Prairie Rules

Day 25: Vulcan to Brooks. 77 miles. 1925 feet elevation. Weather lovely.

It would probably be best not to count, but I think I turned twice today. The first was out of the parking lot of my motel in Vulcan, and the second was into the parking lot of my motel in Brooks. This might be a slight exaggeration, but it’s not a huge one. You would think that with my traveling Eastward while the Earth spins Westward that I could simply sit on my bike without pedaling, and the world would roll under me until I got to my destination. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work quite like that.

However, I think I must have had a good tailwind for the early half of the ride because I’m at my motel doing laundry, and it’s barely 3:00. I have to admit, this is nice and probably the first time I’ve had sufficient time to relax on a day that I’m riding. Maybe I should get on the treadmill for a few miles. I’m feeling kind of lazy. Admittedly, I typically rest somewhere along the Route and lay down and put my feet up if possible, but that’s usually only 10 or 15 minutes.. Today, I did that on a little roadside turnout, and while trying to nap, lying on the pavement, it sounded like the trucks were going to drive over me, so it was a little disconcerting.

If you ever find yourself on a bicycle, traveling across a prairie, perhaps these rules will help you: 1. If you see one of these giant Don Quixote type towers, find another place to ride. Your chances of real success are about as good as Don’s. 2. If your route unavoidably passes these towers, proceed only if the blades are either not turning or facing opposite the direction you’re traveling. They didn’t put these wind turbines here because there isn’t wind. 3. If you can not accomplish rules one or two, then just hunker down, stop riding, and forget it until either one or two can be accomplished.

To fully appreciate what it’s like to ride on the endless prairie, look at the two pictures above. The top image was taken quite a while before the lower image. Yet, there appears to be no difference. That’s the essence of riding on the prairie. You can put your head down and pedal as hard as you want for as long as you want, and when you look up, you’re certain you haven’t moved.

Not to worry, there’s only 12 or 1500 km more of prairie:-).