What I think about when I'm not In The Moment...

If you want to read about our actual trip, and Kansas...just skip down to the next post. If you have nothing better to do and want to hear about the Calendar Boys and Foods of the Midwest, Continue on. First the Calendar Boys. There are only 3 so far. I had about 7 hrs. today to write their Bio's. We'll start with Simon. Simon is a blonde haired, blue eyed 18yr. old from Geneva, Switzerland. After graduating from High School this year he boarded a cargo ship, with his bike, to America and started on his "Big Trip" from NY to SF and then on up through Canada. He was a little scruffy by the time we met up with him, probably due in large part to the fact that this is his last chance to have long hair and an unshaven face. When he returns to Geneva he will be taking over his family's watch business and attending University.
Next up; Cole- Cole has dark, curly hair and a goatee type thing going on. His age is unknown but he appears to be about 20-25 yrs. old. He looks like an Italian soccer star but actually hails from Pennsylvania where he works as a carpenter restoring historic homes while studying Sociology at the university there. He plans to continue working as a carpenter but just "enjoys the study". In his spare time he volunteers with underprivleged children. This trip was funded by one of two scholorships he received for this past year. He decided to ride across country to "get away from my life for a bit", having just broken up with his girlfriend of 5 yrs. because she was "spending all her time modeling for Parisian fasion magazines."
Josh- Aka The Happy Puppy. Josh insists that he is "old" but in both appearances and vocabulary he gives the impression of being about 25 or 26yrs. old. His family is from Oklahoma, he grew up in a small town in New Mexico, and he now resides in Salt Lake City. He has no siblings. He recently received his PhD in Molecular Biology but is currently working at REI until he figures out what to do in his field, which he finds "emotionally unfulfilling" (which I interpreted as meaning "No hot chicks").
He volunteers with the Special Olympics in his free time, and dreams of marrying a Nuclear Physicist.
That's all I have so far...I'll keep you posted.
We are now halfway through our trip, and in most respects it has been wonderful and eye opening. Both more challenging and more rewarding than we ever expected. We have really tried to mix things up, break up the monotony where ever it lurks, and remain open minded...so it is with great sadness that I have to admit that, because of this trip, I can no longer stand milkshakes. I will not be sad if I never see another milkshake as long as I live. The same goes for french fries, but that isn't as bad because I never really liked french fries to begin with...but Milkshakes were always very special. I can probably choke down cheese/avo/tomato sandwiches for about 2 more weeks, same with PB&J (some farmer in one of the feed stores told me about adding mustard to the PB&J and that has helped somewhat), but even those staples are quickly losing favor. We ran out of fuel and haven't yet found a store that carries the type we need (probably in Hutchinson though) so we have been eating in Tanning Salons mostly. I am beginning to look longingly at the Beef Jerky isle in the grocery stores. I think it started with some Free Range, No Hormone beef jerky that I bought back in Utah at the hippy health food store. Then we passed a little Homemade Jerky shop a few weeks later and I bought some beef, buffalo, and elk jerky (Gracias Carne x 10). I haven't yet succumbed to the grocery store, nitrite rich, beef jerky that comes in a plastic bag with no expiration date on it because I know it is a slippery slope and before I know it I could find myself at the cash register of a Texaco somewhere, with a SlimJim in my hand.
After this trip is over I will never be able to eat another Clif Bar.
And lastly, my never before seen grocery item. Spotted in the refrigerator section of the grocery store in Eades.....Hard boiled, peeled eggs...ready to eat, in a water filled plastic pouch!!!
That's it for today, from Djina's "Gourmet Korner".