Friends

I got my start late Wednesday. My legs though recovered were a bit sluggish. This took the first 10 miles of the day to get them moving properly. The wind was in my face. I would only get a relief while in the middle of going up a hill and then as I was nearing the top BAM. It felt as though someone hit me in the chest and was holding me back. I would have to drop 3 gears just to continue, even though the hill had begun to flatten out. After about an hour of fighting the wind I was feed up and decided to stop and read for a while. It is very fitting that the book I'm reading is “ a walk in the woods”. Reading about Katz and Bryson I'm reassured that this is completely within my ability. While sitting at a gas station reading I was asked the usual questions. Though this couple were exceptionally unable to grasp the concept of what i was doing and where I was going. Actually after repeating it several times i became amazed at how complicated it was to explain to the this couple. I'm sure they something between disbelief and confusion. Reading about someone else's ineptitude on an equally unprepared trip, brought my spirits up a lot. So I got in another 40 miles in the afternoon. During which I found a new reason to were sunglasses, kamikaze grasshoppers though this seems in-consequential. They actually hurt, at first I thought they were rocks from passing cars but then i saw one and it rode hanging onto my derailer cable for a few minutes. A little later I stopped at an grocery store to fill my water bottles and pick up some food. This is were I met Lee Smith. He's 76 and his wife died of Parkinsons a year and a half ago. I was on the phone with my father and he just started asking me questions so I told my father I would call him back. After speaking to Lee for a couple of minutes he had informed me that he had been a principal until retirement. Now worked as a “bag boy” at a grocery store, which i could clearly see was largely for the personal interaction. He insisted on buying me dinner. I ended up going with him to his house and he showed me his diplomas, pictures of his daughters and his wife, who he said nothing but the absolutely nicest things about. I had wanted to get another 40 miles in after i stopped at the grocery store. I decided I should just take Lee's hospitality and be grateful so I stayed the night. I think Lee is my kindred spirit. He had more soda in the house than anyone I've ever met and when i tried to drink water he did his best to convince me to take a brake from the water. For everyone who knows my eating habits this is ironic at best since i was the person turning down mountain dew for water. He also insisted on buying me breakfast and asked me to promise to call him semi regularly to let him know my progress and that i was still alive. After this, off I went for the day.