I’m heading writing from the road in Portland, ME! (Please forgive any weird formatting, as I’m writing from my phone.)
I didn’t expect the real adventure to start until Monday, the day I start the actual bike tour. I guess the universe didn’t want me to wait!
Mostly my travels have been uneventful. My Uber showed up on time this morning. We made good time to the airport. I checked my bike in with no problems. I checked my big duffle bag in with no problems. My flight left and arrived on time to Baltimore. My flight left and and arrived a little late to Portland, but not terribly so.
The real fun begins at baggage claim. Eventually my big, green, military-style duffle bag came out on the conveyer. I immediately noticed the top wasn’t completely closed and went on yellow alert. Too, the bag had been packed really full, to the point that it had been challenging to get it completely fastened. It wasn’t as full.
I started digging through the bag while trying to remember the inventory of what I might have packed in that bag.
I finally figured it out. Around Christmas time, Mom gave me a dry bag backpack from her company. I put that bag in my duffle bag and packed my clothes in it.
Gone!
No 32 degree rated jacket.
No rain coat.
No merino wool sweater.
No socks.
No undies.
I went and talked to the baggage claim lady. She said normally when TSA inspects bag they leave a card. If they did it fell out when they didn’t properly close my bag after removing my clothes backpack. She told me to wait to see if the other bag would come out on the conveyor.
While sitting at the airport in Maryland I was thinking how airports could be an excellent place to practice mindfulness. I was certainly getting good practice as I watched that baggage carousel go round and round, hoping that Wedtport bag would change me out yet trying not to be devastated if it didn’t.
It didn’t.
There’s still a little hope it might turn up.
If not? Tomorrow I’ll go thrift shopping to buy stuff that will get me by on my trip. I have my bike and my camping gear. Missing some clothes ain’t so bad.
If losing my clothes is the worst that happens on this adventure, I’ll take it.
Bonne voyage, j’éspère.