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Monday, September 24th, 10:15 AM (very long post!)

Good morning!

I woke up with nice sunshine and started to get active. Then, as my mind began to turn, I had the desire to blog. So, here I am!

I didn't ride far yesterday. I was pretty wiped out after the huge climb out of Arcata. The rest day probably helped, but letting the rest day bleed into a super late start didn't help at all... :-/

So, yesterday morning when I woke up I was still feeling pretty sore, tired and HUNGRY. I started working on getting out of camp quick so that I could get down the road to Willow Creek and have a big greasy spoon breakfast.

But then, just as I was riding out, my camping neighbor called out as I rode by. “sUmthinG Su-pth.. Joe?”

This naturally seemed like a strange thing to say. So, I asked for clarification. “I'm sorry, what?”

“Would you like a cup of joe?”

Ah! The coffee nickname! Of course!

I'm a strong believer in accepting all offers of hospitality on this trip so much that I have made it a rule for myself. “Umm, yes! I'll be right back after I use the restroom!”

I find it's always good to bring up the thought of excrement as soon as possible in a conversation. You may have already noticed this about me... Note to self, consider if this is actually an admirable trait... Moving on.

After visiting the restroom I return. “Only half a cup please, I don't drink coffee often.”

Scott, who I met earlier that morning when he swung by to “see who would be crazy enough to bike over the 299”, offered me a bowl partially filled with coffee (which was good coffe by the way, of course, I'll probably be told later it was Folgers... and then realize it was all an elaborate Folgers marketing campaign. Ah! The embarrassment I will feel@!!!! Crap, sorry, moving on.)

I accepted the bowl and I was introduced to his friend James (Jesse James!) and Two wonderful furry friends (Who's names escape me at the moment). James began to cook up bacon and I began to wonder about the morality of sticking around just because I might be offered bacon.

James turned out to be one heck of a fellow. Great stories, very incitefull and intelligent..

Oh dang...

LIZARD. DOIN PUSHUPS>...

MUST>>> GET... CAMERA>>>... (sets down netbook)

Ok, got a pretty decent closeup of him.

Where was I...

James then not only offered me bacon, but also STEAK. It was SOOOOOOO delicious. AND a banana! AND!! A book recommendation!! ANDDD!!!! Some really eye opening perspectives on the industrial prison complex and how it relates to the drug war.

I ended up sticking around for the whole time they broke down camp. It might have been partly motivated by me not really wanting to ride. Mostly, it was motivated by wanting to chat more with James and Scott. Great couple of guys who I would totally love to hang with on a regular basis.

After all the visiting when they were packed up and about to head out, I realized I really wanted to try and keep in touch. So, after much internal debate, I semi awkwardly approached James.

“James?.. James? Uh, I don't know if you'd have the time or inclination, but I'd like to stay in touch.”

Time or inclination? Where the f--- do I come up with this stuff?

James informs me that he would like that very much. :-) Yay! Pen pal!

My mom complimented my writing, suggested a book. A pen pal would be PERFECT for inspiring me to practice my writing. MORNING WELL SPEEEEEEEENT!

What was my point with all this? My point was, I got on the road, WAY late. I didn't have a lot of energy still. Right out of the campground I hear a crash and scattering plastic is bouncing behind me. I look back to see my phone exploded all over the lane. NO! Stop the bike.

I left it on my bag after getting Jame's contact info! By the time I'm stopped, a car is already just yards from the debris that I hope could still be pressed together into a working phone and I KNOW would surely be dust if the car runs over it.

The car swerves around the phone parts. Another car is coming, I'm leaning my bike over on the shoulder Momentarily I see the possible future of my bike being hit as well. No time to consider that, the car isn't swerving. I begin to run toward the impending disaster.

In the moment, hope was lost, I was the retard to couldn't keep is phone alive for even three weeks on the road. I went from a high point on the trip, to perhaps the lowest in less than a minute. Always in such.. a . hurry tog et to the bottom... My face surely reflected the terrible depths my spirit had just sunken to. Pehaps... that's what caused the car to SUDDENLY SWERVE right around my phone parts!!!

I run to the gathering, battery, front bumper, back cover, back protector... Um.... hrmm... Phone? Ok, the collection is here... the phone should be right around here.. Ah, just off on the shoulder of course... um, just right... Uh, ok, maybe it just carried a bit further, it is heavier, makes sense, just look down here a bit...

