Some Iowa mailbox art . We initially drove by it in van and had to backtrack to get a pic.
This was on a pole by the above mailbox artwork. This term is used a lot in our house, as in "Honeybear, you must have forgot to take out the garbage ............... again".
More Iowa roadside art that we also had to go back and photograph after driving by it.
This is Miss Sassy at the Ragbrai Ribfest tonight doing her Sakajawea thing with the headband and blue feather. I am not sure why but she insisted on having the phone number be visible.
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Well it finally happened, Miss Sassy met me south of Sioux Falls in a very nice van loaned to us by Jim Phelan. It was terrific to see her, and I think she was happy to see me even though I am as dark as Frenchtown Barga or a Russia Francis at the end of the summer. Anyone from the Versailles/Frenchtown/Russia Ohio area will know exactly what I am talking about. It is where the term "black french" originated .
After checking each other out and getting comfortable we loaded the bike and trailer and headed for Council Bluffs for the Ragbrai. Btw,we both complimented each pother's hairdos--hers from Mary at Total Image in Versailles OH. and mine (very very short) from Steve at Steve's in Chamberlain SD.
It did not take long for us both to realize that we will be adjusting to each other for the next while. In addition to regular driving in the course of a normal day, Miss Sassy has been driving the speed limit on interstate highways for the past 2 days to get here, while on the other hand I have been traveling an average of 10 miles per hour (depending on the wind) for 2200 miles the last 7 weeks.
I have only been in 1 vehicle for the past 2 months and as we(Sassy was behind the wheel) drove along I-29 towards Council Bluffs at 70 mph I was having trouble moving so fast, although we were having great conversation and catching up on real world stuff we just had to change to some back country roads at 55 mph which was still too fast for me. I kept seeing neat stuff that I would have stopped to check out if I had been on the bike. Finally I just had her turn around and go back to some things that she had not even seen while driving so I could get pics.
Seeing the world at 10 mph is wonderful when you have the time and you realize how much you miss at faster speeds. Also, you realize how little time you have to mentally process what you see and think about it a bit at 60 mph because there is always something else for immediate processing and thought, at 10 mph you can really work out some deep thoughts on things that come along.
If you have not done it lately I can tell you it is a pain in the butt to be driving along and then have to stop and go back a couple of hundred yards to look at something you missed going by. It makes for unnatural uncomfortable driving--it is just tough to stop forward momentum --it goes against every instinct you have developed in all your years of driving. We managed to get thru the distance to C.B. but boy did I have to bite my tongue a lot--finally I just quit looking at the scenery whipping by. I can not wait to get back on the bike.
Another thing we had to work out was having the window open (me) and having the air conditioner on (Sassy). We have been in different worlds. It was something neither of us expected or had even thought about before today.
Finally yesterday there was a very strong wind blowing from the North which would have been a great tailwind if I had been on the bike. I hope that this does not count against me later on in the ride. I am still short a bunch of tailwind days and look forward to every one I have coming to me (or pushing me).
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