Thursday, July 26, 2012

Personal Hygiene on the Road

"I'm riding out," the Spouse told Joe.

Joe, sitting in his office in Chicago, replied, "I'll meet you in the Badlands.  I'll grow my hair."

Joe likes the way his hair sticks straight backward after a day on the bike.  Joe has known the Spouse since college.  He's been with us since the before the beginning.


The Spouse left me in Missoula and stayed in the KOA in Billings the next night. He warned his neighboring camper that he was getting a very loud, very early start, laid his ground-pad on the picnic table, and slept in his clothing.

During the early nineties, the Spouse, Joe and another friend rode from Chicago, through Canada and into Alaska.  They almost reached the Arctic Circle before heading south again to the west-coat ferries.  On that trip, the Spouse bought a four-pack of new underwear.  One pair for each week. When it came time to change, he threw the used pair into the campfire.  I didn't ask him about his hygiene on this trip; better not to.

Also on the Alaska trip (AKA the Iron Butt Tour), the three friends felt the need for a bath right around the B.C./Yukon border.  They found a remote lake in the woods.  "Should we take off all our clothes?" asked Joe, who is very modest.  "Of course we should.  We're in the middle of nowhere!' said the Spouse.

So, the three undressed, jumped in the lake and started scrubbing.  Rrrn, rrrn, up pulled an RV.  An entire family spilled out, chattering in some Scandinavian language.  They looked and pointed at the men in the water, took photographs of them, and got in their van and left.


This is the highway approaching the Bighorn Mountains.  A day later, the Spouse met Joe in Sturgis, South Dakota.  (Don't worry; the rally's not until August.)  They could've met in Rapid City, but the Spouse wanted to make Joe travel that many miles farther than he.




According to the Spouse, Joe took a photo of him as they rode alongside one another.  He said it could be titled, "This is the man you married?"


3 comments:

Brooke said...

After a week, I'm sure the campfire had hardly anything left to burn : ) I'm sure you have seen the movie "Wild Hogs"--but the bathing so reminded me of a certain scene : )

klamb said...

Oh my, I am thankful our state has helmet laws!! Also thankful for our outstanding SIL..

NaomiG said...

HAHAHA! The male perspective on hygiene is hilarious, every time.

Have you tried ExOfficio's give-n-go underwear? Seriously the best underwear for trips like this, ever. They hand wash and dry so fast I can camp with just one pair, as long as I remember to wash them in the evening--two might make it a little easier, but one pair is totally doable. Minimalist me loves them. They're expensive, but Sierra Trading Post usually has them for cheaper.