Want to be proud as a peacock?

Bragging has rather a poor reputation. But riding all the way across a state gives a person bragging rights, I\’d say.

They do it in Georgia. Maybe other states have their own \”flavor\”.

Oh, of course! Iowa has RAGBRAI! Lots of home-made pie, it is said. They ought to call it Rag-PIE! And Kansas. If you do that one, be on the lookout for Dorothy and Toto. There\’s even a bicycle ride across Louisiana. Be careful you don\’t run over a crawfish, and don\’t try to tangle with an alligator.

Earning those bragging rights means training up, of course. You don\’t need to be able to sustain Grand Tour velocity for hours on end, but you do need sufficient endurance to ride up to 80 miles a day for however many days it takes to get across Georgia, Iowa, or whatever state it is. Then, when you roll across the finish line, you can be proud as a peacock!

I\’ve wondered often enough whether my current fitness level is up to such a ride. I can put them on my bucket list, of course; but not having a car would make it hard to get to such events.

I\’m reluctant to pester somebody else to drive me to Iowa or wherever I want to go. Flying there would be costly enough if it were only me. Add transporting a bicycle by air, and the cost would skyrocket.

One never knows, though. Maybe one of these days a miracle will happen!