Will it be here tomorrow? Tomorrow Will Tell. And the next day.... But it was here today. The ability, as on a conventional bicycle, for James body and soul to deliver all the energy that it knew it had to give, efficiently, effectively, reliably. 3 years ago this occurred for a brief period in time in Iowa, and then was lost. But today it was back. No, really. And James thinks he understands why it was working.
The torque sensor metrics for James were throttled back 70% and now are deemed to be reliable. 326 human watts was seen today, 220 was not rare. 180-200 was regular. This is 50% beyond what was ever seen before the metrics were recalibrated when each has adjusted for the other. Point being today James was able to Output hugely more, contribute, hugely more, then before. Ever since Iowa. This is very satisfying, because it was so simple. So mentally and physically simple.
And segment after segment dozens of times within 30 seconds James was able to re implement the strategy, the technique. Never since Iowa 3 years ago.
For James does it matter in the scheme of things? No, and yes. What matters is James is trying to stir a soul here or there and occasionally this Voyage seems to create such opportunities. But cycling 4 5 6 7 hours a day, if he can repeat tomorrow what occurred today as maybe he can, the mental and emotional drain is a fraction of what it has been ever since Iowa three years ago. Cumulatively that's a lot of time energy and attention freed up.
And personally, which doesn't matter, it's been three years since James had a personal relationship like that of a conventional cyclist where he could do what he could do and not be constrained by feeling totally uncoordinated. But today that relationship returned. Tomorrow?
As it turns out the daughter and I encountered a year or so ago when I was in that area briefly and she friended me on Facebook. Such a nice kindness.
In Mackinaw, in what was once a very upscale Outdoor Store, now a $10 per item outlet for tourist stuff, there was an expensive pair of pants 50% off that were one last piece of important gear that James had not replaced since the fire in Mississippi. He gladly grab the item, but Nature Called very insistantly and none of the stores in Mackinaw seem to have restrooms, relying on a few public ones. James needed to go, and approached a clerk and asked if she would hold the item while he went to the restroom. She took the item and looked at him blankly. Very pleasantly James said, is it okay if you hold it? I'm holding it! Gratuitous rudeness.
No one's favorite response, including James. But he was so glad with his inclination. How sad that she's been treated so badly in her life, was his reflexive internal reply. He was so glad, very glad, Upon returning, to try and show a little bit of the kindness that the individual so badly needed. Maybe it didn't make any difference to anyone, except James.
After dealing with another Bridge customer after a phone call, he met me at his place and within 20 minutes we had the vehicle up on the back of his flatbed, and I was pleased to find that with Khanh's wonderful cyclone motor system we could easily climb up without even needing to be pulled.
We were together in the cab for probably 20 minutes crossing the bridge. The toll folks knew him and they saw saw on the back of his rig and remembered that, gave a big smiling thumbs up.
I shared with him as much about the mission as he seem to want to hear. He mentioned how lots of folks are moving from the cities up to this area after I said what a beautiful area I thought it was. People have had it. The world is really imploding he said, because we've taken God out of our culture. I told him I desperately wished I could agree but I cannot. The problem is we've taken God out of our churches and replaced it with them being Social Clubs, clubs to beat up on other cultures, clubs to beat up on people, economic clubs. He immediately agreed though I'm not sure he had thought about it before. And I shared with him other similar things and he did not respond much but again my reading was he didn't mind hearing it and I thought I owed it to him to share.
Upon arriving at our destination I offered my the credit card, let's get it off the truck first he said. We did, uneventfully. Then I offered him the card asking him, please remind me what did we agree on? It'll be $50 he said, no no no no no no no I said. It'll be 65 or 70 okay? Someone's got to take care of you James, it might as well be me he smiled. I don't know why he said that. But it was definitely said out of respect, warmth, support, maybe even appreciation for what he had heard this mission was about.
