On Friday, three of us went into Kirksville for the monthly Critical Mass bike ride. That evening, we biked in La Plata, about 15 miles away, to stay the night at another community, currently unnamed, but so far populated by three individuals with a couple more folks on the way. Formerly (but never officially) Mustard Seed, this community is another off-the-grid group with a slightly different setup than that of Dancing Rabbit. The three currently live in a previously Amish-owned home on 80 acres of land, complete with a barn and a pond, but not much else. They’ve only been settled in for about five months, so it’s still very early in the game. However, the trio uses no electricity and is completely car-free. Bicycles are their main mode of transport. All cooking is done over wood, or in a wood stove. The group is also heavily into permaculture. It was exciting to visit them and see their place. I was happy to spend time with Ethan, Katrina, Sarah, and the other folks who were visiting with them. They were a truly inspiring group of people.
The next day, we biked from La Plata back to Dancing Rabbit, a 40-45 mile journey. I had never done a ride this long before, and I was happy to have that experience. It was an exhilarating ride. It just felt really good to be out there traveling the roads on a bike, carrying nothing much other than water. Once we got back, the fatigue hit me, but the excitement of the accomplishment was very satisfying. It was inspiring, and I hope to do more long distance rides in the future. I don’t feel so intimidated by the prospect anymore.
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