Bastrop

the way to Bastrop was a nice hypnotic ride, however, the road was littered with the corpses of raccoon, possum, squirrel, bits of tire, glass, bungee cord, a cyclist's single glove...(hmmm...foul play dare i say?), and various bits of steel- a cabinet hinge an adjustable wrench and just general shrapnel of a sorts.

i left Annie st. at around 6:am, only missed one turn by five miles but was able to take an alternate route that was only three miles back to where i needed to be. i got to Bastrop at 11ish, i think...and my knee was really hurting me- so reluctantly that's where the ride stopped today.
i have no photos from Bastrop yet, nature called me away from the scenic Colorado River, then i went to visit one of good friend's parents and her multitude of sisters and their corresponding number of dogs!

i spoke to my brother and sister, all of us in varied emotional states. after which i spoke to my friend who just finished a bike tour, he has advised me to wait another day before i resume my trip. we generated some ideas about how to address my knee issue, hopefully it's not my old injury coming out to say "go back home" so i'm going to give it day of rest, lower my seat a smidgen (because i feel i've been extending my leg too much at the bottom of my rotation and that might be an aggravating factor of this irritation-), and use more low gears. i didn't think i was pushing hard at the time, but it seems i was, it's hard not to become overenthusiastic while zoned out pedalling and just want to go go go.

so i'm staying at my friend's parents' place for couple of days, these folks are truly sweet people,
so again i am reminded of what great people i am acquainted with from, Chalo at Eastside Peddal Pushers, and Lee too, and all of my friends and family who have been supportive of this venture, and fine friends at Annie St. for putting me up while i was waiting to get out of town, all of the folks who pitched on the Kickstarter funding and the those kind Travis County EMT people that pulled over this morning while i was eating to make sure i was ok, then told me they would feed me on the way back, and of course my dear friend's dear parents for showing such generous hospitality.

so... the trip has begun but it has not yet begun, Bastrop is the "first Threshold" i haven't really made it past yet....

i don't want to appear as though i'm feeling grandiose, but i am seeing this trip as a journey akin to the archetypal "hero's journey" as it is represented across the mythologies of many, many cultures, this concept that i'm referring to can be read about at this link: http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/smc/journey/ref/summary.html
-check it out, this is human stuff!

thanks for reading,
-Adam