Day 66 - 8/12/16 Wright to Midwest, WY

I allowed myself to sleep in today, all the way to 5:30am.  The weather was predicting a high of only 81, very manageable even if there are lots of hills. I thought last night was going to be a repeat of the night before in the grasslands.  Just as I got my tent set up beneath the pavilion outside of the Wright welcome center, a dark, swirling mass of clouds moved in.  

A few low rumbles and some some puny gusts of wind were all the sky had though.  I slept easy.  It was strange waking up to an already brightening sky.  I'm used to dawning the headlamp before I'm even out of the tent but, I guess I'm taking it easy today.  And so did Mother Nature.  Barely any winds with blue skies and the big white clouds you find in Van Gogh paintings above the cypress trees.  I've been sitting in this truck stop convenience store for a while, letting my phone charge.  

It doesn't seem like there's much else to see in Midwest but, I'll find out shortly.  The biker traffic is still going on so there's lots of folks in jeans and bandanas, tons of leather and beards and ponytails and naturally, tattoos.  I don't talk to many of them, maybe they can't see me because my bike doesn't make any noise.  I rode past a bike in the Badlands and he lifted his feet up to make pedaling motions.  I didn't know if he was mocking me but I didn't really care anyway.  I've just been sitting here reading.  I'm finally reading "On the Road".  

I've never been able to get into it but I'm guessing that's because I've never been on the road before.  Sal Paradise is in Frisco bow as he calls it, working as a special policeman at the barracks, not having the guts to lay down the law, I can't blame him.  Meanwhile, people are filling up their 64 oz. cups with soda, or pop, as they call it.  I don't think I've seen anyone drink water since I left Pennsylvania.  Maybe this is just human nature, taking the path of least resistance, indulging in whatever is put in front of you.  

This truck stop is the only thing in town and there is nothing but pre-packaged, processes, and sugar-filled products here.  It's hard to tell who to blame for this kind of lifestyle.  Maybe this is just making the best of a bad situation, not having anything for miles and miles outside of the town line, but, who am I to judge?

Day 45 - 7/22/16 Galena, IL to Dubuque, IA

Another state has passed beneath my feet as I roll West on Ginger's saddle.  The states on this side of the country are a bit wider so I certainky won't be breezing through any of them, especially since the wind is typically coming at me, slowing my roll.  Today was a short ride, just what I needed after 8 hours of roasting in the sun yesterday.  I was aiming for Dubuque but wasn't sure where I would stay until late last night.  

A friend of mine, Cierra found me a place to stay through Airbnb.  This is also the girl that surprised her homesick boyfriend, Adrian, one of my best buds, with a weeks vacations back home with all his friends this past winter.  Girl's got tricks up her sleeve, and when I say tricks I mean incredibly selfless acts of kindness.  

I better get out to California soon to make it up to her before she does anything else for me!  Dubuque is a cool little town.  Maybe it's considered a city, sorry if I offens any DBQ natives.  I heard it was quite the happening place back when Chicago was still being built up.  Just another example of how being located along a major water source sets up a place for success.

 

 I wish I had wandered back down by the river to see the day turn into night but, the room I eqs spending the night in was just too damn cozy with a massive cloud-like bed that basically commanded me to lay down and close my eyes.

Day 42 - 7/19/16 Chicago to Marengo, IL

It's my first day back on my bike in almost 5 days, it feels good to spend the day with Ginger again.  We rode just under 70 miles which was a nice way to jump right back into it!  I spent last night with Neil and Rett and their dog, Pip again.  They're just too good for letting me store my bike at their place for the weekend and then letting me crash for another night since I was too dead from spending all weekend having too much fun with my friends.  

I feel beyond ready to tackle the rest of this cross-country ride.  I want to have some long days on the road while it's still flat farmland.  Neil helped me plan out my route a little bit last night.  Nothing too specific because plans change quite often but, he gave me a rough idea of the routes I should stick to and what towns might be beneficial or completely barren along the way.  

The next 1/3rd of the country is going to be much more sparse than what I've seen which should motivate me to move quickly to get to the good stuff further West.  Although it will be much more scenic, it will only be that way because of the inevitable mountains...  I know I'll be ready for them when I get there, until then, all I can do is enjoy the ride.

(photos of me courtesy of Neil Gregie)