Talking about our Trip

Peter loves to tell everyone about our trip.

He runs into the mini-marts to get ice and tells the clerks and the customers, the man fixing the coffee, innocent passers-by; etc.  "Hey- my wife and I are on a cross-country trip and just rode here on our bicycles from San Diego!"

The reactions have been varied.  We can always find people who think it's cool.  But not everyone does.  In the beginning of the trip, there were scoffers.  It was easy to see that they had been jaded by weekend athletes and bike clubs.  Also, there are those who take a look at us as if to say, "Huh.  Hope you have good medical insurance."  People thought we were nuts for trying to cross the desert in CA and Arizona.

When we reached Oklahoma, there were people who just stared and didn't say anything.  They could tell we weren't locals, of course, but it was almost as though they didn't really believe in California.  Like we could just as well have dropped off the moon. 

But there are also cyclists in OK.  They would stop when they drove past and ask if we needed water - and did I know that Peter was behind me walking his bike.  They wanted to know which route we had taken and where we were headed.  I got warned about loose dogs that were apt to chase bikes.  It's weird to be on a highway in traffic and suddenly have someone pull up and want to chat because they know you're not from the area.

Now we seem to be off the biking route.  People are not used to seeing bikes, and we haven't seen any riders on the road in a long time.  The roads are in good shape, but don't have much shoulder.  The drivers have to wait to pass us if another car is coming from the other direction.  We've been amazed at their patience and consideration.  We haven't gotten yelled at for awhile, which is great!

People we've talked to lately, if they're interested in the trip are amazed that we've come so far.  What we'll do when it's finished is starting to become a consideration.  Some people say they wish they could be in as "great shape" as we are; or that they could undertake such an adventure.  I've gotten more bold about telling people.  I've also gotten asked more, and it's easy to tell about the trip when somebody says, "Where are you riding from?"  It's fun to talk a few minutes with strangers and just see what people are like.


Every place we've been though, there have been mini-mart clerks that Peter has breathlessly gushed to about how far we've come and where we're going, only to have them blankly say, "The ice is over there."