Tuesday, April 7, 2009

The Last of the Lists, but not the last of the Blog

Lessons Learned

· You are not as strong as you think, but that is okay.

· You do not need all that stuff… it is amazing just how few articles of clothing are needed when the weather gets better. Oh yeah, that peanut butter jar?

· Never ever declare an “easy” day in advance. Still learning that one.

· When riding in the rain and a loaded livestock truck pulls up next to you, close your mouth.

· Some stereotypes are largely valid.

· If you ask a waitress about a menu item and she tells you, “only one other person has ordered it, but we have had no complaints”, don’t be adventurous, go with the cheeseburger.

· Even though people in the South wear a lot of camouflage, if you really concentrate, you will find you can still see them.

· Don’t mess with the RV Park “lifers” or their rules – they are serious about the coffee fund.

· If you win a free trip to El Paso, just El Paso! Trust us on that one.

· You are not as fast as you think, but that too is okay.

· If you are going to make eye contact with strangers, have something to say. In addition, have an “out” from the conversation, like, “my bike is on fire, gotta go”.

· Mental toughness trumps physical toughness – always.

· Climbing hills dragging 50 pounds of stuff, feels just like climbing hills with 50 pounds of stuff.

· Convenience Stores in the boonies are Necessity Stores – not just convenient, they are often “IT” for dozens of miles. Makes the canned Thai Pepper Flavored tuna really appetizing so don’t be too picky.

· Almost all Motel and Hotel rates are negotiable – have a good line ready.

· Some Motels do not have door knobs, some do not have coffee, some do not have windows, some do not have telephones and some don’t have walls or a roof…. Avoid those.

· When people in Texas are talking about how windy it is, double up on your tent stakes.

· People still pan for gold.

· The idea of “wrong side of the tracks” is very much still alive and well out West.

· There are places in this country, mostly in AZ, that don’t even look like they would be on earth. It is worth seeing.

· You will get there – eventually.

· It is a big country but it is a small world – be nice to people, there are a lot of nice people out there.

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