Biking 72 miles

I've
got to
get
ready!

In
just
three
weeks...

I bike
the
Natchez
Trace...

with

friends

from the

bike ride

across

America.

Leo...

and
Mark...

Jeff

and
Joe...

And
of course,
daughter
Alex.

It
will be
462
miles

from
Mississippi
to
Tennessee

and
I
need
to train
for it!

Set
the
mileage
computer
to
zero...

...and
take
off!

OMG!

I have
never
biked
116th Street
at
Rush Hour
before!

It's
the
sidewalk
for me
today!

Until....

there's
no
sidewalk!

This
is
crazy!

I
hate
cars!!!

And

they

seem

to 

hate

me!

Luckily
I find
a fellow
singing
cyclist.

Hmmm.

Backpack...

Knobbly
tires...

- Are
you
biking
to work,
Kevin?

- Well,
yes.

How
could
you
tell?

It
isn't
until
we get
on the
Monon
Trail...

that
he
admits...

it's
his
first
time...

ever!

What
a
thrill!

To be
there
for
his
first!

Kevin
bikes
away...

and
I'm
left...

with
55
miles
left
to go.

I
bike
to
Zionsville...

...with
its
brick-street
downtown.

I
laugh
at
the gas
prices...

No
gas
for
me!

Here's
my
fuel!

Getting
warm
now!

Time
to
strip
down!

The
church
is
quiet
today...

Construction
too
loud...

Over
65...

...and
I'm out
in
the
country.

Peace
and
Quiet.









But
what's
this?

Cutting
down
trees?!

and
car
wrecks?

I
need
more
quiet
than this!

Gotta
hurry
though.

Gotta
get
back
by
2:00...

to
get Mom
to the
eye
doctor!

Beautiful
houses
out
here...

Too
much
lawn...

That
mass
of
grass...

Could
be a
garden...

or a
woodlands
full
of
life!

Fellow
bikers
hurry
by...

I stop
to
smell
the
flowers.

I want
to buy
this
land...

and
turn
it into
a
prairie!

I love
farmhouses...

full
of
flowers.

Which
way
do
I turn?

I'm looking
for
last year's
route...

I
forget
the
way...

I think
I remember
that
barn...

Is

this

the 

picturesque

one...

..from
last
year?

Look!

Medusa's

Garden!

I know

I'm on

the 

right path

now!

Over

the 

railroad

tracks...

past

suburban

sprawl...

Building

more

houses?

Don't we

have 

too many

already?

Finally,

Brownsburg!

Just

in the nick

of time!

Lunchtime!

And 

it's time

to

turn

around!

Back

past

faceless

houses...

friendly

old

barns...

stony

figures.

I've

got

a

tailwind

now!

Don't

wanna

stop!

There're 

the 

tree

guys...

the

wrecked

cars...

Turn

to

Zionsville...

Over

the

interstate...

Back
into
traffic...

But they have
lovely
gardens
in
Zionsville.

And
the
roadside
crews
are so nice.

- Let
the biker
through!

Thanks!

Getting
hot!

Feet
swelling.

Need
a
cold
drink!

Stop
for
a
rest.

Look
at all
that
trash!

Can't
you
recycle
some?

Back
on
the road...


Going
fast...

Hit
the
brakes!

What's
that!?

He
needs
help...

Aren't
you
happier
now?

Wave
as I pass
the
Monon...

Whoa!

Cool
bike!

This is what
sister-in-law
Gabi
needs!

She's
moving...

to
UC Davis,
bikingest
town
in America!

Can't
stop
now!

But
look
at those
flowers!

And
the evil
garlic
mustard
choking them!

Gotta
yank
it
out!

Where
the
woods
were...

116th
Street
again...



Traffic...

...and
bikers.

Turning
in...

Home...

just
in
time!

I'm
exhausted!