Thursday to Blountstown

Had a lovely nights sleep. Janice made me a pot of cooked oatmeal to stick to my ribs. We chatted for a bit. I enjoyed hanging out with her as I ate my breakfast. She sent along a bag of homemade granola (perfect for Friday's breakfast!), and a little jar of homemade blueberry jam, which I will devour by the spoonful when the sugar craving hits!

I tried one last time to connect with the next host so I could figure out the address, and as I was unable to I decided I would simply ride up to Blountstown and hit up the local McDonalds for wifi and take it from there.
It was a lovely sunny morning, although still quite cool.
I was in a good mood, happy to be out riding, enjoying listening to my favourite music play in the background.
It wasn't long before I was back in timber country, where the crop is trees and logging trucks frequently went by. There was less civilization and there were long stretches of just road and trees and not much else of interest to look at. Seemed nothing better to do than ride. So I did and the hours went by. Every hour I munched on a snack and made sure to drink (and then had to hunt for a suitable place to relieve myself!)

There was a bit of a head/cross wind to contend with, but it was okay.
Reached 100 km as I pulled in to the McDonalds just under 5 hours later.
No bagels sold there, but I got a yogurt parfait (best one I've had yet!) and checked emails. My host said I could meet him at the Pizza Hut.
Turns out he saw me sitting at the McDonald's and introduced himself. His trailer, where I was to stay, was 7 miles out of town, so he put my bike (which all of I sudden I noticed had a completely flat from tire!), in the back of his pickup truck and we rode down to the trailer.
He made sure I was good to go and said he'd pick me up in the morning and left again.
In some ways I felt better about being left alone in the country than I did in the city (Opelousas). In fact it felt like my own personal silent retreat.

It was lovely for my introvert self to have time to just be. No wifi, no noise, no clutter of life.
I fixed up my front tire, first by trying to patch the leak, which evidently didn't work, and then by putting a new tube in.
For the rest, I journaled, did a little watercolour painting for my journal and showered and made a supper of garlic mashed potatoes (rehydrated) which I ate along with a tin of sardines in mustard sauce that was sitting around, and for dessert, an apple.

There is a part of me that is sad to realize I am nearing the end of my trip, the end is in sight, and I feel as though I am just starting to get into the new way of living. It is going to be hard leaving this way of life. No wonder some people cycle for a year, sometimes longer, traveling the world by bicycle. There is something about it...
It can be hard, but there is something rewarding about it.
"It's not how far you've travelled, it's what you've brought back."
What will I bring back? Photos. Memories. A broader experience of cycle touring. Hosts whose kindness has impacted me on this journey. Perhaps a deeper trust in the God who is bigger than whatever issues I come up against, and a deeper trust in Him.
Simplicity, and the beauty in having less to be concerned about.
Slept well enough in my cozy sleeping bag on the bed. I think this was the quietest night I've had on my trip!
Last night in the Central time zone.
Morning came, cool but sunny and I made some oatmeal with granola and ate it out on the front porch in the hush the morning. I love the quiet of the place, it makes me want to be still, to enter into it.
Cleaned up and swept up and made sure to leave things like I had never been there.