I suppose it started a few years ago when I signed up to be a host for bicycle tourists through the slightly-unfortunately-named Warmshowers. Really, it's not what you think. Actually, back in 1993 a couple of guys who liked to tour by bicycle started a paper-based contact list of people who wanted to voluntarily host bicycle tourists. It was a form of voluntary community, a way for those who were riding around the country or the world to find a room, a shower, and maybe a meal at someone's home just for the pleasure of visiting.
A little over a year ago I agreed to be a volunteer Gardener for the site. Initially, that amounted to monitoring all the new member accounts for spammers and other jokers. Since then I've become what the kids call an "admin" for the site. We're up to 26,775 members worldwide and continuing to grow. That, to me, is proof that there are a LOT of people into bicycle touring.
"Yeah? So what?" you ask. "What's that got to do with this?"
Why you . . .
Okay, so, patience is a virtue right? I'm getting to it . . .
Reading all those new member profiles, and taking increasing pleasure out of learning to suss out spammers BEFORE they actually spam and nuking them, I began to feel this itch.
Phillip and Valeska (Austria) about to devour
pancakes with blueberry sauce.
"Oh, here's a new member who lives on the Canal du Midi (France) who wants me to stay with them so they can show me around, by bicycle. And here's one in the Burgundy region and one in Champagne and one in Normandy . . . I want to go to France!"
Bob and Laura spent the night.
"Oh, wait, here's a passel of Poles inviting me to visit. And Belgians and Swedes and Finns and Germans and Turks and Iranians and Chinese and . . . I want to go!"
Mike Hall, who, in 2012, became the fastest person to
circumnavigate the globe by bicycle, stayed with me.
That itch I mentioned? It got worse.
At the same time there were other things going on.
Things like feeling I'm not doing anything or, more likely, maybe not doing the RIGHT thing.
Things like feeling my impending 60th birthday (which is a whole world of weird in and of itself) looming and feeling really GOOD about it.
Things like an increasing need to get a little distance between myself and Baton Rouge before I burn this fucking place to the ground (it wouldn't be the first time the city has burned but that's a different story).
Things like not having traveled for a while, in part because I just can't justify flying somewhere for fun because of the impact jet flight has on the ecosystem.
So, what to do?
Oh! I know! I'll go for a ride!!!
Thus was born the idea of my 6-6-6 Ride.
I'll be 60, the route is more or less 6,000 miles, and it should take 6 months. Get it? 6(0)-6(,000)-6 . . . easy!
What's with that wiggly blue line and green pin things?
Ah, but, where to go?
I'm glad you asked!
Here are the main places I'd like to visit:
Lufkin / Nacogdoches, Texas (friends)
Dallas, Texas (friends)
Four Corners Monument, Utah / New Mexico / Colorado / Arizona
(No, that isn't me.)
Monument Valley (maybe)
Arches National Park, Utah
Zion National Park, Utah
Grand Tetons National Park, Wyoming
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming / Idaho / Montana
Missoula, Montana (home of Adventure Cycling Association)
Glacier National Park, Montana
Mount Rushmore National Memorial, South Dakota
Itasca State Park, Minnesota (Headwaters of the Mississippi)
Pretty crazy, yes?
UPDATE (though you wouldn't know it since this is all new as far as you're concerned): I've had another visit to the dentist - the site of the implant is coming along nicely, thank you - and yet another Dental Surprise. Yes friends, life is like that . . .
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