After living out of a very small backpack for 2+ months, being back home to a full closet of clothes has surprisingly changed my choice in dress very little. I seem to still be wearing the same 3 pair of shorts and 5 t-shirts I had packed for the road. Having a TV at my finger tips has also not changed my viewing habits from the road. Rarely have I turned on my TV. Returning to all the warm welcomes from friends and co-workers has been cool. All are happy I made it back in one piece, as am I. I encountered some very intense situations with weather and the road that had my inner voice screaming at me to pack it up and head home....If I made it through. I even contemplated bagging the West coast portion of my ride to hang in a safe and warm environment with friends. I'm supremely lucky a wise gypsy soul came to my aid, which gave me the gift of strength to push on and finish what I started. This should be a goal of everyone. Finish what you start.
Being home, hanging with friends and my 2 dogs has been heart warming. Having the MIOCA.org being my partner for this ride was instrumental, and now I look to support them and all their work in other avenues off the bike. I'll be shaking up my life again here in the near future, but for now I'm happy and still at peace.
A man far wiser than I said "We can't help everybody, but everybody can help somebody". Help somebody. Another man far wiser than me said "Tomorrow is a promise to no one". Do something to help someone now, as tomorrow may never come. Finish what you start.
With that I give you my - Awards from the road:
Worst Roads Award - I'm sorry California, you win. While Michigan roads are terrible, your drivers, patchy construction and grooved pavement take the cake. While lane splitting is legal in CA, and I did it, I prefer to stay off the white lines and out of traffic.
The Dalmatian Award - Dinosaur Colorado. This award is being given due to the freshly paved blacktop and all the unidentified white splotches on the road. Little did I know they were Prairie Dog splotches. You see, these little creatures are cannibals (or so I was told) and when one unlucky Prairie Dog meets his maker by way of a car tire, the others come out for dinner. As is the circle of life, those Prairie Dogs also often meet car tires of their very own.
The Best Road to Ride Award - The Blue Ridge Parkway. I'm almost sorry I had the chance to ride this road. It shows me what I have been missing all the years I've been riding. I shall return.
Most Talented Riders Award - The Lonestar BMW Riders club. These boys and girls were tough cookies to keep up with and I'm thankful their anchorman had a gracious soul. Thanks for keeping me on the road Chris!
Most Beautiful City Award - Salt Lake City. This was a tough one, as so many cities had so many wonderful attributes. Super nice people too, even if they were looking to convert me to the LDS lifestyle.
The City Most in Need of Liquor Regulations Award - Kayenta AZ. I was in this town twice for a total of maybe 15 minute. Both times I could smell the firewater in the air, and on it's residents breath.
The City Most in Need of Liquor De-regulation Award - Salt Lake City UT. Any beer poured out of a tap is 3.2 ABV, and you can't buy kegs. 3.2 beer is a good way to get fat minus the buzz. Personally, I'll stick with Taco Bell for my extra calories.
The Arch Nemesis Award - My Garmin Nuvi GPS. This little bugger got me to where I was going, but it calculated an estimated time of arrival. At first calc, it could be disheartening. Even more disheartening was how the time increased as I stopped for gas or water. Somehow a 5 minute water stop added 15 minutes to my arrival time, every time. I chose to just shut up and ride.
Worst Weather Award - Texas. Between Denton and Graham. This one surprised me as Texas is normally pretty dry in the Summer, it soaked me good and added some nice hail to spice it up. Even padded up it felt like I was getting hit with 12 gauge buckshot.
The Paintball Award - Texas. A double winner as a state. After getting drenched from Denton to Graham, I had the pleasure of riding through a huge swarm of grasshoppers (maybe locust?) somewhere outside of Haskell TX. My machine, windscreen and helmet became so covered in grasshopper parts, I couldn't see without pulling over to scrap them off. This prompted a stop in the next 'real town' for a bike and gear wash. It required $6 in quarters to clear a majority of the guts from the bike and I.
Worst Road Food Award - Tie (Gas station food/Hooters) If you're eating food prepared at a gas station or Hooters, you better be packing toilet paper and be ready to use it.
Best Road Food Award - Anything not served in a gas station or Hooters.
Best Bathroom Award - Any Laundry Mat. Strange I know, but these place always had top notch crappers. Honorable Mention goes to Buc-ee's Truck Stops. Not that I stopped at one but plenty of other people spoke Buc-ee's praises for having bathrooms cleaner then the ones in their own homes.
Worst Bathroom Award - Hooters.
Best Sunset Award - Tie - All.
Best Sunrise Award - Tie - All.
I've been struggling with writing this last blog, because the Ovarian Cancer fight continues for so many while my eye opening ride has concluded. September is Ovarian Cancer Month but I know women continue to fight year round with their friends and family members walking beside them in the battle.
I have passed this effort onto others I met and rode with along the way. I have asked for donations to the Michigan Ovarian Cancer Alliance (If you haven't yet, do it) Tell them Matt and Wendy sent you.
Time to ask one more favor:
Share the blog or Facebook page with your friends and family - Ask them to like the https://www.facebook.com/TheRideforAwareness
If you didn't like the blog or the page, share it with your enemies (ala' David Lee Roth).
Any day you see a sunset is a good day. You made it, you win.
Any day you see a sunrise is a good day. You made it, you win.
Everyday you wake up, you made it, you win.
Cheers
