• Jump to Content »
  • Jump to Side-Bar »
  • Jump to Navigation »
  • Jump to Far-Bar »
  • Jump to Footer »
  • home
  • differences
  • questions
  • conversations
  • paintings
  • cartoons
  • US cycle
  • KC events
  • gaeilge
  • about

Irish KC is a one-man site on Irish news and events in Kansas City and its hinterland, along with Irishness in general and how it relates to Irish-America.

It is authored by an artist from Ireland who has lived in Kansas City.

Other sites: Bicyclistic (personal), American Hell (cartoons)

[ Irish KC ]
Kansas City Irish Festivals, Music, Pubs, & Events by an Artist in Ireland

« Sunday September 3 at KC Irish Fest 2006
Day 4 at the 2006 Kansas City Irish Festival »

Cycling Across America #33

Part 33 of the Cycle-Across-America series relayed day by day, exactly ten years after it happened. (Read from the start in Boston)

Cycle Across America #33

Ten years ago today I was listening to Country music on television in the middle of Arkansas as I was talking to a tape recorder:

I’m watching a community bulletin board. Lots of text. Very boring. And on the bag I got my stamps in for my postcards: Collect US commemoratives - they’re fun, they’re history, they’re American.

Made my way to the bicycle shop in Sherwood, owned by the son of a couple who were staying at the B&B back at Helena. A Waffle House for breakfast while I waited for it to open. The mechanic turned up after nine. It was like being in a sweet shop for me as I looked at all the bike stuff I wasn’t buying.

I watched as he did what he had to do to replace the spoke. It’s not really difficult; the tools are the issue when it’s on that side at the back. He gave the back hub a complete going over, and changed the cones for me.

Took 365 road north. Crossed over 40 and saw the Arkansas river – it meanders quite a lot. Railway track on the left hand side and the Interstate on the right hand side, though it was a good distance away. Through Mayflower and up past Lake Conway.

Waited until 30 miles down and ate at Conway. Turned back on myself for food. To the interstate. A Burger King for a Whopper. Seemed like my first for ages. Ages probably means three days.

There was a ton of little insects you can barely see today - they’re just little black dots - and you have to squeeze them to get them off you. I got lots of little bites.

Not much to see today. Outskirts of big urban area. So houses without communities. Trees around houses. Nothing too interesting. Pulaski County into Faulkner county which is where Conway is, and then into Conway County which is not where Conway is.

Big shoulder, perfect smooth road. Some drizzle in Conway – sheltered briefly. I flew at nineteen miles per hour and I was worried I was going so fast but I couldn’t stop myself. Even when the road changed to rough and bumpy I went down to fifteen mph – which is still very fast for me, but it went up again as the road surface improved.

I’m at a cheap motel in Russellville. Two beds. One to cover with stuff – maps etc. and one to sleep in. Sometimes I fall asleep on the one with all my junk on

Saw a few Catholic churches today and the last couple of says. They were the first for ages. Usually I see Baptist and Lutheran. Listening to the news, there’s been a load of reports on five Catholic Churches which were burned in Arkansas.

At times today was idyllic, with a Western feel. Out in to the open and there was big fields of crops with the odd red bank topped with bushes. Fields of grass. Hedgerows. Very homely. I got my first glimpses of the Ozarks and presumably the Ouachitas on the other side. On the bike, alone for so long, you talk a lot to yourself. A lot of mind games. I told ya not to touch that, now Ouachita fya. That’s the sort of thing I come out with on the bike looking at signs.

Went though a little village, Menifee – C’est Meniffee, Oui, c’est tres menifee. I was giddy giddy. I sang and sang. I sang Paint your Wagon albeit with the words Paint Your Bicycle. Got a dream boy got a song. I’m a Man you Don’t Meet Every Day. A bunch of Furey’s stuff. The Green Fields of France covers an awful distance if you’re going fast. The Auld Triangle I was roaring out, and some people were waving.

The way waves work here is the same as everywhere else – it’s men, men that wave at you. Young girls if there’s a few of them in a car, if they’re going to do anything at all will wave frantically and beep frantically. Older women will ignore you. And Elderly women will try and kill you.

