Dogs!

Set my cell to wake me at 8:17am... nothing sounded and so I woke myself an hour later - I know, you're saying, "this mofo is resourceful!" but wait! Then I got breakfast with a coupon for 1.50!

Packed up and adjusted everything for the most comfortable ride possible as the worry that my butt cheeks would be raw by the end of this day had taken hold. I was also mildly concerned about the grey skies, but Wunderground.com confessed that there was only a 20% chance of precipitation and no one had heard anything about rain at check out. So off I was down Platte Ave/ Highway 34. It was a little chilly and there was a breeze and in now time I was utterly grateful.

I spied what looked to be a roadkill wolf cub (I don't think that they exist in these parts) and then I saw it's sister, the raccoon 100 yards later. I also caught a glimpse of large run-over snake- I imagined that it hurled itself into the grill of a truck one stormy night and met its exhibitionistic fate without even saying goodbye.

There was so much more corn today!

About 9 miles down the road I quickly reached the town of Brush. The welcome sign said only, "Brush!" A block inside of town lies a retirement home, interestingly named "Eben Ezer." About ten blocks East and over the tracks I merged onto Highway 6 which I would follow for the rest of the day to Sterling, CO.

Riding on Sunday was like heaven, probably cause everyone was at church or eating or taking advantage of their time and knocking the boots. The point is, that I had the road largely to myself and my increasingly painful butt.

After passing the town of Merino, I came upon a house where a middle aged and a young man were loading something in a truck and out of the corner of my eye I spotted a dog who was eyeing me and deciding weather to bite my calves or my hamstrings. Finally she decided and darted out towards me, and her cousin, previously unseen behind the truck, followed suit. All I could muster was a, "Hey! hey!" and as I slowed (I was not outrunning shít today) the owner yelled, "Hey Matilda! get over here!!!" To which I yelled thanks without turning around and only raising my hand in appreciation and hightailed it out of there.

There were lots of what I call, "cool wavers" today. They're the men we all dream about: their expression doesn't change when the lift a finger or two in recognition and in doing so maintain their cool while simultaneously transmitting it to the passerby. In my case, I take full advantage and wave with arm fully extended.

On the second crossing of the Platte river I could see a mama and baby deer crossing, unless it was a mama who had gotten funny ideas from Demi and her handy work with Ashton. Then as I went under the I-76 viaduct the state penitentiary shined like a beacon in the distance! I was home! The Ramada was right up the hill. The signs on the side of the road read, "State Facility near. DO NOT pick up hitchhikers." You can't drink the water in Eastern CO due to the high amounts of nitrates (harmless to adults according to the hotel) My butt already doesn't like me, I'm not drinking the water! --- Oops! Another interesting note: I just read the Sterling, CO website and it appears that not only should I not drink the water due to nitrates, but also I should stay far away due to elevated uranium levels! Good thing I spent extra time shampooing and conditioning today. Night y'all