A few years back we went on a road trip. We went to Alabama via Tennessee. We drove so we could take our bikes. We had plans.
Sadly, it wasn’t until the very first time that I saw the Smokey Mountains that I realized why they were called the Smokey Mountains.
Believe it or not, I do believe, in a very slow kind of way, that I am brilliant.
Anyway…
Our goal is to ride our bikes in all fifty states of the great USA.
We aren’t anywhere close. But we figure we’ll hit that ‘check it off of our life goals list’ when we retire. And we had actually already ridden bikes in Tennessee when we got married and rode our bikes up a mountain. My first switchbacks!
So we get to Alabama.
And had a wonderful time. I have to say, they are pretty trusting in Alabama. Or something. We went across the street from our hotel one night to a tourist shop of everything beach and towel related to try and pick up a few things. The store was open, lights on, music playing…..but no one was around. It quickly became eerie. I was certain we were going to find the store clerks tied up behind the counter. We looked, but they weren’t there. We went next door. Someone over there called the police. In all we were there about 20 minutes before the police got there. When the police did arrive they found the clerks out back. They did not hear us yelling for anyone, they didn’t prop open the back door to make sure they could hear if anyone came in the store. They didn’t seem too worried, not even when the police showed up. As a matter of fact they were quite mellow….
The next day we went for another bike ride. When in Alabama, ride in Alabama.
Well…
Imagine my surprise when we rode….
……..right in to Florida. Quite by accident I must say, with no intention or planning. I was a bit astonished to see the “Welcome To Florida” sign as we pedaled along this quiet road in Alabama. It never occurred to me we were anywhere close to Florida. In all fairness to me, Husband (who is a genius) seemed to be a little shocked as well. Well, maybe not shocked, but not quite under the impression we were this close to Florida. Brilliance is not measured by the speed of your thoughts. At least I didn’t think we should have been next door to New York or Washington (state or DC).
The Chatter Blog 