Torrents Of Rain

Railroad Bridge Outside Quebec City
July

I don't believe this weather. All last night it was clear. I slept
out under a beautiful moon. This morning the sun was shining and
everything looked great. Then all of a sudden this—I have to stop
writing and prepare for rain. The sky is completely covered in clouds
now, and I'm starting to battle strong winds. Looks like another good day!

Evening: Well, about half hour ago, I was ready to ride into Quebec
City, get on board a train, and not get off until Michigan. In fact, I
still might!

The wind blew hard this morning; I couldn't even pack up my bike. I
had to carry everything behind a near-by house in order to pack up. At least
I didn't have to walk very far to get back to the square--thank God. I
managed to take shelter under a gazebo until the rain stopped. All day
I peddled in 3rd, 4th, and 7th gears. That meant for ten hours I had
to push through 30--40 mph winds. It was similar to when I had food
poisoning only this time I wasn't sick. That wasn't all; Ma
Nature threw her torrents of rain at me, too. If somebody would have
given me a dime for every time I put my rain gear on, I could have
bought a train ticket back to Michigan. At the end of the day—my third
day of riding wet— that idea sounded like a keeper.

Out of fairness to myself, though, I decided to wait a night before
making that decision. I bought a quart of beer and some cheese twists
at a party store. (The only good thing about Quebec was that every
grocery store sold beer--just like in the states.) Just before sunset,
and a ways off the highway, I camped under an old railroad bridge.
From on top of the cement supports, I could see Quebec City rising
above the horizon. It was a very pretty sight. Drinking my first beer
since Nova Scotia, and eating really good cheese twists, I was
beginning to feel like a human being again.

Right now things are pretty good, but for how long? After a good
night's sleep, I will seriously consider calling it quits. For a trip
that was planned as a scrapbook event to begin with, a train ride
home, it seems to me, would be a fitting ending. I just witnessed a
beautiful sunset, but it didn't affect me like in the past. I think
I'm getting sick of traveling with myself. What more can I say!