Thinking back to the seemingly irrational coaching advice to us "Landsharks" (yes, thanks to dear old Dad, that was the name of our team) always given during a soccer match which our team was always ill-prepared for, I've encountered a striking resemblance to my mental processes with regard to my quickly approaching bicycle adventure. The first rocket that my brain synapses fire is "just do it!" (no thanks to Nike) and shortly thereafter, a smattering of shrapnel including, "you just have to keep going," "you can stop when you want," "it'll be great alone time," "you could meditate!" "just you and the road," "think of all the cowboys you'll pass!" "a story to tell the grandchildren, or your even your faithful dog," "you'll be fine," and "don't let anyone stop you." So, I start to feel like I really am "shooting from the hip" and it's a rush that is worth harnessing for me. Then, just like the second quarter of all those soccer matches when the other team inevitably scored the first goal, the doubt sets in. My brow furls and I start mulling over the comment that the girl at the Bass Pro Shop made to me at her little register underneath the monolithic elk's bust, "That's so neat you're going to ride so far! You know you should really get a good flashlight and ya' know we've got some mace and bear spray upstairs near the rifles; you might wanna get some." I start to flash on the pained or confused or disbelieving or simply skeptical faces of the mothers I know. Those magical signs that the universe has left me start to shake sticks at me: my father taking a face-plant somewhere on his bike and returning home with the face of belligerent drunk who got into a tussle, my uncle who's in better shape than I who fractured his hip, and my own sorry self who was broadsided by some b¡™¢h on her cellphone just the other day. And then the anger sets in and I f-ing defy you stars! Bring on the endless farm country and the saddle soreness! Yeee haw!
Here's what I've got so far:
A new bike that I've yet to train with.
A squishy seat that I love and my butt loves it more.
A Cateye™ LED headlight and a taillight too.
A Helmet.
A basic tool set.
A rear rack.
Sweet!
Here's the basic structure of the ideas that I've been having about the scope of the trip, more or less:
I might have gone all the way to NYC were it not for more important things (you know who you are). So, I've elected to cut my losses and meet up with my friend, Ms. Jackie Wolter in Goshen, IN as my final destination.
The distance from Denver to Goshen: aprox. 1,116 miles.
If I were to travel 60 miles per day I should reach the target in aprox. 18.6 days.
My route out of Colorado is covered, as is my route through Nebraska. As for Iowa I'd like to follow the annual Iowa RAGBRAI route for this year. Illinois is a bit more complicated and I'm still piecing together what I can about that state. Indiana transportation authorities have a very helpful bike map of the Northwestern region of their state, so I' can get myself to La Porte. From what I can tell, my journey from La Porte to Goshen might just have to be winged.
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