Warm

It was an 85 mile day, but it was nothing doing. The weather was perfect, not hot or windy, the terrain was easy, and I was well rested and well fed. It was a good ride.

Tajin, my excellent host of last night, made me a big stack of pancakes with blueberry sauce he made himself. It was delicious. He's an amazing cook. He even offered to send me off with a bottle of wine he made himself, but I sadly couldn't take something like that with me. So he told me he'd send a bottle to me when I get where I'm going. He wants to have his own farm and be self sufficient one day, and he's one of few people with that ambition who I feel sure can pull it off. I hope we're able to stay in touch.

In Basin, I came across a really neat dynamic duo road tripping. The guy was lifting the gal up to put his teddy bear, Pooky, in position to take a picture of it appearing to be rappelling off the sign at the gas station. I told him what I was doing, and he introduced himself as Matt, explained he was a photographer, and that he had previously biked from Portland, Oregon to Portland, Maine, but had done so unweighted and with a support van. He wished me luck with my travels, and actually gave me a $20 donation to my venture, and told me it was for peanut butter and spaghetti (what he and his friends lived on for their bike trip). Matt, if you're reading this, you're awesome and good luck.

I saw a fire burning  in some trees off the road aways. I figured someone must know already... But awhile back I had seen a dead housecat on the side of the road. I passed on without doing anything assuming  someone else must have already contacted the owners, and later when I told my best friend about it, he properly chastised me for succumbing to the bystander effect. So this time, I made certain I wasn't going to do that, not with a fire. The thing was, I didn't know who to contact. So I flagged down a guy in an electric company truck and told him he should call someone, figuring he would know who to call. He let me know he would, but also made it clear he wouldn't have if I hadn't asked him to. I don't know if maybe it was a purposeful fire (with no one around), or if someone already knew, or if I helped with a real problem. But that's the thing, you just don't know. I'd rather be a bother than a bystander.

I foolishly decided to take a shortcut through a country road. ...I don't think I actually saved myself any time, if not lost it. I actually had to walk a section, because it turned to unrideable rock. I know I hate gravel, but I always forget just how much.

I am currently sitting around a really nice fire, in a personally made fireplace at the home of my amazing hosts, Jim and Robin, enjoying a beer and a nice chat with them and their other guests from Poland, after having a really, really great meal that Robin prepared, staying up much later than I should. It's been a great day.