Rock n' Roll Weather

Well, we've only been back on the road a day and a half and the adventures have already begun again!

We woke to grey skies and forescasts of rain on Tuesday morning at my Dad's house. He offered to give us a lift beyond the congested, narrow roads of suburban Chicago. We took him up on the offer and ended up being very glad we did. We drove to DeKalb, IL in rain and traffic on roads with little/no shoulders. A big thanks to Dad and Kris for their hospitality and for accomodating our unique bike touring needs. We love you and miss you already. We are very grateful for their support given to Thirst Relief International.

My Dad dropped us off at Northern Illinois University and we said goodbye in the rain. Five minutes later, the clouds broke and we were on our way. It felt so good to be back on the bike again. It will take a little bit to get the legs back and get over the saddle soreness, but we had a nice 47-mile ride to Mendota, IL. We decided to take it easy on our first day back on the road so we looked for a place to stay in Mendota...this is where the adevntures really began.

We saw forecasts for heavy storms that night so we wanted to get set up quickly. We stopped at the police station and they said we could camp 'out by the lake'. It is not always allowed, but they said we looked like trustworthy folks...they took our names and birthdays just in case : ) We got out to the park and set up our tent while keeping an eye on the dark clouds on the horizon. We could see rain off in the distance. We read for a while and then had dinner. During this time, the direction of the storm completely shifted and went around us to the south. We actually enjoyed some sunshine and a nice sunset before retiring for the evening. I fell asleep as Jenny read to me totally at peace. But this changed around 1:30 when we were both shaken awake by thunder and the most frequent lightning I've ever seen. The flashes were so rapid that I could make out Jenny's surprised face. Then the rain started.

Drizzling at first and then the thuder and lightning seemed to move closer and the rain intensified. At first it was kind of neat, but it didn't let up. The thunder was so loud and followed the lightning so quickly. Being in a tent, we felt so vulnerable and it seemed as though lightning was striking all around us. We laid awake for a while and made a couple quick dashes out to use the bathroom. We had purposely camped near the edge of the park to avoid being noticed and we were a ways from any shelter. The storm would let up for a little bit and then it would start dumping again. I didn't know what to do. The rain was beginning to soak through the tent and our sleeping bags were getting damp.

Jenny suggested that we call information and get the number for the police. We called during a lull in the storm and asked if it had passed. The operator said that it was just the beginning and a series of fronts were following this first one! After hearing our situation she said that we could stay at the police station for the night. She called an officer and they came to pick us up. We hurried to get everything in the patrol car, except the bike and the tent. We felt sorry leaving our trusty steed behind in the rain, but it wouldn't have fit.

We got to the station just as another wave of the storm hit. We got settled and even though we were inside, the thunder was loud enough to startle us. We slept on the floor of the City Council chambers...getting to bed at 3:00 AM after an hour and a half of intense storms.

We got up this morning and checked in with the receptionist about the forecast, When she brought in the print out and it said '70 - 80 mph winds' we decided not to ride today. They offered to let us stay for another night and even brought in a TV and some movies! We walked down to the library and it's kind of clear right now, but there are clouds coming in from the west. The storms are supposed to go through the night and early morning and then let up. It looks like we're in for good weather after this 'rock and roll weather'.

It was a wild experience and we are grateful to be safe and have shelter for tonight. We are amazed at how generous the Mendota Police have been. We will be watching the weather closely as we cross the Plains.

Talk to you soon,
Scott and Jenny