OMD Travelogue – Day 10

[x_section style=”margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px; padding: 45px 0px 45px 0px; “][x_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” bg_color=”” style=”margin: 0px auto 0px auto; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_column bg_color=”” type=”1/2″ style=”padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_counter num_start=”0″ num_end=”100″ num_speed=”1500″ num_prefix=”” num_suffix=”” num_color=”#2ecc71″ text_above=”Rode for” text_below=”Minutes” text_color=””][x_gap size=”45px” class=”x-hide-xl x-hide-lg x-hide-md “][/x_column][x_column bg_color=”” type=”1/2″ style=”padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_counter num_start=”0″ num_end=”50″ num_speed=”1500″ num_prefix=”” num_suffix=”” num_color=”#3498db” text_above=”Covered” text_below=”Miles” text_color=””][/x_column][/x_row][/x_section][x_section style=”margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px; padding: 45px 0px 45px 0px; “][x_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” bg_color=”” style=”margin: 0px auto 0px auto; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_column bg_color=”” type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_text]I awoke in a beautiful field of wildflowers, sun streaming into the tent.

Baylor wandered around while I stretched – excited to find a gorgeous spot to spend the day. A place worthy of celebrating a my day. A lake perhaps for swimming and bathing. A beach for reading. A forest for wandering. Sun, water and fun the mission of the day.

Morning ritual complete, we headed into Prince George in search of wifi to do a bit of lake location research.

Smooth, smooth, easy. Found wifi. Had breakfast. Did research. Soaked up all sorts of birthday love online. We were ready to log a couple hours riding and then spend the rest of the day lounging, exploring, enjoying.

But if there’s anything I’ve learned in these 31 years, it’s that things rarely go as planned.

We got to the edge of town and noticed an unusual clunking. Rufio was displaying a jerkiness that hadn’t been there before. I was extremely tempted to pretend I hadn’t noticed it. To just plow on, hoping that ignorance could be bliss.

But the wiser, louder part of me took over. It would be better to deal with this in a large town. Easier to manage the problem now before I got on the deserted highway North with few resources. I rode around a bit trying to understand more about where the sound was coming from.

Found wifi again. Researched. Read my clymer.

Then the rain started. I moved Bay under the overhang. Put a tarp over Rufio. Sat in the coffee shop, ready to throw myself a party. Of the pity variety.

“Come on, Rufio, it’s my birthday,” I wanted to whine.

And then I thought, “Bitch, please. This is what it’s all about. You wanted adventure. You wanted challenges. You wanted to learn and grow. That is precisely what you are getting. No one said it was gonna be easy. But it is worth it.”

The rain stopped. The sun came out. Literally.

People I’ve never met gave me all sorts of advice on various online forums. They took the time and effort to help a total stranger.

I met Lisa and Sue. They were so excited about the adventure. Gave me a protective good luck coin and bought me dinner. Amazing.

It’s exactly what this entire adventure is about. Controlling the one thing I can – my attitude. Being brave and open. Connecting with people. Just giving it a go and seeing what happens.

And that’s how I found myself having a fantastic day. Sticking my head under a McDonalds sink instead of bathing in a lake. Hours on a Starbucks patio diagnosing unknown motorcycle problems instead of lounging unplugged in the wild. Crawling around on the pavement inspecting Rufio instead of wandering aimlessly in the woods. Not at all what I had planned, but wonderful just the same.

Choose Happy | Seek Adventure | Bring the Stoke

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