Well, having done the full 100 mile ride I have a few observarions. In no particular order:
1) It is hot A F.
2) "Car back!" is meaningless.
3) On full-on 55mph roads with wide 3, 4, 5, heck, 10 foot shoulders it is perfectly acceptable to ride at any place in the travel lane 2 or 3 abreast.
4) A single rider centered in the lane, or even better all up on the double yellow is even better than near the right on on the wide safe shoulder.
5) If a car is trying to pass the expected & proper behaviour is to continue impeeding it's progress.
6) The police do a good job harassing white Ford Rangers that harass & behave aggressivly towards cyclists.
7) Stereos/music is totally permissable while riding.
8) Classic rock is still the most popular form of music.
9) Pickles & pickled things.
10) Pickle juice to replace lost potassium really works.
11) Peanut butter gets mixed with jelly prior to application to bread. My kindergarten friends Mom used to make pb&j like this. Blast from the past. :smile:
12) Guy Fieri from Diners, Drive-in's & Dives should be regarded as a subject matter expert. (Holy eph...good eats)
13) What is considered "hilly" in Arkansas is considered flat in the Pacific Northwest. Ref 100 miles, 3500 feet elevation gain.
14) There was 1 crash fatality. The awesome & knowledgable organizers seamlessly re-routed in a professional manner around the affected section such that you couldn't even tell there was a route change. Good job organizers.
15) Little Rock is a totally walkable & pedestrian friendly city.
16) Racism is alive & well. ("You gunna speak n-glish er is you gunna keep-on with that funny talk?")
The antidote is to actually engage in genuine conversation. People really do want to talk about & share their experiences. This fills me with hope.
17) '92 Ross Perot campaign t-shirts are considered bad form. But nobody will say anything to your face about it.
18) The local art scene is a very happenin' place.
19) The military & military service has grown to a cult like status. Awkward.
20) Efficiency is not even a consideration when (at a higher cost) you can just throw horse power at a problem. (Air conditioning, building codes, electricity/water conservation, 10 mpg giant trucks, & lifted jeeps etc...)
20b) Lotsa bad-*ss trucks & shiny muscle cars.
21) Prius', hybrids, electric vehicles, etc, are unavailable to rent at any price.
Reference 15, above.
22) Institutional authority.
23) Barbecue. (Yum!)
24) Black bean burgers on every menu. Veggie options abound. Both unexpected & welcome.
25) Diet & exercise related diseases are the norm. Having a self-inflicted disability seems cultural at this point.
26) People dance.
27) Arkansas is a fantastic place to visit. To go have a good time. To ride your bike. To experience warm & friendly people. To go and experience a whole 'nother side of American culture with it's own strong sense of place, belonging, community, and identity.
That's it for now.
...And just for the record, I fully expect a full dressing down & recap of any southerners observations from their travels to Seattle. We are a bit weird and self-absorbed up here from time to time.
