Day 24
Rattle, Rattle, Mmmmmmmm.

DAILY REPORT: Today we entered our last state...Georgia.  We only barely got into the state, but we got in far enough to enter the eastern time zone.  It's all down hill from here...well, not quite yet, but we're closing in on some tamer terrain.  I think I said yesterday that the hardest thing about this morning was the fact that we had to ride out of town this morning...I was thinking I'd give them the next 4 days of route sheets and send them on their way...nah, I guess that's not a good idea.  But it did cross my mind...more than once.

Yes, the title of the page pretty much tells the story of the day.  The riders were either shaking and rattling on chip seal roads or they were on smooth as silk pavement.  They had more smooth, but they might not think so.  That's the nature of Alabama backroads...either way it's better than mixing it up with traffic.

We had a rather late departure this morning.  After yesterday's tough climbing day, everyone's legs were a little on the tired side to say the least.  At the first SAG several said they thought I told them today was easier than yesterday.  On paper it is, but when you have the climbing we've had the last couple days, just getting on the bike today was a chore to some.  All told, we had half the climbing as yesterday and not nearly the steepness even when we did climb.

Our route today took us through Wetumpka AL where they filmed Big Fish.  Except for a 3 mile stretch on Hwy 14, we were pretty much in the back country the rest of the day.  After Wetumpka, we cycled through Tuskegee and Tuskegee University.  From there we stayed south of Auburn crisscrossing hwy 80 arriving in the south part of Columbus.  I think it's only about 80 miles if we rode direct, but the backroads usually meander back and forth...safer but longer for sure.

We had a nice treat today as Clarence Brown (Cross Country Challenge '96) stopped by with two of his friends (Angela and Willy) from the Auburn Bicycle Club to help us with our SAG stop.  We always try to have a balanced lunch and today we made sure to include the 4 major food groups in the south...salt, sugar, fat, and grease.  Some think that grits makes up the 5th group, but the Auburn gang made us believers there's more to a balance than really meets the eye.  Thanks guys...it was great seeing you and the pecan pies and banana popsicles were a definite hit.  As usual, it's always great to see alumni and it's especially great when they bring treats.  I just hope the riders don't get used to this kind of treatment.

All in all it was a pretty quiet day.  Everyone was moving along well and I think everyone is seeing the end of the ride looming before them.  It's a shame the ride is almost over, but I think a couple of them are about ready to embrace a day without pedaling.  I told them they wouldn't know what to do with themselves on Sunday and not to call us for a Rap.

Tomorrow we ride through Fort Benning and right by the Army Sniper School.  I hear they are pretty good at moving targets...tune in and see if we sneak by unscathed.

PS:  Nice to see old friends from previous rides...Charlie Coggins and Bob Thume came by tonight to say hi...Alabama buddies from Fast South 06.  Good to see you guys and thanks for bringing by a future prospect.

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