Reminders

The past few days the wind has been at our backs, and we've taken full advantage of it by logging over 90 miles the past two days and 80 today. As the miles add up and the distance between us and Milwaukee lessens with each passing day, I find myself focusing more on the destination and less on the journey. Traveling along heavily trafficked roads with uninteresting scenery has caused my mind to be littered with thoughts of our return: dropping my bike at the end of the driveway at the cottage and running down the stone steps and across the wood planks of the pier to plunge into the cool waters of Marl Lake, hopping on my Puegeot which, already lighter than my Trek and not burdened with panniers, will feel light as a feather, meeting up with friends and family to swap summer tales, and making an appointment to get my eyebrows waxed (they are currently huge fuzzy caterpillers).

Today our route took us on lesser traveled pavement, and with the winds a little calmer our speeds slowed. I forced my mind to slow down as well, and take it all in: the ever-present symphony of hissing insects at all sides, the changes in the color of crops as we pass from one field to the next, the subtle drop in temperature when passing by a lake or marshy area, and the thickness of the humid air as you breathe it in deeply. I know it's important to visualize the end in order to keep yourself motivated, but it's even more important to be present in the moment. The destination will always be there, but the journey will, one day, come to an end. We still have many more miles of discovery upon us, and I intend to be there in all ways for every single one.

We have just arrived in Minnewauken, ND and will soon meet up with my friend JP, provider of the ACA maps and a fellow NOLS student. I can't wait to catch up!