Day 7: Fayetteville,TN to Savannah,TN

Highlights of Day 7......

Miles ridden: 111
Start Time: 7 am from Best Western in Fayetteville
Finish Time: 6 pm to Days Inn in Savannah
Route: Hwy 64 the whole way baby!
Weather: Rain & Thunderstorms!
Wind: fairly strong headwind most of the day
Terrain: all the hills that we could handle
Songs stuck in my head: "Blame it on the rain" -Milli Vanili, "I wish it would rain" -PHil Collins
Song that I sung out loud while on the bike: "Don't stop Believin" - Journey
Number of bugs that have flown in my mouth in 7 days: 89, or wait, maybe it's been 890.
Road Kill: a few frogs, birdies, and snakes.
Best Moment of the Day: Meeting the cross-country uni-cyclist (see summary below)
Number of flat tires on the trip: Today was our first (Stephen)
What motivated me when I was down today: #1 Thinking of the kids in Ethiopia who will probably never ride a bike. #2 The last scene in the movie "Braveheart" came to mind......"The Scotts, starving and out numbered, fought and won their freedom."
Today's Verse: Joshua 1:9 Thanks to Harrison's
The song to beat in the "Super Tuesday" contest: right now it's the Renshaw Family. Hands down. Their song will be tough to beat, especially since their song is original. Deadline is MOnday at 5pm.

Today was a crazy day. Totally nuts. We actually got on the road by 7 am, which was our earliest start time of the trip so far.
I had to give the boys a little praise for making that happen. But little did we know that we would need all the daylight we could get to complete this ride. No more than 15 minutes on the road, we were stopped by a newspaper reporter from Fayetteville. So, we did a quick roadside interview. I think that this guy thought we were crazy. It has been really funny to see people's expressions when they hear about the ride. Not long after getting back on the road, Stephen's rear tire blew out. Then, around 10:30 am, about 5 miles outside of Lawrenceburg,TN, the thunder rolled in and we had to pull the bike show over for about 45 min. at a small Methodist church. It rained for a good part of the day after we got back on the road, but the thunder and lighting held off so that was a blessing. It was actually quite fun to be riding in the rain. I think the key to enjoyment while riding in the rain is the ability to tolerate the large volumes of a water/oil/gas/dirt mix that flys in your face, eyes, nose, ears, mouth, and all over your bicycle from oncoming and passing traffic. Especially from the semi's.

In closing, I need to mention that today I was truly inspired. While riding on Hwy 64 this afternoon, I met Gracie Sorbello (see picture above). Gracie just graduated from Duke, and she is RIDING ACROSS THE UNITED STATES ON A UNICYCLE! How rad is that!? In the words of my good friend and fellow bible teacher at PDS Chris Hill, I did say to myself, "Unbelievable, you've got to be kidding me." Just when I thought that I was Tommytoughguy, I meet somebody who is doing this on a uni-cycle! I was blown away. This is remarkable. We enjoyed chatting with Gracie and her Mother, who is riding part of the way with Gracie. It's neat to see what inspires people. Her site is www.onewheelforlife.com

Day 6:Chattanooga, TN to Fayetteville,TN

Highlights of Day 6.....Chattanooga,Tn to Fayetteville,Tn.

Miles ridden: 101
Temperature: somewhere between 83-87, I think.
Wind: 7-9 mph crosswind/headwind, mainly towards the end of the day.
Terrain: Hilly. Especially the Cumberland Plateau. Yikes. That's one climb I do not want to do again anytime soon.
Unusual happenings of today: We came moderately close to running out of water (my fault). We took Hwy 156 out of South Pittsburg, Tn. And Hwy 156 has a whole lot of nothing for a long while. Also, we encountered a fair amount of construction.
Songs stuck in my head today: "Love is a Battlefield" -Pat Benetar
Something I'm really proud of right now: My tan lines. Check out yesterday's pics.
Best part of today's ride: riding along the Tennessee River. Gorgeous!

Q & A with Tommyboy........

Are you sore?
The answer to this question is definitely YES! My hamstrings, quads, and butt are all fairly sore. However, my perspective is that there is no point in wasting thought about it, or complaining. This is to be expected and part of the journey. It actually is not that big of deal once you start riding in morning. I tell ya.....it's funny how the body works. There have been a few times where I've been totally exhausted but I somwhow end up catching a "second wind."

