HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY TO ONE AND ALL!

14:4

Yesterday was possibly the most uncomfortable day of our whole trip and it had nothing to do with our biking.  As you know from previous blogs, our Warm Shower stays have been some of our best experiences on our trip.  Our hosts have been welcoming, interesting and interested, friendly, informative and the places in which we have stayed have been more than acceptable.

Yesterday, unfortunately, was the exception.  We rode into Moorhouse, MN expecting to spend yesterday night and the night of the 4th with warm shower hosts–enjoying what we hoped was going to be a well deserved and fun day off on the Fourth of July.  We arrived at the home of our hosts, who were very welcoming although we later realized not terribly interested.  It seems they make a habit of inviting people they don’t know or barely know into their home.  The abode was all but unlivable–perhaps the inevitable result of housing 5 cats, 3 dogs and 5 humans in a small space.  We were allocated a small area–to call it a room is to glorify it– in an unfinished and moldy basement. The shower and toilet there hadn’t been cleaned in months even though an acquaintance who was living in an RV in their driveway has been using the facilities. The washing machine emptied onto the floor.  The room we were in was filthy and claustrophobic as was the rest of the house–dirty dishes, dirty counters, dirty bathroom, etc.  We should have just turned around and walked out, but we decided to grin and bear it because we didn’t want to offend our hosts, but did shorten our stay and left this morning.  At about 1:30 am, when I woke up feeling as though I couldn’t breath, I almost woke Charles up to suggest that we just leave.  It was truly an uncomfortable situation.  It was an adventure of a sort, but one we hope not to repeat.

It was wonderful to get out this morning and ride in the fresh air and clean countryside.  Tomorrow will be a very short ride–16 miles or so–and we hope that today’s short ride and tomorrow’s will equate to a day off.

Onward and upward!