Such activity as this gives me the luxury of forgetting what day it is and having little regard for time. These are the first symptoms of detachment from the mainstream of society. What is important to me today is what time we are getting up, how quickly I can pack everything, coffee, eating breakfast enough to keep me going for 20 miles, filling my water bottles, dressing for the conditions, briefing on the day’s ride with devotional and prayer, hitting the road to find out what my body wants to do that day, topping the next hill, surviving unsafe speed going down the other side, traffic, enjoying the ride, finishing the ride, unloading the van, finding a carpeted spot near a receptacle where to put my sleeping mat, SHOWER, food, writing this, editing video and photos, telephone calls, hopefully having time to review what my friends are doing back home, talking with local folk, and never enough sleep before starting all over again. My society is this group of people, the people we interact with along the way, some from where I come from…
Saturday’s ride from Heber City started with waking at the late hour of 5:30 am in a small room with a bunch of people. I packed as they did, loaded as they did, dressed as they did, ate what they ate, prayed with them, thanked our host who paid for it all, and the ride started uphill westward on Highway 40. We left 40 and took parallel roads well suited for cyclists and there were many other local riders. We made our way to I-80, for the Interstate is the only way through the mountains and legal for cyclists to use. On that road I reached 52 mph for it was a long downhill run. We left that route and took another originally taken by the Donner Party to Camp Grant and Emigration Canyon. These were hilly, eventually turning upward through switchbacks that made it possible to cross the mountains. From the top it was a 13 mile downhill run that accommodates cycle traffic and again, many other cyclists as we approached Salt Lake City. It was less than a 50 mile ride but a challenging and thrilling one. Into Salt Lake City!
After arriving I went for a walk through town and met another reality. This is the one I’ve been ignoring for the time being of this excursion, but couldn’t avoid for the cacophony. They were protesting the verdict of some event from my home state, and though I have an opinion it doesn’t matter so I’ll refrain here.
Otherwise Salt Lake City is quite impressive. Though the history isn’t long, it is deep. This morning I went to see the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and then attended church here at the First Presbyterian and received a message I really needed to hear. Afterward was visiting with the congregation, getting advice regarding cycling and to not swim in the Salt Lake. I’m not one to take advice, for am the last man from the Will Rogers quote, “There are three kinds of men. The one that learns from reading. The few who learn from observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.”
Now it’s time to go to listen to the organ rehearsal, and figure out how to get down to the swimmin’ hole.
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