Sweep baby Sweep! This was the attitude of the day as I was with my good friend Abby serving as the individuals responsible for herding the cattle(as in bikers). We knew it would be a long day when we set out of the church and had no expectations for when we would arrive. We said to ourselves that we have 105 miles to go until Henryetta and who knows when we will be there.
As we crossed the Arkansas River into Oklahoma, we checked out the local Farmers Market but there was no food edible along our ride. We just talked to some locals and they wished us the best. Abby and I continued to ask cliche questions to each other in order to pass the time, as we picked up stragglers along the way.
There are two great ways to pass time on a bike: talking to your fellow biker and hills. So when hills came along our route, they took up our mind for a long time and before we knew it we had covered some serious mileage. Our two lunch stops were rewarding as we received plenty of Air Conditioning in the local gas stations/convenient stores.
I realized the importance of not eating too much food during a lunch break, as my stomach would be rumbling the next five miles after lunch. As sweepers, we had to wait until everyone is finished at lunch so therefore it can take a lot of time. Our second lunch was over an hour long, as we waited for nappers.
By the time it was 6:30 PM we slowly made our way into Henryetta, and were ready to eat some food. We met the group at the local park where we met the congregation of the church we were staying. There were great burgers, great beans/rice and great people. It was a very nice community dinner, one that I wish we could always have. The people told us about the history of their town with the stories of Jim Shoulders (famous Rodeo Cowboy) and Troy Aikman (hall of fame Quarter Back for Dallas Cowboys).
It was a long day, just sure am glad that I am driving the van to Oklahoma City!
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Fort Smith, Arkansas
We started the day taking the road less traveled. Jake, our route guru for the day, let some of the group take a more scenic yet more confusing route through the Ozark National Forest. We were on our own if we got lost or hit gravel roads with the van going along the normal route. We knew it would be worth it but did not realize it would be that amazing!
After the 20 mile mark, we hit our first gravel of the day and it lasted for 2 miles until we came to a fork with one of the directions having pavement. We looked on the I PHONE and realized that the pavement would be a little more miles but easier on our bikes. In less than a mile we found one of the best swimming spots around. There was a dock man made with concrete and rocks that led to a small 8 feet tower. The water was high enough that you could easily dive or flip without a concern of the depth.
It was a grand time and we were loving it! Eventually a Christian Youth Group came down to meet us, and they were a little unhappy with how some of us were not dressed in the water. It was a funny situation, one you will remember for your lifetime. They didn't call the cops on us and we did not tell them we were part of any organization.
On the way out, the volunteer ranger gave us a new route to take us into Fort Smith that involved less gravel and beautiful views. So we took it for 10 miles and then the majority of the group stopped for lunch. Another biker and I wanted to wait until we hit the 50 mile mark, so that we could have more under our belt when we stopped. So we broke off, continued and talked to some locals while biking.
We were continuously warned about the upcoming steepness of the road but we realized that none of them were bikers. Our general rule is that when an actual bike shop or biker warns you of a road than you should start listening. Does not work in all cases but in this case it did. We hit four good accents but nothing was a back breaker. We enjoyed the views that these accents gave us, and were just glad we stayed on the road.
As we made our way into Fort Smith, the roads got a little more occupied and we started to see the military planes flying over us. We realized we took the less traveled route and our bets had worked out for the day. We ended up putting in an extra 8 miles to make it a 94 mile day but got in well before dinner at 5 PM. The group that broke of for an earlier lunch was slow the whole day as the last one of them arrived at 7 PM. Great day with great people!
After the 20 mile mark, we hit our first gravel of the day and it lasted for 2 miles until we came to a fork with one of the directions having pavement. We looked on the I PHONE and realized that the pavement would be a little more miles but easier on our bikes. In less than a mile we found one of the best swimming spots around. There was a dock man made with concrete and rocks that led to a small 8 feet tower. The water was high enough that you could easily dive or flip without a concern of the depth.
It was a grand time and we were loving it! Eventually a Christian Youth Group came down to meet us, and they were a little unhappy with how some of us were not dressed in the water. It was a funny situation, one you will remember for your lifetime. They didn't call the cops on us and we did not tell them we were part of any organization.
On the way out, the volunteer ranger gave us a new route to take us into Fort Smith that involved less gravel and beautiful views. So we took it for 10 miles and then the majority of the group stopped for lunch. Another biker and I wanted to wait until we hit the 50 mile mark, so that we could have more under our belt when we stopped. So we broke off, continued and talked to some locals while biking.
We were continuously warned about the upcoming steepness of the road but we realized that none of them were bikers. Our general rule is that when an actual bike shop or biker warns you of a road than you should start listening. Does not work in all cases but in this case it did. We hit four good accents but nothing was a back breaker. We enjoyed the views that these accents gave us, and were just glad we stayed on the road.
As we made our way into Fort Smith, the roads got a little more occupied and we started to see the military planes flying over us. We realized we took the less traveled route and our bets had worked out for the day. We ended up putting in an extra 8 miles to make it a 94 mile day but got in well before dinner at 5 PM. The group that broke of for an earlier lunch was slow the whole day as the last one of them arrived at 7 PM. Great day with great people!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Russelville, Arkansas
Wow what a bike ride out of Little Rock! We had a great first 40 miles as we went over the most common thing to a Mountain Pass in Arkansas. It included great uphill battles and then an amazing downill with twisty curves. If you were not concentrating on biking down these hills, your life was in danger! Fortunately we made it out alive with no falls from any riders.
When coming out there was a great lake that served as the source of drinking water for Little Rock. Shhhh dont tell anyone but some of our riders swam in it! But that last 30 miles were a battle with the wind as we were on flat terrain for the majority of it. We tried a pace line that did not work that well!
When getting into the city, we went to What A Burger to enjoy a shake from the long ride! I ended up talking to the manager and was able to get the place to donate food to the whole group. It was a great hook up that we were able to connect. The rest of the day was spent biking around the campus of Arkansas Tech and chillen at the church getting some work done.
We had a great Town Hall meeting where we all get to speak our mind and talk about important matters within our group. It just lets people get their thoughts out and usually stays pretty tame but effective. Following that we had a presentation for Affordable Housing that went real well with a lot of dialogue from the group. I was real impressed with how we stepped it up for this presentation.
