Month: June 2016
Transitions, monkey bars and CYOA
I’ll sometimes sit outside in the early morning drinking coffee, thinking and watching the sky. There’s this space between the night and day that I love. It’s dark, still night time. The birds aren’t yet awake, the wind hasn’t started to stir the trees. But in the east, there’s a change. Not light, but a different shade of black, one … Read more
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Old familiar roads
My mind has been looking back at the roads my life has been on recently. Some are littered with debris and potholes. They’re not the sort of roads I should be traveling on or spending time looking at; it makes the roads ahead of me harder to see. Sometimes, though, I need to visit the old familiar roads of my youth, … Read more
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Another good reminder to not (always) stick to the plan
This is Mike. I met Mike this morning because 1.) I decided to ride my bike. 2.) Because the TransAmerica trail runs through my back yard. 3.)Because I decided that my day would be better if I turned around to ride with a Trans rider, instead of finishing my ordinary route. I was right. Mike is originally from Oregon, but … Read more
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Saying goodbye, for now, and thank you
I could feel the emotion welling up inside me as soon as awoke in Troy, Kan., on Saturday morning. Today, I would ride an easy 14 miles to the Missouri River in Elwood; that ride would be the only easy part of the day. This journey began eight days before, in St. Francis near the Colorado border. It’s where I … Read more
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The road to Marysville
So, let’s talk about that road to Marysville. Very hilly. More than very hilly. It’s the sort of hilly where it feels like it’s almost all hills. The crest of one reveals a downhill, but also the next hill you’ll have to climb. I heard that people were counting them, and I’ve heard numbers between 40 and 62 being kicked … Read more
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The people of Biking Across Kansas (some of them)
There’s so much about this trip that’s hard to beautiful and it’s hard to put it all into words, hard to focus on just one day or one part of this journey. The weather has been perfect. The route has been filled with enjoyable hills and epic scenery. (Except maybe Wednesday, when the hills seemed more intense and the wind … Read more
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A day filled with conversations, wonder and appreciation
Here’s a small list of just a few of the amazing things that happened today on BAK between Oberlin and Phillipsburg I met a guy who rode in the first BAK, when he was 14, and has started riding again a few years ago. I read a letter from another participant – a man who won’t let me “quote” him … Read more
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