Average Speed: 17.9 km/hr (11 mph)
Distance Cycled Today: 120 km (74 Miles)
Distance Cycled Total: 2620 km (1627 Miles)
Mood: Awed
I had company in my coffin-sized tent last night.
Don't get excited.
No human being would ever want to be in close quarters with me right now- I haven't done laundry in a week.
The kitten didn't seem to care though!
The thing was sleeping so peacefully on my lap last night while I was finishing my blog, and I didn't wreck its kitten-y dreams, so I offered (him? her?) a night of luxury comfort in a tent big enough for at least two kittens.
It briefly woke up and assessed the situation before accepting its new reality. A stretch. A yawn. And it was back to sleep.
It was a bit nerve-wracking for me, however. Not because I worried about it using my passport bag as a litter box or it clawing its way out through the thin mesh netting that protects me from... nothing. It's because I have a history with cats.
In my early twenties, my roommate- Daryl (the guy who just got married back in Berlin)- found a dying kitten on the side of the road and brought it home. For a week, we nursed it back to health, and it seemed as if it were on the upswing. It followed me everywhere. To the bathroom. To the kitchen. To the sofa. And to my bed.
Thing is, I'm kind of a violent sleeper. Not only do I snore, but I toss and turn a lot.
Sometimes I roll over.
Perhaps you can see where this is going...
The poor thing just wasn't strong enough to wriggle its way out from under my heft.
And when I woke up the next morning and started petting him... the absence of a purr caught my attention after a minute or two.
So... that's why I was a bit nervous.
Therapy only helps so much.
Huh.
That was an awfully dark way to start the post.
Bet ya' didn't see that coming!
Think I'll just copy and paste all that and use it in my match.com profile.
You can rest easy- the kitten survived the night. Though when Jamie woke up and saw it curled at the foot of my sleeping bag, he was somewhat horrified. "There's a cat in your tent! You've stolen a cat! Its mother must've been worried sick all night!"
Also, my current cat Abby is doing fine... she definitely doesn't trust me for shit, but she's doing fine.
I think.
I haven't been home in a month and a half.
Anyway, only three things kept today from being another perfect ride: Intense heat, a handful of nutty drivers, and the accidental five miles I rode off the route. Otherwise, it was a fantastic ride.
By the middle of the day, Jamie's temperature gauge was reading 109 degrees. I think it's off by the same 10% that my odometer is off, so let's settle for 100. It was Nevada heat. Dry and relentless.
The traffic had definitely abated in comparison to yesterday. I certainly went through less toilet paper, though it was still (mostly) a helmet-on sort of day. I only bristled a few times.
And cycling five miles in the wrong direction is never a cause for celebration. Jamie was waving his arms and shouting at me to make the correct turn, but my eyes were glued to the road and my ears were full of The Walkabouts at the time.
I sailed right past him.
I also sailed past the "No Bikes Allowed" sign and ended up on a major highway.
My bad.
But you know, I can only exercise so much caution in one day. Today I put that focus into wearing a helmet.
I would love to tweak just those few (relatively minor things) and repeat this ride. Wow. Whereas yesterday was a day of climbing, today was a day of long, thrilling descents. And there were a lot of them.
Only one Major Climb offered any challenge (it was one of those climbs where oncoming cars flash their lights, honk their horns, and fist pump to cheer you on- when that happens, you know you're working). It was a three-miler at an 8% grade- I've done a lot of those by this point- but they still test your limits. I was tempted to stop just to wipe some of the sweat away, but experience has taught me never to pause in the middle of a climb like this. One more pedal and you'll be at the top. Just one more.
And the payoff was amazing.
I knew there'd be a steep downgrade, but I had no clue that it would last 30 minutes. And the views were incredible. The only other descent I've experienced that beats it is the 50-miler in California, where we dropped from 8,000 feet above sea level to 0-ish.
I slapped together a quick vid of some of the footage- feel free to check it out. The soundtrack (Holly Williams: The Highway) was playing in my earbuds at some point.
Never mind the 10 mile lazy downhill we had earlier in the day, or the one right at the end that twisted and turned its way into the city of Knin.
At the end of the day, both of us sat quietly over pizza and beer for two hours, replaying what we had just experienced.
And to top it off, the hotel we're staying at features wall art that speaks to me. I appreciate it when someone frames a painting that is at my level of artistic ability.
Draw a sun in the corner with a smiley face, a couple of V geese, a house with tic-tac-toe boards for windows, and I'm a happy guy.
Better get to bed. Gonna try to put in some serious miles tomorrow into Bosnia.
Oh yeah... I forgot. We're going to Bosnia.
I had no clue we were heading there until just recently. We need to in order to get to our destination in Croatia. Whoever drew those borders might also appreciate our room's wall art for the same reasons that I do.
And don't worry- there's a strict No Pets Allowed policy at this place.
The kittens of Knin are safe tonight.
 |
| The Obligatory Shadow Shot... (having a tough time finding bike oriented things to take pics of here!) |
I had company in my coffin-sized tent last night.