Young men will just whiz past you impressively in a sports car or a pick-up. And every other kind of man is a candidate for waving. I did get plenty of waves from little kids in gardens.

Overall though they don’t wave so much here in Arkansas – not as much as in Mississippi and Alabama, but when they do it’s a bit more properly. Ok sometimes it’s still with a finger and pointing, but in other states it was the deftest little lift of a finger off the steering wheel.

They drive differently here also. They rest both arms firmly across each other on the steering wheel. In Alabama they would lie back, one hand on the steering wheel and the other lobbed out the window as lazy as could be. Flopped all the way out. Couldn’t look lazier. Quite impressive. I saw one with his leg out of the window.

Passed a few towns. Atkins. Plumerville, Morrilton. Big elevators along the railway in these towns again. Riceland again.

Went to a Western Sizzlin’ here but as I arrived they put the lights out. I was late. Dawdling, forgetting I arrived late after getting the bike fixed. I did 78 miles for the day. The average must be below 80 at this stage.

I saw a feature on Rheas – like ostriches. Originally people were keeping them for the meat but it didn’t take off so now they’re pets.

The news reported a man from Missouri on a motorbike killed in collision with deer bring a total killed so far of 283 in Arkansas this year to date. Also a feature on a train they’re getting rid of - one of last passenger trains in Arkansas, a shame.

I passed a church somewhere where the name of the pastor is Ernest Sweat. To be fair it was Ernest L Sweat III.

Hats are appearing now. More and more cowboy hats you see them in cars. It’s not the ‘hey how are ya doing’ so much anymore that started back in North Carolina – its one of two things. They say ‘How are you today’ very specific and you have to answer exactly how you are. You can’t say how are you back. So I’d say, Ah I’m grand, and they’d look at me funny. Or the other thing they say is a straightforward ‘Howdy.’

It was cold today and it had me worried about Utah and Wyoming. I don’t want to cycle in the cold. Don’t want to buy new clothes.

Dogs. It’s certainly a couple of weeks since I’ve tried to outrun a dog – I just talk and sing to them now. I was going very fast today for thirty-five miles. Heard him bark and I looked. Only 20 feet away but between me and him there was twelve feet of two-foot high grass, then bushes. He was in his garden; an Alsatian, German Shepherd.

Didn’t know what to do so I didn’t speed up or slow down, kind of hoping he wouldn’t make it through. He burst through the bush growling and barking ferociously, and then rushed through the grass. His teeth were gnarling inches from my calf – I couldn’t go faster, and slowing down would give him my leg.

In the end I think he got confused. It all happened again a couple of miles up the road but much more shocking this time as there was just this noise as this dog burst out through the grass. So I jammed on the brakes, put my arm out and said ‘shush you stupid dog’. And it worked.

Read the Next Entry (#34) in my Bicycle Trip Across America

Read All Entries in my Cycle Across America

Share |

This entry was posted on Sunday, September 3rd, 2006 at 11:56 pm and is filed under Cycle Across America. You can follow responses via my RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.


Sorry. Comments are closed.

|Top | Content|


HOT on Irish KC

Cottage Chronicles
Damo Interview
Irish Paintings
KC Irish Bands
Gaelic Games in KC
KC Mail to Ireland

  • Irish KC Author

    Eolai gan Fheile Eolaí gan Fhéile:
    • (816) 256 3366
    • Author 101
    • On Twitter
     Contact me 

Main Content

Irish KC Home
KC Events Calendar
Reviews
Photos
Irish Paintings
Irish Conversations
Ireland-USA Differences
F.A.I. Questions
Irish-American Cartoons
As Gaeilge, a Glossary
Gaelic/Gaeilge Lessons
Immigration
Irish Festivals
Celtic Comment
The Elders: KC Celtic Rock

