Friday, September 11, 2009

Days 12-13: Jesus, Obama and the rural South


Throughout the 97 miles between Newport, NC and North Topsail Beach (130 miles past the Outer Banks) headwinds made for slow going and the route had me riding on several busy roads. Environmental factors, however, did not compare to the onslaught of conservative talking points I faced. It's as if Jesus is running for office against Wall Drug down here -- and winning. Biblical phrases grace signs outside of gas stations, auto repair shops and even private residences, and his staffers are deployed in the unlikeliest of places to campaign for him. For instance, a very nice man interrupted my lunch to ask if I had yet accepted Jesus Christ as my personal savoir. Later that same day a pair of older men questioned me about the whereabouts of Obama's birth certificate, despite warnings that I had volunteered for his campaign and so was unlikely to be moved on the subject. I would rather have discussed the deliciousness of pop tarts or the pros and cons of Hardees serving breakfast biscuits after 10:30am, but it was not to be.

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