Felt incredible to get back out bikepacking! Even more than my trip following M1 year, the time to just be mindful of my surroundings and reflect on my life during clerkship year was highly valuable. Can’t say I’ve figured out the answers to everything, but at least I took a crack at it 🤪. Some highlights from day 1: - 10 minutes into my trip, I came across two kindergarteners/preschoolers running a lemonade stand with their dad. I was their first customer of the day and they could not have been more enthused. They were definitely heavy on the pour though, since after serving me and a neighbor who came by they were out of lemonade! Their dad asked to take a photo of me giving his daughter her first dollar, so I’m gonna be in someone’s photo album in metro St. Louis now, lol. - Biked through the former Carrollton Subdivision: an abandoned neighborhood that was destroyed via eminent domain when they expanded the St. Louis airport. It was eerie seeing all the streets intact with lawns maintained by the city but with no houses or foundations left to be seen. - At a crucial bridge crossing, half the bridge was under construction, including the bike path. The only option would have been to bike along a busy highway with cars going 60+ or go dozens of miles out of my way. Logically, I decided to bike down the closed side of the bridge and smooth talk the construction crew into letting me pass, which they happily did. - In St. Charles they had a cafe catered specifically to bikers on the Katy Trail. Aside from relishing in the eclectic bike-themed decor, I got to chatting with Marty and Gary: a retired couple who fills their days with day-trips on their e-bikes hitting up as many breweries and wineries as they can along the way. It’s safe to say I have a new vision of retirement. - Further down the trail, a man named Jonny asked me if I knew of any good fishing spots as I passed him by. I didn’t have the information he was looking for, but we did end up chatting as we meandered down the Katy Trail for a bit. I was trying to console him as he shared how he was recently divorced and was weighing whether or not to move back to Texas to try and rekindle a relationship with his ex-wife. As I was about to head off, he asked if we could say a prayer together. We held hands as he voiced his prayer: asking for me a safe journey, and for him a big fish. - Missouri nature is absolutely gorgeous and I will speak no further on this matter. - Spent the night at the Marthasville Community Club: a set of baseball fields where they let campers set up. Lots of the small towns along the trail cater to bikers in a similar way, letting them camp in community spaces. It’s awesome to see how welcoming residents are in this way. Feel like I should’ve trained more as I was gassed by the end of day 1, but hopefully I become more conditioned as the days go on. Didn’t think anything could top my previous trip, but I already have stories and new acquaintances on day 1 which is promising. Excited to see what’s in store over the next few days!