Even though there have only been four days of riding since our last rest day, this one in Mitchell, South Dakota seems more than deserved. Three days of head winds buffeted us as we left Rochester, MN. And I must say, despite the difficulties, this is the best I have felt all trip. Each day is a mystery, and it's hard to say if you'll feel accomplished, demolished, or admonished by the end of he day. Some days you just don't feel like riding, but there will be little occurrences (like a town with a population of 16, or a friend offering you a piece of gas station cheese) along the way that remind you why this trip is so fantastic.
Just two days ago during our ride into Sioux City, everything seemed to be going well until Tim took a dive on some less than well maintained pavement. He is fine, but got in the van just to be safe, and not a mile later after we hit the road again my chain snapped while climbing a hill. Fellow riders helped me take out two links so that I could continue riding (with a slightly shorter chain). All of this and only eight miles out from our destination. It goes to show that unexpected moments can change the ride in an instant.
I've been trying to rationalize the amount of time we've been biking, and understand these new situations, modes of living that I've thrown myself into. I'm even starting to develop a nostalgia, dejavu, even a slight hypnosis whenever I hop on the bike for our daily ride. My mind will start to drift and take me back to other parts of the country from other times in the summer (I think its bound to happen when biking becomes your primary activity). This last stretch leading into Mitchell sent me back to the planes of Illinois. Familiar to a fault. One observation that forces me to wake from this cycling trance is the subtle yet pervasive shift in scenery. South Dakota has become a cross-roads. Not only in that we have surpassed 2000 miles. The colors around us are growing warmer ad the landscape grows more sparce. We are on a threshold: east and west, young and old, known and unknown.
Rest days go by so fast. And despite the word rest, I have a lot left to do before tomorrow. blog you soon.
-MH