For my enemies.

I dedicate this web log to all the roaches I am going to kill over the next few years. So far today I have only killed one roach, however, the sun has not yet set.

Yesterday J & I had to drop off the truck at the truck place. Go figure, it's 5 miles away on the side of a six lane highway. So, we throw our bikes in the back. The google maps directions stated that the car ride should take 13 minutes, however, the street signs along the highway are only as big as my forearms so we drove twenty minutes past the street we were headed for originally.

Once we arrived at our destination, we realized that we would not be able to ride our bikes very far. We rode to the end of the parking lot, then dared to continue riding them at the right edge of the shoulder of the highway. Our emergency exit strategy was to fall into the ditch. We had to dismount when the shoulder ended, climb over the metal guard rail, and walk our bikes through tall grass. Once it was safe enough, we would ride again.

This went on for the next five miles. It was 90 degrees outside. We walked through the industrial part of town, which doubles as (you guessed it!) the impoverished part of town. While the adventure was incredibly annoying, it showed us a part of town we may never have seen. Tuscaloosa seems to be quite segregated, which I suppose is no real surprise. (I hope I don't sound like a northern ass.)

So today we went on an excursion to the Shell station in order to buy a carton of cigarettes. The first station we stopped at (it was relatively close to our place) was closed for inventory. So we traversed to a main highway-ish intersection near the Target/Home Depot combo. We again had to walk/ride along another highway for a few miles. In our pack was only 32 ounces of water to hydrate us, which we had quickly finished a while back. Once the mecca of Shell was in sight, my spirits were raised. And we got there only find out it, too, was closed for inventory.

We took a new way home, trying out side streets, exploring this strange little town. Stopping at a shady driveway across from a local gas station, we drank fresh, icy water and rejuvenated. We headed down 37th St, turning down one side street, then another, then another until we ended up at the same highway we walked/rode our bikes down a mere 24 hours prior.

It wasn't funny then, I assure you.

The first night we were in town, we were ridiculed by students for riding bikes. Now the actual town seems to be ridiculing us! Coming from one of the most bike-friendly cities in the nation to a town with zero bike culture is more of a culture shock than seeing Japanese men reading comic porn on their commute. The only bike shop in town has closed temporarily.

I am upset.

At least we have internet now.