At Kernersville we discovered a bicycle store, The Piedmont Pedaler, just beside our rest stop and I jumped at the chance to have my rear wheel trued. Jim Lewellen (photo 1), also a bicycle tourist in Europe and other places, dropped his current job to do this for me. He also showed us a back route to Greensboro that avoided the heavy traffic on US 421.

As we got close to Greensboro, Robby noticed a clicking sound coming from my rear wheel. We stopped and found that the rear wheel rim was cracked. This had to be fixed right away. We found the bike shop that Jim Lewellen had told us about in Greensboro around 1 pm, and they said they could rebuild the rear wheel by 4 pm (photo 3). Since we were almost at the motel this was not a problem. We had lunch nearby while we waited for the wheel to be repaired. Then everyone except me went on a tour of Greensboro recreational parks. I waited there for the bike and walked around the shopping center. While waiting in an outdoor cafe by the shop I fell asleep in the chair. Bicycling always makes me sleepy.

The bike was ready at 4 pm and we left for the motel, arriving about 5:30.

Tomorrow we head for Chapel to visit Bob and Inez van Arsdall and to enjoy a day off from bicycling. On Thursday we will ride the last two days of the trip to Wrightsville Beach near Wilmington.

[Robby] "Top Ten Things Not to Do on a Cross-Country Bicycle Trip"

10. Yell "DAD!!" while passing a golf course (watch them wave!)
9. Say "Heeeeeere Kitty-Kitty!" to dogs barking behind fences.
8. Lean against cars at red lights and begin snoring.
7. Use duct tape for fixing flat tires.
6. Use complimentary butter pads to grease the bicycle chain.
5. Sing "On Top of the World" (the Carpenters) while waking up your brother in the morning.
4. Ride up next to a couple of guys in a pickup and say "Howdy Bo. Howdy Luke."
3. Ride up next to a couple of guys in a pickup and say "Which one a' you boys is the construction worker in the Village People?"
2. Eat microwave chili dogs for lunch.
1. Walk into a convenience store (decked out in bicycle gear and helmets) and say "Do not be alarmed. We come in peace."

This has been a great trip so far. This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime trip with our Father. We have only three full bicycling days left until we get to the coast! Jonathan and I have decided to ride through Europe for a few months, then cross the country the other way. All we need now is sponsors... and new knees!

[Connie]This motel is in a somewhat unique situation compared to all the others in which we've stayed along this trip. It's so far out along I-40 that there are no nearby restaurants. Instead there is a Food Chauffeurs service by which one chooses dishes from 18 participating restaurants, calls a central office which then orders those dishes from the establishment(s) and arranges for a driver to pick up and deliver.

Since the guys had ridden hard and far to get here, they weren't inclined to ride to dinner. The truck only holds the driver and 2 passengers--one in a pretty uncomfortable position-- and it would have taken two trips each way to transport us all. The delivery service was the choice for the evening.

We chose Chinese food from what turned out to be a very good kitchen, ate well and commented that the motel would forbid Chinese food from here on due to the lingering scent--not a problem since leftovers went to the dumpster. The fortune cookies were dutifully opened, fortunes shared and commented on. Both Steve and I received "You will travel far and wide, both for pleasure and business." That's pretty close to the current situation. Bed time and I've got a cold.