Friday, May 25, 2007

Day 6: With Love from Roanoke... Tree

WE ARE HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!

The day started off with a hot breakfast in the lobby. Read: HOT. We hit the road and eventually found a Walmart where Susan was able to buy some other clothes that didn't rub against all her road rash (what a trooper! She has a bruise that covers about half of her thigh). From there, we hooked up with the riders at the lunch stop which was about at mile 50. Or 40. Something like that. Cheryl ended up doing all 90 miles today. She's a rockstar, what can I say. Aaron, Mark and I did about 30 or so. Susan got dropped into the last 5 or miles of the ride -- another rockstar, broken finger and all!! The hills were just as frequent but today they were not as steep, just long and gradual.

The Kentucky riders (a different ride that started there) met us 12 miles outside of Roanoke. We also gained several riders from the area, as well. We made it to Roanoke at 5pm with a huge EMS and police escort as well as a helicopter flyover. Amazingly enough, the 12 miles into Roanoke was relatively flat (no complaints here). Our welcome at the Hotel Roanoke was complete with Harlin, Rita (complete with a welcome sign!), David, and Geoff Winslow. Vaughn, we are missing you and ask for an update everyday. We're sorry again that you are not here with us but we speak of you often to the other riders and you are in their thoughts and prayers.

The physical pain of the ride is now over and the emotional side is beginning to take over. The reunion hugs this evening were complete with not tears but deep sobs over the physical accomplishment -- climbing the next hill after you get to the top of the last one and say to yourself you can't make it any farther -- and the emotional pain of honoring Eric. He would be very embarassed by all this fuss. If he knew of this ride, I know it would be something he would have wanted to do.

We introduced David, Harlin, and Rita to some of our new family this evening at dinner – Team Maine and Team Minnesota. Team Minnesota has been filming the ride to make a video. They announced tonight at dinner that they are going to dedicate the film to Eric. These are friends we will have forever. When they wrote Eric’s name in chalk on the ground yesterday, we thought, “they get it.” Aside from listening to our stories about Eric and wearing the ride pin, that was by far the most thoughtful gesture. Blane, from Team Maine, watched Dave Page (from Team Minnesota), Susan, and Aaron cry in front of his name when they stopped to take a photo. Blane was driving the Team Maine vehicle at the time. He said he was sitting there trying to figure out what was going on when he finally saw Eric’s name written and that they were crying. He told us that he began to cry as well inside the vehicle and thought to himself, “this is what this ride is about.” It’s not about doing every single mile. It’s not about going super fast. It is ordinary people doing more than they think they can do to honor those that have died. People constantly tell me they would ‘never’ be able to do a ride like this. It is not true. Anyone can. It is not easy. But, you spend all day long pushing yourself and others (and being pushed) to accomplish what you think is the impossible. As you start to climb a hill, you tell yourself, just keep peddling. You focus on the pain and tell yourself it is only temporary. Sooner or later, you’re at the top. The sun shines down at you and you upshift a bit and hopefully enjoy a bit of coasting as the beautiful scenery refocuses your attention.


Tomorrow’s ceremony is not going to be easy. We have 60 more friends to lean on and the shoulders of Rita, Harlin, David, and Geoff.

Kyla, I miss you and wish you were here. Next year it is all you, girl – we’ll be back and we’d love to have you with us on the Team. You have been on my mind every day this week. Your courage inspires all of us. I have felt a void for you and Vaughn all this week. I especially missed you guys tonight. I think of our day in Marble Falls before you left. You rock. Thanks for getting me up all the hills.

I’ll get some photos up tomorrow… Technical wifi issues… Be safe out there…

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