Trail Reflections

After three more days of cycling, I am back home. This was one of the best trips I took this year, tied only with Stoic Camp. I´ve been spending some time thinking about why it was so great, especially compared to some of my other vacations. (I´m looking at you, Galapagos!).

First off, nothing I worried about actually happened, but I was mostly prepared in case problems happened. The bikes didn´t break down. When it was cold and rainy, our gear kept us warm. R and I didn´t want to kill each other after spending eight days continually in each other´s presence. (Well, I can only speak for myself. R did not express such a desire out loud, and that´s really all you can ask of someone.)

I had forgotten that small towns can have a hotel but then just a pizza restaurant and a gas station as dinner options. The food was not as enjoyable as I hoped, but the rare good options were therefore really appreciated.

And although it pales in comparison to marathons or obstacle races that some of my friends do, this was the most physically demanding thing I have ever prepared for and completed. I enjoyed all the practice rides with a purpose throughout the summer, and then it felt even better when I could complete it without struggling much. I definitely prefer trips that ask something of me, rather than just providing leisure.

I also really enjoyed having a companion on the trip. I take a lot of solo trips because I am determined not to my current life circumstances prevent me from doing what I want to do. But it is delightful to have someone to talk to on mile 27 or to laugh when the town has six pizza restaurants but no place that will sell you a vegetable. 

Random trivia at the Pennsylvania- Maryland border: Mason and Dixon were British surveyors and not representatives of some deadly north-south feud. Additional trivia: if you travel with me, I will make you stop at every informational plaque. I have never met an informational plaque I didn´t like.

We are physicists. Of course we found the only Foucault pendulum on the trail. 

The hardest day was 31 miles at a small but continuous incline. I was determined not to use the battery on my bike, which was mainly a matter of pride. R was probably dismayed at the thought of cycling at 4 mph for the entire day, though, so he ended up carrying half of my luggage that day. We encountered the steam engine on a downhill day, so I was managing all my luggage in this photo.