So it's true what they say about fair-weather cyclists...

Most days, the underground garage where I work has at least 9 bikes festooning the bike rack. Today, under overcast skies and the occasional light drizzle, there was ONE other bike besides mine.

We're coming up on the rainy season in Calgary - we get about 80mm of rain in June, and another 70 or so in July; that's quite a bit more than the 50 or so we get in May. Environment Canada publishes climate normals for Calgary so you can see all the months. But June rains are rarely of the continual, never-ending, Vancouver-style rain; they tend to be shorter, and related to storms, which usually arrive in the afternoon.

About 10 miles east of Sulphur Springs, US67 separated from the Interstate and became a much more lightly traveled highway passing through small towns. Most of the time it was either four lanes or had a good paved shoulder. I got a nice tent site (only bike or tent of course) at a KOA campground in Mt. Pleasant, enjoyed brews in a nearby pub and some excellent beef at the "world's best barbecue." Then eastward again on 67 to Simms and north on 98 to 82 and New Boston. After a motel in New Boston, it was just another 25 miles or so into Texarkana and another few miles to my cousin's friends here. The riding was pretty easy in rolling country, through a mix of pine and hardwood forest, some agriculture, past a prison, a lumber mill and a big Army depot. It's been hot (30°C or above in the afternoon, which is hotter than usual, I'm told) and also getting a bit more humid, so it's imperative to get in most of the miles before noon.