headed out.
The biking was good today with doable hills. I walked a couple times and saw fun stuff I would have missed otherwise. Dave and I got separated in the midst of York, PA but finally made it to a campground for the evening. I'm listening to the rain fall on the tent, love that. It will be over by morning and we'll be on our way to day 6.
Fun stuff