So the great trip began today (this was all about 4 weeks ago), 1300 miles to the Canadian border of Minnesota and back. The destination has been chosen, the wheels are now rolling and the good times a quest toward self discovery begins today. After not being able to find out what the world wants of a person yet I set out in the quest to stand up, put my neck out and break out of the disillusionment of a college education that is in so many ways alienated from the actual world in its totality. Hopefully, I will find what the American spirit is all about. I think it will be found on these roads.The trip so far has been small town of about a thousand to small town of about a thousand. Many of these towns don't really have much to offer to globalized citizen, no wireless Internet, no instant gratification, but in them rests a certain ease and relaxation that does not exist in the city. If theres one things that these towns do offer its a shit-ton of American flags. These folks sure do love America, but what it is that they love? A college education has in many ways taught me the fuck ups and processes of exploitation that the American life has wreaked on the rest of the world. I had to know....So after riding for about 85 miles and it getting to be about dinner time, I found myself entering the town of Terisa, WI. I was famished, with all the calories that had been put into my body before had disappeared on the rolling pavement of Wisconsin's southern country roads. Terisa didn't offer much, the whole town consisted of a Shell station that advertised pizza. It wasn't quite what I wanted, but it would have to do, after all, my body was eating itself. So I rolled up to the gas station ready to eat every piece of pizza that Shell offered. As I dismounted my bicycle, I found that a little old lady named Maggie was standing just outside collecting donations for the American Legions. Now there is something about a loaded touring bike that breaks down all social barriers that divide us from one another. People know that your on a journey to do something quite special. The curiosity that this brings allows you to talk to people that, had you not had the bike, you would never think twice about talking to. This was the first time I ran into this concept and would only prove to be more reinforced throughout the rest of the ride. Maggie asked me about my trip and as I explained the journey, her body language suggested that “this kid is crazy” but at the same time, deep down inside, she knew exactly why I was doing it. She reminisced about the days when “she was my age,” so free and ready to tackle the world. She told me about her grandsons who were out figuring out their own journeys. We talked for about 20 minutes, while she collected donations. This encounter also became the first time I realized in full the power that local knowledge had on keeping you well fed and safe. I asked her about good food and the area and she suggested that just down the road in the next town there was a place called Sam's which had notoriously good food. So I decided to can the gas station and bite the bullet until I got to Lomira where Sam's was located. When I got to Sam's it seems that I had not been the only one informed of this amazing little place. I bet that the whole town of Lomira was there! Apparently Friday night was all you can eat fish night at Sam's and judging by the packed crowd and big bellies of the customers, this place had to stock all the fish in Lake Michigan to keep these patrons happy. When I sat down in my cycling clothes although the restaurant was packed, I drew immediate attention. I sat down, and the waitress came over and took my drink order. All my dehydrated body wanted at that time was tons and tons of water. After about 4 glasses that she couldn't seem to fill fast enough, she conceded to bringing a pitcher my way. After dinner was over, just about everyone in the whole restaurant knew what my plans were and wished me luck along the way. A couple even came outside to check out my bike and ask me various questions about what different things do and how I was “actually” going to ride 1300 miles in 2 weeks. The people were more friendly than ever and I think everyone had a different route that they suggested that I take to get up North. I left Sam's well fed and on my first day I was beginning to figure out what this country actually stood for, apart from the politicians, the policies and the structure. Soon afterward I found a place to camp and bushwacked my way back into the woods so I couldn't be seen and stealth camped my way through the night in Lamatrine, WI. A good day....