It looks like my dad’s cross country bike trip starts today!

He’ll be here in a few weeks I guess.  Rumor is he is planning to attend CPSTL‘s September 8 concert (and you should too!). 

Because yes, I learned he is leaving on his bike trip today from twitter.  Not from some other way that other people in other families might do it?

I am glad my father is on twitter.  I feel like this way we will really learn to communicate.  My dad is not a big talker and is not much on the phone.  We’ve spent countless hours in the car together (particularly when I was doing college auditions) and hours would go by without any talking at all, except "do you need to use the bathroom" or "are you hungry".  But, now he has a twitter, PLUS Leslie said that he TEXTED her the other day. 

I can’t be the only woman whose boyfriend (well, fiancé, but that always feels strange—should I skip to husband since some of Chris’s friends simply refer to me as his wife?) is more likely to have an actual conversation via text than in person?  I recall Chris first told me he loved me on AOL Instant Messager.  That set the tone for our relationship.  I’m surprised he proposed in person rather than via text or perhaps facebook chat (Chris doesn’t use twitter yet.)

(Wait, how did those pictures get in there?  Leslie, suiting up for a 10-mile run over Christmas break.  Leslie, finished with her first half-marathon.  And…wearing the same top and jacket?)

Not that I am much better talking about my emotions.  Now, I LOVE to talk.  I can talk for hours.  My favorite thing to do is talk with my friends (and I work really hard to listen too, I swear!) But, in my family, we don’t talk about feelings.  Actions speak louder than words.  For instance, my dad is the sort of dad that, if your car broke down in Kentucky on your way to school, when he found out, would turn around and drive through the night to get you and take you to school (this wasn’t me, but my sister Leslie).  I’d rather that sort of dad any day.  Much more helpful to know that if you needed something, your dad would drop everything and go get it.  Maybe that’s why I don’t have children yet…I’m too selfish to imagine that sort of devotion.  I worry it wouldn’t come naturally.

That being said, obviously I am pretty proud of what my dad is doing and I think it’s really cool.  He’s biking from where my parents live in South Carolina to here, and then to visit my sister in Arizona, and then (I think) to maybe LA, where he is going to hop on a train to go home.  I think—that was the last plan I heard a few weeks ago.  He’s got all these maps from other bikers of the best routes to take various places and where all the bike shops are along the way.  It’s been a pretty huge endeavor, just planning the trip. 

Anyway, I look forward to following his progress (and you can, on twitter!) and seeing how thin he looks when he makes it to St Louis (we’ll have to try to fatten him up a bit before he gets going again.)  Safe travels, Dad!