The plan is to cycle 3500 miles solo from Seattle to Miami in 29 days to raise funds to care for veterans' mental health and also to help the fight against blood cancers. Wagons roll on September 11th: it would be terrific if you could sponsor me...thank you!
Hoping to help these guys...
Wednesday 5 October 2016
(I'm a) Road Runner. Day twenty-four, Brent to Troy.
By now I reckon you lot could second-guess what I'll write: yes, it was a struggle to get mobile this morning...and yes, it was just another tough day, made so by the unholy trinity of the three aitches: hills, heat and a headwind, hah-hah!
The much unloved Hwy 82: looks benign enough to me, right?
At least navigation was straightforward today: pretty much get on Hwy 82 and stay on it for ages. It started well enough...in fact it was suspiciously pleasant...smooth, quiet and spacious. You just knew that would change and indeed it did, for the worse: I have to commend 99.9% of the drivers though- they could see that I was staying as far over as I could and they gave me a decent chance.
Long may that continue!
Hang on, you took the shoulders and a lane away, you dogs!
Liked the bit in the middle. I think.
The chap who led the 2011 trip, Mr Mike Munk, lives about 35 miles from where I started from this morning, and I messaged him to ask if he really had nothing better to do, would he want to meet-up to say 'hello'? Sure he would- now begins the tricky part of trying to intercept a slow-moving target, hah-hah!
No problem, in the event and it was a pleasure to meet Mike's wife too, before he led me into his hometown in search of a bbq joint. The man is built out of titanium or similar: he has cycled across the US fifty-seven (57) times, and now he is winding-down a bit he only averages about 8000 miles per annum. Slacker.
Greenery all around...
"Away, away."
Dunno about plenty, folks. Looks sold-out to me.
Step aside, Saatchi & Saatchi.
Great to see Mr M. again. Proper road runner...
Safe to say, what the guy doesn't know about cycling etc., but it was great to vent to him about the state of some of the roads...Mike has and continues to have a dialogue with the powers-that-be in Alabama about trying to change a few things for the better, but it is a slooooow process.
Being led through downtown Prattville to lunch. A free lunch, no less!
Another name for Mr. Munk, hah-hah! #dropped
After a very tasty pulled pork sandwich, Mike said that he would lead me down to near Montgomery and I would be back on course from there: basically he caned those 10 miles and I held on as best I could...sometimes able to wheelsuck, more often not, hah-hah!
What it did do was tip the balance of the remaining miles in my favour, as I was always going to be up against it because of the headwind and the fact that sunset in Troy was at 6.35pm. Nice one, Sir...great to see you again!
Recent history still.
Sensible animals heading for the shade. Could learn something here?
From there, it was a similar story to yesterday in terms of managing the heat...but eventually I arrived in not-dry Troy about 6.10pm. Result! Very kindly, Mike had offered to put me up for the night, suggesting that I take a half-day but I'm sort of glad that I pressed on and stole some more yards towards Florida.
Oh really? With Hurricane Bellend approaching, it's a fluid situation. We're used to that by now!
After me wondering out loud the other night whether I should forget going to Cape Kennedy and just focus on heading to Miami, the situation will get interesting over the coming days, with Hurricane Matthew battering Haiti, Jamaica, Cuba and heading north. We'll see!
Bah! The opposition.
Trojan territory or not, I was glad to see this.
Even more pleased to make this disappear. Cheers!
In the meantime...sleep...but not before digging this gem, yet again...wow!
The sponsorship is so very nearly there: just under £400 to go with each cause. Please see if you can spare a couple of quid or whatever to help Bloodwise and Combat Stress. Here are those links if you are able to donate:
- Please click 'on this bit' to support Combat Stress.
I know that the two charities and the people that they help appreciate all your help. Good on you!
ps if you are kind enough to donate, and select 'anonymous', I can't 'see' who you are, unlike on JustGiving. So apologies if you were thinking that the miserable tw*t hasn't even e-mailed me to say thanks, hah-hah!
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