You could tell he didn't have much, and we were touched that he gave the little he did have, he had a soft spirit about him...and we knew that was a good start to the rest of the day. Little did we know that it would be the beginning of many kind interactions for the rest of the long day...
After we left the gas station we continued on and a couple hours down the road, in the town of Wauson and luckily in the vicinity of larger town then most we had encountered, Sasha's tire blew out...meaning we would have to get a new tire that would fit her bike...meaning...that we could be tuck for a while. Most stores like Walmart in the like, do not carry these types of tires...so we put our heads together, though about the storm coming, and realized it may be wiser to try to find a ride down the line rather than bike the many hours ahead, especially now that we didn't have a tire for her bike.
So we went on the to the road stuck out our thumbs and some smiles...in hopes somone might be able to pick up two people and two loaded down bikes (not very likely, I know)...so we goofed up...again, and knew that are chances were slims. Not only did we not look stranded being surrounded by stores...but it just wasn't the town that seemed keen on hitchhiking. A few people came and asked us what we needed, and finally, a guy that knew a little bit about bikes stopped and told us that ACE Hardware carries the type of tires Sasha's needed. So she ran across the street and sure enough, there was a bulky one that would do the job...and we headed on our way.
The next time that sticks out to me is a town called West Unity, a town full of furniture stores, and we we came in, as I often do, I looked for a cafe or a little place to grab a snack where we came across Park's Place. A newly established cafe run by a retired veteran who only had one arm, didn't say a whole lot but made his own cold coffee drink, and his shop was full of his daughter's jewelry, other local things, and his wife decorated it out of the Monopoly game...a woman named Anne who was there was so intrigued with us she insisted she buy us a cold beverage, and I was convinced that we reminded her of her son who was also a traveler. Anne had lived in that town most of her life and took care of her husband who suffered from Alzheimer's for the past ten years. She had a heart of gold, and the man running the shop even sat down to talk after Anne left and gave us a pamphlet that he had written sharing his faith: it was a nice town.So, on we went...becoming less concerned about the storm, but still unsure of where we were going to stay if it did come. Neither one of our tents would with hold a storm.
We put our heads down as we strolled up and down the hills of Ohio and realized that we entered Indiana--highly disappointed there was no sign and naturally making humorous outcries about the lack of one. Indiana already felt different, the hills were different the colors of green felt different, and before we knew it we had finally reached Angola, a surprisingly quaint town with a square, live music, kids running around, and nice pizza joint.
We couldn't believe the mileage we had made, especially with our hiccups along the way, so we sat---ordered a pizza and a cold rink and watched the town people and the listend to the live music as the skies behind us began to darken.
"What options do we have for a place" Sasha asked..."Hmmmm...none" I answered...we laughed again about our misfortune knowing that the storm that night was going to be a real one..wondering how nice the people of Angola were and if desperate times called for desperate measures...I then checked my phone and realized that one of the last minute Warm Showers hosts answered my call, and was worried sick about us and demanded we come by her house before the storm hit. It seemed like an angelic answer....neither Sasha and I could believe our luck...and on top of that she was only a mile away from where we were sitting.We happily pedaled to Lou Ann's house as the drops began to fall from the sky and reached her lovely old ranch house. It was a magical place right away. We were greeted by her and the Argentinean
student that was living with her. Lou Ann has a way about her, of acting like you are family, of welcoming you, of listening ot you, and as making you feel as if her home is where you belong.
She showed us the room we were going to sleep in, with twin beds and a ocean theme and for a minute I felt like I was at a bed and breakfast. Lou Ann was a lighthouse to us during our storm.
That night we slept peacefully in our beds as the storm hit...thankful for someone providing us shelter and the ability to be together our last night on our tour together.
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