near death experiences

i took it really easy this morning and it nearly killed me. not literally, of course, but inside i was dying for speed. it wasn't even that my legs felt great. they were tired and sore from last night's long run. i just didn't want to go slow. i did it anyway because i want my legs to feel wonderful saturday morning when i run in haviland.

so let me share with you the excitement of the day.

my gatorade tasted nasty. not sure what was up with that. the only thing i can figure is that i accidentally left it out all day yesterday and something grew in the nozzle or something. whatever it was it was not pleasant. i only took three swigs then quit.

semi trucks were one of the other stories of the day. with a brisk wind out of the north, i was pounded by the air they were pushing until i turned around and headed back. one truck in particular growled at me as it approached. it was a huge cattle hauler and it's low roar shouted out, "i'm going to knock you off the road with the blast of air i'm pushing. you silly bicycle rider. i own the road." it pretty much felt like that when his "storm" hit me, but i survived and even maintained my position on the road that rightfully belongs to me too.

finally, i was intrigued by a caterpillar of lights running along the railroad tracks running parallel to 160 just to the south. i first noticed it about nine and a half miles from home just before i turned around. i took note of it again when i caught up with it at the seven miles to go mark going back. it's unusual that i can catch up with something on the tracks and this things was terribly interesting, so i pushed just a little bit to get ahead of it and make sure i could ride the half mile south to the tracks before it got there. i wanted to know what this behemoth was. just for me, it stopped on a siding in argonia and i got a good look at it. i don't know what it's called, but i'm assuming it's some sort of moblie track maintainence machine. pretty impressive up close.

the only other moment of excitement came somewhere along the way back home. a bunch of cars were coming toward me from the west and a bunch of others caught up with me from behind. in the middle of this two-way streem of traffic a pick up driver decides to be friendly and honks at me just as he's passing me. scared the pee waddin out of me.

and that's my morning on the bike. (21.73 miles @ 14.8mph)