Well time to go we are getting kicked out by the library staff at the college campus! Talk to you all soon, What A Burger Rocks!
When coming out there was a great lake that served as the source of drinking water for Little Rock. Shhhh dont tell anyone but some of our riders swam in it! But that last 30 miles were a battle with the wind as we were on flat terrain for the majority of it. We tried a pace line that did not work that well!
When getting into the city, we went to What A Burger to enjoy a shake from the long ride! I ended up talking to the manager and was able to get the place to donate food to the whole group. It was a great hook up that we were able to connect. The rest of the day was spent biking around the campus of Arkansas Tech and chillen at the church getting some work done.
We had a great Town Hall meeting where we all get to speak our mind and talk about important matters within our group. It just lets people get their thoughts out and usually stays pretty tame but effective. Following that we had a presentation for Affordable Housing that went real well with a lot of dialogue from the group. I was real impressed with how we stepped it up for this presentation.
Well time to go we are getting kicked out by the library staff at the college campus! Talk to you all soon, What A Burger Rocks!
Little Rock, Arkansas
So we made the big 65 mile route to Little Rock in the blistering heat. When leaving Stuttgart we gave our hosts a big good bye and began to bike through the rice plants to leave the area. Well, I was the van driver for the day so I simply just turned the ignition and found a place for lunch. Once lunch was over the fun began of helping people under our route as they made their way through the Bike Path of Little Rock. Only half of the group actually ended up going the correct way off the Big Dam Bridge, too bad not enough people checked out the map of the bike path.
So the great thing about Little Rock was that we actually got to spend our day off in the location. Fortunately we had amazing hosts who offered us endless amounts of food, volunteered to help with laundry and even helped shuttle our group to downtown. The hosts were absolutely amazing and despite it being 10 miles away from downtown, I would still recommend that next year's group go back. So I thank the Winfield United Methodist Church for making our stay an inspiring one.
On my day off in Little Rock, I had time to just relax and act like I had no responsibilities for the day as much as possible. I woke up early and got to go for a bike ride on the River Trail Bike Path that I missed the day before due to my van driving schedule. It sure was a beautiful one with great views along the Arkansas River showing off downtown and the parks.
I took some time after that to bike through downtown North Little Rock and Little Rock (two separate towns). With that, I checked out the capitol building which is a replica of the capitol building in Washington DC. I than just biked through the neighborhoods and ended up in the River Market. When there, I befriended a couple of managers of stores who loved the idea of our group. With these connections, I got some free t-shirts, postcards and pass to the Bill Clinton Memorial Library for the afternoon.
The Bill Clinton Memorial was a great way to not only avoid the mid day heat of Little Rock but learn more about his tenure as president. I would give it a good rating as it went through his style of presidency, events during his term and the showing of gifts that he received from famous people.
The night included a minor league game Double A game of the Little Rock Travelers. They got a beating after their starting pitcher left but it was fun to watch young players working their tails off to make it to the big league. Good luck to them! When there, I randomly saw a friend from college who is now a Clubhouse Manager for the Stadium. He is hoping to move up all the way to the Big Leagues one day where he can be a Clubhouse Manager to make the big bucks from tips. With his work ethic, he will be there soon!
So overall the day was a great one! I would recommend people to check out the place where Bill Clinton made his first marking in the political sector. It offers great food options, good biking/hiking options and just a nice place to walk around. Cheers!
So the great thing about Little Rock was that we actually got to spend our day off in the location. Fortunately we had amazing hosts who offered us endless amounts of food, volunteered to help with laundry and even helped shuttle our group to downtown. The hosts were absolutely amazing and despite it being 10 miles away from downtown, I would still recommend that next year's group go back. So I thank the Winfield United Methodist Church for making our stay an inspiring one.
On my day off in Little Rock, I had time to just relax and act like I had no responsibilities for the day as much as possible. I woke up early and got to go for a bike ride on the River Trail Bike Path that I missed the day before due to my van driving schedule. It sure was a beautiful one with great views along the Arkansas River showing off downtown and the parks.
I took some time after that to bike through downtown North Little Rock and Little Rock (two separate towns). With that, I checked out the capitol building which is a replica of the capitol building in Washington DC. I than just biked through the neighborhoods and ended up in the River Market. When there, I befriended a couple of managers of stores who loved the idea of our group. With these connections, I got some free t-shirts, postcards and pass to the Bill Clinton Memorial Library for the afternoon.
The Bill Clinton Memorial was a great way to not only avoid the mid day heat of Little Rock but learn more about his tenure as president. I would give it a good rating as it went through his style of presidency, events during his term and the showing of gifts that he received from famous people.
The night included a minor league game Double A game of the Little Rock Travelers. They got a beating after their starting pitcher left but it was fun to watch young players working their tails off to make it to the big league. Good luck to them! When there, I randomly saw a friend from college who is now a Clubhouse Manager for the Stadium. He is hoping to move up all the way to the Big Leagues one day where he can be a Clubhouse Manager to make the big bucks from tips. With his work ethic, he will be there soon!
So overall the day was a great one! I would recommend people to check out the place where Bill Clinton made his first marking in the political sector. It offers great food options, good biking/hiking options and just a nice place to walk around. Cheers!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
STUTTGART, ARKANSAS
It was an early wake up as we got up for a 6:30 AM departure out of Clarksdale. As I placed my bag next to the trailer, I already knew that it would be a hot day out on the road. The heat index got all the way up to 104 today, and boy did we feel it!
As we biked out of Clarksdale, we enjoyed the support of the wind as we coasted at speeds between 18-22 MPH. This was our coast speed meaning that we were pedaling at a normal rate on flat terrain with no decline helping us. As we reached the Mississippi River, this wind stopped doing its trick as we realized this would be a longer day than we had thought. The Bridge across the great Mississippi was manageable and we were given some space to at least enjoy the view of this muddy river. We hit up the Welcome Center for Arkansas right away and got hooked up with free post cards, woo hoo!
After our first lunch, I biked in a pack of six as we made our way through a 40 mile stretch until we hit the next lunch stop. We endured the heavy heat by playing 20 Questions and Two Truths & A Lie which took our minds off the conditions. We saw a pool as we were biking down the state highway and felt like taking our chances to see if we could cool down by jumping in. Unfortunately, the pool was not actually set up for the season yet but we were given ice cold water to refill our bottles.
