Rio: The aftermath

There’s something about the city of Brasilia, I can’t quite put my finger on, that I really enjoy. In spite of a rather miserable week back from Rio with a horrible head cold and plenty of accompanying green phlegm, I feel good today.

I chew quietly on my French Toast and sip freshly squeezed orange juice the cook just made, and gaze off my balcony at the gardeners below. They move with purpose, scurrying this way and that with rakes and shovels and hedge trimmers to get everything just right. They remind me of ants, actually, and I’m tempted to stroll around the yard and drop scraps of paper just to watch them clean it up.

I had a full load of laundry downstairs by 0900 for our maid, Maria, to wash, dry, iron, and fold, and now she’s sweeping off the deck surrounding the churrasco pit. Sometimes I get these foolish notions in my head to do a little work of my own around the house, but who can eat cheese and drink wine with dirt under their fingernails? Not me! They’re so silly!

But regardless of this meager life I lead, I like Brasilia. I like the slow pace and lack of clubs and scarce traffic. I like the people and the weather and cycling. I like it all, and the important thing is that I can say all this while I’m sitting here, in Brasilia, and not off in some God forsaken middle eastern country. I think appreciating what you have, when you have it, is what matters. Enough said.

Rio! I’ll let the pictures tell the story. It was a nice place to visit. I’m glad I’m back. And they can keep Rio right where it is. I’m in no hurry to get back.

Lewis and Clark Expedition 2004 is well underway. I’m slowly collecting rations and supplies for delivery back to ND, just like Lewis and Clark did 200 years ago. Mack and I have been tossing a lot of ideas around these past few weeks, and even more so now that I’ve got the book I ordered entitled Bicycling the Lewis and Clark Trail from the Adventure Cycling Association. The only problem I see so far is the whole book is written from and East-to-West perspective under the assumption that the cyclists will be traveling the same direction as Lewis and Clark. That’s all well and good, but I’m gonna listen to the call of the prevailing winds and not some guys over 100 years dead who traveled mostly by canoe anyway. I’m building a page dedicated entirely to this trip, so keep your eyes peeled as things develop.

I need this.