No, that's not what happened. Of course not. That's ridiculous. I actually rode my bicycle about 1300 miles, made a detour to the emergency room*, then rode a very long and uncomfortable train back to Indiana.
* To allay the fears of those of you who know me, but mostly to frustrate those of you who hate me, I would like to state that the emergency room visit was not on my behalf. I waited in the other room and watched soap operas with the doctors while they were busy not treating anyone.
We stopped at some sort of clinic in a lovely town called Michigan, North Dakota. This doctor apparently had less technology than a Pygmy witch doctor, so we were advised to move along. We ended up hitch hiking with a man who was possibly named Jim, although I wouldn't bet my own $20 dollars on it.* He took us the remaining 40 miles to a town called Devil's Lake, which, as the name implies, might not be the ideal town to make a hospital stop.
* I'd be willing to be your $20 on it though.
We asked the-man-possibly-named-Jim if there was anything to do in Devil's Lake, ND. His advice: "Yeah. Get better and get the hell out of North Dakota." I liked that guy, and on second thought, I believe he may have introduced himself to us using only his last name. I'm also pretty sure his last name wasn't Jim.*
* You just lost $20. Sorry about that.
Anyway, an uneventful respite at the hospital led us to a hotel room that featured a lot of flies and not a lot of towels. It was time to find a way back to Indiana. We spent the next day riding in a red 15-passenger van that the driver insisted on calling a bus. He also insisted that Drew Carey was the funniest man alive. His name may have been Jim.
From there, we rode an Amtrak that failed to provide ample leg room for sleeping; also not for the bathroom. Over the course of several weeks, it can become easy to forget how far you've come. Fortunately, a 20-hour train ride provides a most sober reminder that, yes, you were very, very far from home.
A few days back at home might make you wonder why you ever endeavored to leave. A few more might bring about the itch again. The next adventure might seem soon, but for now, it can wait. I've got more important things to attend to.
I've got a blog.
No more sleeping through August at the Drawing Board. I promise.
2 comments:
You finally blogged again. Yay! I've missed your writing (but not as much as I missed you while you were gone). Oh my...that was mushy. Can I label this comment as sentimental crap? :)
Was wondering what happened after the last posting on your bike blog -- glad to hear both you and Paul are well.
Good luck on your next adventures.
Hope you make it to St. Paul again ...
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