As we hit the 2nd lunch in Clarendon, we realized just how dangerous it would be to cross the White River on a bridge that spanned for three miles into a Wildlife Refuge Area. We called the police and they offered to escort our group across this stretch so our group hung out for an hour until the whole group arrived. We found a great ice cream store and we went town as I had an Ice Cream Cone and a Strawberry Sundae all for under 2 dollars. We also went to the Visitor Center where we received more information about how the town of Clarendon emerged and what it has become today.
As we got escorted across the bridge, I realized just how easy it could have been for a big trucker to hit one of our bikers. Our group enjoyed this freedom of controlling the road by practicing our singing skills! It was a party for the bikers but I am sure the traffic behind us was not the happiest campers! The last 20 miles to Stuttgart were challenging as we came to the hottest part of the day. A lot of people took rest in shade when ever they could find it.
But we realized that the town could not be too far away as we started to see the gigantic structures built for the Rice Plant. We saw rice plants all day along the road, and finally realized where exactly it was going as we reached our destination. The structures were gigantic, I have never seen something like that before! Fortunately, we were able to go to the local pool when we arrived at our church location. We all cooled off and I even almost fell asleep when I just wading through it.
Dinner was an amazing Taco Bar with Peach Cobbler and I spent the rest of the night getting ready for future Bike & Build work as I took advantage of the available Internet. It was a great host there as they offered great meals and forms of entertainment. I get to rest up tomorrow as I will be driving the group van, I will use this time to recover from the past three days!
As we biked out of Clarksdale, we enjoyed the support of the wind as we coasted at speeds between 18-22 MPH. This was our coast speed meaning that we were pedaling at a normal rate on flat terrain with no decline helping us. As we reached the Mississippi River, this wind stopped doing its trick as we realized this would be a longer day than we had thought. The Bridge across the great Mississippi was manageable and we were given some space to at least enjoy the view of this muddy river. We hit up the Welcome Center for Arkansas right away and got hooked up with free post cards, woo hoo!
After our first lunch, I biked in a pack of six as we made our way through a 40 mile stretch until we hit the next lunch stop. We endured the heavy heat by playing 20 Questions and Two Truths & A Lie which took our minds off the conditions. We saw a pool as we were biking down the state highway and felt like taking our chances to see if we could cool down by jumping in. Unfortunately, the pool was not actually set up for the season yet but we were given ice cold water to refill our bottles.
As we hit the 2nd lunch in Clarendon, we realized just how dangerous it would be to cross the White River on a bridge that spanned for three miles into a Wildlife Refuge Area. We called the police and they offered to escort our group across this stretch so our group hung out for an hour until the whole group arrived. We found a great ice cream store and we went town as I had an Ice Cream Cone and a Strawberry Sundae all for under 2 dollars. We also went to the Visitor Center where we received more information about how the town of Clarendon emerged and what it has become today.
As we got escorted across the bridge, I realized just how easy it could have been for a big trucker to hit one of our bikers. Our group enjoyed this freedom of controlling the road by practicing our singing skills! It was a party for the bikers but I am sure the traffic behind us was not the happiest campers! The last 20 miles to Stuttgart were challenging as we came to the hottest part of the day. A lot of people took rest in shade when ever they could find it.
But we realized that the town could not be too far away as we started to see the gigantic structures built for the Rice Plant. We saw rice plants all day along the road, and finally realized where exactly it was going as we reached our destination. The structures were gigantic, I have never seen something like that before! Fortunately, we were able to go to the local pool when we arrived at our church location. We all cooled off and I even almost fell asleep when I just wading through it.
Dinner was an amazing Taco Bar with Peach Cobbler and I spent the rest of the night getting ready for future Bike & Build work as I took advantage of the available Internet. It was a great host there as they offered great meals and forms of entertainment. I get to rest up tomorrow as I will be driving the group van, I will use this time to recover from the past three days!
CLARKSDALE MISSISSIPPI
So we got up a little earlier than usual for this 70 mile route but were not able to get off to the early start we had hoped for. Mother Nature had other plans for us as a Scary Storm came our way coming out of Oxford. Luckily, the Oxford Chevron convenience store took us in for the hour while we watched the heavy winds, rain and lighting tear through the area. I was just hoping not to hear any more Tornado Warning Sirens through all of this!
We went on though once the scary weather left, and we did not mind biking through the light rain. It was a fun route with Jake taking us through the bike roads which helped us prevent more typical state highways. With these types of routes it is a guarantee that we will lose some time by either getting lost finding roads or having to walk our bikes along gravel sections. This is all part of the adventure though as we enjoyed all of the landscape.
It took us almost four hours just to get 30 miles due to the inclement weather so therefore lunch was a little bit earlier than expected. My stomach was growling though by the time we reached that lunch point though! After lunch our route took us through some desolate parts of the Delta South where we saw all of the rice and cotton fields. It is a different world down from here what I am used to seeing up North or in Colorado as far as the landscape goes.
We stopped in a fun town called Marks that was just 20 miles out of our final destination Clarksdale. We relaxed and refueled just outside of the convenience store for 20 minutes and talked to at least 5 groups of people. We got the standard reactions of complete surprise and awe for what we are attempting to accomplish. One person wanted to race me with their old bike that they use to get around town, I declined the offer though.
You could tell it was a Sunday because everyone was dressed in their church outfits. We would get passed by 15 passenger vans full of children getting bussed to the Sunday Service. This Sunday ritual has been one of my favorite things to watch and observe with all of the many folk around here. Some of the riders were invited into the Baptist Church that consisted of an African American congregation. They told us that it was a party for Jesus as everyone was dancing and praying expressively. It must have been awesome to experience this as an outsider to this culture.
Unfortunately, there is not much to add about the city of Clarksdale. It is known as the birthplace of the Blues Movement in the Delta South. It was home to many great musicians who made the pilgrimage to play great music in cities like Chicago or New Orleans. Since it is a Sunday, every business and tourist attraction is closed for the day. Maybe one day in the future I will be back!
We went on though once the scary weather left, and we did not mind biking through the light rain. It was a fun route with Jake taking us through the bike roads which helped us prevent more typical state highways. With these types of routes it is a guarantee that we will lose some time by either getting lost finding roads or having to walk our bikes along gravel sections. This is all part of the adventure though as we enjoyed all of the landscape.
