Lessons From the Road (By Jessica and Dad)

Here we are nestled in the winding roads of Norther Kentucky. We can almost taste the Skyline Chili and Graeter's. My mom came and met us here and has been questioning us constantly as she fills in her crossword puzzle. Life goes on. This is not the last post, but we are getting there. As a matter of reflection we have compiled a list of some of the expected and unexpected lessons:

1. Do not pass a bike at a railroad track. We need to cross tracks at a right angle to avoid getting dragged into the crevice by the rails. So we need room to angle the bike properly.
- One rainy day riding through Owensboro, KY, we felt the danger of not hitting it at a direct 90 degree angle. We remained upright, but thoroughly shaken up. Now when approaching railroad tracks, Jessica often chimes in with “perpendicular dad!”
2. Do not be upset when a bike rides in the road even when there is an asphalt berm. Why do we do that? Many roads are flanked by rumble strips and those are hard to navigate on a bike. Also, many berms are strewn with debris, including glass.
3. The best way to get someone talking is to compliment the area they live in. We found that the second we mentioned how beautiful it was around us, people lit up.
4. Following up on number 3, the majority of people love their home. We met only a handful of people who would rather be somewhere else.
5. Giving up biscuits does not automatically lower blood pressure.
6. Honking at us scares us, even friendly honks. If you want to make it friendly, do a light tap or roll down your window and talk to us.
- Today while biking through Alexandria, a young man yelled to us from his car, “I love biking. It is so cool. I love your bike!”
- Or, the other day while riding on an empty road in Indiana, a man rolled up next to us and drove alongside asking us questions. He invited us to go up the road for a bite to eat at his place, but unfortunately we had just eaten.
7. Everyone has a riding lawnmower.
8. Roadkill smells the same in every state (Turtles are the grossest roadkill).
9. Adults who walk or bike generally have had their license suspended.
10. Wal-Mart has destroyed most of the downtowns in the South.
11. A high class motel is one with a sink outside the shower room.
12. When giving directions it is not helpful to start with, “Do you know where the McDonald’s is?” If we say no the next question is normally, “Do you know where the Sonic is?”
13. Everything tastes like chicken when it’s fried (even alligator and frog legs).
14. Bring a master link (or two) on a bike tour… it may come in handy if your chain breaks once (or twice).
15. Tandem bike riding is actually fun.
- You never have to wait for the other person to catch up
- You don’t have to talk all the time (especially when riding uphill), but you have the option
- When you get tired of talking and silence, you can use an ipod splitter and enjoy tunes and books simultaneously