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Sunday August 5, 2018 Chapters.

EMPTY

Although it’s not “why” (I long ride) - it just “is.”

Beholding with an empty mind - unbeckoned - chapters appeared three times in my Maritime Province adventure. I learned of Chapter 1 only by Chapter 2’s startling appearance. Chapter 3 spoke silently by itself.

REFLECTION

“Often, good things happen on Sunday.”

Today - unbeckoned - chapter descriptors dawn:

Chapter 1 Learning (Consumption of Disillusion)

Chapter 2 Fulfillment (Consumption of Relationship)

Chapter 3 Detachment (Consumption of Equanimity)

Seems like a good metaphor for this ride.

Seems like maybe even a partial life metaphor, doesn’t it?

AGAIN

Thus - eagerly I begin again!

“When you’re finished changing, you’re finished.” Benjamin Franklin

Imagine!

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August 3, 2018 Like being with gentle summer rain, my slow re-entry in Pepin is a luxury.

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Friday and Saturday August 3 and 4, 2018 Soft landing in Pepin.

Random thoughts:

STATS

One month. (Being born in February - 28 days is one month to me!)

5,000 miles. (4,967 miles on Kairos’ odometer plus saving over 800 road miles by two ferry crossings - that’s 5,000 miles to me!)

SLEEP

In the past month, last night is the first night I sleep the whole night through!

TIME

“Ironically, forgetting time creates time!”

Without a schedule on Friday, I have only two things to do: compose a thought and garage Kairos in her stall. Yet I even have enough extra time to also walk to the market!

COPIOUS COMFORT

Emptying out Kairos’ stall in the garage:

“I don’t recall it being so over-stuffed? With fat padded steering wheel, and sinking soft seats? And why did the engine stop?? I just started it. And why aren’t I moving??? I’m in gear!”

“Turn, turn! You ARE moving. Don’t hit the hackberry tree!”

How can they make automotive cocoons so silent and smooth it seems while moving I’m stopped in suspended animation??!!

I may be back in Pepin - but I’m definitely not “back” yet!

THEME

I’ve been asked so many times what is the highlight? So many true possibilities exist for this ride.

Spontaneously - my first utterance always is FRIENDS! Kathy, Austins, Jungmanns, Braytons, Mortons and my family - and the Woops members and so many others who followed and corresponded with me this trip! And those who stood with Kathy!

So many friends!

I feel grateful.

I am blessed.

WONDERING

May 1966

May 2018

“Where am I?”

I guess it doesn’t really matter.

“Who am I?”

Now that’s more relevant.

Imagine!

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August 2, 2018

Colorful splashes of Kathy’s flowers surrounding our Pepin house welcome me home.

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August 2, 2018
Early morning I’m queued in a long line of motorcycle riders to board Badger to cross Lake Michigan from Ludington MI to Manitowoc WI.

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Thursday August 2, 2018 In route from Ludington MI to Pepin WI.

RETURN

Ferries always want you to check in at least an hour before boarding. I’m in the queue before 8:00 A.M. (Eastern time) to board coal-fired Badger to cross Lake Michigan.

Riding off Badger’s steel grated ramp at 1:30 P.M. (Central time) into Manitowoc - I’m back in WI!

Tho I’ve ridden it many times, each of my 310 miles today through this driftless area becomes more magical as coulees and bluffs develop into the dramatic upper Mississippi River valley opening into spectacular Lake Pepin.

Returning is always the best!

LAP

Humbly rising to my pegs riding up Front Street in Pepin squinting hard against low bright orange western sun my solo (read just for me) victory lap ends in splashes of brightly colored flowers.

At 6:43, just three minutes later, my rolling companion BNSF passes and winks me her “welcome back.”

TIME

Before - all summer seemed ahead.

After - the summer seems nearing it’s end?

Imagine!

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August 1, 2018 Right across main street from the Avenue Motel, this fancier B&B seems to proclaim the same message with it’s red, white and blue curb gardens.

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August 1, 2018

I got the last room in the Avenue Motel in downtown Ludington, whose signboard proclaims God Bless The USA.

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Wednesday August 1, 2018 In route from Cleveland Heights OH to Ludington MI.

ROAD

After Virginia directs me to I-480 on the east side of Cleveland metro, I had only four road changes for almost nine hours and 420 miles to Ludington MI.

CHAPTER 3

It happened so silently and seamlessly I didn’t realize for two and one-half hours that the sometimes triple-lane bumper-to-bumper semi truck traffic on I-480 and I-90 and I-80 seemed not enough to even mention.

MUSCLES

Thigh then hip then lower back muscles silently in unison and simultaneously coordinate coiling and compressing my upper body lean angle downward and forward until my chin and eyes thrust upward and I realize I am looking through my windscreen - which ordinarily I look down over by at least three inches!

Uncoil. Relax. Sit up. It won’t be long.

DISTRACTIONS

On an otherwise calm day, three miles down the road from my Remus MI gas stop I abruptly downshift to drop 15 mph to manage serious un-warned cross and head wind turbulence to maintain my lane.

I didn’t even know it was in my helmet until the sharp sting painfully shot in all directions from the front right side of my tongue! Like semi truck hard splash bouncing off my helmet in blinding PA rain - “Can’t pay any attention to that!” Another item to add to my pre-ride checklist - bees.

