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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!
