Call Me Trouble

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June 20, 2012

More adventure…..

“Terrance” let me flop in a building on campus. Great til the cleaning crew busted me at 5 a.m. Yup – I bailed.

Terrance stopped me about a half mile out with his lights going. We got our story straight. Hope he doesn’t get in trouble.

——–Another note received while on the road in response to above story:

“He’s a hottie, maybe he would like to tandem” ~Mary

MY REPLY:

Just got done with a 22-mile ride in the back of a pickup. Tennessee is NOT bike friendly – way too dangerous. Sitting at the Chamber in Savannah, Tenn. and regrouping. Trying to make it 50 miles up the road to Lexington. They say the roads are better here on out…

Safety first – Steffes”

RESPONSE:

“Did you hit Lexington!!!!! Beautiful area. maybe not when the roads are treacherous.” ~Mary

MY REPLY:

“Only made it to Adamsville, but LOVING IT! Toured 2 fabulous museums, staying at a motel that hasn’t climbed out of the 50s and I spent the last hour talking to the 91-year-old owner who once had Elvis as a guest. She’s inspiring, and challenged me to try chocolate gravy and biscuits tomorrow. Don’t want to leave, or day to end.”

And one more note…. from Brien:

“Are you still alive? Looks like it, based on YOUR BLOG, which is awesome! Keep it up. You’ll be a feature on Sunday Morning with Charles What’s-His-Face in no time. Seriously. Cool stuff. Great writing. Excellent experiences (although the bed begs are a bit hard to read about). Best of luch to you in your ongoing “adventure” and BE CAREFUL!! (Sorry, I’m a dad now, y’know. Keep on bikin’ and take care!”

More letters from the road….

By

Judy

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June 19, 2012

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Wow Judy, that sounds like SO much fun!!

I can wire you a plane ticket if you just want to come home…

~Amanda

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It’s called ‘adventure,’ Amanda.

Finally got to the Alabama music Hall of Fame. It’s closed today and tomorrow…and Wednesday isn’t looking good, either. :-/

See, if this were easy, everybody would do it!

On to the Helen Keller museum… ~Steffes

Alabama Music Hall of Fame

Kindness of strangers..from Florida to Alabama

By

Judy

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June 18, 2012

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There are so many unexpected good things that happen on tour. Quite a few people stop and ask questions like ‘where are you headed’ and ‘how far do you travel in a day?’

But others offer more. I’m surprised on this tour how many people have offered me money.

I’m never asking for money. I don’t know if it’s the current economic state of the country, if they just want to get involved, or they don’t know how to handle a situation other than to throw money at it.

I normally decline financial assistance unless it’s unexpected and over before I know it.

Case in point:

In Marianna, Florida a man standing in front of me at the grocery paid for my grapes and strawberries before I even got to the checkout.
In Haleyville, Alabama a woman at the meat counter agreed to split a whole chicken when I told the deli clerk it was too much for me and could I just get half, then…
….same woman then reached in her purse, shoved $7 in my hand and said, “this is all I have” and she walked away.
At a small gas station on Highway 82 outside Maplesville I stopped to chat and get directions. Lisa was the perky clerk behind the counter. Dressed in pink with a pixie haircut and sparkly shirt she turned over a gift card for a one-night stay at the Best Western.
In De Funiak Springs, Florida I was standing outside the old Walton County Courthouse when a man yelled across the street asking what I was doing. I hollered back, but he ambled over. Charles Davis was an older southern black man with a silver front tooth and a slow bow-legged walk. It was about 6:30 p.m. and after a quick review of my tour he said, “Would you do me the pleasure of accompanying me for a Coca Cola?” And with that we walked to the neighborhood grocery and he bought me a cold drink.

These quick encounters really make the tours a memorable experience.

U of Alabama – No parking here

By

Judy

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June 17, 2012

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On the campus of the University of Alabama;

outside of the stadium which has the Evergreen Cemetery directly across the street.

Think how many times University officials cursed the loss of parking there….

Don’t Let The Bed Bugs Bite

By

Judy

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June 17, 2012

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Bonifay, FL – One thing I’ve learned about the south, it’s hot and damp and a haven for bed bugs.

People wonder why I gravitate to churches; they offer me safehaven, a couch, and a clean bathroom.

The one day this tour I sleep in a hotel, and I find bedbugs.

I didn’t know – at first. I thought I’d been outside so much it was mosquitoes or the fire ants or yellow flies.

That is, until the bites started spreading and swelling, and a guy at the diner said “nice bed-bug bites.”

I had to get out of those clothes; I assumed everything was infested.

Pulled into the laundry in Bonifay, FL. It was $2 and I threw in everything… and I mean everything in – including the clothes I had on.

It was a rather bold show for a small town, but the bathroom at the laundromat was ‘out of order’ and locked.

At this point I lost every ounce of Catholic, school-girl modesty. I grabbed my large, Hefty garbage bag/ rain gear, poked a hole for my head and stripped off the rest of my tainted clothes.

With that I shut the lid to the washer and…… nothing; everything stopped. The water came out fine but there was no spinning or churning or washing.

So I found another machine, reloaded the wet clothes and started the process again.

I often wonder why nobody wants to come on these trips with me.