Notes From The Tent: Day 3 (It Got Real)

Another headwind day with above 90 degree temperatures and lots of long climbs made for a full sag wagon. I know, I was on it. 

The night before the ride I just could not get into deep sleep. Not sure why at the time but I would guess the two high exertion days ahead of today contributed to that. 

Jacquie Phelan is a character, as we would say in the Mid-West. That just means she doesn’t look at the world in quite the same fashion as most of us do. This is good. It knocks one off their comfortable spot. And if you are a kind person who cares about others, the World, and how it feels we are in a burning spaceship , well then you stop to think. You know, exercise the brain. 

I didn’t get along with my Dad growing up, but once in a while he’d have a nugget worth grabbing ahold of. He used to say ,”Ya know, you should engage the brain BEFORE you engage the mouth.”  He used the phrase as a sort of put-down, but I figured out what really was going on. 

Anyway, people like Jacquie are flown into your life for a reason, and it ain’t about hero worship or romancing the old daze. It is about thinking outside of your self and what you see as every day, thoughtless living. I mean, the Western World wastes a lot of food, we all know this. But would we ever actually be moved to do anything about it? Jacquie described herself as a “professional dumpster diver”. That’s some bold thinking, and actions motivated by a crisis most of us ignore. 

Anyway, hot wind, hills, and overexertion are a recipe for a quick burn out by Guitar Ted. And I could feel the matches being struck right out of Spencer. 

I didn’t make it far, but I survived.  Plus I got a horse and wagon ride around town. 

By the way, the dew was incredible at Spencer so all my gear was soaking wet   This made setting up in Verdigre a chore as I had to dry everything out first before setting up. 

I guess 25-35mph winds and heat are good for something. 

More soon.