America, One Shampoo Bottle at a Time

We have now stayed in 9 different motels on our cross country trek, and each of them has had different shampoos, soaps, and lotions. I am by no means a snob when it comes to my hygiene products, so rather than lug around a bunch of toiletries I use what the hotel gives me. I have noticed that most motels try to keep the soap, shampoo, and lotion the same uniform fragrance. Last night was "Honey Clover" and it looks like tonight is "Mandarin Berry". Most of the scents seem to have been designed for a situation in which you are forced to use them, because no one in their right mind would seek out "Cherry Banana Pine" scented lotion. Maybe I am wrong, perhaps some people like to smell like a forest and a gorilla with a smattering of cherry mixed in. I wonder if there is any real plan as to what scent the motel wishes upon it's tenants, or if they just survey the bargain bin of rejects at the local drug store? Some of the motels have completely bypassed fragrance uniformity and just given us whatever the hell they feel like.

I must say that anyone who has the chance should see a great big place in bite sized increments, i.e. 70 miles at a time. We are resting in Elko, Nevada today, which is actually a real city in comparison to all of the towns and quasi villages we have been staying in so far. When we ride into town we usually get in before our rooms are ready so we usually go to lunch in our bike clothes, and we get questions because there are not too many Lycra-clad bicycle riders around. We usually get the same reaction from people, "wow, you're riding your bikes across the country?" Today, though, we got a great reaction from the lady at the Dairy Queen. When she asked where we were riding from I told her that we are going across the country and she said, "What's wrong with you? Why don't you just drive? I just don't understand. That is not smart at all, you can get hurt or you could fall." I told her we take care of ourselves and she continued to tell me that this was all a bad idea. I paid for my milk shake, thanked her, wished her well, and sipped my coconut banana milk shake. The Dairy Queen lady brought up valid points, but I really could not understand why it seemed as if she was mad at me. People are funny.

Real quick, as I am typing this I just saw a commercial that was hilarious. I don't even know what the name of the store was, but the commercial was all computer animation that looked like it was created on a computer from the seventies and the voice over guy was yelling at the top of his lungs. I could not understand a word the guy was saying. The best part is at the end of the commercial they showed a picture of the store front and I swear to God there was a finger on the lens and there is a guy checking his car tire in front of the store's sign. It's like they outsourced the production of their commercial to freaking kindergartners.

Tomorrow is our last night in Nevada before we cross into Utah. It is very fitting that there is a border separating these two states because Nevada is the wild west, where anything goes, and Utah is, well, Utah. Nevada has the sound of slot machines and the pungent aroma of cigarette smoke in nearly every establishment and Utah has, well, it's Utah. Nevada has bikers who carry big knives on their belts and Utah has, well, it's just Utah. I am going to enjoy my last couple of nights in Nevada.

Just in case you were wondering.

Worst scent: Pecan Paprika Pineapple (I swear they made this purely for the alliteration)

Best scent: Apple Blossom (It was sweet, light, and made me happy)

Sorry for the pictures that have nothing to do with the blog. I didn't really have any pictures that related to the story. The pictures are of this really pretty canyon that we rode through. The road was closed so the it was really quiet, green, and just beautiful.