Day 20

Thursday April 22, 2010. These horses were happily grazing in fields of flowers! The land has flattened out some, though there are still hills. The grades are slight but still require gearing down. The bigger problem was the strong headwind. It was work even on the flats, riding into it. I passed through a few smaller towns today, but there wasn't anything of note in them. Sadly, the cafes and Mom & Pop restaurants or stores are pretty much gone. Mostly now there are gas station/covenience stores/quick marts in all the towns, and the occasional chain fast-food joint. A lot of "local flair" is gone and we're becoming a nation of standardized packaging. So on one hand it's nice to know these places are likely to have whatever my favorite snack or drink is, but on the other hand, I miss the experience of localized culture! However I did notice a convenience store advertising Fried Green Tomatoes served daily! The campground was cool, there was enough slope to the land that they had made these neat little tent platforms, which was nice. I'd had to set up my tent on slightly sloped terrain a few times! Kept sliding off my air mattress! Miles ridden today: 42.7.