Day 80 - 8/26/16 Deer Lodge to Drummond, MT

Today was a nice ride, nice and easy, just over 35 miles and my legs are feeling good.  Drummond's city park includes a baseball field, playground, and a campground for tents and RVs with water and electric hookups – it's always a nice surprise to come across a park like this where you know no one will bother you throughout the night and you don't have to dig a hole to shit in.  

I ride to Missoula tomorrow and I plan on taking I-90 for nearly half of the 55 mile ride.  I checked with the highway department and they told me it's fine as long as I don't interfere with traffic; I do not plan on interfering with cara moving 70 mph faster than me.  I haven't had to ride on the interstates yet but I don't feel like riding 30 miles on some neglected dirt road, I've been there and did that and fell off a bridge in the process.  

After Missoula the rest of my ride will most likely be on paved roads which is an exciting thought.  I'm really looking forward to upgrading my bicycle, I'm finally beginning to hate riding with a backpack.  To all the people that have questioned my decision to wear this thing on my ride, you were right, it sucks – the extra sweat, the added weight pushing down on my ass, it's just another handle for gravity to grab onto and pull while I'm going uphill.  I am living and learning quite a bit.  

I'm glad today went so smoothly, the last 2 days were rather bleak, having to get a ride and rest for an extra day.  I'm not going to let the pressures of the weather effect this trip anymore, I just gotta take it day by day and if I need a day of rest, I'm gonna take it.

Day 79 - 8/25/16 Deer Lodge, MT - Day Off

Dear Dan,

        You did not set out on this trip to physically abuse yourself; you wanted to see the country from the vulnerable position of your bike seat with the bare essentials to stand toe to toe with whatever bisects the road you're on.  This is not a race but, you've found yourself racing the changing of the seasons which is why you are not 100%. Physical pain prevents you from enjoying the road, the main objective of this trip.  If you do not ride your bike into Portland you will not have lost anything.  If you started this trip earlier you would've had plenty of time to take regular days off but, that was not the case and you can't do a damn thing about it now.  

You have rode over 3,000 miles on a bike that was built before the year 2000, it's been an unforgettable ride and I'm sure from this point on you will not forget to listen to your body, to be fully aware of any physical limitations.  How important it is for all of us to take care of our own needs at our own time for time itself is a goddamn illusion that makes us rush and hurry and worry.  Well, I can't justify hurting myself for the sake of achieving some sort of goal.  I just want to ride my bike, dammit.