My precious...

Here's a picture of me with my beauties!

Cigars! Cancun's got 'em!

I'll be straight with you all. I really wasn't convinced by this trip to Cancun organized by my lovely one. I promised to be really quiet about the whole thing, but there were some glitches that made me nervous. Anyway, I won't go into those because I found a place that carries cigars.

Correction: Rather, I should say, they make them!

The place is called Buena Vista Tobacco Factory. I am so glad I walked up to the door to ask to take a peek. I was greeted by one of the managers of the factory, who was... Cuban! Staffed with about 30 people, the place easily has a half dozen Cubans who are training Mexicans to roll cigars alongside them.

We hit it off almost immediately. He could tell I was a true amateur of a good smoke, and offered me one to try. I was blown away. The secret? Cuban seeds grown in a place in Ecuador that mimics the soil, climate and tobacco farms of embargoed island. The plus... I was smoking cigars that I could smoke back in the U.S!

Anyway, the next day I learned a ton about how cigars are rolled and ended up rolling 10 of my own. (A side note: a good average production rate is 80 to 100 cigars per day). It took me all day to roll those. It's not as easy as these guys make it look. Here's a video my lovely one put together this morning.

Has Atlanta Changed? ... And is that a bad thing?

It's been a while since I've posted to the www.CrossCountryChef.blogspot.com, only because returning to Atlanta has been--well, a trip!

Most of the people I reconnect with will tell me, "Atlanta has changed since you left," but I find that much of it has stayed the same.

Some things Never Change
If anything, I think the folks who say that most wish that it had changed more than it really has in my eyes. But truthfully, the Buckhead Betties are still out there.

Change can be a Good Thing
As for the food scene (which may be what folks are referring to, when they speak to me), I think that if Atlanta has changed "drastically" it's that it has finally embraced "ethnic" foods--and by ethnic I mean, anything other than "Chinatown-style" Chinese or Taco-stand-style Mexican (both of which hold their place in the food industry).

Change Can Add Spice To Your Life!
While shopping with my lovely one yesterday, I was excited to see the Atlanta Magazine give an Indian restaurant some colorful ink! For years, I have loved the interplay of powdery spices from the East and the subdued flavors of coconut milk, meats, salt and rice.

Born on a Caribbean island where traditional Indian foods, styles and techniques have adapted to what's available locally, my lovely one has always had a penchant for food that "tap dances on my tongue." That's not to say she likes her food to be too spicy (compared to some West Indian diners, her ability to "take the heat" keeps her out of the Caribbean kitchen), but it does mean that she enjoys dabbing into a "cool breeze" from a mint chutney when dining on a creamy curry, or the perfume of clove in a plain Basmati rice.

This type of experience is what makes me crazy for "tasting" and "grazing". To me, it's not about the food, it's about the experience, memories, thoughts and creativity that biting into a dish evokes. With my lovely one and me, the experience that spice evoked was love.

So close...

... Tennessee was great.

My lovely one and I have been looking at the map. We're thinking 24 East to 41. But who knows? Getting into Atlanta looks like it'll be dangerous.

We're so close.

We're so happy for great weather.

On Food... Traveling... Exploring... Even by bike!

Several of the folks who have kept up with our blogposts here on www.CrossCountryChef.blogspot.com have shown particular interest in the video posts and blog posts that deal with food. Some folks left a comment, others shared their comments on Facebook, and one other even went so far as to send us a text messaage (called "Tex mex" by my lovely one, Luna) that cried out: "Stay away from that sh*t food."

So, I thought it was time to address the issue of this creature comfort: food.

At the very moment that I write this, there was a PSA on the Arkansas channel that said, "Savor the flavors of Arkansas," and featured a beautiful, shiny close-up of... fried chicken.

I share this to illustrate some of the points that I would like to make:

1) We actually enjoy most the foods we brought along with us. Prior to leaving California, Luna set out by making a ton of pasta, a garbanzo bean salad, a little bit of tuna salad. He also roasted several bell peppers and made a pico de gallo with tomatoes. We have a bag of apples and clementines, raisins/etc. and we just polished off a container of mixed nuts. We lasted on this for almost a week--in some cases, almost two.

(The following video was taken two days ago at a rest-stop in Arkansas. For whatever reason, Luna was a little camera shy this time. I made a quick showing of the food.)


2) But I think the physicality of cycling an average of 100 miles a day gets a person hungry for grease. I can't speak for myself, because I fulfill the roles of "scout" and "sweep" vehicle--and the most physicality involved in that is waiting, waiting, waiting; but after about a week of consuming his own healthy meals, as well as Advocare's energy-enhancing vitamins and products, he started hanckering for "fat". (Of course, I had to oblige.)

