Inner Peace (June 6, 2015)

When out touring on a pannier-loaded bike, there is a sometimes discomforting feeling when one feels the affect of a quickly deflating tire ... "Damn, another flat!!"

While I have experienced that emotion four times over the past week, I (more importantly) have experienced a different emotion due to another type of "flat".

Having chosen to leave the ACA TransAm route and ride across Tennessee, I have greatly enjoyed the relative flatness of the terrain.  Has there been a total lack of climbing?  No, but the climbing has not been the leg-killing type that is offered up in western Virginia/eastern Kentucky.  As a matter-of-fact, the past two days have been as depicted in the adjacent photo.

The riding between Knoxville and Nashville, while containing numerous long climbs, was most affected by weather.  The storms that flooded Texas and Oklahoma passed overhead, but dropped plenty of water along the way.  Four separate times I was drenched ... but much like the dry heat of the Arizona desert, the warm Tennessee air allowed the drenching to be bearable (please note, I am not saying "enjoyable").

I am currently in southern Kentucky, heading northwest from Nashville, and will be rejoining the TransAm route today in Marion, KY.

Was the decision to abandon the TransAm route and drop down into Tennessee the right decision?  As I do not plan to ever ride the "abandoned" section, that is a question I can not answer.  Was it a good decision?  Yes.

Since leaving Arizona ten-and-a-half weeks ago, I have logged just under 3500 miles ... and should I finish up the ride in Astoria, OR in mid-to-late August I will be putting in another 3200 miles.  When I was faced with the "route dilemma" ten days ago, I was physically tired and mentally the joy of touring had disappeared.  This morning I am feeling joyfully rested.

The flat tire situation has not reared its' ugly head over the past few days, as I replaced the tire I bought back in Ashland, VA with the spare booted-tire I carry for such situations ... and I have ordered a new set of Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires from a bike shop  in Farmington, MO (which I plan on reaching mid-week next week).  Ah ... inner (tube) peace.

Heading back to the route today I am feeling good, both physically and mentally.  Dare I say it, life is good ... inner peace allows it to be so.