From Jon On The Road One of the most striking things about driving through South Dakota at mid-day is the agriculture. In one spot, a 360deg scan would provide an almost unbroken vista of green and yellow ... a scene broken only by the ribbon of highway, slithering off to the west. The "yellowness" of so many sunflowers in one place is nearly overwhelming, and the pungent aroma of the hot plants nearly took my breath away. "Flyover America" is worth driving through ... especially if you venture off the freeway ... to the "blue highways." For those lucky enough to experience this trip on a bicycle, the experience is life changing. The regular writer of this log is back to work now, and you are encouraged to follow her progress. And again, she promises to read your email ... though may be unable to respond to it promptly. After all, the girl needs her rest! |
Date: August 13, 2005
Route: Registration
Distance: 0
Ride Time: 0
Elevation Climbed: 0
Weather: Partly cloudy
Log
Today I reorganized my suitcases, gathered my bicycle gear together, checked in with America by Bicycle, and said goodbye to Jon. I made him promise to stop when he gets tired … he has a tendency to just go and go until he gets there. He said he’d call often.
My new roommate, Melanie, arrived in mid-afternoon. She lives in Spokane and it seems we have a lot in common. In our initial conversation, we uncovered an amazing coincidence: on Thursday, when Jon and I were at the trailhead of the Lake Wobegon Trail, two other cyclists rode through the parking lot. They looked like they were from the area and I thought I would ask about local restaurant recommendations after I used the bathroom. When I came out, they were gone. It turns out that the two cyclists were Melanie and her brother! Incredible!
It’s going to be fun getting to know the rest of the group. There are 16 riders going all the way to New Orleans and 12 others doing parts of the route. Melanie and I are the only riders from the Pacific Northwest. Two of the riders are from California, one from Utah, and the rest from the Midwest and East Coast. One of the riders came all the way from Amsterdam! The youngest is a junior in high school. He and his father are doing this ride together. Everyone seems excited and ready to roll, including me.
