In with a kiss, out with a kick in the behind! Minnesota didn't treat me quite as well today - biking wise, that is. Introductions were in store this morning: "Headwinds, meet Maggie. Maggie, meet headwinds." We are not going to be friends, I can already tell. Sanity stops are much closer in miles when you feel like an invisible hand is in your face the entire time you are biking. I made several - for food, for reading in the sunshine, for more bum-cream. By the time I was about 30 miles in I resorted to a newly learned trick. Double the bike shorts, Double the fun! Two layers of bike shorts is lovely... no more chaffing. And extra padding which came just in time for Highway 30 between Ellensdale and New Richland. Pretty much every five feet there is a HUGE crack in the pavement. Not ideal. Two other firsts for this trip happened today as well: I was chased by a dog... while going uphill at about 5mph. I ended up going about 15;) Also, someone honked and swore at me because apparently I was not going fast enough up the hill and wasn't knee deep in weeds on the side of the road so that they could have more than enough space. I'm not bitter about it. I promise.
Change in attitude.
I was losing it a little bit when an Adopt a Highway sign read "Namaste Chi Therapy." Ahhh, a reminder to breathe. Immediately cleared my head. And things looked up from there. I rolled into New Richland to see if the library had internet... of course it's not open, but how about the local farmer's market instead?? I loaded up on some veggies and baked goods for the night and started to think about where to camp when I met Pastor Paul Andee. Yet another saint in disguise. First, he got the night cop on duty to let me camp in the park in town. Then took me out to dinner with his angel of a wife. THEN proceeded to drive me to a motel in the next little town so that I would have a safe, comfortable evening. Unbelievable. I don't think I will EVER doubt the beauty of people again. If given the right opportunity, I think humans want to be good to each other. Thanks for re-affirming that Pastor Andee. Tomorrow I will be refreshed and perhaps the headwinds and I can work something out...
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Go Maggie!
ReplyDeletePeople will be what they will be. There are millions of Pastor Andee's, as well as angry honkers out there.
Just keep crankin', keep that bike in shape, and enjoy your ride.
Thanks for sharing it...
Hi Maggie. I sold you the cherry tomato mix at the market. Hope they were tasty. I am glad you found a nice place to stay and I hope the roads are better for you. The stretch from Ellendale to NR are tough. Anyhow, glad you stopped in and I wish you the best in your travels.
ReplyDeleteHi ya ...
ReplyDeleteJust went through your "adventures" so far and love it ... Of course the whole farm is waiting for you ... in Florida ...
lots of love,
stay safe,
Renee
so i saw the link on your fb status and checked it out and i am blown away! grandma winterstein told my mom, who told me, about your adventure but i had no idea it was going to be this awesome! you are such an inspiration! im so sick of work and school that it makes me want to take a life changing journey...without the bike though cuz im not really into the whole physical aspect of it all props to you though
ReplyDeletebut seriously i'm telling everyone i know because i'm so impressed! hopefully you will find what you're searching for and that you can share a little bit of what you've learned with the rest of us who haven't found it yet either
-Kathryn Parker
Oh, honkers. You're toughing it out up a hill in the heat of summer while they're sitting in their comfy seats in the AC, and they only need to move a foot a couple of inches. And sometimes they do it even when there are parked cars on your right and there's nowhere you can go. I promise I'm not bitter either. One of these days I'm going to buy an air horn so I can honk right back. :)
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