july 14
day 66
25 miles
total 1,728
all the motels in randolph were full
so we had to go back to laurel (including the detour)
time.
everything bleeds time.
the speed with which i travel seems immutable.
it is the amount of time i can get on the road that determines my tally.
and it sometimes feels that the world is out to delay me in every possible way.
tomorrow was going to be the exception.
just a quick shower and i would be set…..
my bottle of mouthwash had sprung a leak and soaked everything.
time.
everything bleeds time.
the actual running goes great
(except i am so painfully slow)
with the new moon here
and getting further and further from the city
the night sky is ever more amazing.
during the day nebraska is a great place
with wide shoulders and big smiles and waves for strangers on the road…
and more of those long sightlines.
atop every rise
or after one of the rare curves
you can see into the future;
“that is where i will be in 2 hours “
or 3
or at the end of the day.
goodnight
laz
Roy adds:
Laz:
You picked the right summer to be strolling across the prairies in the middle of the night. For the next several days, Mercury, Venus, Mars and Jupiter are all readily {as in naked sys} visible in the night sky. The crescent moon makes spotting Mercury w/o a lens much easier.
and
I forgot Saturn on that list … it is also visible at this time.
i can’t find them all. we need an astronomer out here.
laz
Roy:
Or an old navigator 😉
Mercury:
Mercury is usually the hard one due to its proximity to the sun – it can only be seen just after sunset or just before sunrise. However, it is presently setting about an hour after the sun. Looking west, find the crescent moon. Mercury is about 15 degrees lower and to the right (use the gap from index to little finger to approximate 15 degrees).
Venus:
Venus may be the easiest one to find. Just after sunset, Venus should be about 2 degrees south (to the left) of the crescent moon … and bright. It will be the “evening star” until October, sinking lower on the horizon until it disappears. In January/February Venus returns as the “morning star” just before sunrise.
Mars:
Mars is the closest to Earth it has been since 2003 and is even outshining Jupiter at the moment. Mars rises a little later and is the bright red blaze in the southeast.
Jupiter:
Jupiter has been very visible since mid-April this year. It can be found in the southwest after sunset and second to Venus in brightness. If you have binoculars, you may be able to spot Callisto, Ganymede, Io and Europa.
Saturn:
Saturn is also in the southern sky – almost halfway between Jupiter and Mars and a little higher in the sky. It’s not as bright as Jupiter and its backdrop is one of the densest parts of the Milky Way which makes it a little tougher to pick out.
Sandra:
Or an app.
Jim:
“Sky Map”