Thursday, May 21, 2009 - Warm with clouds then sun, started with a 10mph headwind from the W changing to a N cross wind and finally a nice NE tailwind.
- Start: Marshalltown
- ATW: Lamoille, State Center, Colo, Nevada, Ames, Boone,
- End: Ogden
- Day Miles: 81.1 Ride Time: about 9hrs Total Trip Miles: 1255
Outside of Ames we were doing our usual slow pedal routine up a hill when I caught a glimpse of cyclists coming up behind us. Closer and closer the came and eventually I was able to yell over my should to say hello. In the middle of Iowa on a Thursday afternoon we met Bruce and his wife Carol out for a shakedown run. Bruce and his son Ryan were setting out in a few days for their own tour. We talked on the side of the road exchanging advice, sharing stories and enjoying the day.
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/ktnxbai - Bruce's site
Most drivers passed around us peacefully but one young guy in a beat up old jalopy that was spewing out toxic gas leaned out the passenger window and yelled back something about not having common sense.
I'm sure most people would agree... why would someone ride a bike in the rain, the cold, the wind? Why sit on a bike seat all day perfecting the atomic wedgie while getting toasted through layers of sun screen. Why ride on roads with no berms while cars whizz by at 60mph? Why push yourself to climb hill after hill only to keep climbing more? Why would you choose to be lunch for dogs that owners don't bother to contain? And why in the world would you want to cross the country by bicycle taking months to do it while a plane would get you there in a few hours or a car in a few days? To a lot of people common sense may not have anything to do with riding a bicycle in the U.S.A. (United States of Automobiles), but I doubt that will stop any of us.
