Hi all!
Today I (Anna) was the driver, and I thought I’d give you an idea of what it is like to do that - it’s more stressful that you’d think :)
Wake up. Find coffee. Try to find car keys. Give up. Shower. Find car keys. Clean & pack the cooler. Feel awed by the amount of yummy food we get to eat today (thank you Moira!!). Listen to the bikers decide their route today. Say bye to the bikers. Feel like I’m in a rainforest because of the 95% humidity in Kansas today. Say hi to Cole again (a flat). Watch Cole fix his bike while sitting inside sipping coffee. Text hosts for tonight our ETA. Decide where to meet the bikers for their first stop. Munch on Eggo waffles (whole grain, my favorite!) while doing the house sweep for forgotten items. Chug more coffee. Say thank you to our awesome hosts in Kansas City! Hop in the car. Adjust seat and mirrors (Sean & Maceo are like 2 feet taller than me). Gas up car. Roll the windows down, turn the radio on, start driving for real. Say goodbye to Kansas. Hey, Missouri!! Arrive at McDonalds. Buy coffee. Sit on the lawn next to the highway awaiting the bikers. Sip more coffee. Get nervous that I’m in the wrong place. Worry that one of them has a flat or boinked. Check the locations of the bikers. Relax a bit.
Bikers arrive! Drive to a nearby bike store (that’s a rare luxury!) to grab parts to fix Cole’s bike. Almost lose Asia’s bike from the bike rack... eeep. Duct tape Asia’s bike onto the rack. Tighten bike rack. Give it a stern talking to. Snack on fresh veggies while Cole fixes his bike even more.
Off I go! Windows down. Kingsville, Missouri here I come! Find & Resupply Maceo at a park in Kingsville.
Off I go to our home for the night! Say hi to our hosts. Watch a mini rocket launch (from our host, Jeff)!
Sean Bikes Ahead of Maceo on a Dirt Path