Risky Business

One day, towards the end of our tour,
we got an email from one of our kids. 
In it, she described going for a six mile run. 
The sentence that caught my breath was,
"...I know it's not as impressive as what you and Dad are doing..." 
I had to pause. 
She measured herself against what we had undertaken -
and that was never anything we ever wanted.

Risk, for me, is doing something in the face of uncertainty and unknown outcomes. 
There are many kinds of risk, calculated, foolish,
personal, professional,
physical, financial and emotional. 
Waking up in the morning can be risky. 
For the men and women we observe today and yesterday -
they risked their lives for others.

Beginning or ending,
starting or stopping,
staying or going,
gaining or releasing,
pursuing or rejecting...
all can be risky business.

We traveled with a group of individuals who embraced risk -
and not the physical kind you might think. 
At the end of our tour, we were ask to present a closing statement. 
Each person, whether with humor or emotion told of their personal uncertainty,
their challenge, their unknown. 
Each person's was unique to themselves, their lives, their limitations and accomplishments. 
No one would dream to measure their own tale to the other. 

The fact is - they took a risk.

So does the soldier, firefighter or police officer
     who perform their daily job with potential threat.
So does the young couple when they
     buy their first home at a stab of permanence and stability.
So does the parent when a child is conceived.
So does that teacher when they walk into their classroom.
So does the family provider when the economy threatens.
So does that young man when he applies for yet another job.
So does that woman running her first 5K.

What we want for our children is to take their own risks.
Their own - not anyone else's.
It is from taking risks and succeeding, or more importantly - failing -
that we learn, and find happiness...
or at least risk finding it.

Biker Chick

On one side of the road - fifty or so motorcyclists. 

Leather wearing, beard blowing, beer for breakfast, grit goggled cyclists.

On the other side of the road - two tandem bicyclists.

Spandex wearing, head helmeted, V8 juice in hand, grit goggled cyclists.

Biker - You ride that thing?

Me - Yep.

Biker - Looks like hard work.

Me - It is.

Biker - Grunt of respect.

Yeah, that's right...I'm a biker chick.

Tasteful Endings - Book Break Two

The School of Essential Ingredients -
A Novel by Erica Bauermeister

A few years ago someone introduced me to a radical concept -
writing in books.
I know some would shriek - Shock, Horror -
but for those of us who cannot recall a chapter, or even a page,
writing, underlining, scribbling on the sides of pages,
on jacket flaps, covers,
and above the author's words themselves,
has not only been helpful to me,
it has opened doors.
(For those who may recall and question,
this is not the reason
I broke up with my library.)
So in my copy of "Essential Ingredients",
you would come across pencil stars, highlighted sunbeams,
and the occasional drawn ellipse around an entire paragraph.

The author provides so many opportunities for personal insight:

"...when you are honest about what you are doing, 

I find care and respect follow more easily."

"Marriage is a leap of faith. You are each other's safety net."

"People change.....'I think that's what we're both counting on.'"

"...there are many kinds of love and not all of them are obvious, 

that some wait, like presents in the back of the closet, until you are able to open them."

and my favorite:

"...worship at the altar of clarity..."

All these thoughts were seeds for conversations and contemplation.

The one that made me stop in my tracks was this:

"'C'est fini?' Lillian was touching her shoulder gently, a stack of 

used plates in her hand.

Helen raised her eyes to meet Lillian's.

'Oui,' she replied, her voice soft. 'Merci.'

And passed her plate to Lillian."

This is a farewell in it's most simple form. 
How many things in our lives have we had to finally relinquish?
Relationships, hurts, anger, ideals, hopes,
notions, events, and bad hairstyles.
Instead of holding on to those things, at the risk...well, of risk,
or change and the unknown - let go.
No gnashing of teeth, no pleading a deal, just elegance, grace,
and a tasteful release.
If only we could stack the things whose times have come,
pass them along, and be thankful for it.
Merci.

Book Break One - Introductions

I'm a slow reader.  Actually, I'm a very slow reader. 
I am also an eclectic reader. 
I read a variety of books,
fiction, nonfiction, historical novels, autobiographies,
books for smaller people.
I suffer from HTFI - (have to finish it),
so there are books that lay in wait
for me to complete that second half,
whether I like it or not,
or even last chapter before it goes on a shelf.

