Thanks George. I second that emotion! Churches have become hotbeds of political polarization these days. I will sometimes catch a service when on the road. Most times, everyone is friendly and kind. But I have been to a couple that were out there on the fringe. Scary stuff. Be safe out there.

Thank-you George! I appreciate you taking the time to read it and respond. All the best to you!

This was a good read, thanks for doing the journal.

You wrote; "If you're in this part of the world, you simply have to accept that is how things are and do your best to avoid confrontation (which could lead to a case of 'lead poisoning' if you happened upon the wrong person)."

Wow, that was a DeJa'Vu moment for me for sure - that's pretty much how I felt during the entirety of my 2022 Great Rivers South tour. Many (most?) cyclists have green environmental ethics, and that tends to lean towards one of our political parties and away from the other. I'm always courteous to folks while on tour, of course, as are most all touring cyclists. But I have learned that it's absolutely essential to stay away from discussing politics with the locals, and so I do. Those nice folks in the local diner are all driving massive pickup trucks with hunting rifles in the gunracks and pistols in the glovebox - I'd like to feel safe when I ride away from the diner!

Thank-you Rich. I'm very happy that you enjoyed reading this journal. If you ever make it to Pennsylvania, let me know.

All the best,

Dino

Great journal! Thanks!!

Thanks Rich. James Carville once said, about Pennsylvania, "You have Philadelphia in the East, Pittsburgh in the West, and Alabama in the middle."

It really isn't all that bad but recent political events have polarized people, more so than usual. The best defense is playing good defense by avoiding such confrontations (which usually means keeping one's trap shut).

All that having been said, you could easily bicycle through the wilds of Pennsylvania and have a great time. A lot of us have already done it and lived to tell the tales. The scenery is wonderful. The worst part would be the hills. PA is definitely not flat. But on top, the views are breathtaking.

All the Best, Rich!

Dino

I'm really enjoying this trip through a foreign country where I would never dare to set foot. :) The countryside looks beautiful and I'm having fun following your detailed route on Google maps!

Believe me, I too have grease stains on most of my cycling clothes. After an especially dirty finish to the day, I had a brainstorm to use the GoJo on the jacket. Lo and behold, it worked. So, I decided to pass the tip along. Hope it works for you, George.

Thank-you George. That was an especially nice scene that literally stopped me in my tracks!

Nice photo!

Good recommendation on the GoJo cleaner - unfortunately for me, most of my touring clothes are already stained!

Thanks George. I hope you got past the health issues that arose. Yes, it was a let down when we had to punt on our tour that year. However, I managed to salvage the season. I appreciate your interest in this and my other journals. The next chapter should be appearing, shortly. All the best to you.

Many of us had to cancel tours in the 2020 covid era. I had planned a coast-to-coast that was postponed till the following year - it's just as well because I had some health issues arise anyway. Looking forward to reading about your tour.