Alma, NE to Central City, NE

Pictures:

1. Welcome sign to Central City Nebraska.  The city has everything except a cheap place to stay.   One place wouldn’t take a credit card but the price was right.   The other would take anything but the price was too steep.   There are storms in the area so tonight’s place of residence may be interesting.
2. The Central City Fire Station was open so I took these pictures while looking for someone in charge.
3. Another picture of the neat Central City antique fire truck.   When I couldn’t find anyone at this fire station I went to the older station.   By the time I got back to the first station it was locked up.
4. My wife, Jill, is in South Carolina visiting son and grand children.   How I wish I was able to join this merry group!
5. Most of the towns I have stopped in have a “neighborhood” restaurant filled with antiques and personality.   This is “The Station” at Alma.

Summary: This morning I was up early (which is typical) and left at 5:15 to go to a cafe that was confirmed to open at 5:30.   I saw lightening in the distance and Weather Underground said rain was going to hit all around me at 7:00 p.m.    I suspected the lightening was not coming my way.   It was already muggy and I started sweating immediately.   It seemed like a good day in that the sun would be behind clouds most of the day and as long as I was able to get  bed by 7:00 p.m. I should stay dry.   The cafe was open right on time and I started out on my bike at 6:00 a.m.   I did 127 miles from Alma to Central City.   Five of these miles was going back and forth looking for a hotel and somewhere to submit today’s post.  At the time of this writing I am sitting at a Rodeway Inn to get the post done and then will go find somewhere to sleep the night.

This has been a terrific week (one week again tonight I was boarding a train).    I averaged 112 miles per day and this was hampered by my first day of 63 miles, low due to being on the train till 1:00 p.m.   The time is really flying although while on the bike the time drags by with me thinking about various things.

Systems Continued: It dawned on me that the greatest systems ever created are the “bodies” of all living things whether optimized for thinking (humans), flying (birds), or swimming (fish).   The human body does miraculous things when it gets food, sleep, and exercise.   I find it incredible that the body automatically does those things that we don’t want to think about like breathing or making the heart beat.   You look at the athletes that break records,  the thinkers (Steven Hawkins) that push science past all reasonable limits, and those that perform herculean tasks when faced with adversity.   Bottom line, are you getting the most bang for your buck?   It just takes the right food, amount of sleep, and a little exercise and you too could be a super human.

For me, I find it amazing that my body can drive a bike for mile after mile.   I don’t really know a lot about nutrition so I just throw food down my throat.   The body figures out what it needs and repairs the muscles and stores the food where it will be needed the next day.   Thus far there have been no cramps and no major problems.  How the body can do this is beyond me.    Since I don’t ride in the dark I am getting more sleep than I ever have and exercise at this point is no problem.

The Bike of Life:  Today as I was riding my bike I thought of an analogy that makes sense.   Let’s pretend that when we are born we are given a bike that represents our life.   In the early years you will have people that show you how to ride the bike, take care of the bike and make sure you make good decisions regarding the bike.   At some point the bike becomes yours and from that point on whatever the bike does is your responsibility.

Stay with me as I jump to my bike ride today . . . I am heading toward Wisconsin – that is my goal.   The path I’ve chosen goes North a little bit and then East a little bit.   My “ah ha” moment was that when going North the wind was at my back and the pedaling was easy while every time I turned East the pedaling was difficult because of the wind.

Here comes my conclusion, I realized that life is very much like my ride to Wisconsin.   I could, since I am totally and wholly responsible for my bike, change my objective and just head North.   My pedaling would be easier, a new destination would be reached, and I wouldn’t have to struggle – life would be grand.   Or I could go straight East and fight the wind every step of the way – life would be no fun.   My path is a mixture of both and gets me to the destination that is right for me.   My life will neither be easy or overly hard.  It is going where I want it to go.

Bottom line is we are all on a bike and we are in charge of it.   We have others that help us on our way and provide advice that we can ponder but the journey is ours (and let’s be honest we usually have a trusted adviser that is on our tandem bike).   Be wise in your life’s objective and don’t stop till it is acquired!

The Greatest Evil: One last thought is that over my lifetime there is nothing that I hate remembering more than those times where a thoughtless word or unthinking action on my part “hurt” someone else.   In my defense, and it is a weak defense indeed, the hurt that I caused was due to immaturity or a since belief that I was doing the right thing.   When I am back home (and I can barely wait for that day) one of the things I will do is contact people and try to make up for my actions.   Life is way to short to have misunderstandings in the way of a glorious life.

Sorry for the long diatribes and heavy thoughts.  As an explanation the heat and humidity got to me!

Wonderful day to one and all!