Up a bit before 6:00 in order to get an early start. My motel offered a continental breakfast and there I met the first other bikers that I've talked to. They're a married couple from just outside Seattle at Duval. I set out riding a strong tail wind, the best yet. The road was flat and straight with very little traffic. The first 20 miles were just sweet, but then things turn sour. I got a flat. To get a wheel off my bike requires that I unload it completely and take off the fairing. When I got the tube out my heart sank as I saw that it was not patchable. As some people suffer from depression, I suffer from constitutional optimism and I was pretty sure I had not brought a spare tube. I was cursing my stupid optimism and thinking I would be having to hitch hike again. But then, as I was putting unused tools back in their places I found a tube. Rapture! Rapture! The whole thing took about an hour and I was really glad I had pushed on the night before and started this day early. For much of the middle day the shoulder had a rumble strip right where I had to ride so that was not good and after lunch I had four miles of unpaved road to plod along. Nevertheless I got to Malta in time to make a short visit to the local dinosaur museum. Though small it was great. To get to see it was the reason I had left early.
I'm camping tonight just across from the Duval riders, There are mosquitoes but they are not treating me too badly. I'm wearing long pants and arm warmers.
Did you hear that? Or perhaps you felt it. A four engine, 105 car freight train just rolled past, about 50 yards from where I sit. It is the second one in the last hour. The proprietor told me that they go by here, but I think I will sleep ok as I have been right along. One other small feature of the day was the mosquitoes. As you know, mosquitoes are usually not a problem when there is wind to blow them away, but today my lovely tail wind just blew them along beside me making me a sitting target so to speak. I'll be interested to see tomorrow how many bites I'll find on my body.There are some here in Malta, but not as many as were on the road.
This is really nice riding country, flat and straight with courteous drivers.
And now to bed.
P.S. My clothes are starting to get a little ripe.
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