A huge weight lifted from my shoulders at about 30 miles north on the way to Barstow. I was smiling for a while to be sure. Closure is my answer as to why. Everything just fell into place like the final piece to a jigsaw puzzle. No regrets. No problems. No more pretending mini-crises in someone’s life were important to me. I was free!

For me that’s the best feeling ever, because I know a new adventure awaits down the road. I never know how many miles I will travel or how long it will take, but just knowing that I have my freedom again is my answer to everything.

This is only the second time that I’ve had the bike in the back of my truck. It ties down easily and rides great with no movement whatsoever. It’s nice not to have to worry about her in the back.

Now, if only other drivers were as great at paying attention to the road, I’d be ecstatic. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case.

Cars are stopped on the grades half in the driving lane. Cars are going 30 miles an hour with their flashers on when they could be traveling along on the side of the road on a paved shoulder. Cars cut in front. Cars put on the brakes for no reason. It’s a madhouse out there.

I did 400 miles today in the comfort of my truck, but earlier in the day a bike rider wasn’t so fortunate. Ahead of me I noticed a cloud of dust, and cars slowing down rapidly. A rider that had passed me a few minutes previously had just been in an accident and gone down. I’m not sure what happened since I didn’t see it, but his full face helmet was behind him some distance. The bike was ahead of him. And he was somewhere in between on the right side of the number two lane, on his back, unmoving.

I said a few words out loud and drove on by, since there were cars stopped and people on cell phones. One more vehicle would only add to the confusion.

I wonder how he is.