Kilbourne to Butler OH--Mary's post!!!!

Woke up this morning to thick damp dreary mist, which has now given way to Scottish drizzle. But spirits are high after a fabulous lunch in a SLOW FOOD restaurant in Fredericktown--one local we asked for a restaurant recommendation said "I wouldn't go there--it's too slow". Slow it was---as all food was made by the husband and wife team from scratch. Oh wow. The owner, picture below--asked had I read "Fast Food Nation" and I was able to say it is in my pannier for reading this trip! She had read it, and taken it to heart, and was doing her little bit to promote healthy, home cooked, non-processed food. And it was gorgeous!!!!

Heading to a B and B tonight outside Butler, sadly the Malabar Farm hostel which was recommended was not available, but we were recommended to the B and B. This will be very welcome, as we are cycling in soaking rain wear. This Goretex stuff is all a bunch of hype, I think. We are wet, although warm--a bit what I imagine being in the womb is like.

(Next day.) The B and B WAS delightful, and very satisfyingly, it rained all night, justifying the money spent. And we set off after a HUGE breakfast at 6.30 am for Oberlin. Very, very beautiful countryside: rolling, forested hills; old barns; twisting, bubbling streams; cows grazing in fields and SUNSHINE. Amazing, too, to cycle through the Amish communities and see fields being ploughed by a 4 horse team, and women and children dressed in long skirts and caps, and no shoes!!!!! We passed a long grey bearded man driving his horse in a typical black Amish carriage.

Luck ran out though, with G's bike having TWO blowouts--we fixed the first and it happened again (lesson here--always set off on a tour with NEW tyres!!!!!) but we found a nice man who drove us 14 miles into the Oberlin bike shop just as the rain set in again.

So we have ended up in the Oberlin Inn (lovely--2nd night in a row indoors!!!), drying out, with new back tyre for George, and excited about having tomorrow morning exploring all the UGRR sites in Oberlin before heading off in the afternoon to camp.

Hearing of floods in Alabama where we were at this time last year...so our rainy weather here palls into insignificance by comparison!!!