5 years

my legs were dead at the start of my workout today,
it was good to get out on the cross bike,
and it took it a bit to spin out my legs,  yesterday was a 14hr work day.
and
I hit up the trails,

and planned a reward stop at the gas station for a coke and sweet.

The lady at the mini-mart gas station stop is always super nice.
she asked if I was going to buy a lottery ticket,  pots up to 200 some million.  I did, 3 numbers, who knows, I might get lucky.
I got my coke, and a piece of banana walnut bread.  sat out front relaxing on the the plastic stack of washer fluid pallets.

I look up, and a long tanned bearded man on a fully loaded grimed up Surly, says "hello",
can you tell me is this the way to Haverford?

I thought, there are lots of ways to go,  "this way is all hills, if you cross the river its flat to Manayunk, there you can cross back over the river and its not to far"

well,  that's not quite enough information, after few more questions, and,...  I said I'd take him.
He said you sure, "I ride pretty slow".

we rode and took the bike path, we talked.
He was from Manchester, and
he has been riding,  on this ride,  for 5 years.



as we go closer to his destination, Haverford, where he'd be staying, he told me, today, was the last day of his ride.

I did not want to ride to the end of his journey with him, I thought maybe it was best for him to complete it by himself.

we got to Haverford.
I saw a Quakers meeting house, we turned in, .

we shook hands, and few salutations, I said goodbye.
ended up shaking hands three times.
our last words, his to me "respect"
and mine, "enjoy your journey".
I turned right clipped in, pedaled off on my cycling machine, back home.
I did not catch his name,  did not ask.

we had talked about books, San Francisco, cyclocross racing, our bikes, our views on life, money, basic meanings of stuff,
people,  just stuff,

good ride today,   dlowe.