Friday, November 14, 2008

Another inch forward

Friday, 14 November: The weather was alright today, kinda sunny, not super windy, and I took yesterday off, so why is today so difficult?

A couple of hours into my ride, I stopped for some gas station coffee. I'm seriously addicted to that syrupy-sweet stuff that comes out of the "cappuccino" machine. I noticed there was a Greyhound station right behind the gas station, and was seriously tempted, but I decided to ride on. I kept following USBR 76, which is always taking long scenic detours around populated areas, which can be a good thing, unless you encounter a sign a couple miles into your hilly detour informing you that the road you are on is closed ahead. Sigh. No choice but to backtrack, unless I want to follow the posted detour route to who knows where and for how long. Since the backtracking brought me back to the bus station, I took it as a sign and went inside to inquire about the possibility of getting me and my Surly to Huntsville. The guy working there didn't know if they could take my bike, and said it was really up to the driver, and he had no way to ask. I could either hang around the bus station until after dark when the next bus was due to arrive, and hope that the driver would take pity and let me aboard, or ride on. Not wanting to risk a nighttime ride to shelter in the predicted rain, I rode on, reminding myself that there is no such thing as "a sign." A few minutes later, I had a roadside meltdown. When I saw that I was only a couple miles from a KOA, I called it a day. Sadly, I didn't get very far today, but at least I was able to dry out my tent (I packed up wet this morning) and do some laundry in the cheapest laundromat I have seen on this trip. Maybe tomorrow I will get somewhere, although the weather report suggests that may not be the case.

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