Dispatches from the road

Dispatches from the road: day 4 and the rainy beginning of day 5 

by Bill Poindexter

This is re-posted from my trip a year ago… Enjoy

I lay in my tent on the morning of day five of my journey having a little meditation of how grateful I am just to be alive and be able to do the things I’m doing. My friend Monica reminding me she was the one who called me the “traveling monk” I resonate with that very much as my spiritual belief is strong no matter what religion I meet along my journey and right now I feel very Zen like. I’m laying on a forest bed in a conservation area just outside of Wheatland, Missouri. I’ve been up for a while listening to the pattering of the rain -I retrieved my stove from my panniers and had a fine breakfast of oatmeal with raisins, honey and banana along with copious amounts of coffee. I love the word copious don’t you? Not exactly sure of my route today and when the rain is going to stop. The sun is supposed to come out so I think I’m gonna hang out here and read my book,  Provence 1970, and let everything dry out including my boots which got soaked yesterday because of the two stream crossings – thanks Mac for that adventurous route on the Butterfield Stagecoach Trail! I’m starting to feel stronger getting used to the heavy weight of the load I’m carrying-70ish lbs. For you Bikepacker‘s out there I’m on a surly long-haul trucker, with two front Salsa bags on anything cages and two rear expeditionary panniers from Arkle out of Canada -xm-45s. 

I’m carrying water, food, shelter clothing, couple books, maps and as my kiwi friends would say an assortment of ‘bits and bobs. Yesterday I left Mac Vorce’s home in Warsaw and hopped on the Butterfield stage coach route, on section 8 from Warsaw to Wheatland. This route is one of the hardest I’ve ever done I would compare it to the great divide mountain bike route in terms of its challenging terrain and endless ups and downs stream crossings, muddy dirt roads, gravel,  and more loose gravel… Lots of solitude and very little people and very beautiful. I rode for nine hours and ended up taking a short cut in the end to Wheatland because of a pending storm,  which, of course, never happened. I found this patch of dirt I’m laying on and slept very well. I’m eager to get down to the Transamerica Trail to get started heading east as that is my ultimate destination. I am laying in the tent fully caffeinated dictating this to you from my phone. I feel good. Many people yesterday gave me water as I rode by their homes. There was a little dog named Little Missy who befriended me and kindly ran beside me for almost 4 miles-yes 4 miles until the owners niece and husband retrieved her. Little Missy was the strongest dog or I should say is the strongest dog I’ve ever seen. No matter how fast I went down the hill I would have to go slow up the next hill and I would look in my rearview mirror and she would be that little spot in the center of the mirror running to me. It was a soulful encounter between a human and an animal and there was so much beauty in that moment it brings tears to my eyes, seriously. It’s a kind reminder that we all living beings are connected.

If you like my words let me know 

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To see a little missy just click here

https://rumble.com/v2jt1q6-bikepacking-school-with-bill-poindexter.html