Llamas and Horses and Cows, Oh My!

The contrast between sky and land was never more evident than today. They sky looked as if the blue paint hadn't quite dried yet, and the green of the Emerald City looked flat compared to the velvet green of the farms, grasses and trees I saw on my ride. The barns, houses even the roads were like a 4 year old wanting attention, but much more appealing. They were impossible to miss. Everything wanted and succeeded at being noticed.

It was a hard ride with the wind 15-20 mph sustained out of the west. I either had a straight on head wind, or a cross wind for the first 65 miles. I tried to conserve my energy. I even bridged up to an alfalfa hauler that was doing about 20mph and got a draft for a mile or two. I'm still picking alfalfa out of my teeth, and found some in my helmet.

Just north of New Germany I finally turned east and enjoyed the sound of my wheels and tires on the road. It's a beautiful sound, sort of like a chant or the hum you might hear from a priest or monk.

I was pretty shot when I turned east, but was able to get up to 32mph and sustain 25-27mph until I got into Watertown. After that I was consistently in the 21-24mph range into Wayzata and home.

I saw elk, red winged black birds, egrets, cows, horses, and yes, llamas. The llamas were sporting their summertime hair cuts, and a calf was having a hard time keeping up with it's mom as they headed for the barn. The elk were playing it cool pretending not to notice me.

This was an Oh God! ride. As I came around a curve trying to be straight, a lake appeared, and to no one, I said out loud, Oh God!

I don't know about foxholes, but sometimes there are things seen so beautiful, that worship seems the only appropriate response. Amazing for a non-beleiver.

The contrast of the sky and land was as stark as the contrast between what I saw and how I looked when I got home. 105/19.7