Please Fly Home
Surprising Larry near Toronto with the help of our friends was so much fun. He is so happy with his bike trip.
Goodbye Sweetheart
He’s off lugging all his gear
On Monday morning we parted ways, I flew home to Colorado and Larry continued eastbound on his beautiful red touring bike. Almost everything he needs is stuffed in the panniers, adding I’d say 75 extra pounds. Other than a late start Monday, he is averaging 85-90 miles daily.
Tonight he is camping in the town of Macedon, New York.
Did I mention Larry may stop in Brunswick instead of Bar Harbor? Another cyclist suggested a change of destination (due to bicycling logistics) and during my quick visit to Canada, we never discussed it.
I took out the spare cycling maps and estimated 527 miles to Brunswick. 527 miles, that means he’ll be done in a week. A week! Wow.
Just so we’re clear, I’m not driving across the US with dogs to fetch him. And I’m not flying to Bar Harbor or Brunswick to help him drive a U-Haul back. I have my therapist to thank for helping me establish boundaries. It’s his trip after all.
John, Larry, Kelly, and I toasting. May 20, 2022
Today, our neighbor and Larry’s friend John sent him an email with a cost comparison between renting a U-Haul, thus driving home (which Larry has complete tunnel vision with) VS shipping the bike back, then flying home.
Hi there Road warrior,
I delayed my departure until next Friday morning. If you make it home by then, we can have a bottle of fine South African Wine. He attached a file titled “2022-07-27 Note to Larry on his Sanity.PDF”
In the PDF, John wrote, “Hi there, Hope the trip is going great. It is a beautiful time of the year to be on the road. Just talked to your good wife. She said you were still contemplating driving home. I said you were suffering from exhaustion and deprivation. She did say she was worried about you. To help you think clearly, here are the numbers.”
In addition to several graphs and bike shops in the Bar Harbor area, John wrote the total cost of shipping the bike and flying home was
“about 600-$1000, and 7 hours later you are sleeping in your own bed.”
VS
U-Haul, Bar Harbor to Denver $ 1,493
2500 miles; 15 mpg; 167 gal; 5 price = $833 total gas
130 hotel X 4 nights = $550
$50 food X 5 days = $250
Road trip total $3096. Unless you are a masochist or really want a road trip, the numbers speak for themselves.
Super easy, put your seat back and close your eyes.
Or drive for five days.
John shoots straight from the hip. I love that. I love that he went to bat for me.
If only Larry would remember the pre-marital phrase I taught him. It goes like this:
“Yes Dear
You are right Dear
You are so much smarter than me.”
I too did some research for Larry and located three bike shops in Brunswick with one (Center Street Cycles) willing to hold a bike box for him.
I hope someone takes his picture at the end. John suggested having the local bike store that saved a bike box watch Larry dip his wheel in the Atlantic and get free advertising.
Here’s to my Road Warrior, what he’s lacking in smarts, he makes up for in testosterone and determination!
