Sometimes Walls Are Good

Some days are just better spent indoors. Today was one of those days.

I woke this morning reassured that my decision to spend last night in a motel was a good one. A very good one. As was the decision to make it a two night stay. Yes, I could’ve ridden today but it wouldn’t have been pleasant – although, the winds appeared to be at least a bit favourable albeit strong. Anyway, with no real schedule to adhere to, it just made sense to let Patricia do her thing. If all goes well, tomorrow Patricia will have moved on, leaving me free to resume my ride in more manageable conditions.

Had I opted to camp out last night I can honestly say I don’t know how it would’ve worked out. So far, my Big Agnes Seedhouse SL2 has held up pretty well (although, I still miss my MSR Hubba Hubba). That said, I’m not entirely sure how it would’ve handled the amount of rain that came down through the night and this morning. Seriously. It was a lot of rain. And while I’m sure my not-entirely-new tent has been designed to withstand harsh weather, it’s a test I’m happy to put off indefinitely.

The sound of the rain pounding on the windows and walls of the motel was actually what woke me up this morning. The rain continued in such a fashion for much of the morning which left me plenty of time for some freelance work. The morning passed quickly but by the time noon came I was starting to feel a bit trapped and really wanted to get outside again. I know, it had only been a few hours. What can I say? My desire to go outside is apparently amplified when I know that I can’t leave. Well, not without risking a possible drowning.

Fortunately, the heaviest rain was gone by noon and by 1:00 the rain had essentially stopped. The wind was still blowing but at least it was dry – well, except for the huge puddles. And there were some huge puddles. As for the wind, early analysis seems to indicate that Patricia’s presence has introduced a new wind direction. One much more consistent with my direction of travel. While I’m sure such a phenomenon will be short-lived, it does give me a little bit of hope for tomorrow’s ride.

With the precipitation seemingly gone for the day, I was able to head out for some fresh air. And groceries. Not so much for today but for the road. The need to carry a lot of food isn’t nearly as critical now that I’m in a more populated area of Texas but I still like to have some food with me. Just in case. That said, as far as I can tell there are plenty of towns with plenty of services between Del Rio and Houston. I guess I’ll find out for sure starting tomorrow.