This Is The Story Of The Hurricane

July 19, 2023

DAY TWENTYFOUR

I’m pushing my bike up the gravel road slowly while I keep an eye out for my missing readers. They are a bright pink color so I shouldn’t miss them in all this slate colored rock and dirt. I filled my water bottles first thing with the line she pointed out yesterday and I noticed a lot of black flecks in there. Not what I’m looking for. The plastic line is probably deteriorating and I can’t drink this unless I have no other option. Just outside the office area in the lot I find the wreckage.

A sad ending to an ever faithful pair of glasses and the second pair I’ve lost on this trip. Damn. The portolet I enter erases my mind with stench. Oh my goodness how do you let it come to this? I double over and keep the door cracked with the toe of my left foot. Hurry, hurry, hurry, but get clean. I want to be at the DG when they open at eight. Not my best start.

I’m realizing that the DG is small rural towns answer to Walmart. Almost any place I go through has one near the edge of the town line, sometimes two with one at each end. Cunot is no different except this one includes a fresh produce section and a very clean bathroom. What! No bananas but I get apples and a couple carrots, a gallon of water and an ice cold cucumber lime gatorade. I’ve never come across this flavor and it’s pretty interesting. I hope I don’t burp it up later.

I expect today to be a lot more climbing and the ACA even put a note on this section that some of the hills are too steep to ride and a cyclist may end up pushing. So be it. I have no desire to challenge myself besides getting to the motel as early as check in will allow. I’m three days and two nights deep camping with no shower. I’m turning feral and marking my territory with less and less regard for passing traffic. I have a light tailwind and I’m pedaling soft for the first couple miles before the rollercoaster hills hit. The hills begin again and I get plenty familiar with shifting as low as I can go. No more. But I also think of these descents! Whizzing down soft asphalt corridors of white pine and maple trees. Coursing through steel beam tunnels over thick and muddy waters. Tilting my head back and feeling the wind across my face.

I have to push the bike up two very steep hills today. It’s the first times that I’ve had to dismount due to grades. I definitely knew this was coming with a road named Hurricane Hill. I whisper to the world that I’m alive with my racing heartbeat and the burning muscles in my arms. Around the switchback and up into a shady spot I stop and down some clean water. The humidity thrums against my temples and I’m sweating as much as I drink. But, I’m at the top of this one.

I have purposefully saved the last bit of battery in the GoPro so I can record this downhill and put it to music. I turn it on and as I start rolling it beeps the shutdown sequence and powers off. Heat. I enjoy the breeze and remember one of my favorite movie lines, Hang on tightly, Let go lightly.

Somehow I make it to the Motel at 12:15 and the checkin is not until 2. The guy says he has a room ready and to go ahead in. I’m very thankful. I close every blind, shave, shower and order a pizza delivery. I spend the next hours watching sci fi movies and stuffing my face with my feet up. Glorious. I only wake up one at around 8:30 to turn the tv off. Very unlike me to fall asleep with it on but then today was a day.

Today's ride: 29 miles (47 km)
Total: 953 miles (1,534 km)

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