Ok, I'm troubled... It should be here. Maybe it bounced short? Uhhh... noooo? Well, ok, I was looking to fast the first time, take a breath, calm yourself and Look again! Yep, looking again! Looking... look... Look REAL hard.

So, here's the thing, it's not small. It can't disappear, it has to be here. Pri 0, make sure it's not still in the road. OK, it's not. We can calm down about cars at least. Now just expand the search.

I'm not finding it. How will I replace it? What will I say? What will people think? Does this make me a bad person? How long do I search? Oh man, oh man... BAM! There it iss! Whewwwww. Damn, kinda beat up, but still works.

Nothing like almost loosing your main daily connection with all your friends and family to get the blood pumping. It's time to RIDE. Wait, what's that noise...

OK, my wheel needs truing. Well shoot. Let's do that.

WHEEL TRUED! Let's hit it!

Oh, supermarket, need snacks. Guy in line ahead of me wearing a tie and a dress shirt, well groomed, who almost walked right into me earlier while staring at his phone, is having her total one item at a time because he's not sure he has enough cash. Oh, the monster drink is too much. Gotta take that off. Ok, paying.. No, wait.. he has a bunch of change in his pocket that just MIGHT mean he has enough for the Monster drink. He's counting....

I begin to get a little stressed. I got places to ride to dammit!!! The are minutes I will never get back!!! HULK SMASH!!!! Wait... wait. I'm riding for HOURS today. Minutes are really of no concern. This can't take forever, can it? No, of course not. Calm yourself, and stretch.

“I'm pretty sure I do, go ahead and add it on.”

She adds it on as he requested. He's still counting... That's a lot of pennies... Yep, the other line has cycled all the way through, AGAIN. I'm smiling, almost laughing at this point.

“Oh.. I'm like four cents short.”

He hand her the change. She begins to count. Fortunately, she's a professional, so she is MUCH faster. And, as it turns out, she is far more accurate.

“You're four-teen cents short, hon.”

I hand him a quarter. “Oh! Thanks.”

He hands the quarter to her and she finishes ringing him up. “He was more than four cents short.” She says in a slightly irritated tone.

After that, the riding was easier, but one moderate climb and I started to fade again.

I started pedaling harder, trying to focus on form and get into the zone. It wasn't working... I just.. felt. More... IRITATED! Anxious... woried. The cycle started. I can't make this deadline. WTF, I always procrastinate. What's wrong with me? Just get out of camp at a reasonable hour! What's so hard about that??? Where will I sleep, where will I eat! WH-- wh.. woooaaah.

Slow down, calm yourself. Ride how far you ride, there are plenty of campgrounds along the way. We don't HAVE to make it to Weaverville. In fact, screw it Let's stop and eat one of those snickers... and the avocado James gave me, AND some trail mix. There ya go I was just hungry again. Feeling better, let's RIDE!

Oh, hrm... Wheel is out of true again..

Working hard to do a better job this time, I went over it several times. I made sure it was even straighter than last time. Didn't want to have to do this again, at least not today

Got back on the road, but then time far more relaxed, I will go however far I will go. When I feel like stopping, I will stop. When I am uncomfortable riding on the inside of a blind curve with no shoulder, I will ride on the other side where there is a turnout. I'm doing this MY way on MY time.

I felt so much better. I knew I wouldn't be making it to Weaverville and I was fine with that. I started enjoying the scenery more and I was reminded how beautiful California really is, even partly dried out and just about to burst into flames. Tragically beautiful, not unlike some of the people.

I discovered an old bridge along the way, recorded some video and really enjoyed the rest of the ride. I stopped at a campground with sites right on the river. Bathed in the cold river, which was hard getting in but felt great overall. Cooled off and clean, I enjoyed the fire I build with leftover wood from weekend campers. I met a family with car troubles waiting for a tow truck. Chatted for a while. Ate dinner. Played my awesome harmonica. And relaxed a bunch.

It was warm, so I left the fly off the tent. Feel asleep staring at the stars. Got a little chilly at night, but I felt pretty rested when the sun came up.

This morning I had breakfast and wrote this up. Now, Time to get packed at get moving! Weaverville, here I come!