Yesterday was an awesome day! The weather started cool and we were blessed with help with breakfast. So a shout out to Sharon and Chad Willbanks from Jimmy’s Car Stereo and Kelly Aulner. As we gathered, stretched and loaded up, were reminded of the challenges we all face and how we need each other to make it through.
This ride always reminds me of that. As you can imagine, there are always hiccups. Our friend John was sick but wanted to start with us despite his not feeling well. He made it half the day before we had to send him home. Then at about mile 15 there was a turn…only a few people made that turn. So, having to reconnect was quite humorous and reminded me of the old saying out of Cool Hand Luke, “what we have here is a failure to communicate”.
Getting to the 13th Street Bridge in Phenix City went without a hitch. We stopped to take a photo at the bridge and then headed over to Trinity UMC in Phenix City. Our friends Rev. Steve Reneau and Rev. Olivia Pool, pastor of Mt. Zion UMC, treated us to lunch.
Once filled with good food and gatorade we were off. We still have 58 miles to go. It was a tough ride. Long, arduous hills faced us. Grueling does not even begin to describe it. As the afternoon lingered on we also had van troubles and a dead battery. Our friends from AUMC had to come and switch out pull vehicles. I could feel the excitement of getting close to Tuskegee. Remember that turn we missed early I mentioned, that added another 5 miles to our total so my distance meter read 105 when we finished.
The only other exciting thing was that I initiated us into the fall. Pulling into the parsonage, I tried to ride over a curb, lost my balance and momentum and toppled over. When you are clipped in…there just isn’t a whole lot you can do. It was quite glamorous. I was fine…my pride a bit wounded.
We continued to have logistical woes. The plumbing at the parsonage went wacky and everything was backed up. Showers were not an initial issue but we had to get very creative the rest of the evening. A plumber is on the way…but tomorrow will not really help.
After dinner which was provided by Country’s BBQ, we went and visited Tuskegee Methodist Church and talked about our vision there. It served as our devotion for the night.
It was a great day overall. Tired, sunburned, sore…and worth it. Two more days. Our total is just above the $7500 mark towards our goal of $25,000.