It took us almost four hours just to get 30 miles due to the inclement weather so therefore lunch was a little bit earlier than expected. My stomach was growling though by the time we reached that lunch point though! After lunch our route took us through some desolate parts of the Delta South where we saw all of the rice and cotton fields. It is a different world down from here what I am used to seeing up North or in Colorado as far as the landscape goes.
We stopped in a fun town called Marks that was just 20 miles out of our final destination Clarksdale. We relaxed and refueled just outside of the convenience store for 20 minutes and talked to at least 5 groups of people. We got the standard reactions of complete surprise and awe for what we are attempting to accomplish. One person wanted to race me with their old bike that they use to get around town, I declined the offer though.
You could tell it was a Sunday because everyone was dressed in their church outfits. We would get passed by 15 passenger vans full of children getting bussed to the Sunday Service. This Sunday ritual has been one of my favorite things to watch and observe with all of the many folk around here. Some of the riders were invited into the Baptist Church that consisted of an African American congregation. They told us that it was a party for Jesus as everyone was dancing and praying expressively. It must have been awesome to experience this as an outsider to this culture.
Unfortunately, there is not much to add about the city of Clarksdale. It is known as the birthplace of the Blues Movement in the Delta South. It was home to many great musicians who made the pilgrimage to play great music in cities like Chicago or New Orleans. Since it is a Sunday, every business and tourist attraction is closed for the day. Maybe one day in the future I will be back!
Monday, June 15, 2009
Oxford
This small town is the home of Ole Miss University, and it was real nice with its influence from the intelligent world. The bike ride from Tupelo was flat for the first 30 miles but Mother Nature showed off her power though during those miles. We got heavy rain with impressive thunder/lightning coming out of Tupelo. Our bodies were constantly trying to keep us warm, and due to that we were starving for lunch.
So after enjoying an hour long relaxing lunch, I set out for the last 22 miles into Oxford. It was all rolling hills so I picked up high speeds coming down and the helped me get up. I was definitely excited when we suddenly arrived into the town area and I did my best to take advantage of my afternoon.
After dropping off and picking up the laundry crew with a nice stop to the grocery store in between, I biked around the university. It was a nice little bike ride to see what a SEC school is like, and I saved time to check out the square before dinner.
I found some great book stores including one specifically for children. It would have been a great book and toy store to take the Csapo Boys with entertainment for all ages. I found a great book that was for adults (strange since it was a kids book store), and I just sat in a nice chair reading it. I truly appreciate the ability to relax like that while I am on the road.
After the square, we had a big pizza and pasta proud at a local restaurant. One of our riders Chris has a cousin who owns the restaurant, and he hooked us up. The food and service was great as we enjoyed specialty pizzas. The whole downtown area had a lot to offer.
Overall, I really enjoyed the town of Oxford with its many people and stores. I would not be able to handle the influence of a college like Ole Miss if I lived there but fortunately I got to visit during the quiet time of the year. I recommend this town as a place to go but only when the students are gone.
So after enjoying an hour long relaxing lunch, I set out for the last 22 miles into Oxford. It was all rolling hills so I picked up high speeds coming down and the helped me get up. I was definitely excited when we suddenly arrived into the town area and I did my best to take advantage of my afternoon.
After dropping off and picking up the laundry crew with a nice stop to the grocery store in between, I biked around the university. It was a nice little bike ride to see what a SEC school is like, and I saved time to check out the square before dinner.
I found some great book stores including one specifically for children. It would have been a great book and toy store to take the Csapo Boys with entertainment for all ages. I found a great book that was for adults (strange since it was a kids book store), and I just sat in a nice chair reading it. I truly appreciate the ability to relax like that while I am on the road.
After the square, we had a big pizza and pasta proud at a local restaurant. One of our riders Chris has a cousin who owns the restaurant, and he hooked us up. The food and service was great as we enjoyed specialty pizzas. The whole downtown area had a lot to offer.
Overall, I really enjoyed the town of Oxford with its many people and stores. I would not be able to handle the influence of a college like Ole Miss if I lived there but fortunately I got to visit during the quiet time of the year. I recommend this town as a place to go but only when the students are gone.
Tupelo Mississippi
So we took the back roads out of Hamilton this morning and it was interesting patch work on the paved roads. Fortunately, I was in the van so was not lucky enough to experience the great bumps along the way. Before we knew it, we already had crossed the state border into Mississippi.
It was a hot day and we needed some shade for everyone to cool down. As the van driver for the day, I asked around in the town of Fulton for a good place where I could find shade and bathrooms close by. Fortunately, there was a very kind owner of the local convenient store who likes to take care of people. So he offered us the shade underneath his Oak Tree, a couple tables and chairs for us to use. While we ate our lunch, the owner brought us out random food and drinks that he donated to our group. So we got a 10 pound cut of bologna, commemorative Elvis Presley Pepsi Bottles (to save up one day) and it just kept coming with surprises. Great guy!
So after lunch we easily made our way into Tupelo, the birthplace of Elvis Presley. I got to check out his home that was very nice and quant while getting some awesome Elvis Postcards! For the evening we originally had no dinner plans until a couple riders found a restaurant that was willing to serve our whole group for no costs. So we made our way there and enjoyed great free food while buying some refreshing beverages on the side from the bar. While we were eating our food, a big storm came rolling through with monstrous winds that caused tornado warnings. It was awesome!
The dinner was great with everyone getting a chance to be social outside of churches for a change. We met locals and shared our stories in order to gain a better understanding of each other. I was hoping to grab a full sized cardboard Elvis but no businesses were able to hook us up. Maybe next years group!
It was a hot day and we needed some shade for everyone to cool down. As the van driver for the day, I asked around in the town of Fulton for a good place where I could find shade and bathrooms close by. Fortunately, there was a very kind owner of the local convenient store who likes to take care of people. So he offered us the shade underneath his Oak Tree, a couple tables and chairs for us to use. While we ate our lunch, the owner brought us out random food and drinks that he donated to our group. So we got a 10 pound cut of bologna, commemorative Elvis Presley Pepsi Bottles (to save up one day) and it just kept coming with surprises. Great guy!
