Rain, Rain.......

Riding across Deception Pass: a view from the pass: Ranger Tommy & his stellar crew: Ranger Tommy, we'll miss you!

It rained, it poured, kind of like a spoof from Noa's Ark!  It wasn't forty days but we may have gotten that much precipitation in one day!

Sunday morning greeted the tribe with clouds and a chance of rain.  What should have been a gorgeous, sunny day of riding along the beaches of Whidbey Island turned out to be a wet, sloshy day of sagging and hiding from the downpour. The view from Deception Pass was limited as was that of the Straights of Juan de Fuca.  (Ranger Tommy tried out a new joke about the Straights last night.  Can't publish it here but I can tell you he needs to stick to his original script.  Nice try though.)

We rolled into camp and set up our kitchen for the last time with Ranger Tommy in the lead.  As the rain continued Aaron was challenged on how to keep Baker dry.  Under the truck didn't work.  Under the shelter didn't work; he was determined to consume the piles of bird poo.  (Baker, not Aaron.)  His tent didn't work: he no longer has a screen on the door.  Baker likes to destroy screens.

Mother Nature's sense of humor put the damper on the second to last day of Ranger Tommy's final tour, but not on the festivities at the last map meeting.  Tom told his stories, the tribe feasted on Spiced Pork Chops, salad, East Indian vegetable stew, baked orzo with pesto & sun dried tomatoes and a HUGE bowl of three berries in a rhubarb sauce & fresh whipped cream for dessert.  I am happy to say that this tribe was well fed this week.  And I am proud to have provided the foods that they enjoyed.

The staff roasted Tom after dinner, with Daryl shining bright with his tale of trying to take over Cycle Utah this year, a tour Tom has led since it's inception.  Evidently he has racked up quite the storage bill at Temple View RV park, having left equipment there for the last umpteen years.....Daryl presented Tom with a trumped up letter from the owner explaining the charges.  Tom may have to get a real job.  Oh, he's retired.  I'm sure he'll work it out.

Kevin's wife, Linda, flew in on standby from the mid west and arrived just in time to join the fun.
There were tears and laughter, standing ovations, and a custom designed trophy to send Tom off from his last night of leading the tribe. For me, it's a tough goodbye.  Tom introduced me to this eclectic way of life 16 years ago.  It will be strange not having him on the road with us next year.

The evening wound down, we all turned in to soggy tents, (except for the fortunate few that got in early enough to set up their tents in the Fiddle Faddle Barn), and got some shut eye before an early start for the ride back to Redmond.

To Tom's last tribe: it was a pleasure cooking for you.  I hope to see you on another ride.  Maybe the Oregon Coastal Tour: there's still room!