It was enlightened self-interest that made me help the drunk guy figure out how to retrieve his e-mail.
We woke up late, had breakfast, did laundry and read by the pool while the boys watched TV, alternating every 20 min. between cartoons (for Solomon) and baseball, court tv, or the Tour (for Yonah). Matt rode to the grocery store nearby and bought all kinds of lunch fixin's. Ana and Pedro arrived around noon with their kids, Samuel and Sophia. We had lunch by the pool and swam and caught up with each other's lives. They had driven 2 hrs. from their home near Boulder. Ana made us two huge bags of these amazing oatmeal/chocolate bars!!! She knew I would be jonesing for organic, whole grain, tasty treasures. They tasted better than anything I've had since Annalisa's Orange Rolls! I tried to convince them to move back to the Bay Area but they are too settled in Colorado now. Sofia was so cute, she went to the bathroom in our hotel room and then told Ana she wanted to "see the rest of the house". So, I offered to show her our laundry room, my office where I work on the computer, our gym room, and the lobby where we eat breakfast. She was more impressed with the bikes and how everything goes in the bags. Samuel and Solomon played in the pool until their lips turned blue and Yonah ate, and ate, and ate. Just as they were leaving it started to rain and lightening, and then just poured! I took a nap and the boys watched a Harry Potter movie on TV. The we had dinner out by the pool with the left over food from lunch, and packed up our stuff for an early getaway tomorrow.
Tomorrow we start a new leg of our journey...flat, wet, humid....tornados? Whatever, we are ready. We start a new map tomorrow and will no longer be on the Western Express bike route, but on the TransAmerica bike route. We actually lived in Milwaukee for two years so we do have some familiarity with the Midwest weather patterns.
As soon as we come to an open post office
I'm
going to mail the CD of our pictures
from Panguitch to Telluride, to Ken and he will post them on the website.
That's it from Colorado. Next blog won't be until Kansas probably. Tomorrow we go to Sugar City...or something like that...I'll have to ask Yonah. I just know that it will be flat, hot, and about 60 miles...with scattered showers.
Love,
Djina
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8 comments:
so djina,
I just had to fill you in - I tried out our City Car Share deal and it was smooth as silk. I booked a car the day it was 108 degrees here, then the kids and I took the train and BART, picked up our cute little Prius at MLK and Allston and parked randomly all over Berkeley just because we could. One of our parking spots was at a store to buy sweaters because it was 60 degrees and we were mentally and physically unprepared.
I recommend cooking pots on your head if the hailstones get bigger than tennis balls. Daniel regrets that Solly can't make his birthday party.
Love,
Ruth
It was good to read about dear Solomons perspective. I think what you got here is an ice cream eating, cartoon watching,zoologist in the making. As for Yonah..I think he is going to be the President..right now that's not much of an aspiration, I know as parents you would want better for him, but he will change all that.
From the many times I have crossed this country from west to east and in reverse by plane, by train, by
VW bus (I kid you not) and in a pink and black rambler. The only really good thing about the rambler was that it could be turned into a bed if necessary. But I remember understanding the vastness of this country..and the inherent beauty of it. Particularly if you don't travel on main highways..if you do that, you feel like you never ever leave home--its like you are riding on a treadmill..It all looks the same..You can'teven know if your not in Kansas anymore...btw, if you pass Chanute, Kansas, wave hello..I spent a week there shooting a coca-cola commercial..but still the western terrain, a big portion of which you have just passed is perhaps the most magnificent landscape we have..not diminishing the other natural wonders of this land..and you are passing through many of them. Those skanky hotels are part of that landscape (just think you coulda gone by way of Texas!) and offer a cultural richness which is hard to beat. Especially between the hours of 11:30 p.m and 1 AM..How could you even have been up that long? But that seems to be when you get to see whole new vistas of natural beauty..I think of your night ride, and then the hotel where you got to see the other great part of the culture..teenagers without a clue, drunks and assorted police cars. It doesn't get better than that. You were so wise to give the drunk instructions..to get him
on his way before he lost his train of thought..maybe he already had. Can i track your journey using the map you mentioned in your blog. I have a general idea..but not a perfect one..I will get on this. Also a friend of mine in Sandy Utah, said she was glad you had passed through, that there were severe wind storms causing serious fires everywhere..probably won't hear from you for a few days.. I have emailed mostly everyone on my email list to sign the petition and I have been getting a great response..I should top out at about 100..small potatos but if everyone does that..you got a farm.
Love you guys. Ant-y Vette
If after a long day of riding, you arrive in a place with no camping facilities nor decent motels, try this. Find a church, preferably with the pastor or priest living nearby. Ask the reverend or rabbi if you can shower and camp on the church grounds. Chances are that you'll sleep clean and refreshed indoors. This approach worked for us the few times we had to use it on our cross-country ride a couple decades ago.
Hello Ariels. Was checking to see when you expect to be in Hutchinson Kansas, to see if we can arrange a brief interview and photo. Has anyone in this area contacted you to speak or spend some time? because meeting you there would be preferred. I left a message on your cell phone voice mail. You can email me at jgreen@hutchnews.com, or call 1-800-694-5766 or direct (620) 694-5766. Your blog has been awesome.
Regards and look forward to hearing from you. John Green
I have been following your blog since I saw it on the news. I have been looking it up with my kids & we have been tracking your progress across the country. I thought I'd share my favorite websites for others who would like to track your progress also. There are maps & also aerial photos so you can see the terrain.
local.live.com
maps.google.com
www.mapquest.com
John Green, got your message. We will be in Hutchinson on the 15th of July and would LOVE to meet with you. It must be a great town because we have gotten lots of great e-mail, and offers of meals and showers, from the citizens of Hutchinson!
We can figure out where and when as the day approaches.
Djina
Hi Djina-
This is Jill from Sacramento again. I think the idea of finding a church or synagogue when you don't have a place to stay is a good idea. Especially the synagogue. While I doubt they would allow you to camp on the grounds of the Church or synagogue, they might be able to find a family who would be willling to either put you up, or let you camp in their backyard, and use their facilities. Just a thought. Also, if you go to a big enough city, you might look for a JCC. If you are in Kansas and go through Kansas City, they might have a JCC. Shabbat Shalom (a little early)
B'Shalom,
Jill in Sacramento
Hello Djina and guys,
We must seem VERY far away right now, but anyhow several of us back in the land of Ob/Gyn are following your blog with great interest. Everyone is highly impressed with what you're doing; we discuss and laugh and are amazed. What a great family journey.
Take care, be well, ride on!
Love, Linda J.
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