 








I buy books, from anywhere.
(I broke up with my local public library two years ago).
In fact, on our travels I found two used book shelves in the
Chamber of Commerce Gift Shop in Hooker, OK.
(Their prize T shirt states:  A LOCATION NOT A VOCATION...just to clarify).
On that trip I purchased three paperbacks.  Interest had me leave behind The Time Machine,
and weight had me deposit War and Remembrance.
The last remained - my sisters call it "a bathtub book",
and I've already forgotten the title.

My mother was fascinated by books.
Coffee table books were perfect Christmas gifts for her.
Like my mother, my house holds books in twos, fives, or twenties strewn all around.
Jeff has long ago given up the thought of having books live in shelves.
My books are like companions, they rest by a chair,
patiently waiting for my return;
they perch on a table,
hoping to be the next one to rest in my hands;
they lay by my side of the bed, knowing that
eventually
I will complete their tale.







  
Many stories I read always leave a piece of themselves with me.
The first portion of this blog's title is "Books".
The books I will write about here are important to me -
they've left me with a quote or a question.
This is not intended to be a book review - because - truthfully,
like everything else,
I'll only talk about the ones I liked enough to let settle in
my heart or head.

It's just me sharing, and maybe
starting a conversation.

Things aren't always what they seem...

Have you ever been sure of something or someone,
only to be proven sadly wrong, or happily right on the money?
Have you ever had to do a double take on something seen or heard?
Have you ever questioned your reasoning,
only to then have it be confirmed again a moment later?

Do you see what I see?

Oh good, I'm not alone.

(For the record...I think it looks like a giraffe.)

Me and My Shadow

It's taken weeks of dedication, but I have finally lost all my tan.  Okay, maybe not all, but I can go out in a bathing suit now without the tri-tone thighs.  I apply sunscreen on both sides of my body, instead of the one side that gets the sun throughout an entire day on the bike.

 One of the things I notice is the play of shadows now as both time of year and location have started to shift for us. 

On tour, shade was a rare commodity,
so our our shadows were small, close and tight.

Out east, our shadows loom long and dark, while out west - they were barely a mark on the pavement.

Now as I wander, once again on two feet instead of two wheels - my image is set. 
In Peter Pan, the Darling children are always losing their shadows,
Peter cries when his runs away, and Wendy knows how attach them. 
There are theories out there as to the meaning of those shadows - whether images of childhood innocence and fantasy or the premonition of pending adulthood and it's responsibilities. 
All I know, is when we're riding, we're flying...and for the moment - we won't grow up.

 

Landing

It has been exactly fifty six days since we have landed home from "tour".  But who's counting?
In this time Jeff and I have, as best we could, returned to our lives...
I won't even use the word "normal".
This transition has included family events and visits, large and small,
countless emails and meetings, fulfilling job obligations whether
new business - old business - or fix it business,
 and the feeble attempts to get back in the saddle, while resisting the pull of the "have to's".
We are exceptionally good at "shoulding" on ourselves.

We have been asked if we had fun on our trip.  
Honestly, I just don't know how to answer that.
I know this - I am so thankful to have done what I did,
have seen what I have, and met who I have.
Wise Tracy had mentioned a time or two, that the tour
changes people.
Sometimes it's an immediate change;
I no longer eat meat - thanks Dalhart, TX.
Sometimes it takes the passing of time to be able to discern
what changes have occurred.

I spend more times outdoors.  I have a choice of underwear and shoes.
Jeff can go in the lake. Jeff can go for his runs.
We have an endless supply of fresh vegetables.
We no longer have an automatic refill of Chamois Cream.
Our endurance is better.
Our family has access to us again.

However - at least once a week, one of us verbalizes what
we both have thought at least a couple times to ourselves...
it was easier on tour.
It has been exactly fifty six days
since we have landed home from "tour".
But who's counting?

Hindsight

Old habits are hard to break.
If you recall, it was required that all riders have some sort of rear view mirror, for safety of course.
True to all the other advice given by Wise Tracy, and her band of merry staff, this advice was sound and true.
I can no more imagine driving my car without rear view mirrors,
than I can now ride even our "short loop" without my tiny mirror.
I relied on that backward vision to keep us protected, and provide valuable information.
I no longer had to strain my neck in my imitation of an owl,
just to see if the sound I heard was a semi or a Subaru.
(It makes a difference - believe me.)
My mirror was attached to my biking sunglasses - close and personal vision.
My eyes would sweep from vista to rear view,
automatically and unconsciously, admiring and alerting.
That hindsight saved my neck, my anxiety, and perhaps my life.
It became a habit...a good one.