So after lunch we easily made our way into Tupelo, the birthplace of Elvis Presley. I got to check out his home that was very nice and quant while getting some awesome Elvis Postcards! For the evening we originally had no dinner plans until a couple riders found a restaurant that was willing to serve our whole group for no costs. So we made our way there and enjoyed great free food while buying some refreshing beverages on the side from the bar. While we were eating our food, a big storm came rolling through with monstrous winds that caused tornado warnings. It was awesome!
The dinner was great with everyone getting a chance to be social outside of churches for a change. We met locals and shared our stories in order to gain a better understanding of each other. I was hoping to grab a full sized cardboard Elvis but no businesses were able to hook us up. Maybe next years group!
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Hamilton
Our last full day in Alabama was a great one as we woke up at 4:30 AM to get ready for an early arrival. We biked a total of 96 miles from Birmingham out to Hamilton with the first 65 consisting of state highways that ended up not having too much traffic. All of the lunch locations rocked as they re-energized my body at the perfect times.
The first main highway consisted of many trucks but since we were well protected as we stayed in large packs of 5 or more. We passed by piles of iron ore that had been sitting there longer than usual due to a slow economy and the lay offs by the US Steel Company. Locals told us that it typically is a busy place but since the past year in a half things have changed for the industry.
Our second highway paralleled a major highway and as a result not often traveled by cars. So we were able to spread out, talk to each other and we made a pit stop in a small town to buy an item from a garage sale. As we talked, I got to see my train of the day as the hourly train passed transporting retail cars.
The last 25 miles of the route were through County Highways that offered great sites and interactions with locals. We took a bunch of pictures along the way, pet some animals on the side of the road and got poured by a ten minute rain storm. Our favorite part was the hill that put us down in the valley towards Hamilton; I was able to pick up 47 miles per hour. What a great hill!
The United Methodist Church has taken us in for the night, and our Dinner Crew is cooking up jambalaya. All of the ingredients were donated by a mother one of our riders who is from Louisiana, should be a good one! I look forward to a short day tomorrow!
The first main highway consisted of many trucks but since we were well protected as we stayed in large packs of 5 or more. We passed by piles of iron ore that had been sitting there longer than usual due to a slow economy and the lay offs by the US Steel Company. Locals told us that it typically is a busy place but since the past year in a half things have changed for the industry.
Our second highway paralleled a major highway and as a result not often traveled by cars. So we were able to spread out, talk to each other and we made a pit stop in a small town to buy an item from a garage sale. As we talked, I got to see my train of the day as the hourly train passed transporting retail cars.
The last 25 miles of the route were through County Highways that offered great sites and interactions with locals. We took a bunch of pictures along the way, pet some animals on the side of the road and got poured by a ten minute rain storm. Our favorite part was the hill that put us down in the valley towards Hamilton; I was able to pick up 47 miles per hour. What a great hill!
The United Methodist Church has taken us in for the night, and our Dinner Crew is cooking up jambalaya. All of the ingredients were donated by a mother one of our riders who is from Louisiana, should be a good one! I look forward to a short day tomorrow!
B uild Day Birmingham
So we all felt like we had a hang over as we made it to the build site, and that hang over feeling was not from drinking! Simply a lack of sleep that your body needs to keep itself but sure enough the Build Site Coordinator took a little time to organize all his materials and assign us tasks. So we enjoyed the extra half an hour that some of us had to work with.
The majority of the house had been done so we were working on some details inside it and siding along the roof. I took up the task of painting all of the trimming for the interior doors with a group of 5 as we rocked through our first coats in the morning. I had to take off after lunch in order to take some people to give some tender love and care to our beautiful bicycles. Before I left though, the Build Site Coordinator told us his story of how he found his job as Habitat for Humanity took a chance on him. He was an ex-convict who found the organization as he was rehabbing through a drug addiction that came as the result of the loss of his wife and son. It was great to have him share his story as we grew a greater connection with people along our route.
Bob’s Bikes sells Giant Bikes (Our Sponsor) and therefore knew that we would be in the area, and gave us a great discount. They gave us great discounts on the labor of fixing our bikes and then a nice little discount on any merchandise or parts. So they fixed my baby up and I was very gracious for their help!
That took up the rest of the day so I returned to the Build simply to help shuttle people back to the church. I went for a great walk through the area and found myself as the minority in the local neighborhood. Some people gave us strange eyes wondering why an outsider was leisurely walking through their neck of the woods. It was a great learning experience and we found an old abandoned building that part of the old campus of Miles College. We are not sure what the status of the college is, but we found a destructed building that was fun to walk around. We were then told by the police to stay out of the streets for the rest of the night assuming that it was a danger zone.
So Birmingham worked out well, the only problem was our location not being great for checking out the main tourist attractions. I never really got to see anything downtown just due to our busy schedule but there is always next time. I still had a great time here working with all the many people we encountered.
The majority of the house had been done so we were working on some details inside it and siding along the roof. I took up the task of painting all of the trimming for the interior doors with a group of 5 as we rocked through our first coats in the morning. I had to take off after lunch in order to take some people to give some tender love and care to our beautiful bicycles. Before I left though, the Build Site Coordinator told us his story of how he found his job as Habitat for Humanity took a chance on him. He was an ex-convict who found the organization as he was rehabbing through a drug addiction that came as the result of the loss of his wife and son. It was great to have him share his story as we grew a greater connection with people along our route.
Bob’s Bikes sells Giant Bikes (Our Sponsor) and therefore knew that we would be in the area, and gave us a great discount. They gave us great discounts on the labor of fixing our bikes and then a nice little discount on any merchandise or parts. So they fixed my baby up and I was very gracious for their help!
That took up the rest of the day so I returned to the Build simply to help shuttle people back to the church. I went for a great walk through the area and found myself as the minority in the local neighborhood. Some people gave us strange eyes wondering why an outsider was leisurely walking through their neck of the woods. It was a great learning experience and we found an old abandoned building that part of the old campus of Miles College. We are not sure what the status of the college is, but we found a destructed building that was fun to walk around. We were then told by the police to stay out of the streets for the rest of the night assuming that it was a danger zone.
So Birmingham worked out well, the only problem was our location not being great for checking out the main tourist attractions. I never really got to see anything downtown just due to our busy schedule but there is always next time. I still had a great time here working with all the many people we encountered.
