Joey | Ride for Human Rights

Joey here.

Let me tell you about GoreTex.

Here’s Jeffrey, wearing rain gear supplied by Nancy, ready to roll into this morning’s pelting rain.

***… Nick, General Manager of the hotel, who took interest in the Ride. He invited Jeffrey to call him directly when next we need a room in Lancaster.***

The rain—sometimes heavy, always blown with stinging force into Jeffrey’s face by ferocious headwinds augmented by our speed—didn’t pause until 3 PM.

No one but us was crazy enough to be in the open today. By “us”, I mean Jeffrey. I was safe in a waterproof bag.

***Wisconsin Highway 81 is lined with wind turbines—for good reason. The wind that held us back spun the blades at a rapid clip. The blade tips disappeared into the day’s low clouds.***

Jeffrey got so wet taking that photo that he didn’t attempt another.

Four hours into our journey, Jeffrey’s jacket and gloves were leaking.

To get a break from the rain, he parked us under a roofed 4-lane drive-through at a huge bank (closed today, Sunday) in tiny Darlington. When he began to shiver, he left me and ducked into a nearby McDonald’s.

Jeffrey explained our mission to Diana, and asked whether the restaurant could spare a pair of disposable food preparation gloves.

***Diana, holding our calling card. Note the official (spoof) logo on her shirt.***

Diana asked what size gloves. “Extra large, just in case.” She told her colleagues about us. Then she brought us several pairs.

***Now Jeffrey could put on his wet gloves.***

Six hours into our journey, as we left Wisconsin, the rain paused.

***Illinois pigs frolicked in the delicious dry air.***

***Two dimensions don’t convey the plunge of this last of many steep hills before we reached Stockton.***

***Our hotelier, who grew up in Gujarat, gave us the Human Rights First Ambassador discount. We even got a room with a view!***

Difficulties notwithstanding, we made progress today.

Our learned Christian friend Daler posted in the comments:

The day is short and the work is plentiful …[Rabbi Tarfon] used to say: It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it…” (Pirkei Avot 2:15-16)
Pirkei Avot 2:15-16

We plan to finish the Ride, if not the work the Ride supports.