Questions I contemplate sitting in the saddle

For the past week plus of riding over 800 miles through New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, I had plenty of time to think, to contemplate important things. Instead, I contemplated stupid things and thought of things I can't explain. Some sound like petty grudges, but likely it still means I can't explain them. I didn't solve much, but perhaps if I lay them out you might have answers for me: Most have to do with what was right in front of me across the top of my handlebars all week:

Such as: Why does this statue look like it came from a romance novel? 1. What makes a prosperous area become a poor one? I rode through a lot of areas on my trip that have seen better days. Large areas of the state of New York look like their best days are well behind them. You can tell by the architecture of the buildings that some of the homes, when they were built a hundred to a hundred fifty years ago, were impressive. Beautiful brick homes, with porches, towers, and other features that hint they were really something in their day. Why is it no longer their day? A large part of our trip was along the Erie Canal, so it is obvious why some of this prosperity left. When the original canal, built in 1825, was enlarged and then eventually replaced with a larger one, in the early 1900's, the towns no longer along this corridor were no longer going to have the jobs, the wealth, and the people needed when they were in the heart of the action. Even the large canal existing now is really mostly used for leisure boating, and not serious commerce. Railroads, and then highways, replaced the canal as the most efficient way to transport goods. But what about the other areas away from the canals? Why are there so many abandoned factories along the way? Did they make things no longer needed? Was it easier to make stuff elsewhere? Apparently so, as so much of the area still looks "underutilized." Rome, NY stood out as a small city that seemed to have more abandoned facilities than current ones. When these all leave, who goes and who stays? Those areas seem to be filled with older people, so I have to assume that the kids move away, but their parents stay. It seems a shame.

2. Why is it that people (let's just say men) in pickup trucks are more likely to be rude on the road? No matter where we travel, this seems to be the case. Perhaps they have so little control over these big machines that a lowly cyclist becomes more of a hazard than in a smaller car, SUV, or any other type of transportation? When you're taking up most of the road, there's no room for others. Actually, where we were riding on trails, and the trails crossed roads, drivers in New York were very, very accomodating. Most stopped to let riders cross the roads where they intersected. All, except pickup trucks, which invariably never stopped for cyclists. In fact, they typically honked, yelled, or attempted to "roll coal" on cyclists to show their displeasure. I think about this as an owner of a pickup truck. Do I appear that rude? I must work on myself if I do...

What is the obsession with Precious Moments statues? 3. Why is it that the poorer an area is, the more stuff they have? Usually this stuff is in the yard, on the porch, up on blocks in the driveway, but it is still stuff. It's amazing the amount of furniture that makes its way outdoors, to be left there, along with appliances, toys, just... stuff. It's not like the family went without - they usually have more than enough stuff. Why does it end up in the yard? I honestly would like to know. How does the value of stuff change, eventually leading to abandonment in the yard? But apparently with enough value that it is not disposed of. This happens everywhere I've ridden. Less prosperity = more stuff.

4. Why is it that owners of big houses, formerly beautiful houses, feel it is necessary to enclose what used to be grand porches? I see this everywhere, not just on this particular ride. Sometime in the history of a big house, from when it was built as a showcase for its first owner, does someone feel that enclosing the porch, usually with materials that don't match the house, is the way to improve things? And normally, the enclosure remains an unconditioned space, so it only serves to be filled with junk from the house. (Like it is the front yard or something...) I bought an old house in Indianapolis, and it had a horrible porch enclosure, which I ripped out almost immediately. It not only removed an eyesore, but it also provided a grand place to be outside, with a roof to provide shade and shelter. I didn't miss the extra "space," actually it enhanced and expanded my living space.

5. This one came from reading my hometown paper while away: How is it that Ohio is contemplating adding a new Interstate highway, running through multiple states, to connect Michigan with, what, South Carolina? A new Interstate, at the cost of billions of $, when there are plenty of other roads that come from and go to the same places. What, Michigan and Ohio can't leave their states fast enough? Worse, this gigantic cost is being contemplated while a high-speed rail system connecting Ohio, giving folks an alternative to more cars, connecting neighboring states, is out of the question? The rail question always devolves into "that would cost billions, and would anyone use it?" But more highways never seem to be the answer. Everywhere we ride we see the effects of ever-more highway lanes. Highways take up gigantic amounts of space, disconnecting cities, bypassing towns (see #1, above) With a fraction of that money, could we perhaps create more separated bike/hike/walk trails? Then perhaps more people could or would explore our own state, instead of heading to South Carolina, to do what? I can say this: every place we see rail/trails, where people can get from one place to another without a car, these places fill with people too. We rode in Manhattan on a trail system along the west side, and it was packed with people. Happy people, walking, riding, scootering. Even in rural areas, we constantly saw people utilizing the trails - local people, not through-riders like us. Instead of being locked in a car, these people are out, enjoying their surroundings. I can say this: just by providing a trail to ride through and explore, Jerry and I spent a chunk of money, on food, lodgings, and amusement, in the state of New York. We saw an lot of other riders doing the same. Perhaps instead of longing for more pavement and Buc-ee's, perhaps if we had more places to explore within our own state, we might even spend more of our money here. Instead of in South Carolina.

I can't think of any other important questions I thought of on the trip. Lots of minor ones like: where is the next trail sign hidden? where can I fill my water bottle? or pee? Where did Jerry go? Where are we going to stay tonight? Is that guy in a pickup going to stop? Lots of other similarly dischordant thoughts bouncing through my head.