About Enthusiasm: Day 26: Cheyenne, WY

The word comes from ancient Greek 'en-theos' meaning 'in spirit' or 'to be possessed by Gods'. With enthusiasm I find that I am not taking this trip alone. I position myself between the wind, people and spirit of places so that they may breathe and see me through this great ride East. Caren, who first shared with me this lesson about enthusiasm, also shared with me three wonderful days in Colorado. During this time, the bike rested as we drove to Denver. This was my first break and my body needed it. Utah had delivered a strong punch to my left knee and to encourage healing, we dipped in hot springs and shared a humor only close friends in Colorado can. I thank enthusiasm for the gift of life.

In Denver, I resumed pedaling again, steering North toward where I find myself now in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Next : Nebraska bound.

Colorado Storm : Day 21 : Dolores, CO

Have you heard about the storm that blew in this Memorial weekend? If you were anywhere between the Utah flash floods, Colorado snowfall and Kansas tornados chances are that you did.

Riding yesterday from Blanding UT to Dolores CO covered 85 miles in over 11 cold hours. It was the trip's first snow storm and I was looking forward to a meal and shower. At one moment, a bank's thermometer read 40 degrees. I was wearing everything I owned while trying to get the body in rhythm to hold a comfortable tempterature, without sweating too hard. You want to put out just enough work to carry the load. I could feel my body digesting breakfast and my gatorade bottle almost froze. The bags, tent and gear were wrapped in waterproof covers and were dry by the time we got to town. Map 3 of Adventure Cycling - Western Express route is
done. Colorado is beautiful. A resident called it 'Spiritual Overload'.

This is the body that does the work.
This is the mind that says it can.
This is the tool that makes travel.
Life of the body mind and tool at hand.

1050 miles in : Day 18 : Hanksville, Utah

The roads in Southern Utah have me passing through more then 50 million years of Earth history. Today a lonesome piece of Colorado plateau, Routes 12 and 24 East, will drop from 9,600' elevation outide of Escalante to the Colorado River (Lake Powell at 3,800') through an ever changing kaleidoscope of a thousand colors. According to the Adventure Cycling Association http://www.adventurecycling.org/, 'Utah may not be the most cuturally diverse state in the U.S., but it does boast a broader diversity of fantastic landscapes than most, if not all, other states.'

This morning the bike and I crossed our first thousand miles.

746 miles in : Day 13 : Cedar City, UT

We are heading East at a steady average speed of 11 mph. A body sore, road lonely, and motivation simple : finding a beautiful story teller. Let's call it 28 years old and restless. Amazing is the technology available to paint the news : Blogspot, Youtube, Garmin GPS, Picassa web photos. Imagination is the last ingredient to weave these forums together so that others too may Bicycle Across America. It's pretty quiet out here but you are with me.

550 miles in : Day 11 : Ely, Nevada

I have been blessed to come close to beautiful people and places in the last 11 days. The stories are hard to tell in prose and my broken English rhetoric. Perhaps this blog says more through photo/map/video. Through these, I cannot emphasise a more appropriate way to see one's country and its people then by the power of self will. This is not a bicycle challenge. Life is no race; it is a calling, and mine now is to tell the story of my brothers and sisters in a chapter of my life I name 'Bicycle Across America'. I will answer this with a deep reading of the valley air, drink from mountain stream, and wave to passersby who share with me the fortunes of our home. I am riding home.

A merchant goes on a long land and sea journey for the sake of those at home.

Every Section of Road : Rumi
Move about. Take trips. Travel as a pawn goes one slow move at a time to redeem the wide-ranging nobility of the queen. [George] traveled, and everything came to him. A man goes to live in the country because his friend lives there, taking his whole family with him. By day, under the scorching sun; by night, learning to plot the stars. Every section of road seems amazing because of the one they go to see. Bitter, complaining people sound dear. Thorns have charm. A narrow room goes vast. This sticks turn to plump figs. Straps cut a load carrier's back. Smoke blackens the ironsmith's face. A shopkeeper sits on his bench in a torture of boredom. Pain gets lived through, because somewhere nearby there's a friend. A merchant goes on a long land-and-sea journey for the sake of those at home.