Categories

  • 1-eolai (886)
    • Cycle Across America (85)
    • Meanderings (34)
    • Nostalgia (68)
    • Pencil Parings (1)
    • The Cottage (26)
  • Accordion (14)
  • Ads/Notices (16)
  • Animals (50)
  • Art (218)
    • listing (25)
  • blogs (233)
  • Books (64)
  • Branson (20)
  • Cartoons (46)
  • Classical (11)
  • England (50)
  • Events (1033)
  • FA Irish Q (33)
  • Festivals (283)
  • Fingal (1)
  • Food & Drink (159)
  • Gaeilge (42)
    • Irish / Gaelic / Gaeilge Lessons (20)
  • Genealogy (25)
  • Gilhouly's (1)
  • History (86)
  • Holidays (119)
  • Housekeeping (165)
  • Immigration (90)
  • Ireland (494)
    • 1916 Rising (11)
  • Ireland & USA: Differences (65)
  • Irish Business (219)
    • Brownes' Irish Market (62)
    • Cafe & (61)
    • Doherty & Sullivan's (14)
    • Sheehans Irish Imports (18)
    • The Celtic Ranch (5)
  • Irish Conversations (102)
  • Irish Dancing (52)
  • Len Graham (1)
  • Lists (94)
  • Literature & Irish Writers (92)
  • Midwest Irish Focus (33)
    • Celtic Comment (12)
  • Miscellaneous (118)
  • Movies (140)
  • Music Lessons (8)
  • Musicians (1333)
    • Altan (4)
    • Anthony Delallo (1)
    • Anuna (3)
    • Ashley Falls (2)
    • Bagatelle (3)
    • Bell X1 (4)
    • Beoga (2)
    • Bill Morris (1)
    • Black 47 (32)
    • Black Family (9)
    • Bob Geldof (9)
    • Bob Reeder (93)
    • Bohola (6)
    • Bono & U2 (69)
    • Bosko (1)
    • Bothy Band (8)
    • BP Fallon (2)
    • Brendan Loughrey (1)
    • Brett Gibson (23)
    • Brian Hart (5)
    • Brigid's Cross (8)
    • Brock McGuire Band (1)
    • Call of the Raven (1)
    • Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh (2)
    • Capercaillie (2)
    • Cathal Dunne (3)
    • Cathie Ryan (9)
    • Celtic Spring (4)
    • Celtic Thunder (2)
    • Celtic Woman (6)
    • Cherish the Ladies (9)
    • Cherry Cokes (2)
    • Chieftains (10)
    • Chipper Thompson (8)
    • Christy Moore (18)
    • Chulrua (1)
    • Clancy Brothers (14)
    • Clannad-Enya (15)
    • Clumsy Lovers (1)
    • Connacht Town (25)
    • Connie Dover (14)
    • Cottars (4)
    • Craobh Rua (1)
    • Creel (3)
    • Crowded House (1)
    • Damien Dempsey (16)
    • Damien Rice (20)
    • Daniel O Donnell (7)
    • David Munnelly (9)
    • De Dannan (2)
    • Different Drums (4)
    • Dirty Old Towne (2)
    • Dog Tree (5)
    • Doug Goodhart (6)
    • Dropkick Murphys (7)
    • Dublin City Ramblers (1)
    • Eddie Delahunt (224)
    • Eileen Ivers (14)
    • Elders (210)
    • Ellis Island (19)
    • Enter The Haggis (33)
    • Eric Bogle (4)
    • Fionn Regan (2)
    • Flannigan's Right Hook (81)
    • Flogging Molly (20)
    • Forest Green (2)
    • Four of Us (1)
    • Frames (26)
    • Fuchsia Band (93)
    • Gabriel Reyes (16)
    • Gaelic Storm (35)
    • Gerald Trimble (3)
    • Giordaí ua Laoghaire (2)
    • Girsa (1)
    • Glen Road (23)
    • Glengarry Bhoys (7)
    • Goats Don't Shave (2)
    • Grada (8)
    • Great Big Sea (5)
    • Hazel Whyte (5)
    • Heatons (3)
    • Hooligans (1)
    • Horslips (9)
    • Indulgers (13)
    • James Galway (1)
    • Jed Marum (6)
    • Jessica Kroh (2)
    • Jiggernaut (1)
    • Jimmy Crowley (15)
    • Joanna Newsom (2)
    • Joe Dolan (1)
    • Joe Heaney (2)
    • John McDermott (2)
    • John Morris (20)
    • John Spillane (13)
    • Jonathan Ramsey (15)
    • Kelihans (56)
    • Kelly (43)
    • Kieran O'Hare (1)
    • Kila (12)
