A Monologue with the Æther

Since Stuart, I’ve been climbing into the Appalachian Mountains. Today, I ride to Grayson Highlands State Park. The ride is pretty much constantly uphill; sometimes the uphill is more obvious. As I’m checking in at the ranger station, I have a nice chat with the rangers. The rangers are impressed that I’m riding across the US and one of them calls me, “brave”. It is at this point that I realize that I’ve gone insane and articulate this revelation as “I’m not brave. I’m having a psychotic episode, and I hope it doesn’t end ‘til I reach the other side.” Everyone laughs.