Collected my bike from Lee, the owner of Chilkoot Cyclery in Stillwater, on Tuesday morning and was back on the Northern Tier route. I was planning to go 70+ miles and not overdue my first day back after the 3-day rest. Turns out my mom’s hometown of Cambridge was right on the route and in that distance…it was Kismet. About 10 miles before Cambridge, there was a long road closure for paving. The construction crew kindly waved me through on my bike so I enjoyed no traffic plus new “track” and packed dirt/gravel prepped for paving all the way into Cambridge…Kismet again. Being back here is cathartic. I’m not seeking closure, just connection to loved ones in a place so special to my mom. While having a quiet moment alone in the Cambridge Lutheran cemetery, a furry friend in the form of a vibrant coyote cruised right past me in while I was sitting graveside…maybe someone’s spirit animal!
