Show Posts
1
General Discussion / Re: Libraries and Touring
« on: October 15, 2012, 06:11:52 pm »
Libraries are an integral part of my bike trips - that is the first thing I inquire about when coming to a new town. "Where is your local library?" I ask. It's woven into the schedule. Since I have never had a cell phone, libraries connect the dots to communication for me. My mother once asked "Is this a bike tour or a library tour?"
With that said, I have a fantastic story involving a tour, a library, a storm and a tree.... and potential death. I rode across Wisconsin this year on the SAGBRAW tour and one our campsites was in the town of Baraboo. It was like a dream come true. We were camped right next to, or shall I say, on the lawn of the town's public library. My friend and I set up our tents between the library and the river in a quaint park setting underneath a huge oak tree. A little before 5 am we heard a terrible rumbling indicating a potential storm. Not wanting to pack up a wet tent, quickly we were both up - tents down in record time - and the winds and storm were moving in FAST and FURIOUS. We headed for the school gym (right next to the library) and stood in awe as nature gave us her best show. It was over quickly, but there were many who weren't so fortunate to have taken down their tents and secure bikes and gear. Tents were flattened, huge limbs were down and debris and gear was everywhere. Slowly I walked back to where I'd left my bike (leaning up against the tree with my dry bag) and when I approached the very spot where I had been sleeping soundly not 15 minutes earlier, was an enormous limb that could have easily killed me (and I'm talking wicked witch house- landing- on -you -dead) had I been inside my tent. My bike had a part of the limb through the back wheel and had mangled it - my helmet was under the limb debris with no damage! (woo-hoo) The skies cleared and we finished 60 miles to the next town - all the while thinking "we could have easily been very dead today" - while searching for the next library on the horizon.
With that said, I have a fantastic story involving a tour, a library, a storm and a tree.... and potential death. I rode across Wisconsin this year on the SAGBRAW tour and one our campsites was in the town of Baraboo. It was like a dream come true. We were camped right next to, or shall I say, on the lawn of the town's public library. My friend and I set up our tents between the library and the river in a quaint park setting underneath a huge oak tree. A little before 5 am we heard a terrible rumbling indicating a potential storm. Not wanting to pack up a wet tent, quickly we were both up - tents down in record time - and the winds and storm were moving in FAST and FURIOUS. We headed for the school gym (right next to the library) and stood in awe as nature gave us her best show. It was over quickly, but there were many who weren't so fortunate to have taken down their tents and secure bikes and gear. Tents were flattened, huge limbs were down and debris and gear was everywhere. Slowly I walked back to where I'd left my bike (leaning up against the tree with my dry bag) and when I approached the very spot where I had been sleeping soundly not 15 minutes earlier, was an enormous limb that could have easily killed me (and I'm talking wicked witch house- landing- on -you -dead) had I been inside my tent. My bike had a part of the limb through the back wheel and had mangled it - my helmet was under the limb debris with no damage! (woo-hoo) The skies cleared and we finished 60 miles to the next town - all the while thinking "we could have easily been very dead today" - while searching for the next library on the horizon.