Phew

I'm exhausted. Today was a roller coaster. It started out pretty crappy, then there were some really bright spots, then it got really really crappy, then a whole bunch better, then back to just regular crappy, and now I'm doing alright. Let me explain.

It was windy from the get go this morning. I was filled with the irrational rage that comes from riding into a head wind for 73.4 miles today. I know this is a big part of why most folks ride west to east- so that you aren't fighting the weather the whole time. But logistically, east to west is what I had to work with, so I guess I shouldn't complain.

The really, really crappy thing was I lost my wallet. For most of the afternoon. That was exhausting in its own special way. Long story short, it rattled out of my bag (along with the pair of pants it was in... so I also had no pants to make it that much worse). I had no idea where this rattling out had happened. I called the cops, who did a sweep of a bit of the last 10 miles I had ridden. I was on my way to the sheriff's office to file a report so I could cancel all my cards. I had to back track a bit to get to the office, when Ta Da! There were my pants, in a ditch, with wallet intact. Man, oh man. I was freaking out- imagine being out in the middle of nowhere with no way to prove that you're you, any only $40.27 with you (I counted). Totally nerve wracking.

So. That took up most of my afternoon, then it was back out into wind for another 27 miles.

I'd like to end this post in a high note, so why don't I tell you about some people I met today?

First, a woman (born and raised in Louisiana. Except now she spends some time near Miami. Because she's retired. From the military) went out of her way to make sure I wasn't going to get lost. She warned me that a road up ahead looked like a road on GPS, but it was not a good road for bikers. After asking me where I was from she said "Listen, Massachusetts. I don't want to see on the news that you got eaten by a bear 'cause you took the wrong turn now." So good.

Second, I was taking a water break when a car passed me, stopped, and then backed up toward. Out jumps a fella who asked if he could pick my brain about bike touring, because that's what he wants to do when he retires. We talked for a while, and then discovered we're (very) distant cousins. This has been a really fun part of the country to be French Canadian in (I mean, it's always fun to be French Canadian, but here it gets you lots of handshakes and the occasional hug).

So there you go- some bad and some good. I hope tomorrow gets better, or at least less windy.