Day 9: 5/29/19: Tamaroa, IL to New Douglas, IL

Last night was quite eventful.  After watching some little league at the city park, I finally got settled into my tent at about 11:30. I chatted with a nice local family that has 9 children, with the 10th one on the way.  We checked the local weather and there was only a 30% chance of rain last night, and 60% today.

As a precaution, I pitched my tent under a large pavilion and saw no need to use the rainfly. I left a few things laying on a picnic table under the pavilion. At about 3:00, I was awakened by thunder in the distance. At about 3:30, the storm was on top of me. It consisted of pouring rain and extremely high winds. Things were starting to get blown around, so I get out of the tent to round up my stuff. About that time, the winds increased and I had to catch my tent. Rain was being blown into the pavilion and into my tent. This intense storm lasted only a few minutes, so I settle back into my tent, inventory everything, and lay back down. Still no rain fly. I think the wind in this storm was much greater than the winds I rode through in Fredericksburg VA that were the remnants of hurricane Michael.

Well, at about 4:00 a.m., here comes round 2. Again wind blowing the rain into the pavilion and into my tent, which was more in the center of the pavilion after being blown by the first storm. So out I go again, this time moving my tent further away from the blowing rain and attaching my rainfly to it. Attaching a rainfly in extreme wind is quite the adventure. I got it attached, and crawled back in my tent. That storm also lasted only a few minutes.

Then sometime between 4:30-5:00 another storm, not quite as intense as the first two, quickly came through.

Lessons learned last night: 1) These Midwest storms mean business; and 2) Don't think you don't need a rainfly just because you are under a pavilion.

I'm glad I was under a pavilion instead of riding that one out in Darrell's yard. Once again, God provides.

My ride from Tamaroa to Nashville, IL was definitely on roads less traveled. I traveled much of the way on roads that look like this...

I also had to cross this...

And this...

These were on a road called Lake Road. Not sure why it's not called Lake in the Road. I walked my bike across these areas and the water was mid way up my shin with a soft muddy bottom.

 I thought it was neat how you could see this road cut in the wheat field.

Lisa told me at about 2:00 p.m. weather.com showed a big "green" area setting it's sights on me. At about 5:00 p.m., I started noticing more dark clouds in the distance. Of course, tthat made me start pedaling faster. I was on back roads and did not know when the next town was coming up. It started lightening closer to me, and I could tell I was losing the race. I pulled over in an old abandoned shed thinking I would stay there until the storm blew over. I pulled out my phone to look up churches close by that may have a pavilion. I saw there were a couple of churches in New Douglas, IL, about 3 miles from me. So off to the races again. As I entered the town, I found a township park with a couple of pavilions. I did not get rained on at all, but as I pulled under a pavilion at about 6:30, a torrential rain with lightning and high winds began. I have decided to make this home for the night because the storms could continue  throughout the night.  It's going to be another rough night.

Total miles today: 84.6