Two Days of Heavy Rain

July 15, 2025

I left the Walmart in Ironwood, Michigan and crossed the border into Wisconsin, ready to begin the next chapter of my journey. My weather app was flashing red — severe thunderstorms for the next hour and forty minutes. They weren’t kidding. Sheets of rain and pounding wind reduced visibility to near zero. I had to pull off the road more than once just to wait it out.

Three hours later, I rolled into Ashland, Wisconsin. The storm was easing, and there was a sliver of light in the direction of Bayfield, so I kept going. I reached the ferry landing just as that hopeful patch of sky disappeared and light rain returned. It was obvious that there wouldn’t be a trip to the Apostle Islands today.

With afternoon fading and rain intensifying again, I sat parked and pulled up Harvest Hosts. One nearby spot popped up — just 20 minutes away. It was late to be making a request, but I sent it anyway. Within minutes, they responded with a yes, even though they weren’t home.

I had to wait another two hours for the worst of the weather to pass. Surprisingly, there weren’t many downed branches, but storm drains were struggling to keep up. That “20-minute drive” took closer to 45 with flooded roads and detours. I eventually arrived, parked, and finally exhaled. I made a simple dinner and began to unwind.

July 16, 2025

In the morning, I pulled out and followed the coast. It was still raining, and the wind was fierce — strong enough to rock the van side to side. The normally clear waters of Lake Superior and its streams were now a muddy brown.

I stopped for gas and noticed the van’s tire pressure warning was on. All the tires were a little low, but the front passenger side was down to 41 psi — well below the recommended 55–65 psi. I filled up with gas, then pulled around to top off the tires. As I aired up that front passenger side, I could hear a clear hissing — even over the wind. The valve stem was leaking right at the wheel.

I got all the tires filled and climbed back in to figure out my next move. The pressure was already down to 35. I’d bought the tires from Discount Tire and saw there was one in Duluth — about an hour and 40 minutes away. I called and snagged a 12:30 appointment. I hit the road, hoping the tire would hold.

Fifteen minutes in, all the tire pressures were actually going up — likely from the heat of driving. But by the time I pulled into Discount Tire at 12:15, the front passenger tire had dropped below 30 psi. Just in time. They swapped out the faulty stem and had me back on the road by 1:00.

Duluth, Minnesota seems to be a shopping hub for the whole region — every big-box store you can think of clustered in one tight area. I even found a Ford dealer and got my 15K-mile inspection done. Then I restocked groceries and supplies.

I planned to stay at the local Walmart, but it turns out it’s one of the few that doesn’t allow overnight parking. Some apps say the manager will let you stay if you ask, but the place was loud and chaotic. I decided to head back toward Bayfield.

Pure luck led me to a small pull-off for a snowmobile trail — empty and quiet this time of year. Just 13 minutes from Bayfield, surrounded by woods and silence. I didn’t hear a single vehicle all night.