Social, pop culture, and arts musings from a literary humanist.
The corners of a city curve with each look; blunts by discovery. After arriving in St. Louis, my first thought was that I had no idea what the hell to do. I had spent three weeks slowly completing this journey, and then, one day, I was there. Fortunately, I at least had an initial stopping […]
Read More Meeting St. Louisriding bicycles is man’s enhancement with it we are supermen On Monday, September 18, I rode through the northern suburbs of St. Louis. Despite the fact that I knew where I was, I couldn’t help but feel like it was just another day on the road. There was nothing about the ride that suggested anything […]
Read More The destination, but not arrivalOne rides to arrive. Another just to survive. I, to be alive. With each stroke of the pedal, through an endless rolling landscape, under a cloudless sky with 90 degree heat, one can feel themselves getting a little fatigued. You could chalk it up to road exhaustion, but more than anything else, I just need […]
Read More Reflections while restingStrangers wait in the daylight. Motives of kindness give travelers homes. “I have always depended on the kindness of strangers.” -Blanche DuBois Despite the dark tone the above quote has at the ending of Tennessee Williams’ “A Streetcar Named Desire,” I’ve certainly found that Blanche gave some inadvertently good advice. My time on the road […]
Read More To the friends not yet metSight of stars begs us relax in silence, resting in the shade of earth. There has been very few days of this trip where I knew where I was going to sleep at the start of each day. That’s new to me. In fact, I often don’t know where that will be until I finally […]
Read More To sleep perchance to dreamThe feeling of wind in your face suggests moments of life in movement Pieces of my old life often interrupt me while I live the new one, such as with the reminder of Labor Day that I mentioned in the last post. But memories emerge often unexpectedly, and in strange ways. While riding through […]
Read More Memories from the roadA friend is found on the open road. And silence dies a normal death. There is something inherently lonely about a solo bike tour. I doubt that needs to be overly explained. But what might not be obvious is how little this is really considered when out on the open road by oneself, miles from […]
Read More The comforts on and off the roadThe road is dual, equal parts feeling and numb. Therein lies the rub. I have yet to decide if this ride is more about the miles and sights seen between towns, or if it’s about the experiences with people in the places that I stop. Surely, an argument could be made for either, but I’m […]
Read More The road and the people it connectsThe feeling of earth drifting past your body is to know one’s progress. I didn’t think it would be like this. Surely, taking a month-long bike tour across several states is a daunting task if you’ve never done it before, but I didn’t expect the state of mind I experienced the morning of my departure. […]
Read More In the beginning, there was…To dream discomfort is to aspire adventure; so know your own thorn. The final week before departure is coming to a close, and I’m all but prepared to leave. But that’s just how it will have to be left; I will always think of something more to do, so no matter what, I’m just going […]
Read More All dressed up with somewhere to go