” A runner is a miser, spending the pennies of his energy with great stinginess, constantly wanting to know how much he has spent and how much longer he will be expected to pay. He wants to be broke at precisely the moment he no longer needs his coin.”
John L Parker – Once A Runner
This is a quote from one of my favorite books. I apply it to riding a bike. It says it all.
When you start out your ride feeling real strong you must temper that strong feeling with what you have left to do on this day & what you have left in the overall trip. You have to remind yourself that you will not win this race on this day alone. So my vision of making it to La Veda and over the final climb to exit the Rockies would not happen on this day. This day was all about taking what the day gives you. Today started out cold (28 degrees) with sunny skies. I made 31 miles without a break. A short coffee break in Monte Vista I was back on the road. Before reaching Monte Vista I over took a biker heading the same direction. Upon reaching him I decided although he had “packs” on his bike I discovered that they were modified waste paper cans! So I decided he must have been a local guy out maybe picking up garbage along the road. I said good morning as I blasted by. Later in the day I ran upon him again 20 miles down the road. I road along side & started a conversation. His name was Richard & he was on his way to his home in Maine! He was a self described “Homeless guy” on a bike. We road together for about 25 miles exchanging tails of living on the road. What tails he told. He did most of the talking & I simply listened & learned. Living off the land, stealth camping every night Richard was a modern day hobo that quit his job & just checked out. We talked of what we ate & where we slept . We parted company & I road on ahead with a little different outlook on the world.
This ride on straight flat roads through the high desert type terrain into a head wind left me exhausted & I decided that after 76 miles I would hold up short of the pass for the night. I did not look forward to a repeat of yesterday climbing the pass & enduring a cold descent down the east side.
I said yesterday that I would be @ the 1/2 way point tomo or the next day. My math was off by a few days & that will not happen until say Monday or Tuesday. Tomorrow is shaping up to be a rather long day & Sat should see me in Kansas. The next few days through the front range of Co. & western Kansas is a gut check stretch . Sparse towns & nondescript terrain.
So I ride on being careful to spend my coin with stinginess . Thanks John L Parker!
Frank's Coast to Coast Ride for Justin 