    • Killdares (1)
    • Kirk Lynch (2)
    • Líadan (1)
    • Leahy (1)
    • Lenehan (1)
    • Liam O Maonlai (35)
    • Liam's Fancy (3)
    • Lick The Tins (1)
    • Lisa Dee (2)
    • Lisa Hannigan (10)
    • Liz Carroll (2)
    • Lucky Charms (50)
    • Luka Bloom (26)
    • Luke Kelly & Dubliners (12)
    • Lunasa (5)
    • Majella Murphy (8)
    • Mason Brown (10)
    • McCabes (4)
    • Mic Christopher (3)
    • Mick O'Brien (1)
    • Mickey Finns (3)
    • Miles From Dublin (2)
    • Millish (2)
    • Morrissey (16)
    • Mundy (4)
    • New Shilling (2)
    • Nine Mile Burn (1)
    • O'Shea Sisters (3)
    • Pale (3)
    • Patrick Street (1)
    • Paul Brady (2)
    • Peter Adams (1)
    • Pogues (29)
    • Potcheen Folk Band (2)
    • Prodigals (6)
    • Rattle and Hum (27)
    • Richard Thompson (5)
    • Rob Gavin (6)
    • Roger Landes (12)
    • Roscommon (4)
    • Rowan (8)
    • Royal Shamrock (1)
    • Runrig (4)
    • Saw Doctors (16)
    • Síocháin (2)
    • Scartaglen (4)
    • Scythian (4)
    • Sean McRactagan (1)
    • Sean O Riada (3)
    • Searson (7)
    • Seven Nations (34)
    • Sharon Shannon (2)
    • Shenanigans (2)
    • Shortleaf Band (9)
    • Sinead O Connor (13)
    • Snow Patrol (8)
    • Solas (9)
    • Something For The house (11)
    • stepcrew (2)
    • Sweeney's Men (1)
    • Teada (10)
    • The Croagh Patrick (1)
    • Thick Lizzy (3)
    • Thin Lizzy (6)
    • Three Dollar Band (4)
    • Tom Dahill (2)
    • Tommy Martin & Misla (7)
    • Tommy Meehan (6)
    • Tossers (3)
    • Triflemore (11)
    • Trinity (5)
    • Tullamore (43)
    • Tullintrain West (8)
    • Turlach Boylan (18)
    • Valley Project (1)
    • Van Morrison (15)
    • Vandon Arms (3)
    • Waterboys (7)
    • Wild Clover Band (30)
    • Wild Colonial Bhoys (15)
    • Wolfe Tones (6)
    • Xiles (5)
    • Young Dubliners (27)
    • Young Wolfetones (2)
  • Organizations (217)
    • AOH (6)
    • Celtic Fringe (10)
    • Harp & Shamrock (12)
    • IAC (1)
    • IMA (1)
    • IMCC (58)
    • KC GAC (44)
    • KC Parade (4)
    • MVFS (4)
  • Photos (158)
  • Pubs (536)
    • 75th St Brewery (4)
    • Claddagh Irish Pub (4)
    • Daily Limit (1)
    • Dempsey's (2)
    • Fathead's Irish Pub (7)
    • Fitz's Blarney Stone (3)
    • Governor Stumpy's (21)
    • Greenwood Triple P (14)
    • Harling's Upstairs (24)
    • J. Murphy's (5)
    • Kelly's of Westport (14)
    • Kennedy's (14)
    • Kyle's Tap Room (13)
    • Lew's Grill & Bar (17)
    • Llywelyn's Pub (10)
    • Maloney's (3)
    • Marfield's Irish Pub (8)
    • McFadden's (9)
    • Mickey's (11)
    • Molloy's (17)
    • Norty's (2)
    • O'Dowd's - Plaza (89)
    • O'Dowd's - Zona Rosa (15)
    • O'Malley's Irish Pub (131)
    • O'Neill's - PV (4)
    • Paddy O'Quigley's (27)
    • Raglan Road (38)
    • Record Bar (23)
    • The Brick (6)
    • The Gaf (39)
    • The Office (2)
    • The Public House (3)
    • The Well (2)
    • Walsh's Corner Cocktail (7)
    • Waxy O'Shea's (14)
    • Waxy O'Shea's Shawnee (13)
    • Westsider (25)
    • WJ McBride's - KCK (32)
    • WJ McBride's - OP (25)
  • radio (29)
  • Religion (37)
  • Reviews (97)
  • Scotland (67)
  • sessions (20)
  • Shows (57)
    • eurovision (17)
  • Sport (196)
    • Setanta (26)
  • St Patrick's Day (336)
  • Sunday Shorts (20)
  • Tech (45)
    • twitter (14)
  • Translations (2)
  • Travel (115)
  • Video (157)
  • Wales (1)
  • weather (50)

