June 19 (The (pure) rest day)

I spent most of today walking my bike around town rather than riding it, because it wouldn't really be a rest day if I was riding. Or that's how I rationalize it; I think, by this point, I'm walking just to make yesterday's hellacious ride be for something.

 

In any event, I started the day (after breakfast) by spending many many hours in the library. I did write a few blog entries, but I honestly spent a lot more time catching up on all the websitesI usually follow, but haven't been able to of late. (In my defense, each one of these blogs takes 30 minutes to an hour, and it gets exhausting writing more than 3 at a time.)

 

I got my care package from the parents in the afternoon with the credit cards! Woohoo. Just to put this out there, I made it all the way to Lander without using any of the extra money gifted/lent to me, just to prove I could. (I didn't need help was the point.) Then I got my bike looked at at the local shop, and got the broken bits repaired. Ok enough, boring part over.

 

Here's the interesting bits of the day. While at the bike shop I met an old man who has literally ridden almost all of the AdventureCycling routes. He must have been 60 at least, but it sounded like he was still touring! He gave me a little advice on getting down from St Louis to Mississipi, something called the Natchez Trace Trail. I'll be looking it up when I get closer to the Central US.

 

 

I met three other (currently) touring cyclists today - of course going in the other direction. One was a Scot, and I...think...the other couple was Belgian... or Dutch?? Of some country who's language sounds similar to German anyway. Here's the thing though : the couple brought their 2 year old daughter on the tour! Apparently they don't make good time because she needs to be taken out and walked every 20 miles or so, but still! Its a damn impressive way to juggle wanderlust and parental responsibility. So the three of us ate dinner together and had ice cream afterwards, while talking about our current tours, their past tours, how they manage to take long trips like this and still have a job, etc.

 

 

 

 

All in all today was great!


Note from the editorial assistant (July 26)

Bill asked me to ask a question of Richard & Patrick.  He has had his Brooks saddle since somewhere in Wyoming and it's still not broken in.  He has used a whole container of mink oil on it and says another rider has told him that it's starting to break in.  He'd like to know if you have any ideas / advice on something he can do to move the process along.

Thanks!