I love a good terrible-touring-motel writeup.

This is a great one!

Noosing green anoles is easier than grabbing. But if you see one on a tree, you can circle around behind where it can't see you and then approach to within inches of the tree (keeping an eye on the spot) and quickly reach around to grab before it can react. Caught lots of them like that over the years.

I grew up with these things, and as a kid thought they were really cool because when we'd try catching them their tail would sometimes come off and wiggle, presumably to attract whatever predator was chasing it. I always felt bad, though, and tried to trap them very carefully.

Green Anole. Fun critter, and good insect disposal.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anolis_carolinensis

I'm SURE she doesn't read his books. :-). And, by the way, Bryson is a home-grown Iowan, raised in Des Moines.

The impressive mileage and average speed make me think I might've had one of those rare days with a tailwind. There weren't many, but there was one here and there. Plus, there's the fact that I'd ridden 1800 miles by then. :-)

I made up for missing the crawdads later. :-)

You're perfectly right in shaming me for missing that one. It must've been the warm glow of happiness and satisfaction it transferred to me, leaving me with the feeling that I need nothing else in the world except to gaze upon its magnificence. My only excuse was that I was blinded by the beauty.

Angel on toilet. Tall mailbox. The thicket. Cajun cuisine. There is so much art on this page. I only have one nitpick: A burger over fried Louisiana crayfish/crawdads?

Nice tribute to the wives in our lives who have higher reading standards than our bike touring journals. I remember when I told you none of my friends or relatives read my journals. "Not even your wife?" you asked. With some embarrassment, I replied, "Nope." I was relieved when you said, "my wife doesn't read mine either." Maybe that's not as uncommon as one might think. I'd like to think Bill Bryson's wife didn't read any of his excellent travel books either.

Impressive mileage and average speed on this day, by the way.

"It was a ceramic angel sitting on a porcelain toilet like a divine Rodin, thinking."

No photo of this!? For shame!

Do you have any idea how many photos I take on bike rides in the hopes of finding something so good?

A clever use of reverse psychology by the "Vote No" people.

I'm glad you're enjoying them! I read through hundreds and hundreds, selecting the most appropriate. It was enjoyable work, and there are some interesting quotes from people you wouldn't expect... Banksy and Desmond Tutu are the two that come to mind immediately.

Thanks for reading!

I am increasingly enjoying the quotes at the top of the page every day. Banksy is not only a great urban artist, he also seems to be tuned in to the human condition.

Now that the party is over, I'm excited to see how you rise to the challenge.