Do you get to talk about Ethiopia with people that you meet?
Yes, although I wish that I had more opportunities. One encouraging thing is that there have been many people from various restaurants along the way have donated meals to Stephen, Colin, and myself after hearing the Hunger Ride. We are staying tonight (Thursday) at the Best Western of Fayetteville. Mildred, the owner, has not only put us up for the night, but she has also donated dinner and breakfast to the three of us. In addition, Mildred has called the Fayetteville newspaper, and introduced me to Tommy, a local sports talk radio host. Tommy is going to call me on my bike this Saturday morning to chat with him on his show about what the Hunger Ride is all about. How rad is that!

What do you think about for 8+ hours on a bike everyday?
This is definitely a good question.I guess that I think about all kinds of different stuff. Sometimes you're just thinking about how far you've gone or how far you have to go. In other moments you're really just soaking everything in and not even really thinking at all. Those are the best times. Other times I think about random things that have happened in the recent or distant past. I laugh to myself a lot thinking about stupid things that I've done. And other times you really do get into deeper thoughts about life and faith..... as well as thoughts about where you're headed in life and how you would like to change and grow as a person. Sometimes I wonder when the Cubs will win the World Series. Other times I wonder why the Lord gave me a desire to sing on stage like the lead singer of one of my favorite 80's hairbands.......but why no gift came with that desire. (And that actually is up for debate.....it just depends who you talk to)

Day 5: Georgia/Tennessee

Highligts of Wednesday, May 31st, Blairsville, GA to Chattanooga,Tn.

Total miles ridden: 94
Temperature: I'm not sure about this actually, but it felt good outside.
Wind: light breeze.
Terrain: Hilly.
Accomadations: The beautiful house of Joan and Bill Chapin atop of Lookout Mountain, Tenneesse.
Best Stretch of riding: 27 mile stretch around a national forest along the Ocoee River. Unbelievable sights.
Songs stuck in my head while riding: "State of Mind" -Clint Black
Road Kill: a few more possums today than normal, not as many squirrels.
What frustrated me today: all of the garbage that people throw out their car windows!
What I think I might be doing today if I wasn't on this bike trip: Eating a snow cone at Jerry's in Memphis!!
Lessons learned in cross-country biking: locals typically do not know squat about the roads in their own area.
Risky Move of the day: We stopped to swim in a local water hole......YIKES...... let's just say I'm not sure what that stuff was floating on top of the water. There was also about three dozen little rascals swimming around.....so who knows what I'll catch. But I was hot.....so I jumped in.

Today's Meals.
Breakfast: very solid breakfast at the Holiday Inn Express of Blairsville,Ga. Stellar cinnamon rolls!
Lunch: complimentary lunch from Sonic in Cleveland, Tn. I had the #1 with mustard and lemonade to drink. (tots)
DInner: Let me just say this.....Joan cooked an awesome meal, and I ate way too much!

We often hear the saying, "It's not about the destination, but the journey, and the people that you meet along the way." I was reminded of this saying as I was blessed with the hospitality of Joan and Bill Chapin (Stephen's Aunt & Uncle) of Lookout Mountain, Tennessee on Wednesday night. The fellas and I washed our stinky clothes, ate two INCREDIBLE meals (breakfast and dinner) and greatly enjoyed the company Joan,Bill, and their daugher Dottie. (see Bill and I in picture above) Bill and Joan own Rock City, which is located atop of Lookout Mountain. If you've never been to Rock City......it's definitely a must-see attraction if you're in the Chattanooga/Lookout Mountain area. It was definitely a treat to literally hop their backyard fence and be at Rock City......where you can actually see SEVEN STATES! The boys and I were also blessed to have Stephen's parents spend a couple days with us and carry our gear. Billy and Suzanne......Many Thanks! We've been averaging 90+ miles per day in hilly terrain, so it was nice to have the load lightened a bit.

Verse for today: Romans 8:1

Georgia on my mind & Super Tuesday

Highlights of Day #4......Clemson, SC to Blairsville,GA

What is "Super Tuesday?" Find out below.

Today's Distance: 86 miles
Departure Time: 8 am
Arrival Time: 5 pm
Accomadations: Holiday Inn Express of Blairsville,GA
Wind: light breeze which was not a factor
Temp: 86 degrees
Terrain: the mighty mountains of north Georgia
Highways: Hwy 123 out of Clemson, then Hwy 76 into Blairsville
Road kill I saw: at least one dozen squirrel (not all at the same time), multiple snakes, a couple of bunnies, racoon, possum.
Scenery Rating: 9.95....as good as it gets. Absolutely gorgeous!
Songs stuck in my head today: "These Days" -Rascal Flats, "More than a feeling" -Boston, "Your beautiful" -James Blunt
# of dashed yellow lines I rode by: 1,892
Amount of sweat I think I lost: 8-9 pounds
Scariest Moment: When the tazmanian devil almost attacked us (thank goodness for collars and chains!)
Favorite Memory: flying 40+ mph down a mountain pass just outside of Hiawassee, GA
Tomorrow's Ride: 90-95 miles to Chattanooga

