home again and struggling with re-entry

[marni]

I am back from having ridden the length of the Mississippi River from New Orleans to the headwaters of Lake Itasca MN. 33 days of riding 5 days off and1757 miles out of the possible 1820 due to an unfortunate combination of a sleepless night and the tamoxifen kicking in extra hard, which my body does not handle well. In spite of various problems- non functional bike computer, errors in cue sheets, unexpected detours because of ferry closings, and road construction etc. it was a wonderful trip.

Best news this week is that the bike is back at the bike store and being put back together and worked on since I had no granny gear for the last two weeks, which was a pain, but I did manage to power my way through the rollers and hills slowly but surely.

Reentry is a shock- the guides gave us a humorous sheet of things not to do when we got home. Things like:
if your neighbor is doing laundry, don't ask if you can just throw a few things in
it is possible to sleep without having your bike next to the bed
if your neighbor is bar b quing in the driveway, don't pull up a chair and expect to be fed.

To which I add my own:
there is no daily cue sheet telling you how to get where you need to be or when to be there.
no one is cooking you a balanced and healthy breakfast, get it yourself.
There is no snack table
If you see a white car parked with the rear door or back gate open, don't ride up and start asking for water, cut up fruit, sun screen, and band aids etc.

and finally, remember to use the indoor plumbing not the green room.