Archives

  • May 2023
  • December 2021
  • March 2021
  • March 2019
  • November 2018
  • March 2018
  • December 2017
  • September 2017
  • May 2016
  • March 2016
  • May 2015
  • March 2015
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • March 2014
  • January 2014
  • August 2013
  • May 2013
  • March 2013
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • May 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • December 2011
  • October 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008
  • October 2008
  • September 2008
  • August 2008
  • July 2008
  • June 2008
  • May 2008
  • April 2008
  • March 2008
  • February 2008
  • January 2008
  • December 2007
  • November 2007
  • October 2007
  • September 2007
  • August 2007
  • July 2007
  • June 2007
  • May 2007
  • April 2007
  • March 2007
  • February 2007
  • January 2007
  • December 2006
  • November 2006
  • October 2006
  • September 2006
  • August 2006
  • July 2006
  • June 2006
  • May 2006
  • April 2006
  • March 2006
  • February 2006
  • January 2006
  • December 2005
  • November 2005
  • October 2005
  • September 2005
  • August 2005
  • July 2005
  • June 2005
  • May 2005
  • April 2005
  • March 2005
  • February 2005
  • January 2005

And There’s More

THE 1916 EASTER RISING

1916 Rising

1916 Dublin Rising:

Langerland's Rising
1st Military 1916 Parade for 37 yrs
Black Shamrock and W
90th Anniversary of 1916 Rising
Commemorative Concert for 1916 Rising
KC Drill Teams Salute Irish Rebels

|Top | Sidebar|


Art

My Paintings on Sale
Irish Paintings for Sale
  • Feeds

    • • Subscribe to All Posts
    • • Or just Main Features

Main KC Irish Events

Submit Your Irish Event

Mar 20 Hoffenpurpenburger Day
See List of All KC Events

Latest Comments

  • Is Ireland Really Green, Potato-Eating, and Red-Haired ?  (14)
    Leigh Pagenkopf, cyrell, Eolaí, Nicolas Martin, Ellen K., eolai [...]
  • Driscoll School of Irish Dance in Shawnee, Kansas  (1)
    Theresa Gavila
  • An Irish Sausage is NOT a Banger  (9)
    Stee, fred beamish, Arnold, Donald McCall, Marie Hughes, Eolaí gan Fhéile [...]
  • One Million Views: Avicii Vs Lurgan  (1)
    Logtar
  • Midwest Irish Focus Changes Location  (2)
    Edna Smith, cricket
  • Panda Playtime!  (5)
    Eolaí, Nina, Jenny Krizman, Elly Parker, Eolaí
  • Biggest Irish Festivals in America  (3)
    Eolaí, Howard, NW Irish Fest
  • Eolaí gan Fhéile, author of Irish KC  (17)
    Eolaí, jill, Nance, e, J.R. McFadden, eolai [...]
  • Leaping Pandas, It's A Lovely Day!  (4)
    Eolaí, Nina, Eolaí, Jenny
  • Thanks A Million  (2)
    Kaylah Nealy, Shop Irish

Search Irish KC

Search 

Most Popular Posts:

An Irish Cottage
A KC Call to an Irish Mother
St. Valentine's Day
David Shaughnessy
A Bad Pint
Songs Learned in School
Turas : Trip
Irish Odyssey in Kansas City
Dublin Walls: Photos
Damo & Me: Audio Interview
Ireland/US Difference: Fun
Irish Inventions
Prison Interview with Philo
A KC Phone Call to Ireland
U2: Dublin 1979 & 1987
History of an Irish Pub
An Ice Oratory
Online: Staying Irish
Irish Place Names & Illegals
Turkeyed Out
Traveling By Train
1st Mosquito Bite
Feast or Famine: Emigration
Temperatures
How Do You Find America?
Customer Service in the US
Why Are The Irish Guilty?
House of Pain
25 Things About KC
Little Judy's Watching TOTP
Meeting Maradona

