Dread

Inertia isn't a great motivator but as a force it's a good way to move forward.

I needed to rest, take a day from the long-distance riding that had propelled me so far. The challenge of stopping is that resting invites the rain, turns you to mud, a thick, resistant dreck and it takes a lot of energy to move forward.



I'm tired. Still.

Last night I called our youngest daughter. It was 8 P.M. and I had a difficult time staying awake to talk. She noted that I'm in it now, there was no turning back. I like her attitude but it's easy to say when you aren't living it, aren't in the fight. Keep going.

But there's always turning back. There's always a myriad of options: I could fly home, have the bike shipped; I could just leave the bike, New Mexico-style, park it on the side of the road, get a ticket, take a bus home; I could stay in Salem for a few days, sell the bike, hitchhike, call friends, make different arrangements...

Part of me wanted to teach her, a part of me that wasn't somehow exhausted - there are always possibilities, there are always options. You might not like the options but they are always there. For our conversation, however, I simply agreed with her. I barely had the energy to brush my teeth. I fell asleep by 8:30, up at 6 A.M., and still I'm mud, even after the strong, crappy hotel coffee, still resistant to moving forward.

I miss my friends, my family, my dog and most especially my best friend, my wife.

Here's to inertia. Onwards then to corner three, Sail Rock, Lubec, Maine.