Day Thirty
Hello!
After 3 1/2 days out of the saddle, I’m back on my way this morning. Usually I write after a day’s ride, but today you get me morning and evening, because I miss you.
The wedding and the company in San Antonio were everything that was hoped for. Good friends, lots of great food, and restorative sleep. I can’t say I ever actually relaxed, but I did get my rest.
I awoke this morning 4 minutes before my 5:15 am alarm, in downtown San Antonio. Quite a few things needed to go like clockwork before I could roll some bike miles. Up and out of the hotel, Joan to the airport, navigate morning commuter traffic and back to Bastrop, about 2 hours by car. I needed a new battery for my heart rate monitor. The instructions said the battery would be good for a year. Mine lasted about 45 days, since my time on the bike is exceeding the typical daily workout schedule. Return the car, repack the bike, hit the store for apples and cash. Now I’m in the Tough Cookie Bakery in Bastrop, for a second breakfast and a few minutes to write this. And drink more coffee.
Odd feelings this morning. Apprehension? Yeah, but also indifference, like the next segment is inevitable, and there’s no use emotionally rushing into it. It’ll grab me soon enough. I kind of wonder if is what a chef may feel, when sharpening knives and double checking the walk-in before the cacophany to come with the evening’s dinner service.
But I know that before getting out there, really out there, a little unease is healthy, and no unease can be very unhealthy, as in, I’m not really paying attention and respecting the work. So my lack of unease makes me a little uneasy. Is that just a person refusing to be happy? It actually may be. I don’t want to be “happy”. I want to be safe. I want to get through the day without bending or breaking anything. That demands awareness. I rode about a mile from dropping off the car to ordering my breakfast. I need to pull it together.
Today’s ride is 93 miles, to Navasota and a night in the fire station. I called ahead and learned I have a choice: pitch my tent on the lawn behind the station, or lay out my pad and sleeping bag in the engine bay, where it’s air conditioned. I’ll probably opt for cool air, and hope they don’t have an active night. I have ear plugs and an eye shade.
My bike is noticeably lighter. I shed some gear I’ll just not be needing again, like leg warmers, my light down puffy, the extra water bladder. I have a new, compact video camera, which I don’t know how to use. Hopefully you’ll see some difference in my videos, once I figure it out. I traded some clothing too, Gone is a long sleeve shirt that never came out the pannier, new is the neon yellow, very light, short sleeve cycling jersey that is more suited to weather in the South. I’ve scoured the weather reports for along the route ahead. There won’t be a night below 68 degrees, and so far, few days much above 85. And clouds, lots of clouds, but not much rain, at least for the next week.