3) When in Rome, politely smile and nibble when you're totally outnumbered. Seriously, though, I enjoy a half-rack of ribs. Actually, when it comes to meat, I like preparation to be kept simple. When in Texas, for instance, the only thing on the menu is beef, beef, beef, and chicken. So, we just asked them to keep it simple, putting all secret sauces "on the side". It's our secret way of saying, "we would love to taste your culinary genius, but we don't need a punch in the face."

4) In my humble opinion, restaurants and food communicate the bulk of any community's culture. It's one way we learn about where we are and what literally fuels the people in it. So, we have found we enjoy going into places that seem as authentically local to the neighborhood we're in. (Trust us, in some of these towns, a diner is it! (On another--more disturbing note--we haved asked folks for their recommendations and we literally have been sent to some chains: disappointments like, "Taco Casa" or "Taco Bueno". ))

5) Last, when you travel with a chef, he still has to bring his kitchen with him---even when he's traveling by bicycle. Luna was embarassed that I took this picture, but I think it drives home our main point, which is: once we've had our fix with grease, we're more than ready to settle back into good hotel-cooking. Hot pasta is always awesome and just too easy to make. (The only trick: try NOT to set off the fire alarm and sprinkler system. Hotels tend to frown on that.)

We're in Arkansas, But First Some Thoughts About Texas...

We actually left Texas two days ago and headed into the state where former President Bill Clinton was born. In fact, we even passed by his birthplace, Hope. (I kid you not. (Could that have been the miracle we're looking for?))

But first some thoughts about Texas:

1) Gorgeous countryside. An immense greenery. Land further beyond the eye can see.
2) Overwhelming smell of manure, which meant...
3) Lots of cows. Lots and lots of cows.
4) Restaurants (we only went to two, actually), which pretty much only offered beef. Very difficult for a porkatarian.

On our way to Gainesville, Tex.

But we ended up going as far as Sherman, Texas. It's always nice when you slog through and exceed your expectations. It was a scorcher! Very hot and very humid. It made waiting in the car quite difficult, but who's complaining! I don't think I would have covered this much ground cycling, so...

Here's a small clip.

Brief Breakfast Interviews in Childress, Tex.

I realized at some point in Childress, Tex. that Luna and I had been on the road for 10 days. (We left San Jose, Calif. on Sept. 10.) That put us about halfway through our journey.

I don't think Luna is thinking about the trip in such stark, numerical terms, but I have a lot of time to sit on the shoulder and reflect on such things. As breakfast was being served, I posed the question to Luna about his thoughts on the trip (see video below).



I'm realizing how our experiences are almost necessarily different because his "thoughts" are focused on the moment. He has described to me his field of vision remaining only a few feet ahead of his bicycle, whereas, I have been monitoring the map, correlating it to our destination. How many more miles closer to our destination? What does our time look like? That sort of thing.

Then, as I wait, when the "strategery" portion of our segment is over, I lean back in my car seat and I think about all sorts of things. Big things that don't necessarily have an immediate impact on me or my survival.

In contrast, I realize that Luna's zeroing in on the pavement. I was never aware of how many different types of pavement and paved roads there are out there! Sometimes, he'll flag me down and say, "Didn't you see me waving? I'll break my neck cycling on that shoulder!"

Oops.

Truth is, I hadn't even noticed--not until this trip. Not until he had just told me. But for him, a pebble out of place can be a huge catastrophe. So, for me, looking at these video clips and interviews is actually kind of amusing, because I realize I'm asking him lofty questions, like: "Have your thoughts changed since we left San Jose?" and his response is more like, "There's a little rain today... I keep my eye on the pavement..."



What was I thinking? That he'd find God? (More on that later... I had the hardest time tuning into NPR on our route through Texas (I caught only 5 mins of it). My guess is that the equator of the bible belt is actually Rt. 82---but more on that on another blog.) But I digress....

Everything's a little bigger...

The roads are clean.

Tarantula!!? (Still in New Mexico)

Driving on Rt. 66 up ahead of Luna on our way to Amarillo, I come across a lot of things, usually dead skunks and various forms of road kill. This time, I ended up slowing down for one of the creepiest creatures I have ever seen!

I will call it a Tarantula, because (if flattened) it was bigger than a tennis ball and it was... furry! I thought Tarantulas existed only in Brazil, but I could totally be wrong.

Anyway, things like this make cross-country trips exciting. I have been driving through a new place, but in a moment, I was transported in my mind to the Amazon jungles.

