Council Bluffs
Sitting in a Best Western breakfast room right now. The plan is to eat until I am full, write a blogpost, eat again, and then go for a bike ride.
Getting breakfast this morning has been a lesson in passive aggressive behavior. Luckily I'm hungry enough not give any shits about anyone's waffle.
And give me full use of both the waffle machines.
Some Pictures With Explanations.
After we left Des Moines we rode these bike paths for most of the day.
It was rainy and windy. However, these tree canopies did a good job protecting us from the elements. It was also a good chance to get out of traffic and just focus on pedaling.
It's not quite fall in Iowa/Nebraska area. Which made me realize that Brett and I might ride through an entire season.
We've been riding just in front of fall the whole trip.
By the time we get to Colorado fall will be over.
Sad times.
Those leaves are still green. Bullshit.
What it looks like inside the tree canopies.
Pretty neat.
In Atlantic we stayed with a great couple, Dan and Penny.
They fed us, gave us beds to sleep in, and in the morning, helped us get to a bike shop.
That was more than nice of them.
I broke four spokes in between Des Moines and Atlantic. One broke about one third of the way there and then they kept on breaking.
The mechanic pictured here, Frank, is 92 years old. For real.
He's about the size of two bicycle wheels.
He has owned the shop for over forty years.
As we were about to leave he said, "wait!" and proceeded to put in his hearing aid. He then exclaimed, "I couldn't hear shit all morning!" (he was still yelling though). So there you have it, swearing (and having a lifelong passion) will keep you alive longer.
AND he fixed all four spokes for $0. What a guy.
As soon as we left the bike shop the elements were upon us. It was 45 degrees (see Brett's down jacket) for most of the day with a stiff headwind. Additionally, we were on these dirt roads with relentless rollers. If you look closely you can see the following roller in the picture. These were steep, pain in the ass climbs.
How the day went.
1) Coast down roller into headwind at 15mph.
2) Go up the climb in the smallest gear available.
3) The house on top of the climb will inevitably have a dog.
4) Get chased by dog.
5) Yell "no" and "bad" in some sort of caveman like yell.
6) Get ready to hit dog with frame pump.
7) Dog stops chasing after their yard ends.
8) Go down next roller into headwind at 15 mph.
*I like dogs but they can be territorial assholes.*
Then Brett got a flat.
Somehow he held his cool and successfully patched his tire in freezing/windy conditions.
I would have hit/broken something.
The day sounds horrendous but it never got intolerable. Over the last few weeks I have realized that I'm riding a bike. As in thats what I do. The externalities, weather, amount of sleep, and diet, have come to matter less and less. My legs just go up and down. Eventually, I get there. I also make up songs containing the word muffin. Which helps with the suffering.
What People Say When We Say We're Biking To Colorado
1) "Good Luck!"(sneer, cackle)
2) "I can't even get out of bed!"
3) "My oh my! What an adventure!"
4) "Hey John! Look at these queers!"
5) "I know this great road in (California) (Iowa) (Alaska) you should ride."
6) "Okay"
7) "Oh, you have to take I-70, I80, Rt. 6, 34, and then you'll be in Colorado!"
Nebraska!
Second to last state on the trip and I can't wait to get it over with. Luckily we'll be in Lincoln tonight. We'll be able to cheer on the University of Nebraska Hoosiers against the Michigan State Rockets! If there's one thing I know it's football. Can't wait!
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