Met up with Steve Whittier at Chicopee. It was nice to ride some different trails for a change. Nutrition and hydration were good. Ate a few hundred calories about every hour. Feet were really hot today even with adding 2nd pair of socks. Right knee began to get sharp pain after about 30 miles. Chain came off the singlespeed about 5 times. Overall an exhausting but satisfying ride.
Something wonderful is happening. I am being serious. For the past year or so I've been developing this sense of love and compassion for humanity. That sounds like a really broad, general statement but it's true. I'm becoming more perceptive of others and more forgiving. I believe we're all doing the best with the hand we're given. I use these words because I don't know how else to describe this very subtle feeling. It's a swelling in the heart and a sense of well-being and contentment. Some days it borders on joy. Sure, I still get irritated with nuisances like drivers when they tailgate me or cut me off in traffic but overall, I am developing something here. Maybe my soul is expanding. I'm beginning to feel as though I'm finally a part of the human race. In the past, I've felt so aloof and misanthropic so this is strange for me. I can't exactly pinpoint when it began. I wonder if it's just part of the maturation process but I hope...