So far this year, Ive biked over 5,000 miles on roads across this country. Ive driven 14,000+ miles, through more than half our states. Its been a long, hectic, fun, sunny, road trip. A few observations: Utah has the finest squeegees on the planet. Maybe its because they get so little use. Maybe they just care more about clean windshields. Simply the best state to clean your glass. (Honorable mention to Wyoming for the five-foot handled versions at one truck stop. No walking around the car needed, but be careful when backing up.) Utah also raised the speed limit above 75mph in some parts of the state. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. See you soon...just to drive faster, legally. Nebraska has the biggest bugs your windshield has ever seen, and some of the worst squeegees. Dammit, Nebraska. New Jersey has a couple of towns Id move to in a heartbeat. I had no idea. (Funny...thats the same sort of bias that people have about New York. Its not ALL paved?) Ive got the names down somewhere, but Im absolutely going back. The Virginias, Tennessee, Kentucky: Gorgeous. Louisville, KY: You need to appoint Dan Zassick to the Chamber of Commerce, or just let him run the whole damn city. The same is true of Jamie Riedinger in Cleveland. Well done, both of you. Best food on the road trip: Typically, I would have mentioned The Bayou in West Valley, UT. (Still a favorite.) Now, however, I can say the best dinners Ive ever had were at La Piazza Dario in Vancouvers Asian district. Im not sure how an amazing Italian restaurant wound up surrounded by more sushi places that you can shake a chop stick at, but its there...and you should go. If youre lucky, you might even see a sweet old Maserati parked at the curb. Most polite drivers during the road trip: Vancouver, Canada. Ive picked on Canada quite a bit over the years. (Mostly because their damn quarters wouldnt work in vending machines where I grew up. Im over it now.) Motorists there will routinely yield the right of way, in a manner that applies common sense to getting around by car, and a desire to see everyone get where theyre going. Unnerving at first, but refreshing once you get used to it. Runner up for most polite drivers: Most of the southeast. For some reason, the majority of vehicles move all the way over into the oncoming lane of traffic. (Even when theres someone coming.) Many days on the bike, wed be given as much room as a combine. Makes you a bit conscious about how large you appear...from behind. Most aggressive drivers: Idaho...you win. Maybe this sounds like piling on, what with two cyclists and a pedestrian killed in the last two weeks, but its not. In nearly all parts of the country, drivers on highways know to move to the left lane, allowing merging cars a place to enter. Not so much around here. A higher percentage of motorists act in an aggressive, selfish manner, regardless of location or situation. (Heading east on Ustick, crossing Cole...how many of you have been passed on the right, by someone using whats supposed to be a turn lane into the gas station? Exactly.) And that 1A crowd can stop pointing at the folks with 2C plates. Anyone mounting a dash cam for an eight hour drive around Ada county, would demonstrate that 1A drivers account for more of this stuff than any other...and not just because there are more of them. In the end, we should all be out there, riding our bikes and enjoying our time on the road. There will always be dangers when sharing the pavement with people that text/eat/talk/get made up/fix hair, while also driving a car/truck/bus. If youre not comfortable on the road, get a mountain bike, and get a bit dirty. Just ride a damn bike.
Posted on: Tue, 08 Oct 2013 17:37:14 +0000
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