Intro

Welcome to a story, or stories I should say. A compilation of adventure tales. An ongoing itch to see, smell, and touch the world, or at least the deserted roads and rarely trampled mountains of America. Characters within the descriptive paragraphs of these stories carve out the coming and going companions in life; vital life people and pieces that parallel a universe for moments, days, years. And then spear off, leaving granules of magnificent memories of magical places. They leave a lasting trace, a gained sense of courage to stand tall on oxygen deprived mountains and shout absurdities like: I love you Ralph! Ralph is a teenage reindeer stuffed of the finest synthetic polyester fiber poof; he says made in Indonesia but really tells me he is from the North Pole. Delivered through a chimney one December night 20 years ago, we instantly became cuddle buddies upon that morning's sunrise. He is the instigator. The inspiration. And the imagination. He breathes creativity. Laughter. His is a dear companion. And yes, at 4lbs he tags along atop a pack or strapped to a rack. In delirium of 107 degree heat, the small possession of material belongings gain a persona. Innate objects become friends of the road and trails. And as for the humans who accompany, their presence reads priceless. Without O'Reilly, a 29 year old New Hampshirian with superior taste buds, the mathematical six foot four inch tall German, or handful of organic peanut butter and 99 cent jam eating munchkins, there would be a lot less excitement. The encounters we make with our specie, encapsulating the world with their awkward ways and over consumerist love, somehow we have managed to become overly adored creatures. Their generous hearts restore a faith that goodness prevails in the upheaval of a sometimes lost humanity. As for myself, I'm just the navigator, paddling up the stream of life munching on Clif Bars, with an iPhone documenting the frailties and goodies underneath all the simplified complexities in the world we reside. So again, I welcome you to get lost and dream a little through this typed text and your imagination. My name is Kristen Gentilucci. I live in Berkeley California and I love dogs.


Friday, July 13, 2012

Day 25. A day full of Love

Miles predicted: 89
Actual miles: 101
Weather: 95 and cloudy

How do you toast enough bagels for 33 people? A church toaster oven on steroids. And that's how the day started.

Today, epic. Where to start? Some days your bike just doesn't want to be friends with you. In this case, adventures are a necessity. Free smoothies at Dairy Queen, free ice cream at McDonald's topped with being the talk of the store, eating non edible corn from fields, finding a huge american monument and getting an hour personal history class on roger Clark. We went back in time, gained an hour at 2 in the afternoon while crossing into Illinois. Then, discovering my first pawn shop and finding out how easy it is to buy a gun, getting lost in a state forest and traveling down a rock road for one too many miles. In the mist of this, we biked 100 miles.

We found out today we know we are living in our bubble vortex when, burritos stuffed with trail mix and peanut butter seem normal, and we submit to bets and dares to run nude around a church parking lot at 2am.

Pulling up to our host, we could see from miles away they were excited, filling the streets with mini billboards shouting our name. Rolling into Sumner Illinois, desolate, a ghost town with the only operating sign of life, an ice cream shop and Casey's gas station. 1200 people populate this town, but where? At the church sure enough. Rooms full of snacks, personal chauffeurs ready to load our stinky bodies up for showers back at the park, and a huge feast that made me want to cry with glee. And refused to let us help clean up.

Jeff was a character, who drove me to showers. He had a hat full of questions, and the answer was always, yeah I think ive meet almost ever character in the book thus far.

A tent oddly standing in the church lobby, I staked my spot. Oh sleep you taste like candy.