Yesterday, I was walking through a busy parking lot, trying to remember where I set my car.
(Yes, I am old, and am three-forgotten-moments short of tying a bow on my antenna for easy detection.  Only, they don't have those anymore.)
There are cars and pedestrians everywhere.
My eyes lift up and sweep left to see what perils await,
only to catch myself in the realization
that not only do I not have those specific glasses on,
I am walking...not riding.

The only person who realizes this is embarrassing is me.

And now you...go ahead, laugh.  I did.

Taming of the Lilies

 Wild flowers were everywhere along the roads and highways.  Even the most inhospitable desert climate allowed a flower or two to bloom against all odds. From California to Ohio, I would see the same types of wild flowers repeat themselves, by pairs or dozens, until another variety would work it's way into nature's seemingly eclectic pattern.

As we headed east and north, I saw old friends; Queen Anne's Lace, Spiderwort, and of course - Wood Lilies.  The lilies came slowly into the mosh mix. Three or four might be against a cattle wire, and I might have to wait for minutes, or hours, to pass another grouping.  Eventually, as we traveled, the weather became cooler, and woods became denser alongside our route.  The chaos of lilies erupted.
Wild things.
They stood in large crowds, angling themselves in every direction, taking heed on neither sun, nor civilization.
They were bold, and riotous, and bright.

As we moved our way further up the map, you could find places where people would have dug up a cluster of the lilies to encircle their mailbox, anchor a garden gnome, or dare to plant an independent circle of them.
They were contained, obedient, and solitary - even in their group.
You could turn away from those lilies, not take notice, or admire their particular spectacle.
They were there - that's all.

When entering New Hampshire, people loosened their grip.
I could see less and less of the constraint of these wildflowers.
They were released, and allowed to grow where they wished -
unencumbered, unrestrained, uninhibited.
Wild things.
Every "house and awhile", you might see a small grouping encouraged back into someone's property - not for submission, but with permission.
Much better - for me at least.
I know we live in the Live Free or Die state.
We kid about that, right?
Maybe we should Be Wild, at least every once in awhile, and Live.

 

My Simple Truths



From sea...

...to shining sea.

We've come to the end of this adventure.
I'd like to thank you for having hung in
and read these.
You have been a lifeline to me.
During the tough bits during the day,
I've thought about you, thinking of words
and events I would say that night.
If beauty or wonder came into my path
during the ride, I'd think about
how nice it would be to share it with you.
To you I complained and celebrated -
thank you for your ear.
This blog will continue even though
this journey has ended.
If you stick with me, I hope to have more adventures with you -
perhaps not as grand, but maybe interesting.

These are my simple truths, that have developed and consolidated as we pedaled...

Cows belong in fields and pastures.
Calves belong with their mothers.
We all need less "stuff" than we think we do.
Attitude is truly everything.
My tan lines will never be even again.
Support locally.
Most people are good.
The rest is as important as the work.
Sunday is a day of rest.
Trains are amazing.
This country is vast and varied.
There's a lot we can do for this country.
Home is where my family and friends are, even if we're miles apart.
We all need each other.
We are all stronger than we think we are.
And love...love and tandems, tandem love...
It takes one pedal stroke at a time to create one mighty ride together.


Pacific man

And finally - I am blessed.

Atlantic man

Ride across country?  Check!

You Gotta Have Friends

Today was unique.
It was our last long ride.
It was over 90 miles.
It had climbs (wait, unique?)
It was the beginning of the end.
Or maybe the end of a beginning.

Our friends from home Bob and Ginger arrived this morning so Bob could ride with us today. (He's a rock star.)
The ride with Bob, the conversations of happenings back home, were a great beginning reentry for us. When we get home, we get to be with all the people we have missed. We need those people...we have missed them.

The amazing thing is, we now have all the people we have shared this life with, whether we've met them just once, or shared days and days of meals, misery, mirth and miles.

At tonight's dinner we began the thank you's. We still have one last ride together. We will do it together. We need these people. We will miss them.

The Importance of Being Earnest

There have been articles upon articles regarding the correlation between riding a tandem and being in a relationship. On this trip we've met many riders who are intrigued with the tandem, but would not consider it as an option; too much to ask in a marriage.  Today, we might consider their hesitation as sound.

