Since we wanted to join RAGBRAI, we had to slow our trip down thru Nebraska. We stayed in Norfolk for an extra day. We basically hung out at their public library and read some books and mags. I would have checked email, but they installed censorware which didn’t allow telnet access. After hours at the library we went to watch X-men. Outside the theater, we met a whole slew of BMX bikers. They talked us up really well. My favorite line went something like, “Damn, look at those tan lines. You were really white. If we biked from Portland would we be Asian, too?” After the movie, we saw them again at a park and three of them asked if they could bike with us.

The Norfolk kids’ bikes weren’t as tricked out as this one found during RAGBRAI…

And so we had an escort thru town by pretty cool teens on single speed BMXs, a couple of them missing a brake or having a broken saddle or headset. And they were all over the streets, blocking traffic like good delinquents should. They took us to a Chinese restaurant, but it was closed by then. We lit some crazyass panda bear fireworks. They were pretty cool – bright and nice; the kids, that is. I hope we planted seeds in their heads to take up bike touring, and I hope that before they go, they learn some road rules. 🙂