Charleston, WV

I'm writing this entry from a lovely hotel in downtown Charleston, WV. No, I'm not staying here - I just needed to rape their Wifi and charge a cell phone and camera battery. And get some coffee. God bless America - so much is accessible. I just left a great gym downtown - Capitol Fitness (which I recommend if you live in Charleston) - where I checked in with a free trial membership to utilize their facilities to get a good sweat in and then take a shower and clean up. I didn't get a chance to shower my last day in my old house in Norfolk - too many wonderful friends, too little time. So it was great to catch a shower today. I used the name Chris McCandless to sign up for the free trial, in homage to the lategreat Alexander Supertramp. I feel great now. Clean, exercised, and with coffee. What a great situation. As if the rest of the day wasn't unbelievable in its own right. I slept in my front seat at a rest area near Charlottesville, VA - comfortably enough. I brushed my teeth and cleaned up, and had a pleasant conversation with the attendant there at the rest area. She had a huge amount of pride in her job - something not to be undervalued. I then stopped at a different hotel - God bless America - and had a lovely breakfast. Chastise me if you like, but my stopping for a free breakfast on the Holiday Inn Express tab is a good thing. Not just for me, but for the guests of the hotel. You're lying to yourself if you think they don't recycle food from one day to the next. That being noted, my pillaging of their yogurt, bagel, and muffin reserves forces them to put out fresh goods for the paying customers of their business. Who deserve it, since their not just dirtbags stealing breakfast. Everybody wins. God bless America. I then somewhere along the way lost a Conte's water bottle that I was using to carry fresh water with me on my journey, which is a bit disappointing. I loved that bottle, and looked forward to telling every cyclist in Colorado about how Conte's owns their local bike shop. But alas, it was not meant to be. I am now enjoying water from a recycled Vitamin Water Bottle. It works just fine. A great moment of clarity for me today - I came to the turn onto Route 219 to Snowshoe Mountain in West Virginia. I have worked there the last 2 winters, and loved every minute of it. Too many epic trips to recount here. But today I laughed at the thought of taking the same exit I looked forward to taking so many times before. Perspective. That which brought me so much joy as recently as March, is no longer of value. Not to discount or devalue any of the experiences tied to that exit, but you can't get sentimental. I'm onto bigger and better things. Progress. You can't get complacent. The world is too big. It's egotistical to assume you've found your utopia already. Go find it. I can assure you that you'll be surprised what motivates you. I loved taking that exit for YEARS, but today I drove right past. Onward and upward.

Currently listening to: The Honorary Title - Scream and Light Up the Sky

Currently reading: Paulo Coelho's The Winner Stands Alone