BACK AT IT

Three and-a-half weeks is a long time to stay in one location when living a vagabonding lifestyle, but as we've learned, shit happens, causing plans to change, and we simply have to adjust and deal with it.  Long breaks from riding are bad for many reasons and although we're ecstatic to be back on the move it was difficult to get going again.

Part of the reason was that we quickly and easily fell into the bad habits of sleeping in late, skimping on bike rides, indulging in too much food and all around being lazy.  When it came time to leave we found it difficult to get up and going in the mornings and we're pretty much back to square one when it comes to physically adjusting to 6-10 hours on a bike every day.  Needless to say, our backs, necks and rear ends are not very happy right now!  But the thing that made it hardest to leave was saying good-bye to my family, just as it was when we had to leave family and friends when we originally left home in California 3 months ago.  I don't get to see them often, especially all together, and it seems as though the longer I'm home the harder it is to leave.  As my Dad hugged me good-bye, he thought it might be a good idea to hug me so hard he's break one of my ribs so we'd have to stay longer.  Obviously he didn't, but when we see people we know and love it reminds us of how much we miss our friends and family while we're out here.  Just so you all know, we have many, many hours to sit and think every day and thoughts of you all fill up much of that time.

Anyway we're back on the move and are quickly cruising across southern Minnesota.  It seems as though while we were occupied at my family's house, summer moved out and autumn began to creep around the corner.  I'm still hoping for a few more hot days with balmy mornings where it's comfortable to ride all day in shorts and a tank top, but I have a feeling I might not get my wish.  Suddenly there's a crispness in the air which makes for beautiful and comfortable riding in the afternoons, but mornings and nights are cold and damp.  Gone, too, are the brilliant green fields of corn and soybeans that were so visually pleasing when we arrived in Minnesota.  They have since turned to dull shades of greens, yellows and browns and are nearly ready for harvesting.  The landscape is not nearly as stunning as it was before, but sill beautiful in a different way.

Signs of Fall.

In the corn field.

So I guess the race is on to get to the East Coast before snow flies.  This morning we awoke to a cold and rainy day and we're sitting in our tent wishing it would stop and the sun would come out.  We know it won't happen, but it's not easy to motivate ourselves to get out of our warm, dry shelter and venture into the crumminess.  Summer...please come back!