Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Gunshots and Headwinds

Day 11 of 64: 91 miles. As I ride into Lincoln, Montana, I am suddenly aware that the tiny houses and cabins and buildings I constructed with my set of Lincoln Logs years ago actually have some reference to architecture in the Northwest. 

Here they are -- larger versions of the green slat-roofed and redwood cities I constructed on my living room carpet.   With the majority of the riders, I camp on the grass outside of Lincoln's High School, and the word quickly spreads that thunderstorms may cross our grounds.   That night we are awakened twice to the sound of gunshots; I am baffled.   Premature fireworks? A tire blown on the highway?  

The next morning someone on staff mentions that in Montana residents venture out in the middle of the night and shoot their guns aloft to ward off bears.  In the process, they may scare a camper or two, which, evidently, they not only don't  mind, but somewhat enjoy. 

The next  morning, the 70 cyclists are forewarned that we may be cycling 90 miles into 20-35 mph winds and intermittent 40mph gusts.  Headwinds, where you fight against nature to move forward.  They predicted headwinds, but, at least for a key part of my ride, they were wrong.    The headwinds we expected are tailwinds; and coming in out of Helena, I am moving without pedaling.  Looking over the shoulder of the road, I see the knee- high grass gesturing in cresting, falling waves toward my destination.  This moment is one I am grateful for: in part, because in the last 10 days of riding, my skin has been sodden, numbed, burned, blistered, peeled off, and burned again.  I have pedaled uphill into gust after gust amid rain and snow and headfirst into caustic winds.  After all such matter, the air carries me for miles.  I no longer pedal.  Chasing, catching, and carrying me is a wind of 40 miles per hour, pushing me along, easing the burden of forward motion.

6 comments:

  1. You and Sheila and Kathy are keeping us stay-at-homers eagerly involved with your adventures. Tell Sheila thanks for connecting me to you.
    Linda

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    1. Hey Linda: I will pass on your regards to Sheila and Spencer! They just helped me fix a flat tire yesterday! That was an adventure!

      Best,

      Christian

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  2. Hi Christian! Sounds like an amazing time on the road. After reading your post from yesterday I was thinking that you must be sleeping very well at night ---soundly, well, except for the gunshots. Food must taste really good too after all that pedaling and coasting for miles and miles. That part of the country is beautiful. I wonder if you'll get to see the acres and acres of sunflower fields in the Dakotas. Do you listen to music when you ride, or do you just go with the flow of the ride? Hope you're having an awesome day! Be safe!
    cheers, Suzannah

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    1. Suzannah: Thanks for the note. We have just landed in Wyoming and the only sunflowers I have seen thus far have been in the impeccably clean restroom of a Bike Shop/Expresso Bar just outside of Jackson Hole, WY. But I will on the look out as we head east!

      C-

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  3. Christian, I just read one of your earlier posts about how someone asked about the connection between bikes and bullying. Those on this bike ride are challenging themselves everyday, having struggles along the way, having a sense of accomplishment at the end of each day, and connecting with others along the way...they're not alone in the quest to ride. I would think that these experiences would stay with each person...making them stronger, and reminding them that they can be strong and accomplish a difficult task day in and day out, and that people can and do get together for things they believe in and...grab others along the way...like me...and educate us and make us aware of an important topic like bullying.

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    1. Suzy/Suzannah: I do agree that group activity, such as this cross country bike ride bonds people and I have been speaking with those on the trip about what I have been riding for -- and they have been overwhelmingly supportive. The blog I am writing -- its audience (at least for now) is many of colleagues from graduate school (who are teachers across the country) the alumni from my school. My current students are aware of what I am doing and I am going to see about linking them into the blog. Look for new updates every 2-3 days and they will likely take the same quirky form. Thanks for reading. I will have at least one, if not two new posts by tomorrow.

      Best,

      Christian

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