We are officially halfway across the country!!! YIPPEE!!
Last night, Eva and I spent an hour driving around town, thinking of locations where we might be able to take a shower (our park had no running water/bathroom and we hadn’t showered in two days and could smell ourselves). After contemplating using a hose, we ended up getting a very kind guy to open up the Leoti City Gym for us so we could “shower” ourselves in their sinks.
I did get to sleep in a hammock last night, however. I missed being a hammock queen. There is truly something so blissful about it that I will miss so much when I go back to normal, hammock-free life at Stanford. The quality of sleep I get in a hammock is just unparalleled, and waking up to nature has been amazing.
After waking up in the park, I discovered I needed to use the restroom. Luckily, the park was located right next to a hospital, where we could ring a doorbell for the doctors and nurses to open the door for us to use their bathroom. They were so kind to let some random grimy Californian bikers in - we are so grateful to the hospital staff for opening up their facilities to us.
It’s been moments like this that help me reflect on my gratitude for the simple things that I’m lucky to have in life, like a warm shower, a nice warm meal, or a sink to brush my teeth with. As a city kid through and through, I never went camping until SPOT and have probably hiked seriously maybe three times. I came on this trip because I knew it would push me outside of my comfortable city lifestyle, and it has done so in more ways than I’d ever imagine. I got so used to my 17-step morning routine at home, from cleanser to serum to moisturizer to concealer, and on Spokes, I’ve realized that the best you can do sometimes is just wipe your face with a baby wipe, and that’s good enough!! There’s so many things I felt that I needed at home, and now, I truly feel like all I need in life is good company, a bike, and deodorant.
I’m very glad my team is experienced in the camping realm and has helped me with everything I need to know about the outdoors. Camping has been a wonderful adventure, allowing me to better connect with the world around me and decompress. It has also taught me to cherish the basic comforts and conveniences that make everyday life so much easier and more enjoyable. This experience has truly highlighted how much I have to be grateful for, and I’ll carry this newfound appreciation with me long after I return home. Suddenly, my one-room double and communal showers in Crothers Hall from last year look like a golden throne. I’ll never complain about my Stanford housing ever again.
The other best part of this trip so far has been meeting people from different backgrounds across the country has been a transformative experience, especially having grown up in the bubble of San Francisco. In SF, I was surrounded by a community that largely shared similar values and perspectives, which often reinforced my own worldview. Traveling and interacting with individuals from diverse regions, however, has broadened my understanding and challenged my assumptions. Each encounter, from talking to a Warmshowers host about meditation to a lady on the side of the road about her past relationships, has taught me great lessons - the importance of empathy and open-mindedness, and the variedness of perspective and background across the US. It has been enlightening to hear varied stories, experiences, and viewpoints, which have all contributed to a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding of the world.
After the 81 miles of today, we have made it to Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Ness City - where we have a lovely shower and kitchen!! Thank you so much to Father Pascal for allowing us to stay in your convent - we could not be more grateful to have a method of removing our stench. See you tomorrow when we take on 93 miles - our second longest ride yet!!
Will
P.S. We also made a friend, Bentley, on our way out of Leoti!! He developed a close bond with Hunter, who helped him fix his bike, and he showed us the way to the gas station so that we could fill up our water bottles. He wanted to bring us to his home too, but unfortunately we had to depart to Ness City!