Perhaps the Tarantula was an omen for what was to occur only 5 miles later? We were happily chugging along on Rt. 66, when all of a sudden a beautifully paved road turned into a dirt road. Luna hopped into the car with me. We were going to cross the dirt road in the car and drop him off on the other side--the thin wheels on his racing bike can't handle the gravelly conditions). Well, the road just kind of kept going and going and going. After about 5 or 6 miles, we turned the car around and headed back to catch I-40.

That was the last we saw of Rt. 66. It was on our way to Amarillo.

Funny thing: If I had been asked to predict where I would see such a such a large creepy crawly, I probably would have guessed the Mojave desert.

What I love about my lovely one...

This trip has taught me that even though I am the one cycling, and losing X-amount of calories, the thought of hunger at any given moment would come without a question.

I ask my lovely one, "Are you hungry?"

And her lovely response is, "No, but you can continue to cycle. You have another five more miles to go."

Now, I have been known not to have patience, but how do you continue to go on cycling, starved, until she decides when it's time to eat?

Mind you, this is also an opportunity for both of us to eat together when clearly we're not cycling together.

I have often asked, "Love, would you like to do just one mile on the bike, and I'll drive?"

And the reply is: "This is your cycling journey, not mine."

Luna Meet Luna!

Isn't life interesting! On my first day in Flagstaff, I happen to meet the person who prepared my pork ribs: Larry Luna! And what a cook!

Check it out:



Oh, and by the way, in case you didn't know, I'm a vegetarian. A vegetarian who eats pork.



It was really good. But I couldn't finish it all. And I confess: "I'm a pork-atarian"

Day 5 - On Struggle & Solitude

No journey is difficult. Is living difficult? Because if it is difficult, then the result is certain---which is go to the highest mountain and jump off. If you can't handle living, there are no drugs in the world that are going to cure you. If you're feeling depressed, then get undepressed.

Our struggles are not outside of us, they are in us. Our struggle with our spouses, jobs, kids, they are all within us. And it's not that you choose that you want to be one thing or the other--it's already been decided for you.

Pessimistic view, pessimistic thought, pessimistic outcome.

If you can't cheer yourself up, who will? If you don't love yourself, who will? If you don't understand yourself, who will?

Solitude on this cycling journey, being alone, being on a mountain, and moving forward, I don't see cars, trucks, anything. I realize how alone one is.

Alone is not lonely. Alone is just you with yourself.

When you learn--and it can only be for a moment--when you learn that you are vulnerable, that you are not in control, you will be able to see the images of you.

One of the things that I have seen are these trucks. Not one, but many trucks, pass by. I have two feet pedaling, and I realize that I am not in charge. If it ends for me there, it ends for me there.

And so, in whose hands am I? In those of the men and women who drive these trucks and cars? Because clearly I am not in control.

This is the solitude that I'm talking about.

You can't live remembering everything, or putting things into practice. It's just not the way life is lived. The moment it enters your mind, it's already recorded. Why do you want to live life practicing something you already know? Why not live what you don't know? Or what's unknown? Let yourself go, live, be free of fear.

And move closer to yourself--to knowing me, the ego.

Day 4 - Cyn's Thoughts in Arizona

This morning, I woke up so thankful for a full night's sleep, into actual morning---the kind that follows a sunrise, not the kind that pursues it, as we have been doing for the first three days of this journey.

Today, even though we're still in desert climes, I'm thankful for the wind, so Luna can pump his legs across Rte. 40 to Flagstaff.

We're both awed by the relentless peace, the beauty of the landscape, and how close the fluffy, white and silver cloud puffs float above the trees. They travel slowly, too. Like us.

There is a certain pace to living, isn't there?

And when we're not in synch with that pace, then we call it life, because we don't really feel like we're living. Seems like we're either rushing to get ready for it, rushing to get ahead of it, or waiting to get ready for it, or waiting because we think we got ahead of it.

Day 3 - Tehachapi thru Mojave Desert

We started the ride to Needles, Calif., and Kingman, Ariz., in Tehachapi, Calif., at about 4:00 a.m. It started off really well down the mountain. Truck traffic was light. By the time the sun rose, we had already entered the Mojave desert.










Luna got his first flat early in the morning--around 5:00 a.m., maybe 5:30. I thought something was up when he took longer than usual to meet me at our agreed upon 5 mile mark. (We've been "leap-frogging" our way across the highway, where I'll go ahead by 5 or 10 miles and he'll either pass me by, or stop and grab a bottle of water, a bite to eat or relieve himself on the side of the road.)







Unfortunately, I was unable to turn around on the highway, so I had to wait for him to switch out the inner tube in the dark and cycle over to the car. I was waiting in the desert and had the opportunity to enjoy the sunrise.

