So it goes...

8 days ago, my cycling partner and I left her family's home in Columbus, to jumpstart our adventure. Cognizant of my ankle pain, we decided to take it easy. As it turns out taking it easy was utterly impossible. We biked about 65 miles and for much of the latter half of the ride I sprinted. I couldn't help myself, it felt so good to be back on my bike with the wind in my face going deliciously fast through rolling country side and yet another Springfield.

During this ride, about one hour before sunset, my cycling partner got the first flat of the trip so we stopped on the edge of town so she could fix her flat and I could get ice for my ankles. After we hit the road again, we found a state preserve about 10 miles later where we could camp.

7 days ago, we woke up, geared up, stretched and took off. Not even 5 miles into the ride, my ankles hurt bad enough that I had to stop. I realized that I could endure the pain and if I was lucky, we could make it to Missouri knowing that I may never be able to ride again, let alone walk. Or, I could make the wisest decision for my body and I could return home.

Realizing this and communicating it to my concerned, yet hopeful, cycling partner are on two utterly different levels of difficulty. We finally stopped about 5 miles later at a gas station & my cycling partner's dad generously offered to come pick us up.

I packed my box and was on a bus within a few hours of arriving in Columbus while my cycling partner decided to stay a few more days with her family.

Since arriving in Denver I've been staying in a house built in the late 1800's with yellow walls, two cats, too many plants to count, a shower knob that you have to turn the wrong way to receive hot water and my good friend.

I'm jobless, homeless (although I do have a place to stay for the moment) and recuperating. I've had the opportunity to make art, read books, think and write (four of my favorite hobbies). Being back in Denver because of an injury, is not where I expected to be in late June, but it's been a good opportunity to do all the things I rarely have time to do.