Back to the real world

We returned from vacation on Sunday and it actually felt good to go back to work. I hear that makes me different from a lot of people. I am fortunate indeed to have found work that pays the bills and satisfies me on a day-to-day basis. It also affords me enough time to do a few other things I enjoy. Basically, I am insanely lucky.

North Carolina was awesome! On our way from the gusty east, we stopped in Raleigh to view the Dead Sea Scrolls at the Science Museum. Amazing that articles can survive for so long. Looking at writings and pottery over 2000 years old, is something I can barely wrap my head around. We stayed in Winston Salem that night, noting how inexpensive cigarettes are in that part of the country.

I have to add at this point, that the south-east has a very different definition of what a cafe is than we do up here. First of all, they are almost impossible to locate. It also appears (near as I could tell) that a cafe is an eatery that neither serves breakfast, or indeed is even open before noon. Then closes again around 3, only to reopen around 6. Breakfast seems to not be important to people in NC. We ended up eating pastries we purchased on Sunday from a coffee shop (which was fantastic!), every morning until Wednesday.

We camped a few days in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. First night was car camping after the drive there, but we then did a few days hiking and camping in the park itself. For some reason, my "bearanoia" was in high gear. Them park rangers do a good job at making sure you know that bears are rampant in the park. Never did see one. We hiked a sliver of the Appalachian Trail, did a small loop of some side trails, and headed out Friday afternoon. Back country camping is a close second to a bike ride, in my "fun things to do" list.

From there, we drove to St. Louis for the night (I am still a little mad I didn't take a picture of the arch) where we had to do a little impromptu navigating as there was an accident that closed down the interstate. 11 at night, after a 7 mile hike and a few hundred miles of driving, trying to find your way through an unfamiliar city with an outdated, poor map is one of the best tests in married life. (I have to brag that we passed with flying colors)

The next morning (I still am surprised how chipper my wife was for waking up so early each day), we drove to my in laws to help them with a small house project. Carrie's siblings came down and we had a nice family dinner. Then Sunday was the drive home with a lunch stop in Des Moines to show off some pictures of the vacation to the grandparents. A great thing to do, making us realise we had to whittle them down some more. Too many vistas.

Genius

I am doing something I never thought I would, I happen to be writing from a hotel in Winston Salem, NC. I decided to bring the laptop with me while we are out wandering so I made sure I didn't fill my memory card full on the camera and then be unable to take any more pictures. I know that's not really likely, I have roughly 800 or 1000 shots, but I get nervous about this kind of stuff.

Every time we take a trip I remember why people retire. I could definitely get used to it. We decided to visit North Carolina as it is a state I have not seen much of and Carrie probably even less. We are doing a whirlwind tour of the state from sea to mountainous national park. It has already been a great time for catching up with my wife, and repairing the inevitable emotional crap that happens just going through everyday life.

One thing I must share is the stop we made at the Wright Brothers National Monument (as noted by the above picture). Orville and Wilbur (as I like to call them) I would say are the most famous of all bicycle mechanics. They not only made bicycle parts intricate into the first airplane, but it was indeed their working on bicycles that made it possible, by furthering their knowledge and understanding of mechanics on the whole. It just reinforces my saying that, "a bicycle mechanic can fix ANYTHING mechanical." * Orville and Wilbur Wright, super genius.



* side note : There are many people who claim to hold titles. And there are many unworthy of the titles they hold. I have a very strict definition of bicycle mechanic. Fortunately, I just barely qualify.

Petty thought

I find myself not checking my thoughts before they leave my mouth a little too much lately. Working with the public, I experience a lot of different backgrounds, personalities, and conduct. The level of general stupidity en laced into the human culture is astounding. I know I am not above it. And as a matter of fact, hover quite low on the intelligent line. But when it comes to common sense and rational behavior, I can hold my own. So on that thought, some general behaviors exhibited by the majority of people I encounter are what have prompted me to concentrate on watching my tongue to remain polite.

Repeating what I say as a question. If I answer a question, that is the answer. I wonder if people really think it's going to change, just because they ask.

Not asking the correct question. Customer rolls bike in with flat tyre. I take bike into the back. Roll out bike with obvious non-flat tyre. Customer asks, "did you fix it?" when what they really want to know is, what caused the flat.

Telling me their bike or story is older than I am. Is this supposed to make me feel better? I am pretty sure that one of these days I am going to answer their question with some form of, "well on my bike, which isn't close to as old as you are, this never happens". I might want to wait until I can afford to be fired to use that one.

Rambling about nothing related to the situation. I am amazed what people think is important to a situation. There is no way that any one's grandmother's hip replacement she had done in San Donfradino in 1967 by a doctor who turned out to be a second cousin who has an oil stain on his left pant leg which he bought at a second hand store up the street, has any business in a conversation about bicycles. (Obviously I was not trying to outfit a bicycle for the grandmother)

Not letting me talk. I try not to say any more than I have to. I actually say less than I should. When someone is trying to solve a problem and they go to someone else for help, I am thinking they actually want help. It's obvious to me, some people just want to think out loud near other people. That's what malls are for.

Like. I hate this word so much, I try me best to never use it.

This post doesn't really have anything to do with bicycles.