Keeping the Perspective: Part II

When you’re traveling on a bike, there’s nowhere to hide. There’s no car, truck, or adventure van to duck into or take shelter when you’re tired. You’re out there. All the time. And you’re exposed to a lot of different kinds of people. People you never would have otherwise met or talked with. And in turn, they’re exposed to you.

It’s pretty cool.

Cortney and I talked about it a couple of months ago in Part I, where we’ve met so many wonderful people from all different backgrounds. These amazing encounters have been a big part of what’s made this trip so special. We’ve come at it with an open mind and in return, “being out there” has continued to give us fresh perspectives. Here are some more of those “words of wisdom” and inspiration we’ve picked up from the people we’ve met along the way.

“If at first you don’t succeed, redefine what success is.“
-Perry the Bike Lady (St. Francisville, LA)

We stayed with our Warm Showers host Perry on our last night in Louisiana. She’s helped thousands of cyclists over the years (seriously thousands) and has her place dialed. Perry and her husband built a separate dwelling for travelers to stay or camp. (There’s even an outdoor shower!) To sweeten the deal, she made us a beautiful Thai dinner and served us fresh coffee and homemade yogurt for breakfast.

Perry bought this acreage 30 years ago. At the time, there was no running water, no manmade structures, no nothing. Over the years, they’ve built their dream: a main house and shops for her upholstery work and for her bicycle habit. (Perry builds all her bicycles and her wheels! And there are too many to count.) Her whole philosophy is you can choose and define your own path. You don’t have to live in a box. You build the life you want. And Perry and her husband are doing just that.

“Sometimes people in the most inhospitable places are the most hospitable.“
-MaryBeth the Hippy Sheepherder from Vermont (Land Between the Lakes, KY)

Over the Easter weekend, we talked with our campground neighbor MaryBeth over coffee. She had a Surly Karate Monkey and a cool dog, so it was easy to start the conversation. MaryBeth was currently living out of her adventure truck, traveling for a few months before returning to New England. She’s a true nomad and has been for a long time. She talked a lot about intentionally and living outside the box. She’s traveled extensively, taking up odd jobs—like shepherding in the southwest—and lived in some unusual places.

She told a story about living with the Inuit in the Arctic. These were people living in ramshackle homes and huts. They had nothing, but we’re warm, welcoming, smiling, and happy. It reminded us of some of the places Cortney and I cycled through in the Bayou. People didn’t have the resources to repair their dilapidated homes from previous storms, but they were cheerful and waved “how y’all doing?” to us.

“It’s important for people to make the time to be kind and help others.“
-Mr. Fowler (Marion, KY)

If you’re ever in Marion, KY, be sure to stop by the united methodist church there. We aren’t religious, but this place is one of a kind. They call themselves a “bike church” because they’ve been helping touring cyclists since the 70s. They offer a shower and a nice clean place to stay—for free. It’s incredible.

We got caught in some weather for a couple of days and were luckily able to stay with them. Debbie and her husband Dan Fowler opened the church, set us up, and made a list of local places to eat or that delivered. They even offered to take us to the store. It was beyond kind. Dan said, people don’t always appreciate it, but it’s important to make the time. We’re glad they did.

“You gotta live your life and have some fun.”
-Memphis Red (On the shoulder of Hwy. 79 en route to Dover, TN.)

On the way to Dover, TN, there was a guy in red shoes sitting in his red car parked on the shoulder. As we rode by, we asked if he was okay. He dismissed the question with a quick “How far you gone on those bikes?” He was really curious and asked us a tons of things about our bikes and travels. He wasn’t interested in cycling himself but he wanted to get out of Memphis and see the country. He kept talking about living your life and having fun.

The big takeaway for Cortney and me was that we all have responsibilities, be it work, school, family, what have you. But living your life is also your responsibility—and equally important. You don’t need to do something as dramatic as selling all your possessions, renting your house out for a year, and cycling around the country. (Like some people we know.) But maybe it’s a weekend hike, a camping trip, a picnic, or whatever. Something that fills your soul. We hope Red finds it.

“Have the courage to be vulnerable and open yourself up to opportunities.”
-Isaiah Maxi, A Young Adventurer Walking Across Missouri on the Katy Trail (Tebbetts, MO)

We met Isaiah on the Katy Trail just before we came into Cooper’s Landing. A couple of other cyclists on the trail said to keep our eyes open for him. We did and he’s amazing.

Isaiah was a young black man who was deeply depressed. He wanted to do something physically and emotionally hard. He wanted to build community through his actions. So he started walking across his home state. As he put it, “When you look different, it takes a lot of courage.”

That’s an understatement.

Isaiah told us a story about how psychologically damaging it is to cross the street and people avoid you just because you look different.

For this trip, he’s intentionally made himself vulnerable and opened himself up to whatever the world brings him. People have been welcoming and come out and walk a mile or so with him. They want to give him gifts, extra food, or supplies, but he can’t physically carry everything. He was raised to never turn down a kindness, so he says “I’ll talk with you.” Honestly, that’s one of the greatest gifts.

“Take each day as it comes.”
-Laura the Kenyan Pastor (Cannon Falls, MN)

We came off of riding a beautiful trail into the town of Cannon Falls and stopped for lunch at a park. The two of us on our bikes are a spectacle in these small towns, and it wasn’t long before we were chatting with Laura. Laura is from Kenya and had grown up in a small village and came to Minnesota for school and never left. She said she often talks about living a simpler life with her husband, as she fingered the two phones in front of her. She talked about moving back to her village someday. “The people there are very poor, but they have what they need.” she says. “They give each other their time. They talk. They raise chicken and have a cow. And they’re happy. They take each day, each moment as it comes. And that’s enough.”

“To change your life, change your perspective.”
-Brent the Zen Cyclist (Frontenac, MN)

We met Brent at Frontenac State Park, MN, after a challenging day of storms. As a lifelong cyclist, Brent was interested in what we were doing, and he shared stories about a three-month cycling tour he’d done in Europe. While cycling, he was in a rhythm and came to realize that if it doesn’t fit on the bike, I don’t need it. (That kind of minimalism is very freeing.) Brent was kind enough to invite for us to stay with him if we made it to his home in St. Paul. We did and it was awesome. We shared dinner together, met his cyclist-engineer son, and enjoyed some tequila. He was by far one of the most creative, generous, and soulful people we’ve encountered on our journey. And so generous. His wife is ill and he’s been caregiving for the past several years, but his optimism shines through even brighter. It’s inspiring. We hope our paths cross again.

The farther this trip takes us, the more we realize that perspective really is everything. It defines your outlook—and your understanding—of the world around you. It drives your decision-making and thinking. And most importantly, it helps you better connect with the people you meet. As our trip winds westward and we continue to meet new people, we’ll be mindful of these things. Especially as we start closing the loop on this great Olson Odyssey.

-Erik