Good, hard, beautiful, grateful.

That yesterday's maximum speed was 41.0 mph (the fastest I've had the Surly) and my average speed was only 11.2 mph speaks to a tough riding day. It was also one of the most pleasant so far.

Eastern Connecticut is hilly. Seriously. I knew that as I got into New England the flat oceanside riding was over, but i'd forgotten how damn hilly it can be here.

And beautiful. The smells of mixed northern hardwood woodland and forest are so deep, so... lush. I think I still love western forests more, but it's amazing how the smell can bring me back to college, to outdoor trips, to figuring out who I was to be.

Speaking of smells, at least one of my readers (hi, S!) would also be transported back to a certain summer school for the arts we both worked at by the smell of the hallway of this Best Western: they are replacing the carpet, and have mattresses piled up in the hallways, and it smells just like the dorms did at the beginning and end of those summers. Another really good smell, good set of memories, good time of self discovery.

Due to my request for a ground floor room so I wouldn't have to muscle the loaded bike up stairs, I was accidentally put in the wing they are doing construction on and renovating, so I have it entirely to myself. It's a little strange, but also neat. S, imagine having McN to yourself for a night.

Yesterday included about twelve miles of varying packed dirt on rails-to-trails, some as wide as 15 feet and packed like Alta late on a powder day weekend, some of it legitimate singletrack.

I now am 792.7 miles into the tour, have 1358.8 miles on the Surly, and 2524.1 miles on this bike computer.

Every day while riding, I say to myself out loud, "FUCK, I HAVE A GOOD LIFE." Usually multiple times, often in a row.

Thank you, J - for everything. I love you.