Tuesday, June 17, 2008

I'm in Columbus right now, at the Legion of Doom house. I'm having a fucking blast! I'll try to recollect the previous days for you.

After waking up drenched in whiskey sweat, breakfast at Global Dish Deli with Michelle & Shawn. Michelle rode with me to the end of Parma, & then I set out alone.
I've always thought cars & motorists were my enemies, but it turns out...no. LOGGING TRUCKS. In the Ohio Valley this GIANT logging truck blows by me at a billion miles an hour within like a foot of my body. terrifying.
Riding was easy till I got on rt 3, then it was just nothing but hills. I set up camp at like 8:30 pm on friday in the pouring rain after getting a flat. Everything I owned was soaked & my sleeping bag was sticking to me in a disgusting humid suffocating way. I camped too close to the road, got very little sleep. 50 miles for friday.

I woke up at 6:30 am on Saturday & climbed hills for 13 hours.
Like, GIANT ones. See those cars there, waaaaay at the top? Yeah. It'd take me like 20 minutes walk them. & it was just one after another. They NEVER stopped. it rained more in the morning, when I got to mohican national park I walked half way up an enormous hill then laid myself & my belongings in the sun to dry. Even though I only made 50 miles in 13 hours, it was a good day for experience. I'd feel so proud of myself after getting to the top of a hill that looked too big to climb, & I learned to let myself rest whenever I need to, even if its literally every 5 minutes.
I also went to funk street. (at the base of this huge hill)





Saturday was so hard, & when I rolled into Mt. Vernon at about 7:30pm, I booked a cheap hotel room & passed out for 12 hours.







Sunday, though...

I think sunday was one of the best days of my whole life. It was like 50 miles of flat ground, beautiful roads & clear skies. I rolled in to Columbus at about 6:30, I met some awesome punk kids. I met a band thats traveling to the west coast tomorrow. They offered to drive me to San Fran, I told them I'd take a ride to Indianapolis. I'll probably be leaving Columbus tomorrow. I like it here! I got three awesome free meals yesterday, one huge delicious salad at a vegan restaurant, pizza & beer from used kids records, & late night pizza at a bar. There's so much free food, & kids are so cool! I'm finding it really easy to meet people & make friends. I got invited to a vegan potluck & bike ride tonight.

I have a couple questions.
One: Do you think it's macabre to take a roadkill photodiary? I've seen some really gross stuff. Would you still read my blog if I posted it here?
Two: Is it weird to collect the dead butterflies I see on the side of the road? Maybe I'll send them to you instead of postcards.

Sorry this isnt better composed, I'm kind of too busy having so much fun.
Thanks, Cleveland!

7 comments:

Jeff said...

Cari, this all sounds really awesome! Roadkill diary would be interesting, even if it is macabre - good for statistical purposes. And expired butterflies are cool too. Glad to know you're having so much fun!

Anonymous said...

i vote for morbidity. documentation of roadkill isn't fetishizing Death, but documenting it.
and i vote for keeping the butterflies. if it weren't for ardent aesthetes, archæological findings would have been long lost to robbers and the zealots of orthodoxy.

and talk about hills, i had for a while considered getting a bike until i bore witness to the terrain of PA. oh my!

-N

thewildpendulum said...

I'm all for dead things! Sym and I once collected dead butterflies while we were roadtripping.

I think you should report on every aspect of your trip. EVERY ASPECT!


Tim

Fatty McBastard said...

Ok, so a photo diary of road kill? There is nothing wrong with it. How it is percieved is all in how you do it.

http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn149/crankyolebroad/GIJoe.jpg

As far as the dead butterflies go, collecting them is a widey accepted hobby. Collecting your toenail clippings for distribution at a later date? Now that's odd.

Much respect Cari!

- Fatty

Anonymous said...

i am about to ride to columbus too and i'm gonna try the 'ohio to erie trail'
http://www.ohiotoerietrail.org/Map.aspx

it looks like traffic can be avoided for most of the ride this way

dale said...

Hi Cari , This marikate's friend . Dale, We really enjoyed the two Cari suprises you made us :) I just finised fixing up my raliegh . now we both have matching bikes . How cute hugh! I hope your bike and you are doing well.

Unknown said...

Yes, roadkill photos! And YES, dead butterflies!