Birmingham
So we finally said good bye to our friends in Helfin with a full stomach from a great southern breakfast of grits, eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits and gravy. We had the food the fuel to us for the epic 98 mile route all the way to Birmingham. The route was simple as we took one route until the metro area but it still offered some great little stops and places to see.
We biked over a bridge along a river that looked a little muggy, but didn’t keep me from jumping in on my lunch break. My favorite part was watching trains cross the river as I swam; I continue to love all these trains along our route! Our second lunch stop brought us right next to a Sonic and of course we were able to get half off all drinks for their Happy Hour. When I say drinks, I mean of course slushies and milkshakes! So we ate some PBJs, fruit, vegetables and a high dose of sugar through Sonic. This helped fuel us for the patience and energy to get through Birmingham.
Unfortunately, we were staying on the west side of town and had to make our way through the whole Metropolitan Area to make our way into Fairfield. So it was fun to bike through all the neighborhoods, find all those turns on our route and continuously stop at traffic lights. Oh life in a big city, you got to love it! I was fortunately trained through my life in Boulder for this one.
So we made it to Fairfield and I ended up biking an extra four miles just to bike 100 miles to make it a Century Ride. Everyone was exhausted but fortunately we had a barbecue buffet dinner waiting for us as we arrived thanks to a local church. The even better part were the bunks beds that we had to sleep on, so we got to sleep in to 7 PM and get a real bed to sleep on. How lucky we are! I look forward to the build with the Birmingham Habitat for Humanity, should be a good one.
We biked over a bridge along a river that looked a little muggy, but didn’t keep me from jumping in on my lunch break. My favorite part was watching trains cross the river as I swam; I continue to love all these trains along our route! Our second lunch stop brought us right next to a Sonic and of course we were able to get half off all drinks for their Happy Hour. When I say drinks, I mean of course slushies and milkshakes! So we ate some PBJs, fruit, vegetables and a high dose of sugar through Sonic. This helped fuel us for the patience and energy to get through Birmingham.
Unfortunately, we were staying on the west side of town and had to make our way through the whole Metropolitan Area to make our way into Fairfield. So it was fun to bike through all the neighborhoods, find all those turns on our route and continuously stop at traffic lights. Oh life in a big city, you got to love it! I was fortunately trained through my life in Boulder for this one.
So we made it to Fairfield and I ended up biking an extra four miles just to bike 100 miles to make it a Century Ride. Everyone was exhausted but fortunately we had a barbecue buffet dinner waiting for us as we arrived thanks to a local church. The even better part were the bunks beds that we had to sleep on, so we got to sleep in to 7 PM and get a real bed to sleep on. How lucky we are! I look forward to the build with the Birmingham Habitat for Humanity, should be a good one.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Heflin (AL) A True Test!
So this was the big day, 100 miles through the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains that spanned from outside the Metro Atlanta area all the way 15 miles into the border of Alabama. Would all the bikes survive? Would everyone's body be able to handle the heat and miles? Questions would be answered within the first 50 miles for me.
I accidentally biked off the road due to a lack of concentration, and fall when trying to get back on the road due to the lip. I managed to leave the crash with bumps and bruises but my helmet was ruined with some minor details to my bike. After some tender love and care for my bike during the 2 hours of waiting for the Support Van, it appeared that I could go on. After 15 miles, a bolt came lose and it seemed that the hanger just broke loose causing my chain to break off. Fortunately a kind Georgia Woman gave me a ride to the next lunch stop, where I could accept retiring for the day.
Our group did a great job other than some other injuries, and we mentioned to have 28 of the 31 riders for the day finish the route. Boy were they hungry but thank god that the United Methodist Church of Heflin had enough food for the whole High School Football Team. So we enjoyed our fried chicken, green beans, mashed, potatoes, salad, biscuits and before you knew it everyone was getting ready to sleep by 8:30 PM.
I stayed up a little to get extra work done which led to a great conversation with the Youth Minister of the church. He shared his story of his connection with God, and it was a great learning experience. As a Northerner, I continue to learn more and more about the connection that the Southern Community has with their churches. M
My bike is temporarily repaired for our 87 mile ride tomorrow into Birmingham. I simply have to manually change my gears if I want to go in the 1st or 3rd Ring but my back Cassette (changes my speeds) works perfectly. So lets see how tomorrow goes in the 2nd Ring!
I accidentally biked off the road due to a lack of concentration, and fall when trying to get back on the road due to the lip. I managed to leave the crash with bumps and bruises but my helmet was ruined with some minor details to my bike. After some tender love and care for my bike during the 2 hours of waiting for the Support Van, it appeared that I could go on. After 15 miles, a bolt came lose and it seemed that the hanger just broke loose causing my chain to break off. Fortunately a kind Georgia Woman gave me a ride to the next lunch stop, where I could accept retiring for the day.
Our group did a great job other than some other injuries, and we mentioned to have 28 of the 31 riders for the day finish the route. Boy were they hungry but thank god that the United Methodist Church of Heflin had enough food for the whole High School Football Team. So we enjoyed our fried chicken, green beans, mashed, potatoes, salad, biscuits and before you knew it everyone was getting ready to sleep by 8:30 PM.
I stayed up a little to get extra work done which led to a great conversation with the Youth Minister of the church. He shared his story of his connection with God, and it was a great learning experience. As a Northerner, I continue to learn more and more about the connection that the Southern Community has with their churches. M
My bike is temporarily repaired for our 87 mile ride tomorrow into Birmingham. I simply have to manually change my gears if I want to go in the 1st or 3rd Ring but my back Cassette (changes my speeds) works perfectly. So lets see how tomorrow goes in the 2nd Ring!
Norcross Georgia
We stayed for two nights due to our Build the following day. We split our group in two, with one group helping out at the Rebuiling Together Site and my group stayed at the Boys & Girls Club. I moved some mulch, painted some bars and cleaned some windows. Pretty good time, I would say! The Rebuilding Together Site was helping to put up roofing, do some painting and general clean up for an 89 year old veteran named Bob. Bob has glaucoma and therefore has little vision or hearing but is a great person. The project planned to take up to 2 more years, so hopefully it finishes before his time passes.
