Day 1

This morning's departure came and went with a whole lot less fanfare than last year's trip. There are a bunch of reasons for this, the primary one being that now I've already done this kind of thing, so it's already old-hat. Which is kind of nice in some ways. On top of that, this particular thing is not nearly on the level of my last particular thing, which was twice as long and at least twice as far. Another simple reason came from my route: the first nine miles were exactly the nine miles I ride to work every morning (and I actually did have to stop by the office, because I had forgotten to retrieve my PackTowl). Also related to the route, this is at least the sixth time I've rode my bike from my house to Wisconsin. Twice just to the border, twice to the Milwaukee Metalfest, once to Madison, and now to places beyond.

I might have to say that this was my favorite to-Wisconsin route so far. Somehow I really got out on the empty country roads. Everyone says that this is Super-Mega-Travel weekend, but it's clear that everyone has already traveled out of the backroads of southeast Wisconsin. Not that I haven't seen some vacationing weekenders out there. How can I tell? I saw a significant number of cars where the passenger had their hand out the window, surfing on the waves of air that flew by. I think it's safe to say that the only people who do that are people getting away to somewhere.

On last year's trip, I believe it was at least a week before I was forced to use my lowest gear. I already used it for the first time on this trip today. Apparently Wisconsin wants to let me know it can put up a good fight too. On the other hand, my average speed was faster than all of three days of last year's trip.

As part of my new "stop and smell the roses" philosophy, I stopped at a place named "God Haven Prayer Trail" along the roadside. It was a series of little trails running through a small wooded area. Near the front in a clearing was a circle of logs surrounding a crude wooden crucifix, complete with iron spikes. At various places along the trail were hanging what I could only guess were replica crowns of thorns. I had visions of Wisconsinites lighting up a late-night bonfire and nailing someone to that cross. Suitably creeped out, I hightailed it out of there.

I just saw a woman wheeling herself down the sidewalk in her wheelchair. Admirable. What would have been more admirable is if one of her two kids walking in front of her would have given her a hand. What would have been even more admirable is if the dog sitting her lap would have gotten off his lazy ass and walked himself!

I found myself a stealth campground in the Vernon Wildlife Area, between Mukwonago and Waukesha. The fact that all the campgrounds are full for the Labor Day weekend turned out to be a blessing in disguise; instead of being in a packed and noisy campground, I'm out here all alone, and of course, it's free.

There's a cricket near my tent. It's going "chirp-chrip, chirp-chrip", just like crickets do. But all I can hear in my head is the cricket saying "flip-flop, flip-flop", like a stupid Republican conventioneer. Over, and over, and over again. Argh!