Don't get excited.
No human being would ever want to be in close quarters with me right now- I haven't done laundry in a week.
 |
| And a massage? What is this the Ritz-Carlton? |
The thing was sleeping so peacefully on my lap last night while I was finishing my blog, and I didn't wreck its kitten-y dreams, so I offered (him? her?) a night of luxury comfort in a tent big enough for at least two kittens.
It briefly woke up and assessed the situation before accepting its new reality. A stretch. A yawn. And it was back to sleep.
It was a bit nerve-wracking for me, however. Not because I worried about it using my passport bag as a litter box or it clawing its way out through the thin mesh netting that protects me from... nothing. It's because I have a history with cats.
In my early twenties, my roommate- Daryl (the guy who just got married back in Berlin)- found a dying kitten on the side of the road and brought it home. For a week, we nursed it back to health, and it seemed as if it were on the upswing. It followed me everywhere. To the bathroom. To the kitchen. To the sofa. And to my bed.
 |
| I have- like- 80 pictures of this damn creature. |
Thing is, I'm kind of a violent sleeper. Not only do I snore, but I toss and turn a lot.
Sometimes I roll over.
Perhaps you can see where this is going...
The poor thing just wasn't strong enough to wriggle its way out from under my heft.
And when I woke up the next morning and started petting him... the absence of a purr caught my attention after a minute or two.
So... that's why I was a bit nervous.
Therapy only helps so much.
Huh.
That was an awfully dark way to start the post.
Bet ya' didn't see that coming!
Think I'll just copy and paste all that and use it in my match.com profile.
You can rest easy- the kitten survived the night. Though when Jamie woke up and saw it curled at the foot of my sleeping bag, he was somewhat horrified. "There's a cat in your tent! You've stolen a cat! Its mother must've been worried sick all night!"
 |
| Recent pic (or so I'm told) of my cat enjoying a box. |
Also, my current cat Abby is doing fine... she definitely doesn't trust me for shit, but she's doing fine.
I think.
I haven't been home in a month and a half.
Anyway, only three things kept today from being another perfect ride: Intense heat, a handful of nutty drivers, and the accidental five miles I rode off the route. Otherwise, it was a fantastic ride.
By the middle of the day, Jamie's temperature gauge was reading 109 degrees. I think it's off by the same 10% that my odometer is off, so let's settle for 100. It was Nevada heat. Dry and relentless.
The traffic had definitely abated in comparison to yesterday. I certainly went through less toilet paper, though it was still (mostly) a helmet-on sort of day. I only bristled a few times.
 |
| Wait... you want me to pay attention too? Pfffft. |
I sailed right past him.
 |
| If I had the Microsoft Translate App open, it probably would've said this. |
My bad.
But you know, I can only exercise so much caution in one day. Today I put that focus into wearing a helmet.
I would love to tweak just those few (relatively minor things) and repeat this ride. Wow. Whereas yesterday was a day of climbing, today was a day of long, thrilling descents. And there were a lot of them.
 |
| Don't look like much from here... |
And the payoff was amazing.
 |
| View before an amazing descent |
I knew there'd be a steep downgrade, but I had no clue that it would last 30 minutes. And the views were incredible. The only other descent I've experienced that beats it is the 50-miler in California, where we dropped from 8,000 feet above sea level to 0-ish.
I slapped together a quick vid of some of the footage- feel free to check it out. The soundtrack (Holly Williams: The Highway) was playing in my earbuds at some point.
 |
| The city of Knin- and the final descent of the day. |
Never mind the 10 mile lazy downhill we had earlier in the day, or the one right at the end that twisted and turned its way into the city of Knin.
 |
| CHEERS FOR THE BEER KATHY REGENAUER! |
At the end of the day, both of us sat quietly over pizza and beer for two hours, replaying what we had just experienced.
 |
| Ooh La La! Me likey! |
And to top it off, the hotel we're staying at features wall art that speaks to me. I appreciate it when someone frames a painting that is at my level of artistic ability.
Draw a sun in the corner with a smiley face, a couple of V geese, a house with tic-tac-toe boards for windows, and I'm a happy guy.
Better get to bed. Gonna try to put in some serious miles tomorrow into Bosnia.
Oh yeah... I forgot. We're going to Bosnia.
I had no clue we were heading there until just recently. We need to in order to get to our destination in Croatia. Whoever drew those borders might also appreciate our room's wall art for the same reasons that I do.
And don't worry- there's a strict No Pets Allowed policy at this place.
The kittens of Knin are safe tonight.
P.S.
I don't ignore ALL road signs...
There was a startling lack of directions as to what to do afterward.
This is why I fell so far behind Jamie today.
Watching the video almost broke my heart, I miss cycling the open road. But the video from yesterday: I almost vicariously shit my pants for you.
ReplyDeleteOMG that kitten. He/she knew you are a stand-up guy. So cute, thanks for sharing those pics!!!
ReplyDelete