Butler May 31
Here I am scrunched into my tent alongside an unknown creek somewhere north, I believe, of the tiny burg of Butler, which I believe is somewhere northwest of Baltimore. I can hear occasional traffic go by but can’t see it so I assume they can’t see me tucked about 50 yards off the road.
I’ve just read a Wall Street Journal article about what colors men with gray/white hair should wear. The WSJ and USA Today were provided free by last night’s accommodations. Alas, no such amenities tonight; I can’t get a WiFi connection out here in the boonies.
One of the drawbacks of the ACA routes is that since they take you on secondary roads in order to remove cyclists from high-volume traffic, the secondary roads and their communities have very limited services. That means no hotels, motels, hostels, restaurants, grocery stores, etc. So here I am.
But for the first time this year I’m seeing fireflies. All around me sparkling lights without any electricity, none of those faux LED-created twinkles. These are real, naturally created chemical reactions to attract a mate. What would it be like if we humans had the ability to twinkle our butts when we’re sexually aroused?
I heard gunfire as I rode down a road today, not the first gunfire I’ve heard on this trip but certainly the closest. Rounding a corner a series of gun ranges appeared: the Patapsco Ranges of the Associated Gun Clubs of Baltimore.
Having never been to a gun range off the bike I got and strolled up to a shooter. John Torba, a retired steel worker from Baltimore, was sighting in his new .22 cal rifle. Torba explained how hard it is to sight-in a gun. You have to consider wind, temperature, distance, gravity, the amount of powder in the shell, mirage effect, humidity, and a lot of other things. All of this was explained to me with my fingers in my ears; rifles were being fired up and down the line.
To make a donation to the ALSA, please go to: http://web.alsa.org/goto/deirdresride
No comments:
Post a Comment