The body and mind need a day off especially after yesterday's close encounter. For several days I have tried to find the right place to spend a day relaxing. Through the help of another Warmshowers host, I am taking both today and tomorrow off to give my body and mind some R&R. Today rather than putting myself in "Park", I bicycled to downtown Webster Groves, Washington University and to a local bike shop. With the help of Scott Melies, who I stayed with last night, I was able to configure a new route based on existing Adventuring Cycling Association routes. With so far to go, I don't need the stress of not knowing which roads are suitable for bicycling. Here is the new route: head north east on the Route 66 trail and merge with the Northern Tier route in central Illinois. Dropping down from Erie, Pa., on the Underground railroad route to Pittsburgh, I will hook onto the GAP rails to trails path ending in Cumberland, Maryland. The C&O path will take me to Arlington, Virginia followed by and unknown route through the Eastern Shore and Delaware to the Atlantic. I order the maps this morning and am having them mailed general delivery to Normal, Illinois. One major uncertainty solved.
Kelly Sleeper (my Warmshowers host) tonight and tomorrow) and I are riding to the arch in downtown St. Louis tomorrow. Round trip should be around thirty-eight miles without panniers. As a experienced long distance cyclist, he has enlightened me about brakes, gears, tire pressure, gear settings, pannier weight distribution and traveling tips. He is an objective individual who can sort through the bikes and parts on the market and make the correct choice given one's biking style and needs. Buying the "very best" isn't necessarily the best for you.
After a much needed nap, we dined at a local brewery, my treat, great IPA.
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