Week 4 photos are up and running.

Everyone was in great spirits this morning...and why shouldn't they be?  It was another great day to be on a bike.  We woke to mild temperatures and a promise of a warm and slightly humid afternoon...with a chance of thunderstorms that materialized at lunch time in our area but not on our route.  Everyone was anxious to get going...they can smell the ocean from here...we’re closing in!!!!

The terrain still rolled today and everyone is about ready to see the flat approach to the sea tomorrow.  The lumber industry is big in this area as it has been ever since we left Arkansas.  We've passed several paper mills along the way and we see logging trucks even when we are out in the country.  We are still seeing a lot of cotton fields albeit hard to recognize this time of year, and we are seeing more pecan orchards, peanut farms, and small towns as we get closer to Savannah.  Many of these areas were large plantations in the late 1800s, but now many of them have been parceled out to smaller farm lots and some are used as pasture for horses and cattle.    

Today we provided the group with a real southern treat...RC Cola and Moon Pies.  You just can't say you've experienced the south if you've never had an RC Cola and a Moon Pie.  Some think the real defining moment of a southern experience is when you eat grits, but no...it's RC Cola and Moon Pies.  I'm not sure the Yanks were too fond of the treat, but they politely partook. 

I got to ride from the first SAG today and got in about 65 miles.  It will probably be my last time to ride on this trip as the last day is a bit busy for me.  I had a good time stretching my legs on the highway and really enjoyed pushing the pace up some of the large rollers.  I’m beginning to feel good on the bike as I’m just now getting in the shape I should have been in when the ride started.  Two cases of bronchitis before the ride put me a long way behind my usual mileage this year so it’s taken me a bit longer this year to get into form.  It felt good to push the pace a little today although Karen wasn’t too thrilled with me a time or two, but she hung in there like a trooper.  We’ll be flying by our next ride in June.

We had our second SAG stop (lunch) at a farm house about 2 miles out of Glenwood GA.  The farm is owned by Dick and Susan Sohn who were kind enough to allow us to set up right in the middle of their property and by their house.  On our first trip through a few years ago, Susan gave Barbara an overview of the history of their homestead.  She explained her farm used to be an old cotton plantation and the house was the master's home.  On the plantation, they had 38 "Little Houses" that housed the tenant farmers.  To each "Little House" had a team of mules and a wagon to farm the plantation.  When the cotton season was in full swing, all the 38 wagons would be in a line to the gin.  The master paid all the tenants in "chits" to use in the plantation commissary.  The tenants bought all they needed, or at least all they could get, from the commissary which was the building we used for our lunch.  Sounds like a tough life to me.  It was good to see Susan again this year (and she even brought her mother by for a visit, she’s 101!)...we meet some great folks on these rides and we get to visit them every season.

The riders all got in by 2:30 and began to disperse to the local eateries.  A couple insisted on Mexican, but we  warned them not to indulge in Mexican food in the south when there was a good BBQ place right next door.  One of the things I've learned over all these trips is not to order out of the region...don't order seafood in Arizona, order Mexican; don't order Mexican in New England, order seafood; and don't order Chinese in the south (or anywhere for that matter), order BBQ! 

To top of a perfect day, we were able to celebrate Steve Schwartz’s 54th birthday after RAP.  A friend of his from home set up a cake delivery and we all had our cake before dinner in his honor (well, the official dinner...most had already eaten at least twice before RAP at 5:00).  I just don’t know how they can handle much more excitement in one day...first it was moon pies and RC Cola...now birthday cake!  Happy birthday Steve! 

Tomorrow we do our final ride to the sea...we need to stay focused one more day.  Tonight we had our last Rap to cover the last day's logistics and talk about the final meal together.  I think we've gotten everyone on the same sheet of music as far as what's going on tomorrow.  It seems that every year there is something going on in Savannah when we ride through, but whatever we encounter tomorrow, I think we're up to the task to complete the ride with aplomb.  Tonight we're tired, we're ready to finish...I hope Savannah is ready for us...see you tomorrow.

PS:  To people following the site and who will be meeting the riders at the beach.  The riders will be gathering at the post office on Tybee Island before making the final assault to the beach.  We ask that friends and family refrain from stopping there to meet the riders.  There's not much room there and it’s our time to finalize our plans for the mass ride to the beach.  Please drive on through and wait for them at the pier at the end of Tybee Island.  The pier is almost at the end of the road...to the left.  Pray for one more safe day and we'll celebrate their achievement tomorrow evening.