LODGING

Arrivng Ludington city center for dinner just a mile from the ferry I’ll board in the morning, lodging announced a sometimes argumentative theme. (See picture posts.)

Imagine!

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July 31, 2018

This bookcase in Morton’s home respectfully holds every book of the Talmud.

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Tuesday July 31, 2018. In route from Corry PA to Mortons - Cleveland Heights OH.

GREETING

Only a short 124 miles from Corry, I arrive hours earlier than expected.

Walking back home from school in his black pinstripe suit and white shirt Denny spots me from the other end of the block and with an almost youthful skip in his step grins and waives welcome almost before I get my side stand down. I know I could “feel” Denny’s happy presence a block away even if I were blind!

Virginia steps out the front door to my too-early arrival with a big smile oblivious to her early-morning robe and “natural” look.

Virginia and Denny Morton have been dear friends of Kathy and me for forty-five years since we lived next door to each other in Shaker Heights OH in 1973.

Their eyes out-sparkle each other. You can’t find people more kind.

A fellow mariner - Denny has sailed the Saint Lawerence Seaway and Great Lakes in his sailboat.

CHAPTERS

Denny early retired from his medical practice in Cleveland twenty years ago, as did Virginia from her work with Case Westrn Reserve University.

Closing that chapter they began a new life - “spirituality”.

With a satisfied smile as wide as his brim Denny now calls himself a “black hat”. And he is.

I was honored for over two and one-half hours as Denny showed me every room in his shul and explained in detail every volume on every shelf and every chair and bimah and it’s purpose.

I had no idea the singular prayer and instruction format committed by Denny and millions of other Orthodox Jews several times a day seven days a week in shuls (read also synagogues) throughout the world!

Recently moving to a house less than one block away, neither rain nor snow can now extend Denny’s short two minute walk between home and shul.

OUTLOOK

Denny grew up in Montreal.

Denny and Virginia continue looking forward.

In his eightieth year Denny’s outlook seems deceptively simple, often reciting with a content smile:

“Isn’t this a great country!”

“Life is (emphasize) Just (emphasize) Fun!”

Constantly we talk until long after midnight when we finally acknowledge our night’s sleep will be short.

It’s hard for me to get enough of such positive people.

Imagine!

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July 30, 2018

Beyond the horse farm across from Meg’s house rise the Poconos through which I’ll enter PA early this fine morning.

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Monday July 30, 2018 In route from Millford NJ to Corry PA.

DEPARTURE

It seems abnormal to not have ridden for five consecutive days.

I sure hope my riding jacket fits over my expansion from the many super fresh scratch meals I’ve enjoyed here!

What a highlight this visit with Meg, Jeff, Jake and Katy has been!!

I’m looking forward to the mountains I hear I’ll cross most of today through PA.

Hot coffee and warm goodbuys send me off into this clear 60 degree mornig!

RIDING AGAIN

Against rush hour traffic I ride west and north settleing into what I now realize is “normal Eastern traffic” (read more traffic than comfortable), arriving U.S. 6 W a bit before noon. I’ll ride 6 westward across northern PA toward it’s NW corner, where 6 joins I-90 about an hour west of Cleveland.

This afternoon all h—- breaks loose on 6!

For four hours two-to-three-inch-per-hour onslaughts (confirmed on the evening news) cause road-wide shoulder-to-shoulder rain sheets to slide off left and right down surface fall lines attacking me as I climb up and running ahead to escape me as I dive down through northern PA mountains - made particularly hazardous in blinding rain and fog obscurring any hydroplane warning.

Approaching trucks of all size bounce blinding hard-splashes off my windscreen, jacket and helmet shield. Can’t pay any attention to that!

DECISION

Passing through pouring rain at speed I belatedly register a porte cochere off my left shoulder at Corry PA Cobblestone Inn and Suites. I don’t even think. My decision to walk from a covered park into a dry lobby instead of pitching my tent in rain torrents is automatic.

Fortunately, a considerate driver in heavy oncoming traffic senses why I want to make a U turn (into a parking lot) and stops his lane to allow me.

NIGHT

I had more in me if needed, but it wasn’t.

So after ten hours and 381 miles I pull off the road at 6:00 P.M. to loose my damp chill and settle in for the night.

Tomorrow will be a piece of cake - likely less than a three-hour ride to Mortons.

Imagine!

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July 28, 2018

Evening assent at the NJ balloon festival.

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July 28, 2018

Three-day NJ Quick Chek Balloon Festival at the airport is a really big deal.

Up and down two runways before arriving all the twirling rides, the midway has so many free samples of candy, snack “foods”, ice cream “foods”, drinks, nut and breakfast “foods” and on and on I finally have to search for the antacid dispensary.

There are even free matching shades!

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July 28, 2018

Sensing the kitchen is awake, I close my book and round the corner smiling to behold one of Jeff’s weekend culinary specialities - “breakfast by the pound”!

Sustenance for yet another weekend outing.

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July 27, 2018

Voices straining above “High Hopes” by Panic! At The Disco blaring from the front stereo to the back seat in the cramped open Wrangler weirdly juxtapose walking the quiet path through still woods along gently babbling Cahoolong Creek to which we six drive on a Sunny Friday morning.