43 Miles, Crooked Lake to Home

Cue the music, “Heat wave, havin’ a heat wave, tropical heat wave, certainly can-can.”

I slept fitfully all night long as there was the heat, humidity, and some guy shooting off m80s. I was ready to leave at 7:30 . . . it just takes a while to pack up and get going. The roads into the the campground are sandy, silty and therefore catch my rear tire. I had to proceed cautiously. In Gregory I tilted back a cold tea that did wonders and I next stopped again 10 miles from home at a little church on the corner of country roads, Buckley and Holt. There I applied more anti-chafing cream and drank a full 22 oz of lemonade. This again helped.

It was a great ride, ridiculously easy despite the temps being oppressive. My clothes were full of salt from sweat—when I got home I immediately showered and did laundry. I was invited to go to the beach and declined—happy to just be clean and in AC.