Day 5 - A slow day

Friday started early enough. Some knucklehead from the east coast called me at 8:30 AM....Eastern Standard Time. Growly at 5:30 in the AM, I answered and struggled to return to sleep after riding until midnight. Love that desert ride. Oh, I forgot to mention an incident that occurred upon my arrival into El Centro late Thursday night, I met a woman who was yelling, "I love my country!!!" So, in effort to understand and expand my horizons, I asked her why.

Well, I came to know that the earthquake that damaged the El Centro public library in the spring of 2010 was NOT and earthquake, but rather the result of underground nuclear testing as reported by "Maria," a US born citizen. While grammar was not her forte, intriguing insights were. For example, in El Centro, there are angels that fly around the town - they have wings and everything! Also, Pres. Obama is not the real president, because Maria saw a photo of him with a mole on his face in one picture and not in another! IMPOSTER! So, I'm not sure if the medication was doing what it was supposed to be doing or not. It certainly didn't seem like it.

Soooo, anyway, I got up today, and tried to go to a bike shop in town for some needed gear. Mr. Google Maps on my Droid told me to go to "X." Well Sergei Brin, East and West Main Street have different meanings...especially in 90 degree heat! So I found the bike store which very well could be the lamest bike store ever, even out doing (in the negative sense) Holy Rollers in Alpine, CA. Fat dudes and bike shops should NOT be permitted by law (in Tim-Utopia).

Then I went to the library, that was in a temporary location ... that didn't have wireless access. Poo. Starbucks, wireless and a $5.00 drink later, I was able to post day 4 of my adventure. While there chatted with some 20 somethings to find out the nearest massage therapist...ended up with Consuela. Awesome massage. Loosened me up for a night time ride to Brawley...on my way to Brawley, I met Wile E. Coyote's dumb brother. Please see below - he couldn't tell the speed of the auto... as it approached because he was carrying too much dynamite to try to blow up the Road Runner.

I ended up in Brawley and my cell phone notified me it was hungry for energy (the solar charger I purchased stinks). Brawley is 113 feet below sea level - am I getting close to Hades perhaps? No, I was married to Satan and won't make that mistake twice - No more Hades for me!

I struggled to find a place to charge my phone...but alas, a Starbucks in a grocery store (Vons)...but SBX was closed. Fortunately, I met a gentleman who was exiting the grocery store at the time. I took the opportunity to chat. Thankful am I that I chose this option. Courtner King was his name. We talked about philosophers, Dostoyevsky, Checkov, hyper-consumerism, unsustainable capitalism...man we got deep.

So here is Mr. King and me as we part ways.

While pedaling into the night across the Vons parking lot, I was stopped by 6 young males approximately 20 years old, enjoying the evening warmth and each others companionship. They asked me where I was headed. After a brief description they indicated that they were all certain that I lost my marbles for wanting to ride to Florida, but each expressed an interest in joining me. So maybe, just maybe, we're all nuts and just want to go for a long ride.

Nighty nite.