The best part of the two days (other than helping people!) was the dinners that were set up. We got an open tab at a Southern Pizza Chain called Mellow Mushroom for our first night. We hung out with the Director of the local Rebuilding Together, ate some pizza, watched television and just enjoyed the simple life. Bob Stanton (The Director) talked a little about the organization and who we would be helping the following day.
The second night, we had dinner at a local Mexican/Cafe Shop where we enjoyed authentic Mexican while listening to great music. It quickly became a concert once everyone finished their food with audience interaction. We got small little instruments to play like the tamberange for some of the songs. There was a woman dancing for part of the concert and I was the only one to dance with her; no one else in the group would step up to the plate! I am not a great dancer, but I showed off all the small skills and rhythm that I may have!
Anyways, we had a great time in Norcross helping and interacting with everyone. We even managed to receive a $250 donation from one member of the community, GO BIKE & BUILD!
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Athens
I felt a bit sluggish this morning, and it was probably due to the limited sleep that I have been receiving over the past week. So it took around 20 miles for me to get in the groove with our first full day in Georgia. The funny thing is that the people here don't really like us too much. How did we find this out? Drivers called the cops and two separate times they pulled groups over to instruct them how to ride on the ride. Funny isn't it?
The afternoon was a great ride into the home of Georgia University in Athens. Everywhere you go, there is a Bulldog some how involved with the store, restaurante or community center. The church had a great welcome for us here by constantly having food out from the time that we arrived and the time that we left.
We mentioned to arrive into the city early enough to go downtown and see the campus. One of our riders, Adam, is a recent grad from Georgia so he managed to show us the great parts of the area. We had the best Milk Shake in town with Adam and his UGA gang that were in the area. I would have to say that the University brings in a lot of diversity that you can't find any where else in Georgia. I liked it but didn't love it, overall good place to visit!
The dinner tonight was one of the grandest feasts with food from the grill and salads/sides prepared by members of the church. It was a pot luck that made all audiences and offered us some time to interact with locals of Athens. They were very welcoming as we shared stories and did a group presentation of Bike & Build! I would possibly say that they were the best host so far, it is difficult to match their ongoing supply of food and warm welcome!
The afternoon was a great ride into the home of Georgia University in Athens. Everywhere you go, there is a Bulldog some how involved with the store, restaurante or community center. The church had a great welcome for us here by constantly having food out from the time that we arrived and the time that we left.
We mentioned to arrive into the city early enough to go downtown and see the campus. One of our riders, Adam, is a recent grad from Georgia so he managed to show us the great parts of the area. We had the best Milk Shake in town with Adam and his UGA gang that were in the area. I would have to say that the University brings in a lot of diversity that you can't find any where else in Georgia. I liked it but didn't love it, overall good place to visit!
The dinner tonight was one of the grandest feasts with food from the grill and salads/sides prepared by members of the church. It was a pot luck that made all audiences and offered us some time to interact with locals of Athens. They were very welcoming as we shared stories and did a group presentation of Bike & Build! I would possibly say that they were the best host so far, it is difficult to match their ongoing supply of food and warm welcome!
Hartwell
So coming out of South Carolina, we met our first border as we entered Georgia. Along the way, we saw the beautiful Lake Hartwell that has the coolest Dam I ever saw. We heard a big siren going off and expected to see all this water become unleashed upon us. Fortunately there were no issues, and we were able to bike over the beautiful Savannah River peacefully as cars beeped at us for being annoying bikers on the side of the road.
The best part of the day had to be the down pour of rain that was unleashed upon us the first part of the morning. It brought us all together as we biked through the wet streets out of Greenville and into the country. Fortunately, the mother of a Bike & Build alum scheduled us to have lunch in her house right before our way out of South Carolina. When we were eating glorious fruit, vegetables and chicken, we missed the Thunderstorm that rollied through the area!
When getting into Hartwell, the Baptist Church welcomed us and took us over for a barbeque dinner event for local college aged youth involved with the local ministries. It was amazing to hear about the stories of these people whose lives were so connected with Jesus. It was a brand new experience of really seeing the powerful role of religion for the South.
Afterwards, the Hart County Habitat for Humanity talked with us about how they serve their local community. It was a great learning experience to learn about who made up this area of the South. They were great presenters that was able to connect very well with the group!
The best part of the day had to be the down pour of rain that was unleashed upon us the first part of the morning. It brought us all together as we biked through the wet streets out of Greenville and into the country. Fortunately, the mother of a Bike & Build alum scheduled us to have lunch in her house right before our way out of South Carolina. When we were eating glorious fruit, vegetables and chicken, we missed the Thunderstorm that rollied through the area!
When getting into Hartwell, the Baptist Church welcomed us and took us over for a barbeque dinner event for local college aged youth involved with the local ministries. It was amazing to hear about the stories of these people whose lives were so connected with Jesus. It was a brand new experience of really seeing the powerful role of religion for the South.
Afterwards, the Hart County Habitat for Humanity talked with us about how they serve their local community. It was a great learning experience to learn about who made up this area of the South. They were great presenters that was able to connect very well with the group!
Greenville South Carolina
Our glorious day off gave us time to sleep a bit more and help our body relax. My goal was to attempt to see all parts of the town including the rich and the poor. So it started off well with the first night of fun.
We headed to The Handle Bar & Grill where there was a Bluegrass Jam in the bar area and Swing Dancing in the Concert Hall. Since we did not know how to Swing Dance and were not willing to pay $5 to be Wallflowers we went over with the older crowd to Bluegrass. A 60 year old local named Sharon showed me the skills of dancing, and our crew danced with her all through the two hour event. The best line of the night from Sharon was that "Redneck is by choice, Hillbilly is by blood." Overall it was a fun time checking out this unique local venue that offered us a bumper sticker for the Trailer.
Unfortunately my body is tuned to wake up early in the morning, and I could not get any extra sleep. So I walked around town to find the Post Office and the local folk recommended OJ's as a good local breakfast location. So on the way, I met my fellow Bike & Builder at the coolest Pedestrian Bridge that I have ever seen. He joined me to breakfast and on our way we picked up a homeless man named Freddy to take out to breakfast. He shared his story of drugs and being able to find Jesus over the last two months. Hopefully, Freddy can keep the Cold Turkey going!
