March 27, 1997

NO ROOM IN THE INN

It had been a long ride in the rain from Orient Point on the Northeastern tip of Long Island, NY. I had started from there after getting off the Long Island Sound Ferry from New London, CT. and I wanted to find a dry place to stop for the night. I knew that it would be hard to find a place because it was the night before Easter but it didn't think I would have so much problem. Along the way, I stopped a few places but I couldn't find any place.

In Riverhead, I stopped at the police station around 4:30 p.m. but the only help that I got was a list of the local churches. I found my way to one of the church's parsonages but the pastor just gave me a cold shoulder. Even though he saw me standing there dripping wet, he just said that he couldn't help me because he had his grandkids with him.

I didn't feel like staying in town so I started my way westward along N.Y. 25 in hopes that I'll go past another church with a more friendly pastor. It was getting dark and I hoped to find one soon.

Between Riverhead and Calverton, I came across a closed down fruit and vegetable stand. Since there wasn't anyplace else to stop, I decided to sneak into the enclosure and camp out. I was hoping to find something under cover because my tent wasn't really waterproof.

There was a fence that sort of hid the main part of the stand's area from view. Inside the enclosure, there was a wagon that was used to display the fruit and produce. It had an awning and was divided in two in the down the length of the wagon by a latticework wall. The left wagon section was wide enough to pitch the tent on it and the awning overhang the wagon's edge by about a foot so that it would give me extra cover from the rain.

It was great getting out of the wet clothes. Even though I was a dozen feet from the highway, I felt that I would be safe and I hoped for a good night's rest.