Day 2 - another spectacular day
This morning, the temperature for the start of the ride was 70 degrees. Very comfortable. Officer Miller of the Scottsboro police met us and organized the escort out of Scottsboro by the police car and the fire department battalion chief.
Hillary and Sarah from the local office of Lifeline Children's Services brought bags for each rider, including water and snacks for the day. Lifeline Children's Services works to provide adoption and foster care.
John Yassu from Agape Church (host of our dinner last night) came to the hotel to offer prayer at the start of the ride. John is a retired Air Force Master Seargent.
John Stagliano provided a Sunday morning devotional, and John Houser provided prayer.
Early in the day we had a 750 ft climb over 4 miles. We paused at the bottom to get all together and again at the top to refill water bottles and gather. Some of us noted that this was a personal best climb.
The morning break was in Fyffe Town Park. The weather continued to be very enjoyable, with cooler temperatures, blue skies, and little wind. The SAG crew continues to provide excellent snacks and beverages. In this park, several Mockingbirds serenaded us. The temperature was 77 degrees at lunch, and the wind was 6 mph from the east. Lunch was provided by the congregation of the Harvest Center Church in Collinsville. Pastor Derrell Rackard has led this church for seven years. He offered a prayer of thanksgiving for the food and our safety and protection. The church prepared a potluck lunch and featured fried okra. Sampling this dish was a first for many of our team who have not lived in the south. We presented to the pastor a handmade Quilt of Valor made for the occasion by Cyndi Jensen. Team member Loretta Daniels organized several of her fellow quilters to create Quilts of Valor for this ride.
For Byron Brasher, a church member and potluck host, this was his second encounter with Navy-83 cycling. In September 2023, he was in western Nebraska and remembers driving past a group of bicyclists wearing shirts with Navy logos. This was our team on our cross-country ride! It was an amazing coincidence.
We have been riding on asphalt-paved county roads, going through farm country in some areas and scenic mountains in others. Along one mountain road, we passed a home where the family was outside in the front yard, and with them was their pet deer. One of us stopped and asked:
“Yes, that is a live deer, and yes, it is our pet.”;
In higher elevations, we ride through groves of pine trees and enjoy the fresh, clean pine fragrance. In the afternoon, the Fairview Baptist Church, overlooking Agricola, Alabama, opened its fellowship hall for our afternoon break. Pastor Gary Williams welcomed us and prayed for continued safety on our ride. He sounded disappointed that we weren't there for a meal! What excellent hospitality we have received. He also remarked that they thought we were riding motorcycles until 15 minutes before our arrival, as in Alabama have motors. He wondered why these motorcycle riders took so long to ride in from the previous stop.
The second climb of the day was 400 vertical feet and it included some sections that were a 10% grade.
Gadsden, our home for the night, has been very generous to our group. We were met at the edge of town by four county police officers on motorcycles who escorted us through downtown and stopped the traffic at each intersection. We were led by two Gadsden city police officers on electric bicycles. Sargeant Ford is a detective for the department, and Officer Burgess is a patrol officer. Their police department includes 82 sworn officers. 13 members of the Etowah Roadies, the local bicycle club, also joined us for the ride to the hotel. Etowah, we found out, is the name of the county.
The temperature at the end of the day was 84 degrees.
The Greater Gadsden Area Season of Honor was initiated tonight, and four events this fall honor veterans. Honoring our ride was the first event. In a ceremony at the Ola Lee Mize Patriots Park, we were honored by remarks from Tina Morrison from Greater Gadsden Area Tourism and State Representative Mark Gidley. Craig Scott, Director of the Gadsden Public Library, gave his solo performance portraying Chief Petty Officer Geroge Frank Towers, who died when the USS Reuben James, DD-245, was sunk by a German U-boat on October 31, 1941, before the USA formally entered World War II.
Dinner was provided in a building at the park by Olive Garden. Tina Morrison introduced the dinner by saying they were “to carb you up for your ride tomorrow” Several of us didn’t immediately understand that this meant we would have a high carbohydrate dinner. Out of appreciation for all that Tina has done since March of 2024 for our ride, she was presented a Quilt of Valor made by Janell Stoeger.
Phil Williams of Rightside Radio joined us for dinner. Phil has a syndicated broadcast radio program and has featured our ride via interviews with our team member Jamie Sherrard. Representative Gidley is an ordained minister, and he offered thanks for the meal and a blessing for the remainder of our ride. Perhaps because it is Sunday, or perhaps because we are in the South, or perhaps because we look like we really need the help, we have had prayers and blessings offered four times today for us and our ride.
We encountered several dogs, some of which came onto the roads barking and confronting us. The whistle and air horns have effectively scared the dogs back to their property. The variety and quantity of unfortunate roadkill victims were too numerous to document. Riders observed today: Alabama citizens are very kind and generous. It is not clear if a single steep climb or a series of rolling hills is more difficult; it is never really “downhill all the way.”
Statistics:
Day 2 - 63 miles; 3300 ft of climb; one flat tire; no collisions.
Totals:
125 miles
5700 feet of climb
CBD (chased by dogs) - 17
Flat tires - 1
Collisions -1 bike on bike no injuries
Road Kill bingo
Squirrel, Hawk, Fox, Raccoon, Snake
Live Animal Bingo
Sheep, Goats, Deer, Cow, Pig, Horses, Donkey, Dogs, Cats, Squirrel, Brahma Bull, Birds/hawks
The ride tomorrow is 51 miles and 2150 feet of climb and is the last of the shorter days.
- Darren Anderson from the road