Roadies... We're with the band

Trip leading is a crazy whirlwind line of work, and it rocks. All in one minute you are a teacher, translator, bike mechanic, wine aficionado, cyclist, entertainer, friend, and psychologist. What can prepare you for all of that? The answer is simple, flexibility. You'll never know it all or do it all perfectly, the trick is to chill out and accept that with grace. Laugh at yourself and the weird situations you find yourself in. This job comes with a lot of windshield time. Its like an eternal road trip. For those who live for the road, that's a dream come true. At times it can wear your wranglers thin. Cowboy up and carry on! Daylight's a burnin! Rolling through little villages with a big van, pulling a trailer with 20 bikes on top is a hoot. What a spectacle for the locals! Everyone comes out to see the show. Even more entertaining when the American wedges the van into a narrow one lane street, then has to humbly retreat in reverse (beeep beeep beeep) To make way for the oncoming 8-row head of a combine (John Deere!). The bartender from the corner cafe comes out to help direct traffic. The entertainment is mutual. A few highlights from my drive through the Slovenian alps: an old mountain couple, aged in their 90's surely, out for a stroll down the alpine pass road, walking sticks in hand, hobbling slowly but still out there kickin it. I love mountain folk. Timeless. Mama cow and baby calf halting traffic on an s-curve, calmly chomping away on the recent alpine flower bloom. Oblivious to our hurried human schedules and driving destinations. Drove up and over Vrsik pass on the way to Kranjska Gora. 45 switchbacks altogether, whew! Cobblestone switchbacks built by hand, brick by brick by prisoners of war. The population here, locals and visitors, are all outdoors folk. Everyone by bike, foot, kayak, horseback, trout stream waders. Beautiful. It's great to have all these extra bikes for emergencies like this :) riding every chance I get. Stopped to buy fresh-picked apricots from two lovely ladies. I believe some people were put on earth to be everyones grandma... They love everyone unconditionally with the truest twinkle of the eye. The elder swore by her secret to everlasting energy and youth... 10 Apricots and 2 liters of water per day! Stick to it. Early mornings await so im off. Stay thirsty and quench it when you can. Salute Cm