This was less to steer clear of the crime than to protect Ros until she had gained enough confidence to tackle the frenetic traffic in the streets. The white paint was thin and cracked. Elderly gents in crumpled trilby hats wearing vests and slacks held up by suspenders gossiping in the heat, flashing by as the sun rose behind us. At lunchtime we pulled in at a local 'strip' of restaurants and drive-in stores. Under different circumstances, I would concur with this, but midday alcohol intake is not advised under these temperatures, even to mad dogs, and the mass produced alternatives are too sweet for our taste.
Iced water is therefore a seductive option, especially as it is free.
The Hispanic youth serving us observed that while it might be tasteless, a glass from the tap was at least mas economico. The last time I had heard this wry phrase had been in a different life underneath a Bolivian market stall. With lunch astern of us, we crossed the wide Potomac and into Virginia. This was our first state line and it heralded a surprising change in conditions. Straight away my bike started bouncing on rougher roads and soon my butt was feeling the strain.