I slept in a small place, having only a motel and a rest a restaurant—Chambers, Arizona—and the next morning it was thirty degrees. As the morning progressed on my eastward trek, so did the wind. The only good wind is a tail wind, and the only okay wind comes from the side. A headwind is the worst kind, and if it’s more than about 25mph it’s almost impossible to ride into.
But this wind fell on my back at about 30mph by noon. I know its speed because when I was riding at
20mph, I could still feel it on my back.
As I approached the New Mexico border, I came to the Navajo
village of Lupton, which sells trinkets to tourists lured from I-40. Above the town a group of animals pose while
I take their picture. (You can barely see them in the left picture.) Looking closer, I see several kinds of
creatures, all still and perched high on a sandstone rock.
The Navajo seem a quiet people, gentle, but strong. They were willing to create this diorama where most tourists completely miss it.
They must have climbed the rock carrying materials for their sculptures,
then formed them artistically on that remote site. 
Leaving Lupton with that strong wind still on my back I rode into new Mexico.
And after five miles from Lupton, this is what I saw. To ride back against that wind might
be possible for strong riders but not for me.
What do you suppose I did?
By now you lost enough girth to ride right between the barrels... haha!
ReplyDeleteOk, I'm also way early up this morn doing my thing while you do yours... and I do it without ANY external wind but my own internal!
Yes, Alex, we do our own thing, early or late, with or without wind. We seem to go on ignoring the possibilities all around us. Today I ignored an open bar in Gallup and the Amtrak that stops here.
DeleteI believe this is what you did : Stop , Pray, Wait, and Watch for miracle to happen...........
ReplyDeleteMiracle is something that happens every second of our life, but only revealed to those who seek for it.......
-Muhsin
Also, there are stops along the path of life where options seem few. I was stopped and saw only one thing to do, so it did that.
DeleteSharon, I think you stopped and rested there. Tomorrow is another day and weather and winds direction might change. About the speed of winds, I thought interesting. If I can feel 20 mph in my back, then 30 mph must be very strong and 10 mph must be nice breeze. 40 mph, I should be alert!
ReplyDeleteThanks for following me on this trek, Keiko. It cuts the loneliness.
DeleteWell, so far I see no extra responses here. So, I think you are going to keep us in suspense for a while. I can't see that the road closed sign would stop one such as you. It would be nice to know why the road is closed, more than likely from the wind. Seems that the wind has not stopped you yet ... it just keeps you going. I rose to see the sunrise this morning, a privilege I am sure you experience often. I have been following your journey but I have not been available to respond to the others until now. Happy writing and happy riding!
ReplyDeleteThe problem was thad I really had no choice. I could not go back because i could not ride into that 30mph wind. I could not camp here because there was no place to camp, and camping in a strong wind like that is difficult at best. So you are right: that road-closed barricade did not stop me.
DeleteThat's our Sharon! Looking forward to the next post!
DeleteYEAH! I sensed that was what you'd do! But was afraid of what the consequences might be!
DeleteBut now that you've reported in from down the road, I can rest knowing you made it through safely! Love your posts! And may your travels continue on! We're there in spirit with you Sharon!
Thanks Rosie, good to hear from you.
DeleteI see. If I happened to be in such situation, I would do the same, I thought really dangerous place was ahead, but it wasn't that bad, otherwise you wouldn't have gone.
DeleteI thought of your previous bicycle experience that you shared in our Sunday school class, you were stuck on the beach, a miracle showed up , which is the officer driving a jeep came to the rescue ..... So naturally I was hoping some ranger would show up......
ReplyDeleteWell....this time......you are the miracle, the fact that you're safe and sound responding to us.
ReplyDelete-Muhsin
yes, it is rather miraculous, considering how badly it could have gone. I had gone five miles down a road on which I could not return. There was no choice but to go through the barrier.
DeleteSo...that sign did not stop you, and perhaps you felt your only other choice was to go back, something we as humans instinctively know is often not the right choice. They say sharks perish when they stop moving forward. Yet, you are not shark-like in this land locked place. Perhaps you felt another sign to continue forward on this path, not a visible sign but another kind, some quiet voice. Blessings and protection dear Sharon on your continued forward journey.
ReplyDeleteIt’s like reaching the halfway point on a loop. It becomes shorter to keep going.
ReplyDeleteAnd sometimes it’s like entering a parking lot with those tire-puncturing prongs that your front tires just ran over. To back out now is futile.
Thanks Kathy, for your good insights.
Perhaps you kept on going because you knew that somewhere up ahead there was that carrot on the stick a $10 bill tucked into the bungee cord. Yes!
ReplyDeleteYou are so poetic and forth-telling, Junnie. But my reasons for keeping going are more complicated.
DeleteAnd wonders this one in mountain high, overlooking fallen limbs and stormy skies from the warm window within ... if you have reached that place of really knowing 'why' you do what you do. I think not that it is complicated. Me thinks it is simple. You do what you do and what you do is 'you' and that's what is true .... hee hee
DeleteBut it seem complicated because I don't really know this who who is me. If I did I would not do what I don't want to do so often. And I would not laugh at the who so much.
DeleteThe 'who is me' says it all to me because you is who me is and it is that simple, not complicated or tough, not confusing or mysterious, just is what is and who is and you is who I is and you is and ALL is ... that's how we are connected as the wheels turn with the spokes in tact, we travel together in every experience be it standing still on mountain high or swimming 'cross seas that beckon. The flow and the 'go' is what drives us to BE. .... so says me .... or is that 'you'
DeleteI love your all-accepting attitude, Junnie. You show it in your art and poetry too. I take life too seriously sometimes and have very little faith.
Delete