Day 51: Wasn't There Something Today I Was Supposed to Never Forget?

Tuesday.... September 11th....

I wake up and am a bit sluggish for obvious reasons. I say goodbye to Matt as he heads out to work. Tyler and I grab breakfast food and I have very few words to say as I am still recuperating. I check my email, and take care of some bills before deciding that i definitely want to take Tyler up on that offer for a ride outta town... I know, I know, its cheating... but I really don't imagine it'll affect my perception of the accomplishment of a cross country ride, just because I got a ride out of Fargo. I REGRET NOTHING!!!

I watch lots of bad television until Matt gets back from class. We load up the car and I have a hard time fitting all my newly acquired food.... oh yeah.... I never told you.... in their drunken state... Matt and Tyler started pulling out all sorts of different foods and candies and insisting I take them on the road with me. It was pretty awesome, although some of it is rather bizarre foreign candy. Not sure I'll need it... or want it for that matter... But I'll try anything new.

Matt drops me off at a gas station after we hit a particularly rural stretch of highway... the woman mentions that another cross country cyclist from NYC who just passed through 15 MINUTES AGO.... and he will be camping tonight in COOPERSTOWN... WTF?

I had planned on stopping in Cooperstown as well, so maybe I'll get to meet this guy. I got a really late start.... so I'll be pedaling til the sun goes down i am sure.

WOW! North Dakota is beautiful.... though absolutely barren. I can't believe the scenery. Surreal.

At the gas station when i get to Cooperstown... I ask if they've seen another cyclist and they have... apparently he has an accent.... and it strikes me....

Yesterday I got an email from Shane (The guy I passed on the road without speaking to) and he asked if I was the german guy he met on the road. This German guy must be the phantom NYC cyclist. I rode to the park, excited to meet him, but he was nowhere to be found... I rode through town looking for him at all the motels and restaurants.... but he wasn't there..... sigh... I guess he must've moved on to the next town. Maybe I was not supposed to meet Phantom German Cyclist. I am dissapointed. I try to organize my panniers but I just have too much stuff.... I need to eat all this food fast, to save from carrying the weight.

It is FREEZING outside and so I take a LONG STEAMING HOT SHOWER... and then instead of sleeping in the campground... I find an unlocked food prep shelter that is attached to a pavilion. Hopefully it will be a few degrees warmer inside of it.... I sleep in a sleeping bag on the wooden counter that people prepare food on. It's a strange sight for sure. Freezing, lying atop of a small kitchen counter in a dingy shack in the middle of a city park. Couldn't be much more different than last night's experience. I get a text from Greg saying that he is on his way to Shrimpfest... Let it be known that I LOVE shrimpfest, and get a a twinge of jealousy for a second... but despite the cold... I am still extremely happy to be right where I am... I am sooo looking forward to reaching the West Coast... but am pretty grateful to be having all these crazy experiences. This is very much the life I've always wanted to lead.
But then again.... It's REALLY cold. I am more grateful than ever for Tyler's help with finding places to stay throughout North Dakota... hopefully this cold snap will end soon. I really need it to warm up.