Friday Night, June 19th

Covering 342 miles today sounds good, but the only problem is that I got lost twice and about 50 miles was makeup. The first time was when I programmed my GPS for a city in Northeast Maryland where I wanted to go. I forgot to push the little button that says "no freeways." My GPS loves freeways and it will send me onto every freeway in the USA if I don't tell it not to. So, before I know it I am on this Freeway. One of the problems with freeways is that the traffic is so heavy I don't dare look down at my GPS. The freeway kept getting wider and wider and before I knew it there were like 40 lanes. I finally got off and ended up at a Motel. I pulled into the parking lot to figure out where I was and to find a bathroom! I got my map out and a guy came over and asked where I was trying to go. I asked him where I was and he said, downtown Baltimore!! I showed him on the map where I wanted to get to and he gave me a few simple instructions and in about an hour I was where I wanted to be.

The town I am at tonight is Quarryville, not Quartzville. Anyway, the second time I got lost I was trying to go to Newark, Delaware, buy some gas to get my receipt and then head to Pennsylvania. I programmed in Newark, but instead of Newark, Delaware, I put in Newark, Maryland. After about 40 min. I thought this isn't right, so I stopped at a gas station and got out my map and a guy came over and asked if he could help and I asked him to show me on the map where I was and I had gone in totally the wrong way.

When I started calling campgrounds I got a rude awakening. Any campground within 100 miles of Philadelphia was going to be full on a Friday night. I kept trying. One lady said they could give me single tent site for $88. I gave her my, "I have been riding a motorcycle for 19 days" line but her response was, "I have heard better stories than that one." I kept calling and finally got a Christian campground and they said they could give me a spot for $22 if I was sure I was a pastor. :-)

When I got to where I was supposed to turn into the campground the main road I was on was real steep. There was a bunch of traffic so I stopped and waited to turn left into the campground. A big line of cars built up behind me. Finally there was a break in the traffic. I hadn't gotten my bike shifted all the way down to first and when I started to go I killed it. And then it wouldn't start. So now I had cars lining up from both directions. So I tried to push it over to the driveway of the campground and just about tipped the bike over. I used the starter motor with it in gear and managed to get it out of the street. (Just about the time I think I am finally getting close to being a real Biker Dude I do something like that.) Got it started and made it to the camp and found the bathroom! I think I'm going to sleep well tonight!

Please pray for my "sense of direction," and that God will keep sending people to give me good directions when I need them! I have a couple more days of heavy traffic to deal with, but then it should be getting better. Appreciate all of you! I love you, Dee.