The sun eventally came in making us all exhausted and scared to be outside. We mentioned to get some Mini Golfing in and afterwards went to a local pizzeria where a Board Member Bill West donated us a great meal. Before you knew it, our free day was over and it was time to get the wheel rolling on the bike. On the way out of town, I managed to see Freddy and he was riding along on a bike. Maybe a future Bike & Builder!
We headed to The Handle Bar & Grill where there was a Bluegrass Jam in the bar area and Swing Dancing in the Concert Hall. Since we did not know how to Swing Dance and were not willing to pay $5 to be Wallflowers we went over with the older crowd to Bluegrass. A 60 year old local named Sharon showed me the skills of dancing, and our crew danced with her all through the two hour event. The best line of the night from Sharon was that "Redneck is by choice, Hillbilly is by blood." Overall it was a fun time checking out this unique local venue that offered us a bumper sticker for the Trailer.
Unfortunately my body is tuned to wake up early in the morning, and I could not get any extra sleep. So I walked around town to find the Post Office and the local folk recommended OJ's as a good local breakfast location. So on the way, I met my fellow Bike & Builder at the coolest Pedestrian Bridge that I have ever seen. He joined me to breakfast and on our way we picked up a homeless man named Freddy to take out to breakfast. He shared his story of drugs and being able to find Jesus over the last two months. Hopefully, Freddy can keep the Cold Turkey going!
The sun eventally came in making us all exhausted and scared to be outside. We mentioned to get some Mini Golfing in and afterwards went to a local pizzeria where a Board Member Bill West donated us a great meal. Before you knew it, our free day was over and it was time to get the wheel rolling on the bike. On the way out of town, I managed to see Freddy and he was riding along on a bike. Maybe a future Bike & Builder!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
First 5 Days: What A Great Time
So we are five days and it has been a great time, here are some of the highlights.
Moncks Corner
It was a grand time on our first day of riding heading out from the Charleston Harbor! We rocked it out of town and got into Moncks fairly early, so you may ask how we used our extra time? We found a Channel that is fed from Lake Marion, and swam with the gators in South Carolina! The current was strong but we survived with no limbs missing. On the way through the town we talked with the owner of the Book Stores on Main who loved our group and was awed by our trip to Santa Cruz. It was a nice small town with a great church that gave us a lot of space!
Pinewood
One town in a spacious church was followed by a night of camping along Lake Marion with the good old locals. They were fishing for Crawfish and our host offered us a grand meal that we had to decline for budget reasons. Fortunately, dinner crew prepared for dinner the night before at church and we were able to rock out a great meal with the campfire. We absolutely loved the bike ride into the campsite that included Closed Bridges across Lake Marion, Sudden Road/Sandy Roads and Alligators on the swamp near us. I met a farmer by the name of James who was getting ready for the Watermelon Season with his upcoming crops. We realized that we are a working team by our group raising money to provide shelters for everyone and he growing the crops necessary to feed the world.
Columbia, SC
Nice capital city but was not able to see much of it due to the fact that I was the last person to arrive in our group. We were the sweep for the day which includes the duty of herding all the riders to make sure that everyone stays in front of us. It was nice to relax and just enjoy the sites along our route with no real hurry. I really got to know my fellow sweep Kelsey a lot more and take great pictures along the way. The train tracks near our host offered great sounds though the night, you know how much I love trains! (Seriously am obsessed enough to be a Conductor when I retire)
Newberry, SC
This is basically a small town surviving off the Opera House that brings in tourism for half of the year. It is amazing what one attraction can bring to a local economy especially in South Carolina. Apparently, people come from all over the surrounding Southern States during the main season of performances. Bridget at the Embroidery Store was a great person to talk to on the Main Drag in the town. She will be a great help for future Bike & Build Groups that come through with setting up Community Events. I bought a great shirt for my Best Friend Greg Baker for his Birthday, lets hope he likes it!
Greenville, SC
We are in this great city now and I enjoyed a great difficult ride up rolling hills between Newberry to here. So far the church has been amazing and locals gave us a classic BBQ experience during dinner. Our day off is tomorrow so I will hopefully have some great tales to offer in my next blog!
Moncks Corner
It was a grand time on our first day of riding heading out from the Charleston Harbor! We rocked it out of town and got into Moncks fairly early, so you may ask how we used our extra time? We found a Channel that is fed from Lake Marion, and swam with the gators in South Carolina! The current was strong but we survived with no limbs missing. On the way through the town we talked with the owner of the Book Stores on Main who loved our group and was awed by our trip to Santa Cruz. It was a nice small town with a great church that gave us a lot of space!
Pinewood
One town in a spacious church was followed by a night of camping along Lake Marion with the good old locals. They were fishing for Crawfish and our host offered us a grand meal that we had to decline for budget reasons. Fortunately, dinner crew prepared for dinner the night before at church and we were able to rock out a great meal with the campfire. We absolutely loved the bike ride into the campsite that included Closed Bridges across Lake Marion, Sudden Road/Sandy Roads and Alligators on the swamp near us. I met a farmer by the name of James who was getting ready for the Watermelon Season with his upcoming crops. We realized that we are a working team by our group raising money to provide shelters for everyone and he growing the crops necessary to feed the world.
Columbia, SC
Nice capital city but was not able to see much of it due to the fact that I was the last person to arrive in our group. We were the sweep for the day which includes the duty of herding all the riders to make sure that everyone stays in front of us. It was nice to relax and just enjoy the sites along our route with no real hurry. I really got to know my fellow sweep Kelsey a lot more and take great pictures along the way. The train tracks near our host offered great sounds though the night, you know how much I love trains! (Seriously am obsessed enough to be a Conductor when I retire)
Newberry, SC
This is basically a small town surviving off the Opera House that brings in tourism for half of the year. It is amazing what one attraction can bring to a local economy especially in South Carolina. Apparently, people come from all over the surrounding Southern States during the main season of performances. Bridget at the Embroidery Store was a great person to talk to on the Main Drag in the town. She will be a great help for future Bike & Build Groups that come through with setting up Community Events. I bought a great shirt for my Best Friend Greg Baker for his Birthday, lets hope he likes it!
Greenville, SC
We are in this great city now and I enjoyed a great difficult ride up rolling hills between Newberry to here. So far the church has been amazing and locals gave us a classic BBQ experience during dinner. Our day off is tomorrow so I will hopefully have some great tales to offer in my next blog!
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