Milepost 106

Key Largo, FL

We have jettisoned the mainland in favor of the more laid back, caribe attitude of the Florida Keys. While island life is intoxicating, the slow down tick of mileage posts as we approach Key West are a sobering reminder that our heady days of adventure will soon come to an end.

Yesterday, we made our final right hand turn, heading westward once again, causing me to reflect fondly on my time in the saddle. While I started out on the trip intending to ponder the hazy nature of what it is I want out of this crazy thing called life, I have found that those questions remained relativeliy imponderable, and instead I have enjoyed the scenery as it rolled idly by. The joys of the road are astonishing in their utter simplicity. A clean public restroom, and a shower, taken for granted in every day life, are causes for jubilation while on the road. Every day I have been reminded that life's true pleasures come not from the complex machinations of modern society, but from the warmth of a stranger's welcoming smile or a hot meal at the end of a long day's ride.

This is not to say that I'm not excited to return home. I miss my girlfriend and family dearly, and look forward to our reunion. I only hope that I am able to carry in my soul the lessons of simplicity which I have learned on the road.

Erik