June 29, 2023
Nothing in the Universe can shake them.
DAY FOUR
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Emerging from the bushes and trees with a fully loaded bicycle is by far one of the greatest experiences in life. I reorient myself and away I go. That spot? Lost to me, probably forever.
The small town I’m drifting into has one option for coffee according to google, it is not currently serving any food. The barista points out another breakfast joint, lets me use the bathroom and wishes me a safe ride. Small town America still has some heart. I roll across the street to the encounter cafe.
THE ENCOUNTER CAFE! Fate, it seems, is not without a sense of irony. I hit it off with the lady that owns the place and we talk quickly about all sorts of topics. I eat BEC baked into a biscuit shaped turnover and a kitchen made strawberry poptart. There is coffee, lots of it with cream. I get jittery and fired up as the sun bakes the smog above me. I’ve had the night, now let’s bring on the day.
The ACA route is different than the USBR and I stuck with the ACA. I was glad I did until I hit a road closure. I’ve seen this episode before and I skirt around the barrier and enjoy a stretch of mile completely alone with the deer, chipmunks and squirrels.
Hills? In Indiana? Yep, they exist. Rollers and then long slow climbs to the top of a ridge. It was on one of these climbs, where the homes are a few clouds apart and the driveways are doubletrack dirt surrounded by brambles and old weather beaten fences long left open, that I had my first did encounter. Of course I was riding a few paces behind the USPS when a brindle pit bull comes shooting out, nipping and barking ferociously at my heels. I yell, NO and BE GOOD and I realize she’s an old girl that listens. She backs off and turns away before she notices my adrenaline pumping lasers out of every pore on my body. At the crest of this hill is the opening of a short and very much steeper climb. I gear down and after making the top my nerves have found a way to exorcise that dog fear. I’ve reached equilibrium on the high wire of touring.
In Peru I found a bakery that had croissants. Unfortunately it was too much dough and not enough butter. Probably day old, too. The only redeeming factor was it had been stored with the donuts and gotten a little sugar dusted. This bakery was also a coffee shop but had no restrooms?!? Lame. Time to get out of Peru.
The Nickel Plate trail heads NW and before I know it I’ve exhausted it and I’m in Rochester. There’s one WS listed here but it has no reviews and a kinda funny write up. I’m not sure what to make of it so I grab a room and eat at the Mexican restaurant next door. I shower twice, change clothes and watch a little tv. I, Robot is on until my eyes, barely seeing, find the remote and my tired hands mash the off button. I fall asleep thinking about Asimov and the three rules.
Today's ride: 47 miles (76 km)
Total: 193 miles (311 km)
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I was a teenager in the middle nineteen fifties and I read all the sci-fi masters, Asimov, A E Van Voght, Arthur C Clarke, Robert Heinlein etc.
Mike
10 months ago
10 months ago