Fun Stuff

So, I’ve been writing a lot about my daily routine, but there’s some other stuff I thought I’d share with you about my day-to-day experience.

1. I’ve been doing a lot of biking, but I’ve also been doing a lot of eating. We burn 3500-4000 calories each day we ride, on top of the 1500-2000 we spend just breathing and thinking. So that takes a lot more consumption. I’ve lost about 15 pounds, despite eating more than I’ve ever eaten, aside from Wocks trips to Wes’s. Heck, we all eat a lot, leading to these alternate titles:

-Bike & Binge
-Bike & Bulimia
-Bike & Filled
-Bike & Blah
-Bike & Killed
-Bike & Barf
-Bike & Burp

2. I’ve also been playing a lot of music. Almost every night I pull out the ol’ geetar (Ah, if this ol’ geetar could talk… ‘Duh.’) and play for at least a half-hour. My finger pickin’s getting stronger, as well as my knowledge of the Beatles songbook (thanks for “I Will,” Bronwyn) and my ability to play bedtime music for sleepy riders. Turns out it’s easy to put people to sleep with an acoustic guitar when they’ve just come 92 miles by bike.

And almost every church we stay in has at least one piano (more like three…) so I’ve been getting in my required piano time. And I’ve been playing a lot more original stuff, since I don’t have my Real Book (sheet music). I’m thinking I’ll start recording some of them, as an alternate way to remember the trip.

It’s cool that an experience that I thought would be detrimental to my musicianship has actually been both inspiring and good for my technique.

3. I’ve been to three driving ranges en route, in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. Turns out the stiff plates in the bottom of bike shoes also make them really good golf shoes. My stroke’s back, and I can hit 250+ yard drives now.

Tiger, watch out. You too, Dad.

4. The post-college “what am I gonna do with my life?!?!?” anxiety wasn’t really there too intensely post-Brown, but it certainly occupied a corner of my mind. It’s lessened considerably over the last month (this is our TWENTY-SEVENTH DAY together!) because I’ve seen such happy, generous, caring people in small communities living such respectable, ordinary lives across this country. The whole “I need to end up in New York with a career” train of thought suddenly seems quaint, or at least panicky. I’ll be happy somewhere, doing something cool, somehow. Could be Charlotte, NC. Could be Wellsboro, PA. Could be Seattle.

5. My Vermont-instilled belief that peeing outside is rewarding and enjoyable has been strengthened. As noted by all of my fellow riders, cornfields make great pee-stops. Also, roadside shrubbery, but it’s not nearly as fun.

6. State signs make for fun pictures. Thus far, poses have included:

-Thrusting bikes victoriously in the air, partially obscuring the state name itself
-Flexing arms, legs, and grimacing
-Spelling out state names YMCA-style
-Climbing up supporting poles like monkeys
-Climbing up onto the TOP of the state sign and laying out like a pin-up
-Mooning oncoming traffic, narrowly avoiding indecent exposure charges
-And, of course, grinning like an idiot because you’ve just ridden through 7 states, more than 1300 miles, on a bike.

*Note: I have participated in some, but NOT ALL, of the aforementioned actions. I promise.

7. Everyone in America knows how to make Pasta Salad. Variations include: color of mayonnaise. Temperature of salad. Red peppers. Type of pasta used.

8. The most offensive thing to do to a biker riding across the country is to honk from 20’ back, drive by three inches from their handlebars at 65 mph, holler something about “nice shorts!,” and flick them off immediately after tossing an empty cigarette pack in their general direction. Bonus points for revving the engine as you accelerate into the distance. Bonus points for narrowly avoiding oncoming traffic as the driver swerves to investigate the resulting withering look.

9. The most satisfying way to respond to the gesture mentioned in item 8 is to smile, wave, and loudly thank the offending motorist as they disappear over the hill you’ve been climbing for 14 minutes. Trust me.

10. Declan/Maya/Nan/Bevin/everyone: there is NO SUCH THING as bulletproof tires, but the ones I bought are nearly puncture-proof. I hope. And there are 30 riders in the group, now that Derrick's back. My brain's not in a blender, and I can't wait to see you guys!

11. More to come, and more pictures. I’m out of stuff to talk about for the moment. Tomorrow’s the fourth of July, though, and promises to hold many hysterical games and escapades. Huzzah, and Happy Independence Day!