The path led us right into the middle of the base which is home of the Ranger School, Sniper School, and Infantry Training Center.  The path cut off about 15 miles of busy urban traffic on our way out of town and allowed us to pass the Infantry Museum and several impressive monuments honoring fallen heroes.  We tell the group to exercise caution if they approached any troop movements or mechanized infantry maneuvers while riding on base.  An M1A1 Abrams tank operator might just like to try to see how flat he could squash a titanium bike if he got a chance.  I also told them that the new tanks could travel about 45 MPH and shoot a gnat off the butt of a cow at 3000 yards while bouncing on rough terrain.  With them wearing bright colored clothing, they'd be easy to sight in.  Scott volunteered...or rather Jeff volunteered Scott to ride across the firing range to draw fire so the rest of them could sneak through unscathed.  After hearing that, everyone was really looking forward to riding on the base...especially Scott.

 The scenery is starting to change a little, but we are still seeing lots of cotton and more dairy farms than Alabama and Mississippi.  We also started to see lots of pecan orchards and lots of peanut farms along the way.  We are in the land of boiled peanuts...which I'm not fond of, but many of the riders tried them for the first time when we ride in the fall. 

Everyone got in by 4:30 so it was a relatively easy day...we needed it after the climbing into Tuscaloosa and Prattville. Tonight we had rap to discuss the final two days and to have our famous T-shirt swap.  Barbara led the festivities and the T-shirts were flying...I guess there's not a lot to do in Perry GA even if a bike ride comes into town. 

Time's running down, we only have 2 more days left on our long journey.  We are about ready for this to be over, but we hate to see it end.  We will miss everyone when we wake up on Sunday morning and head for home...but until then, we need to focus for 2 more days on getting to Savannah safely.  Thanks for following...see you tomorrow.  

Bob Input:  Hey, I should have him do the page...he does better than me.

This morning started out a little strange with Jim on the trailer collecting the luggage instead of Mike.  Just another reminder that there are bigger things in this world than riding a bicycle across the country. 

The start to today’s ride was truly a treat.  We worked our way down to the Chattahoochee River and caught the Riverwalk that Columbus, Georgia began building in 1992.  The path meanders along the river and has no car traffic, that was the treat.  Unfortunately, Alan Jackson was not water skiing in his jeans as he does in his video, but there was still much to soak in during the early morning hours.

But it gets better, the trail dumps you out right into Ft Bragg.  We cruised through the base pretty much as one large group and passed the numerous memorials displayed to honor military accomplishments dating back to the Civil War.  We quietly slipped past the sniper shooting range and I didn’t see a single solider out there, but I guess that is the point.  Something tells me they saw us. 

I later found out that Sue and Stanley got separated on base and got lost.  They stopped a solider and asked for directions.  He graciously offered to help and that was when Sue noticed he was a Ranger and was tasked to Special Operations.  He took Sue’s cue sheet and developed a blank stare.  After a few minutes he said, “Well, I’m having a difficult time de-coding your directions here.”  Sue’s reply was, “Welcome to my world.”  They eventually got it figured out and got a personal escort off the base and back in the proper direction.

The rest of the ride was filled with these things that were described as rollers.  Where I come from they weren’t rollers.  Rollers are short hills that when you roll down the back of the preceding hill you can roll up and power over the next hill.  That was not the case with these gems.  As Doug claims, a roller does not involve climbing.  Those things were hills.  (Editor's note:  Do I sense some whining?)

The grades were not tough and eventually flattened as we continued east to our appointed destination.  Everyone but Sue and Stanley was in by 3:00, they rolled in a bit later with some funny stories to share with the group. 

Twenty-three down and two to go.  Everyone is tired, but anxious to complete what will be a significant accomplishment in all our lives.  Bob