Paintings Recently Sold

  • painting Hover thumbnail
  • painting Heuston thumbnail
  • painting Stone Walls, No Sheep thumbnail
  • painting Parkgate Street thumbnail
  • painting Westport II thumbnail
  • painting Ormond Quay thumbnail
irishblogawards.gif Irish Trad School
Eddie Delahunts Cafe and

Twitter

    Follow IrishKC on Twitter >>

    Facebook

    IrishKC creator on Facebook

    FriendFeed

    An aggregate of my postings, along with the same from friends. On FriendFeed

    Tumblr

    Irish sKCraps

    YouTube

    Eolaí's Videos

    MySpace

    Kansas City Irish

    Irish & Ish

    • David Maybury
    • Primal Sneeze
    • Musical Rooms
    • Thirsty Gargoyle
    • Damien Mulley
    • Fat Mammy Cat
    • Well Done Fillet
    • Dante and the Lobster
    • Annie Rhiannon
    • Problem Child Bride
    • Bock The Robber
    • Sniffle & Cry
    • Hangar Queen
    • Conortje
    • I Can Has Cook
    • Flirty Something
    • Íomhá an lae
    • Máthair Gaelachais
    • Stranded on Gaia
    • Two Wheels on my Wagon
    • Nialler9
    • Avoiding Life
    • One More Hour
    • Eoin Purcell
    • Head Rambles
    • Paddy Anglican
    • Redmum
    • The Indie Hour
    • Darren's Photo Blog
    • Irish Eyes Art Studio
    • News From Nowhere
    • Maman Poulet
    • An Spailpín Fánach
    • Homebug
    • One For The Road
    • Donal
    • Grannymar
    • A Bit of Bonhomie
    • Writing It Down Fills In...
    • Slugger O'Toole
    • Tuppenceworth
    • Argolon
    • Irish Politics
    • The Persuaders
    • Filmbase
    • Blather Abroad
    • North Atlantic Skyline
    • In Photo Dot Org
    • B&W Photos of Ireland

    Kansas City & Missouri

    • American Hell
    • Happy In Bag
    • Hip Suburban White Guy
    • Sugar Britches
    • Farmer Bob
    • Three O'Clock in the Morning
    • Erin in the Real World
    • General Blather
    • FileGirl
    • There Stands The Glass
    • Gone Mild
    • Midtown Miscreant
    • My Spyder Web
    • Well Hell Michelle
    • KC With a Russian Accent
    • Tony's Kansas City
    • KC Gaelic Athletic Club
    • KC Beer Blog
    • So Many Books
    • The D Rules
    • Wayward Blog
    • Chimpotle
    • Average Jane
    • Scoot Utopia
    • Daily Photo Kansas City
    • KC Sponge
    • Frighteningly Uncommon Sense
    • All Astonishment
    • Scéalta
    • Fallible
    • The Kansas City Post
    • Death's Door
    • Observant Bystander
    • Pomegranate Pretty
    • K City
    • Photog Blog
    • Branson Blog
    • Down The Byline
    • Greetings From Waldo
    • Alonzo Washington
    • KC Bike.Info
    • Bike Friendly KC
    • KC Bloggers
    • The Celtic Fringe
    • MVFS
    • Tuesday Folk
    • KC Library: Irish in KC
    • City of Kansas City, MO

    Recent Readers

    Aggregators

    Irish Blogs

    Stats

    Meta

    • Log in
    • XHTML
    • CSS

    |Top | FarBar|


    Copyright © 2006-2025, [ Irish KC ]. All rights reserved. |Top|
    [ Irish KC ] is powered by WordPress and has had (Stats Disabled) unique visitors
    A Modification of Accessible “SeaBeast” theme v.1.2 © 2006-2025 by Mike Cherim


    Attention: This is the end of the usable page!
    The images below are preloaded standbys only.
    This is helpful to those with slower Internet connections.