Some of the names of things and places here are something to savour. T'other day I came over Dead Indian Summit, I've cycled pas numerous Big Bear Drives, I topped out at Dead Horse summit recently and cycled past Humbug Humbolt Road. Straight out of a JOhn Wayne Movie.
It's not just the road and pass names that are great. The RVs and trailers all seem to have names too that capture the essence of this place. Back in the UK we call our caravans things like Estelle, Comfort and Easy. Here they call their RVs Intruder, Wild Cat, Weekend Warrier. A different approach to camping I guess, and the name captures it all.
One little thing. I don't care what David HG says, Hershey bars just aren't very nice. There's something horribly sickly about the things that leave one feeling mildly uncomfortable. Can't beat a good Cadbury's Mil Chocolate.....and here in the US one can;t get a Cadbury's milk chocolate.
Have I been doing any cycling recently? You bet. I topped out at 8500feet this morning amongst the residual snow patches of Larssen Peak, a beautiful mountain area and the last of the 'stratovolcanoes' of the Cascades mountain range. I am now entering the Sierra Nevada mountain range. 105km clocked today to get me to a shabby little town of Greenville which, with a population of 1200 feels REALLY big and busy.
Last night I was treated to supper! A lovely evening round the fire with my fellow campers, Luke, jake and ?Maureen who are all travelers themselves and therefore 'get it' with what I am doing here. It was lovely to share stories and relax in the company of others. It beat that empty evening feeling one otherwise gets when settling down in a lonely campsite in the forest.
I ticked off 20km yesterday which mentally is half way . A good milestone....but makes me feel a little daunted that it is only half way!
Met a Belgian couple this morning who had to be in their mid sixties and were bike touring. They had just tcked off 3000km as I met them.
Thanks for all the encouragements, they are really strengthening to read.
California is a big county!
ReplyDelete'The ability to be solitary is a necessary pre-requisite to being in Community' as I think Thomas Merton said and there's a lot of Wisdom in that.
Wonder how much sticking a different name on your camper makes you ready to live differently as opposed to living delusionally :)
Keep turning those wheels, mate!!
I think Mike might have meant 2000km was half way!
ReplyDeleteHave you been to church at all?
ReplyDeleteDo you have a day of rest?
Yours, concerned.
It's funny that a town of 1200 feels big. You are going to be in for a shock once you get back to a real city! But maybe you'll be ready for that after so much time on lonely roads.
ReplyDeleteMake the most of your time and enjoy the escape from reality! S