Willie Weir pedals his bike through Portland, Ore. He is the author of "Travels With Willie."

Trapped in a hellacious downpour in upstate New York, Willie Weir sought refuge on a stranger's porch.

The frugal cyclist had been biking from his home in Seattle to Vancouver and then across Canada, then pedaling across the border to New York before heading back home.

His presence on the porch didn't go unnoticed. A pair of eyes peeked from behind a door: "I'm just trying to dry up. I won't be long, sir."

Like countless other times, Weir was welcomed inside to spend the night.

"He left a note on the door for his wife who was coming in late," Weir says. " 'Guy on couch OK. See bike in kitchen, and you'll understand.' "

A Sacramento native and the author of "Travels With Willie" and "Spokesongs," Weir has logged about 60,000 miles on two wheels and spare parts, pedaling in far-flung regions of the globe and finding kindness from strangers.