Day 8: Wizard of Oz

So I have learned to add 5-10 miles on to whatever Mike tells me our mileage will be for the day. Last night he said around 50 for today. I asked of that meant less than 50 or more. I just like to know what to expect. He said, right on 50. We logged 59 miles today, and this isn't the first time this has happened. 😉

We woke up this morning. GiGi made us breakfast and them we went to see he horses. I got a kiss from a horse!  So did Mike!

Then it was time to hit the road. We knew there would be a good chance of afternoon storms so we tried to get to our destination before we got caught.

Our first goal was Elizabethtown for lunch. GiGi mentioned this burger placed called Melvin's that we should eat at. As we rode on I recalled this place as being familiar. I am pretty sure I have been there before with my family when we drove to the beach. This mornings ride was difficult. It was hot, windy, and time just seemed to be standing still. My saddle was also quite uncomfortable. About 18 miles in we stop for a quick break, make some adjustments to my saddle ( which helped a ton!) and at some snacks. It was about 32 miles into town without much to see. 

We finally role into Elizabethtown and find Melvin's. We bother order a coke and a burger all the way( slaw, chili, mustard, onions). We both down our cokes and burgers. We each get another burger and a refill of coke. 

I text my mom telling her I was there since it is a place she would know. I get a response that made me laugh so hard.  The text said,"didn't get kicked out this time?" Followed by my brother asking if they were good because he still hasn't had a burger from there. So the backstory now...

Years ( i was probably in 3rd grade)  ago we were traveling to the beach with my grandparents. Melvin's is busy and small so they ask you to not sit in a booth until you have your food. Well my grandparents had disabilities and needed to sit before we ordered. And next thing I knew we had been kicked out. So I had been there, but never eaten there. 

Anyway we had wonderful service and great food today without incident!  Once we left we wed outside with our bikes. I was putting on sunscreen and Mike was looking for place for us to stay. This man and his son from Melvin's came out and asked where we were headed. The boy told me he had been to DC before but not on bike. And then as he walked away he yelled out, and by the way you are HUGE!  I laughed.  Then a lady working at a shop next door came out to chat. She asked about our trip and what we do in the rain. She rides motorcycles so she has some similar stories. 

Then back on the bikes. We got chased by another little dog and two big dogs today. The big dogs could of had a chance but they paused to make sure they wouldn't get hit by a car in a drive way. That split second helped us separate ourselves. I have gotten really good at spotting the dogs as they begin their chase and yell at Mike that dogs are coming. I don't know what he is looking at but he isn't scanning the yards like me.  We also passed these two little Fido dogs. Their mouths were covered in blood and they were devouring this rabbit they must have just caught. It was gross, but I'm glad it was a rabbit and not my ankles!

Then we started running away from the storms. We were about 20 miles away. I stupidly made a bet with Mike that if we stayed dry from the storm he had to buy dinner. If we got rained on then I had to buy dinner. Wishful thinking. 

About 5 minutes later I lost the bet. We ducked under a carport at a house. They were pulling out of there driveway right as we were pulling in. Not many words were exchanged but lots of waves. It was nice to be able to wait out the downpour. We waited until the thunder passed and then decided to make a run for it to Whiteville. We had a reservation at a B&B. Mike decided to spoil me on our las night on the road. 

We road like the wind. Those last 15 miles we seriously picked up the pace. I was drafting off of Mike, getting sprayed by his rear fender.  Nothing gets me pedaling quite as fast an an impending thunderstorm, except getting chased by a dog while riding through rain trying to avoid a thunderstorm. Yup, that happened. We were right on the edge of the storm, but it finally caught up to us.   It blew in really fast and about 3 miles out we got downpoured on. We pulled off under an underpass to turn on our lights and check directions. Then back to the rain. About a mile away we got into town and it was coming down really hard and the storm was right over us. We pulled off under a gas station to wait out the storm. No need to get struck by lightning. Cars were even pulling off the road, that's how hard the rain was coming down. We waited about 20 minutes and then hit the road again in the rain but the thunder had passed over. We arrived at the Madison House and I was greeted with a hug from Jack, the owner of the B&B. We showered up and went out to get dinner, on me. We went to a nice restaurant in downtown. We slept well in the huge house and are ready for our last 39 miles tomorrow. 

All in all we biked 59 miles today. 427 total.