May 18, 2010- Catch Up Lists
I’m rather behind in posting. Perhaps you’ll understand. I’ve decided to include here my notes for missing days in attempt to catch up to where we are tonight in Tupelo, Mississippi, birthplace of Elvis and home of Bicycle Pacelines and hospitable southern gentlemen like Steve Carter. I do intend to write relevant posts based on these notes later.
Everywhere we go, we’re talking with people about our aim to promote family engagement, health, and environmental mindfulness. While people seem to be interested in our message, they’re also especially interested in our story, and they generously reciprocate with stories of their own. After four weeks on the road, I feel like through the slow, gentle pulse to the telling and the living of these stories, a new landscape–one mingling our shared journeys–is emerging. The stories and the people are more vibrant and seem more extensively connected from our  800+ miles of bicycle travel. My hope is to share some of this unfolding topography  this with you.
May 9, 2010
- Terry and Linda teach parenthood extend graciousness
- Mother’s day Brunch-boats, music, and vodka
- Sidewalk stress- unrelated to vodka
- Alligator Alley
- Sculpture for Barbie at Beef O’Brady’s
- Doug Bean the Good Samaritan
- Presbyterian Campground
May 10
- Doug Bean rocks
- Preschool- Jane misses friends, crafts and structure
- Dillon and Jeff breakfast, dishes, marketing discussion
- Construction of skirt for Barbie: notebook paper, glue, markers, sprinkles
- Ride, tired Brady
- Lunch behind Tom Thumb under small live oak, tired Brady
- Quick! To Bay Minette for new flag and fast flip flops
- Gas station meeting of Lori and Trampas
- Red Doors and Mason, a young southern gentleman
- New house, new start
- Stu eats three bbq sandwiches and two other dinners
- Visiting, stories, and a guitar lesson
May 11, 2010
- Big breakfast
- Pack, Drive, Drop, Cry
- Lunch warnings
- Ride attempt fails: Kate senses danger, halts progress
- Driveway
- Cold Drinks with boys digging a hole to China
- Lori and Taylor, rescuers
- Dairy Bar in Coffeeville
- “I can’t wait to read the blogâ€
- Camp set up
- Goodbye again
May 12, 2010
- Last of the oatmeal
- Poop and green flies
- 10 miles to town, bad road, Burly breakage
- Picnic, friendly assembly
- JP, super mechanic/gentle spirit
- Hills
- Ezell’s- MaryAnn, Janice, Sherry, Kim and friend, Bronco’s been married 51 years.
- TomBiggby River camping with moose
May 13 Thursday
- River
- MaryAnn’s swimming tub
- Hot
- Rest
- Hot
- Linden
- The Whistle Stop Café
- Kevin the hospitable team roper
- Tea Failure
- News is depressing
May 14, 2010
- Left Kevin’s, no cleaning allowed
- Grocery Store
- Vote Demos Jones for 5th district Commissioner, Coatopa, AL!
- Epes and the lady in the red dress at her mailbox
- Epes store, Bonnie and Andre, friendly hosts.
- Kate cooks a semi-real meal
- The Sandlot and The Great Fear
May 15, 2010
- Highlight of the ride: stopping to throw rocks at a Bud Light can
- Aliceville’s Bermuda Triangle and meeting new friends, Sarah and Phil
- Storms
- The organic farm at Starkville
- Blackberry shortcakes
May 16, 2010
- Resting
- Farm tour
- Arts and Crafts
- Sarah sews Barbi a real skirt!
- Kate prepares large Indian feast
- House edits
- Storms
May 17, 2010
- Pheba One Stop and Bobbie McKee
- The Natchez Trace
- Matthew the philosopher biker
- Witch Dance
- Headaches
- The Great Fear in a Hole with a frog
- Seeds
May 18, 2010
- 2 a.m. storm
- Crunchy coffee
- Pilot/ Potty training mayhem
- Ladies on Spokes
- First emergency fast food devoured
- Bike store Brian
- Tour de Tupelo with Steve
- Dragging Stu from hardware store
- Johnnie Burgers
- Second dinner
- Beds are for sleeping in, not for jumping on.