Wednesday, 30Jun10, Great Bend, KS
Today started out a little slow … slow to wake up, slow to get packed up, slow to get to breakfast, slow to get loaded, and slow to get started … and yet … finally on the road. (Adella decided to ride with Lauren today, because she’s still having challenges with her knee.)
I started off with Tony, Wade and Fran (they were gracious enough to let me ride with them) … I rode with them to the 1st SAG stop (this is the MIDWAY point between SF and NYC) … yet the longer I rested … the more my legs, back and muscles stiffened up, so I decided to take off on my own to give myself a chance to warm up before they caught up with me … it wasn’t too long before Larry J … caught up with me and we decided to ride together … pulling from “mile marker” to “mile marker”
Wow! Larry’s 75 years young … yet, he’s a very strong rider … so we were cruising along between 18-19 mph and guess what?
Noone caught up with us … so after the 2nd SAG stop … we decided to do it again!
Along the highway I saw a couple of Kansas State troopers who had stopped a big rig … I stopped and talked to a Master Trooper Stanton … and he agreed to a picture with me and I gave him a big “hug” and thanked him for his service and asked him to be safe out there, he then asked me what happened to my legs, so I told him. He then told me how he had been “hit” in the back by a passing motorist’s mirror and told me to also “be careful”.
We continued our trek and started getting blasted with more “crosswinds” yet we were both very consistent and before we knew it, we were pulling into Great Bend, and Larry pulled off for a “smoothie” and I went to the hotel to help unload our luggage.
After I was finished I rode back over to WalMart to buy some lotion (Curel) and sunblock … also to get my glasses fixed … I guess when I hugged the state trooper, the eyeglass screw fell out. (typed with a smile!) Yet the Vision Care lady was able to fix it right away… so now I’m a happy camper!
We are now receiving lots of media contact calls from Bethlehem, PA, Kansas City and St. Joseph, MO plus Richmond, Indiana, Gainesville, FL, Atlanta, GA, Mobile, AL and Dayton, Ohio.
A special thanks to our friends at the local blood centers … you are amazing!
If you get a chance … our pictures are now updated on Facebook … at Give Blood.