May 27, 2002

distances in km.

“Why are you running across America? Is it for cancer? World peace?”

“No – I just felt like running”

Forest Gump

It was a great day. I spent 3 hours running today in the southern Idaho sunshine logging 25 km in an attempt to correct some of the low run ratio. I’m now at about 11% running of the total distance to date.

My run terminated just when I ran out of water at the base of Malad pass. Thankfully, the area is becoming more and more populated – along with the traffic, and there was a gas station at the bottom of the climb, so I stopped and filled up.

The pass wasn’t nearly as high as my previous two passes, but it was steep rising 1000 feet in only a few miles. It was very hot today – temps in the low 80’s, so the climb was difficult. During my 50 km/hour high speed decent, I hit an isolated shower that turned into a brief hailstorm – OUCH!! I was only wearing a sleeveless T-shirt and cycling shorts.

Upon comparing yesterday’s unfortunate mishaps and general unpleasantness to the fine day today was, I am reminded of my favorite Zen parable:

There was a dog that wandered into a house of mirrors. Upon seeing his reflection in a mirror and thinking it another dog, he proceeded to show his teeth and growl. When he saw the dog in the mirror take a similar aggressive stance, he cowered by tucking in his tail and whimpered. Seeing the dog in the mirror cower, he growled, showed his teeth and barked at it. Of course, when he saw the dog in the mirror do the same, he again became frightened and ran away. He then noticed another dog and this process of alternating his stance to counter his reflected imaged continued until he because exhausted, fell over and died.

Of course the moral of the story is you shouldn’t look at your self in the mirror too much.

But really – Yesterday, I woke up with the attitude that the day was going to be unenjoyable, and difficult. So that’s what the world gave me. Today, I was determined to have a great day and my attitude toward the day was exactly that – expecting the best, and that’s exactly what I got. The world is only a reflection of our own attitude toward it.

Including this SWEET hotel room in Malad City, Idaho. Gold flake wall paper, dark wood furniture, swagged lamps hanging from a golden chain. Check it out:

This is my last day in Idaho, which in a way is unfortunate because Idaho really is a very pretty state. Tomorrow it’s on to Brigham City, Utah!!!