Day 32 - All Alone Again
- Jul 27, 2017
- 2 min read
Willy Nelson used different words, but these are the ones that hit me as I rode away from Gillson Park just north of Evanston, IL. Over the last 10 days, I have had the pleasure of staying with all sorts of people, but not the regularity of biking cross country. And, not that "alone" is so bad, or that I have been really all that "alone". It's just that I was getting used to people I know and love around me. So, I was back to my thoughts and observations as the main conversation.
It was about noon when my body told me what my mind knew all along; I should have taken more rides on my off days.
The day started out rather lovely, an entertaining ride with Rick through the city to save some mileage on the day. Smooth bike lanes & lovely weather made the route feel like old hat. Well, as the morning wore on and the fast-moving asphalt became finely ground gravel, the wind was in my face & the mileage added up. I started to wonder what the rest of the day would hold.
Well, the day held just about the same type of things that the rest of my days have held...surprises around the corner. Right when I was looking ahead to drudgery and effort, I came across Wisconsin. (Some of you are thinking, "Why is that so significant?!") Well, about 12:30, fatigue turned into accomplishment - I entered the next milestone. Gravel turned into asphalt - 8 to 10 mph turned into 12 to 15! Country emptiness quickly turned into the "sprawling" city of Kenosha. It was "only" 1pm, I knew my hotel was less than 2 hours away, so I decided to take the right turn toward Lake Michigan.
The music and crowd welcomed me to the lake front. I landed in the Thursday afternoon session of P B & Jam in downtown Kenosha. A Blues band was jammin' and the blue sky highlighted the waterfront. I chatted with a group of retired teachers about the concert series (all those retired teachers I've met seem like such a happy bunch...?) I found a few other bikers who were enjoying the setting as well. I rode to the end of the pier, ate some lunch and enjoyed an hour in the Kenosha Public Museum (yes, enjoyed!). The bikers had shared a fun waterfront route which took north again. It was a straight shot to my hotel. Along the way I passed a McDonald's that had a car show and DJ. After I went out for dinner, I stopped at the McDonald's for an icecream cone and was surprised by an Elvis impersonator concert! : )
Today I thank God for:
-alone time again
-fast-moving white clouds over a bright blue sky and green leaves blowing in the wind
-asphalt bike lanes
-Blues music
-sleep and breakfast waiting for you when you wake up
-friends and family who love and patiently endure (and encourage) me
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