Day 2 - Daytime Cycling

This is part of our journey on Rte. 65...



Here's the continutation of the video clip:



Witness Luna cycling through San Joaquin Valley on Rte. 65.

Day 2 - Night Rider...

We're still in California, and we've been checking out of our hotel at 3/4:00 a.m., so far. It's the best way to get mostly traffic-free cycling into the day. Of course, there are folks who drive all through the night, like truckers.

Trucks are a bit of a challenge for Luna, because as they pass, they create this pocket of wind that has him swerving around in the shoulder. I understand that this is a bit of a strain for him, and he's been riding with his regular cross-trainer sneakers, rather than his riding cleats. (Cleats lock the cyclist on to his bike, so if he's about to fall, he'll go down with his bike, feet trapped in the pedals. (I'm not really sure why these cleats are popular.))

So here'a video clip of Luna cycling by night, and me following closely behind. At first, this was the way for us to handle it because there were frequent turns and Luna has a way of keeping his eyes on the road, rather than looking out for street signs for critical, directional turns.

I referred to this way of cycling/driving as a sort of screen saver, because it has a hypnotic feel to it. Here's the long-awaited "Night Rider" video...



The following clip is of Luna dedicating this trip to all his friends on Maui. We recorded this before recording the other video clip above. He woke up feeling great after a looooong first day (sleepless, if you recall) on the road, so we were ready to "tear it up" while pacing ourselves. The trip on Day 2 was from Dinuba to Bakersfield.



Driving conditions from Bakersfield to Tehachapi turned out to be too dangerous--particularly as we approached most of the mountain climb. Trucks whizzing by at 70-plus mph speeds and a gravelly shoulder hugging a cliff!! (I insisted in driving him up to Tehachapi. Luna was not happy with me, but I'd prefer a LIVE Luna over road kill anyday!)

Doughnuts & Coffee...

This morning, we went out to pick up some doughnuts before starting the day. I love having a cup of coffee before getting started with my day. Coffee warms my stomach and gently moves me from a sleeping state to a waking state.

Both of us are crazy busy. I have a list of friends I need to contact to tell about this trip. A lot of my peeps still don't know.

Luna has plans to train again today. Yesterday, he spent almost three hours on a stationary bike at the gym. I'm surprised that he did pretty darn well. I mean, he wasn't winded in the least bit. He reminded me afterward that the gym conditions aren't nearly comparable to real-life conditions. Cyclists are either confronted with riding into the wind or with the wind, when they are riding uphill their bike tilts with them and they are carrying their weight while balancing on a two-centimeter wheel--your whole body is involved in the process.

Nevertheless, he seemed to appreciate the workout, getting his calves and thighs used to the motion, so different from walking (my preferred mode of athletic transportation.)

Strangely enough, I'm really nervous and excited for this trip myself. Obviously, being in the car, it's not so much a matter of the physical test, but rather, because I think this will test my mental ... moxie.

I'll have a lot of time to myself on this journey.

A friend asked me, "Are you sure you're doing this for yourself? Are you sure you want to do this?"

And my response was simply, "What else would I do if I didn't?" Isn't life just a succession of events that you either take part in, or you witness? I guess I'm glad to be able to take part in this event in a way that I can take part in it. I really don't think I have the physical wherewithal to endure 2,500 miles of cross-country cycling.

I do have a lot of awareness about the personal challenges that supporting a friend who does have that physical ability will present.

Already I have posed to myself countless questions about what it means to be a woman, what it means for me to be the "passenger" on this trip "driven" by my (male) partner, and I can say that I do experience a little bit of conflict over it--if only because I was brought up on somewhat contradictory values that I have incorporated and embodied.

On the one hand, I feel so great to be useful and important to play this role of support crew to an amazing person who is about to take on an amazing challenge. On the other hand, I am aware that I am (and have been for a while) digressing from the path charted for me. That path was safe and perfect: I'd get married, live in a house with a white picket fence, I'd be raising beautiful children and taking them to soccer practice, while seamlessly advancing in my career. Over the past five years or so, I have gotten divorced, eschewed the white picket fence for less permanent abodes across a 6,000-mile span from Washington D.C. to Maui and back to the mainland, begun a PR business of my own, and put a hold on the child-rearing lifestyle.

Living my life off the itinerary gives my Moon in Virgo a bit of a head-ache. While the travel feeds my soul, I do find comfort in settling too.

Yeah, I'll have a lot of time to think about this stuff when we hit the road. Today, I have letters to write. Phone calls to make. Stuff to pack. But, first, shower!!