Today's Meal Rundown:
Breakfast: eggs and biscuits from the Hampton Inn
Lunch: a wrap and some fruit from Chick Fila in Clayton,GA
Dinner: Lasnaga at the "Crabb House"
Snacks: Snickers Marathon bar, Vanilla Powerbar, three Accel Gels, a handful of jelly beans, popcorn

I would describe today as "fantastically punishing." We hit the mountains today in a serious way. The ride today was very difficult, especially when you're pulling a B.O.B. trailer. But with that said, it was without question the best day of the trip thusfar. I remember flying down a winding mountain road and for a brief moment pulling next to a Lincoln Town car that had an older couple riding comfortably inside. I remember thinking to myself, "I wonder who has the better seat right now?" As I looked at myself......I had to laugh as I was covered in sweat, salt, bicycle grease, suntan lotion w/ nats stuck to my arms hairs, dirt, spilled Accel gel, and Gatorade. I smiled and thought to myself that there is no other place that I would rather be. Today was an absolute thrill. Words can't really describe the beautiful views that we saw today. It was even more incredible to witness on a bicycle. And to think that one of the ways our great God has revealed Himself to us is by the works of His hands in His marvelous creation. I rode in awe today. He's worthy to be praised.

I need to say thanks to the Renshaw's for the "shout out" on my voicemail today. Great message. You as well, Chilly.

SUPER TUESDAY:

What is Super Tuesday?
I've decided that after four days on the road, one of the best parts of my day is checking my voicemail after a long day of riding. It's been both encouraging and entertaining to listen to some of y'alls voice messages on my cell phone. So, I've decided that every week I'm going to hold a contest that will involve y'all leaving a message on my voicemail if you so choose. And every Tuesday, (Super Tuesday) I'll annouce who the winner is for that week.

Here's the first contest. To participate, you must leave a message on my cell phone no later than Monday, June 5th at 5pm. Leave your message between the hours of 8 am and 5 pm. I will award (when I get back to Memphis) one 2006 Hunger Ride T-shirt to the best musical performance (song or instrument) left on voicemail. Voice messages can be no longer than 90 seconds. Bonus points for anything out of the 80's.

More South Carolina......

Day 2: Orangeburg, SC to Greenwood, SC

Total miles for the day: 103
Temperature: 94 degrees
Wind Speed: 7-10 mph crosswind
Terrain: Moderately hilly
Departed Orangeburg at: 8:40 am
Arrived to Greenwood at: 6:00pm
Stops: 4 total (Lunch at Hardee's, and three stops at gas stations)
Average Speed: 14.6 mph
Accomadations: Econolodge of Greenwood
Scenery Rating: 6.25 (on a 1-10 scale)
Songs that were stuck in my head today: "Closer to fine" -Indigo Girls, "Brian Wilson" -BNL


Day 3: Greenwood,SC to Clemson,SC

Total miles for the day: 62
Temperature: 95 degrees
Wind Speed: I don't know, but it sure felt good today.
Terrain: Moderately hilly
Departure Time: 10:45 am
Arrival Time: 4:15 pm
Stops: 4 total (Lunch at Subway, three gas station stops)
Accomadations: Hampton Inn of Clemson
Scenery Rating: 6.45
Ounces of Accelerade/Powerade and Water Comsumed: 240?
Songs stuck in my head on the ride: None. I reflected on 19th century French poetry the entire day.

Three days down and 46 to go. Time flys when you're having fun. And I gotta tell ya, Stephen, Colin, and I are having a ball down here in the heat and hills of South Carolina. We've covered a lot of road, met some really cool people, and we have some killer tan lines to show for. I guess if I could describe the past few days in one word I'd have to say, "blessed." We've been blessed with sunshine, friendly drivers, and most of all, some very generous people. Yesterday, not far from Batesburg, SC, Pennie from Padgett's gas station took an interest in the Hunger Ride and hooked us up with some food and drink. And Rhonda from George's Steak House stepped up big in providing dinner. Riding 61 miles, today was significantly less tiring on our legs. We needed the rest for tomorrow and the days following as we are about to hit the most difficult part of the journey to Memphis......the mountains of Georgia and Tennessee.

Verses for today: John 10:10, Isaiah 40:31