The music in my head

"There's a big, A big hard sun

Beating on the big people

In a big hard world"

~Eddie Vedder

Because I need to be listening for big trucks, careening buses, insane motorcylists and screaming cars, I can't really use earphones. For those who know me well, the lack of music on this trip really is killing me. I miss my computer, I miss my ipod. I miss my music.

So what can a guy do? I sing to myself. It started on the first day with songs from the jungle book (An Ape Like Me and The Bare Necessities). Thanks to Sam Hauser to whom I read the children's version just before my depart, these songs were fresh in my head. Since then, I have been known to pass other cyclists or donkey-carts singing at the top of my lungs: "Here comes the rain again" (Eurythmics), "Old MacDonald" (traditional), "Manic Monday" (Bangles), "By the Rivers of Babylon"(Bony M), Tricky (Beastie Boys) "Dirty Deeds"(ACDC) , "Another Saturday Night" (Cat Stevens), "Amazing" (Matt Redman), "The Longest Time" (Billy Joel), and my theme song "Big Hard Sun" by Eddie Vedder.

Slightly modified words often help pass the time too."The Wheels on the Bike go Round and Round" has proved very popular. I have lots of new verses like... "The kids who watch me bike yell give me candy, give me candy, give me candy, All Day Long!" or "The glutes on the seat say LET US REST... All Day Long!"

People look at me funny and sometimes I lower my voice if I'm right next to someone, but most of the time I just sing away. It makes the kms go quickly and keeps me happy!