To ride a tandem, the key component is communication. Clearly we began this journey with a solid set of comunication skills in place. However, to be honest, each day offers another opportunity to work on those skills.

Are you buying this?

The truth is, we're always working on it.

We left New York as we continued our walk/bike across America. In Troy, they were tearing apart the ancient sections of roads in town. As we passed by old buildings that displayed faded, painted walls which told of selling crackers for 5 cents, or textiles warehouses which were ghosts of fabrics past, we had to dismount and walk ourselves and the bike. There's a lot that happens prior the dismount.

The communication begins way before the walking, with me reading the cue sheet, passing along the information I had written from the previous night, and sharing whats going on behind us.
In the meantime, Jeff is assessing the conditions ahead of us, and determining if what I'm suggesting is even possible. Simultaneously, traffic is presenting it's own moment by moment challenge.

We got through that bit, just to enter a dark, bumpy tunnel, where we had to do the same thing.  Cars and trucks are whizzing by, decisions have to be "splitly" executed, and don't forget to look and appreciate the scenery.

Tension can be high.

There have been bits and pieces of the ride when silence was the better option.
This is fun?

But the brilliant part is, after some time, the conversation starts again, and the bridge of communication has another link in it.
We have to be clear and honest in these exchanges, because the next day we have to get back in the saddle and problem solve all day together...again.
We've been building this bridge for a very long time.
It is the most important, and sometimes the hardest work is -
to be earnest in tandem.

Bennington Monument...ask Jeff for a fun fact when you see him

Tracy said, "Look up"' so I did.  Big...huge...

signs of the rebuilding after last year's devastating floods all over ...

Green mountain state indeed.

No - I didn't jump ship...just thought about it...

See?  Still married...happy...and a little tuckered out after a 7 mile climb...

Plans

All of the riders have begun to shift into our real worlds. I have started my To Do list, Jeff has officially started cleaning out emails, and everyone has started making plans.
Our friend, Tony - from the UK, has given us some good strategies for our "rehabilitation". These are his words of wisdom:

It is not normal to sleep in the same room as your bike. For the first week try every other night to break the habit.

Most people do not rub white cream into their backside every morning before breakfast, no matter how pleasurable it has become to you, you need to stop. Find other pleasures in life.

When you get up in the night to pee you do not have to squeeze your tyres before and after you go.

You should continue to sit down at 5.45 each evening to preview the next day however you should have a beer, glass of wine or cocktail with you. This is a good habit.

If you get nostalgic for some of those hotel breakfasts then overcook some scrambled eggs put them in the fridge for a few days and then eat them at room temperature. You are cured!

You should email family and friends before you return and send them an example route sheet so that they can prepare some for you, so that you can get to their houses and the local store easily.

You do not need an energy bar and some energy gu just to get to the end of the street.

Watch out for my forthcoming book "One thousand ways to use a ziplock bag".

Finally, a recent study issued from the Panhandle University of Oklahoma reports that there are long term mental affects from the use of Gatorade. The report says anyone who has taken significant amounts of Gatorade on a daily basis for more than thirty days is highly likely to do crazy things for the rest of their lives. You have been warned!

I will miss him terribly...

The Mohawk River...so much history I now want to read...so little time

Beginning to feel like home...

The one bit of blue sky we saw today...

Tony tucking into "lunch"...

(CR alums...there are more that I'm sure you can think of.  We are compiling a list.  You are welcome to add to it - just send 'em along.)

Is Just a Number

Tut, tut, it looks like rain...

0 78 85 101 115 59 43 48 0 92 88 68 76 66 0 72 108 96 72 39 83 86 63 62 0 106 85 86 76 74 87 0 78 48 83 104 97 93 89 0 78 94 68 78 71 76 91 18
48 54 55 56 58 59 60 62 64 65 69 70...
360
5:00 5:45 8:00 8:30
6-10
45
These are just numbers. It doesn't really matter what they represent.
What matters is they are just that - numbers.
They do not define our limitations.
They do not define our expectations.
They do not define our abilities.
They do not define our success.
They do not define our failures.
They are just numbers.

People have asked whether our emotions are happy, sad, or mixed with the end of this journey straight ahead.

Ask us again in a couple of months.
We have a few numbers ahead of us, and we have our eye on the prize.

...and it did...

Cute, right?

Really, cute...