Peter and Karen are not on the same ride!

KAREN'S RIDING.  Karen rides down the road in complete control; usually barely breaking a sweat. Her riding clothing remains generally tidy.  She gets a spot of grease on her right leg every day, but this is due to the design of her bike rather than because of her riding style.  She has ridden her bicycle every single inch of this cross-country trip.  She has continued to pedal up even the steepest grades- never walking her bicycle even once!  She has not had a single flat tire. Karen sees everything in the landscape both near and far and can spot a penny on the ground while  hurtling down a grade at 30 miles and hour. She makes friends with all the animals we see that are still alive. People who talk to Karen tell her how fit she looks.Were this ride a Hollywood movie, her underscore music would be the theme from Rocky.

PETER'S RIDING. Peter rides down the road looking to all observers like he is either recovering from a fall or is about to have one.  He sweats profusely and generally looks rumpled.  There is usually bodily substances streaming from his ears, eyes, mouth, armpits, and his nose.  Peter pushes his bike up hills to keep his knees from exploding.  Peter has had so many flat tires he has lost track of exactly how many.   In Oklahoma (not his favorite state on the trip)  he had three flat tires in the same day... two of them occurring only 10 minutes apart in front of a stinky stockyard full of cows.  Peter has had a good day if he notices the cows by the side of the road and sees that the sky is blue. Peter runs over dead animals in the road because his attention wanders. People who talk to Peter usually want to know if he is ok or does he need help? Were Peter's ride in a Hollywood film, the music would be that frantic song they play at the circus when 12 clowns get out of a little tiny car.