Miles: 111 - Total Miles: 2,195 - Total Ascent: 62,421 ft. Today had all the ingredients to be a really bad day. But fortunately, luck was on my side. Last night at dinner, I asked a local man about today's route (water/fuel stops, etc.). He explained that after the first town, about 25 miles, there would be no other stops for the next 80 miles-ugh! Furthermore, he said the hills that I would climb are too tall/steep for the local school buses, therefore they take a different/longer route to avoid the hills. Oh great! Also, today's mileage was supposed to be 109 miles. On standard days, I try to average 10 miles an hour (including stops). Today could have easily been upwards of a 12 hour day, which would have entailed riding in the dark. And to top it off, last night (while at the hotel) we had a thunder, lightening, and rain storm that packed a pretty good punch. This morning, though, nothing!
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That's right, no rain today! It was a long desolate ride though. Thank goodness I had my dad close by to aid in my progress. The day started when we passed two large tarantula spiders - very cool (of course I took a picture of them)! As for the hill climb, sure...it was a bear (I gained 1,000 ft. of elevation in 3 miles)! But it gave me something to do other than focus on where the road meets the horizon 20 miles away, which has been the standard since Kansas.
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After 2,100 miles, my trailer gave in to the load and tension caused by my American Flag and pole. I heard a "rubbing" sound only to discover that the frame support tube literally snapped in half and the flag pole was leaning back against the tire! My only options were to remove the flag/pole and place them in the support truck, or to lay them both down on the trailer dummy rigged with coat hangers and duct tape. Which do you suppose I chose? Hopefully, when time permits, I can reattach the flag so that it can fly properly.
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I found out tonight that my support vehicle driver (from Thursday, Oct. 11th to Saturday, October 13th), canceled due to family circumstances, and will not be able to provide support. So this post now serves as an open invitation to anyone who may want to contribute some of their time to the O.M.E.H. Bike tour by providing a support vehicle for these three crucial days near Flagstaff, Arizona. If you are interested, please contact me at semperfichip@yahoo.com or (208) 713-7976, or contact Lisa Gropp, O.M.E.H. Public Affairs, at (208) 440-1515. Thank you!
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"I CAN!"
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7 comments:
Chip, I am first again! Wow! What a bear that must of been. But, as you told me the other night, once that ride is over it is time to let it go and think about the next one. I will be on that retreat for work or I would be down there in a minute.
You CAN!
Dave
Chip sorry that wasn't a very motivating post.
Did you know that you and Teddy Roosevelt have something in common?
He had a habit, even as president, of getting up in the morning and deciding where ever he was going that day, he would go 'point-to-point'. Which is to say, if he were going from the White House to the capital building, he walk straight there. Even if that meant climging fences, swimming through ice-choked creeks fully clothed or whatever.
Now that is determination, which is what you and he have in common--monsterous determination!
Here are a couple of my favorite quotes from one of our greatest presidents.
"Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorius triumphs, even though checkered by failure... than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat."
--Theodore Roosevelt
"Great thoughts speak only to the thoughtful mind, but great actions speak to all mankind."
--Theodore Roosevelt
Wow! Talk about some inspirational quotes that really hit the nail on the head for you Chip! You know some wonderful highs because you are willing to do some very very hard work to make them so. I, on the other hand, tend to sit back and enjoy through watching though I will never know the triumph you feel. And I always have wonderful and magestic thoughts, but don't really do anything about them, so there only a very few that might benefit from them, but you on the other hand are benefiting who know how many by your deeds.
Pedal on, and hopefully tomorrow will be more uplifting for you (and you will get more that "Dave's" to comment!)
Love,
Faye
This guy did a similar trip for 13 years!
"Adventurer ends 13-year human-powered world trip"
http://tinyurl.com/2qxtua
Hi Chip!
The picture of you ride your bike, you are losing weight and looking healthy.
On October 5th-South Shelby Cardinals football team lost their first league game in football aganist Palmyra, MO. it was 40-21 next game is on October 12th hopefully they can win a game.
Jewels
So what was bigger -- the tarantulas or the grasshoppers?
Glad things were better than expected. Hope you get Old Glory flying again.
Hope your birthday brings you an extra restful day tomorrow!!
Yuck. Spiders are not my favorite creepy-crawlies. I appreciate what spiders do to control pesky flies and other bugs but that does not mean that I think they are nice to look at! Good luck on this last leg of the journey.
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