Still in PA-Day 4

Well, we have been happily pedaling along since I last wrote. The hills keep coming since my last post, but we are starting to fall into a rhythm with them, figuring out how to use our energy the most efficiently and not burn out. It's such a feeling of exhilaration when you get to the top of a mile or a mile and a half climb, and don't need to stop immediately. Of course, this could be because the hills are a more gradual grade than what we saw our second morning. Nevertheless, it's defintely rewarding.

I think we are all getting stronger already, which is really nice because now I find I can enjoy the scenery more, and the little stops, and just let my mind wander more freely over the terrain, without focusing as much on the biking aspect. Yesterday morning was particularly beautiful. After leaving Carbondale at 6am, where a kind couple, Ed and Judy, let us sleep on their lawn, we were on a windy backcountry farmroad that felt just like home, as you're heading up Webster Street Road, on the back way to Titus. The climbs were long, but luckily most of the downhills were equally long, propelling you up most of the hill. There's really nothing better than flying down a road at 35mph, and knowing that afterward you don't even have to endure the work of climbing back up!

After our morning ride, Ross and I waited for Armin for a while in Tuckhonack, a small, friendly town in PA. I stopped briefly at the library, but spent a better part of the time reading HP 6. Can't wait for 7. Armin got lost on his way to Tuckhonack, after a detour to a bike shop, so we left without him, meeting him in Laceyville instead, where the Mayor (THE MAYOR, can you believe that?) gave us permission to sleep by the river. It was beautiful. And refreshing. We had dinner at a restaurant in town (the ONLY restaurant in town) and talked to some friendly local folks, before heading back to the river for bed. Sleep really does feel good. I love crawling into my tent and sleeping bag, reading for 20 minutes and then falling off to sleep...the last two mornings have been a bit cooler though, so when the alarm goes off at 4:30, it's hard to crawl out of bed. Luckily, since I'm the only one setting an alarm, I can snooze as long as I want. Today I finally got out of my cozy cocoon at 4:55, and we were out on the road again by about 6 or 6:15.

So things have been good. My hands are a bit numb at night, and it's hard for me to grip things between my thumb and forefinger, but Armin reminds me that biking cross country is not neccesarily good for you, and this is merely one of the consequences. My butt has also been pretty sore, especially after long climbs, and after an inquiry to the boys, I realized that maybe you're not supposed to be wearing underwear with your bike shorts (sorry if that's too much info)-whoops. I'll let you know if i find out anything conclusively...

Okay, so back to the road for me, but of course, a quick laundry list of food consumed yesterday and today:

-Oatmeal
-Luna Bar
-Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Pop Tarts (I couldn't resist them. I know I wanted to eat healthy, but now is my chance to eat really bad, good stuff without too many conseqnences.)
-Quaker Cheddar Snack Mix (see above note)
-Peanut Butter Tortilla Wraps
-Trail Mix
-Grilled Chicken, Salad, Mashed Potatoes, Corn on the Cob, and Bread
-Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwhich
-Power Bar
-Banana
-Grapefruit
-Chocolate Chip Cookie (Given to me by a nice lady at the library in Burlington, PA, where I currently am. She had seen me yesterday at a differently library further east, and stopped me today to ask me some questions. We are quickly becoming celebrities around here! That was the second person today to say they had seen us yesterday. So if you happen to be going along PA Route 6 West in the next couple of days you might see us too!)