Since we rode twenty miles on the last rest day, we have been on
our bike for 16 straight days. A true rest day was prescribed. I only
bikes a quarter mile around camp to perform a cursory check on the
installation of the new saddle. The rest of the day was spent
reading, chatting, and napping.
Lisa hitched a ride to Valdosta,
Georgia, the closest movie theater, with some fellow cyclists for a
movie (42) and pizza. That means Lisa has been in 9 states this trip
and Jeff has been in 8.
Tonight will be our last night sleeping in a tent
Truly on the home stretch.
We had the honor of hearing from a special guest tonight, Ms
Elesta Pritchard, 83 years young, and born and raised in Greenville,
FL. She was a school teacher in Greenville for 38 years, and was
mayor of her town for many, many years and is still active in her
community government.
She is a proud but soft spoken black woman who
shared with us many stories of the civil rights movement that she saw
oftentimes too first hand. Her own life story is memorable enough,
putting herself through college AFTER her 5 children were born, even
though this meant long bus rides and switching buses daily. She even
went on to get her master’s degree and retired after she was in her
70s.
To top this off, she was a childhood playmate to none other than
Greenville’s famous son, Ray Charles, to her he will always be
“RC.” She told us little known facts about him that only a
childhood friend would know.
Thank you Ms Pritchard for sharing your
time with us! You are a remarkable woman!
After pedaling our tandem bicycle 2,909 miles from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean in 2013, we will be duplicating the journey on single bikes this time. This should be easier for Jeff and more challenging for Lisa as she shifts from passenger to driver. Once again, we will be raising funds for Custom Canines Service Dog Academy. The Pedal 4 Paws blog is sponsored by Verizon, who provided the equipment that ensures a reliable internet connection throughout the Southern United States.
Trip Summary
Day 52: 2929 miles completed, 8 states, 7 flat tires, 4 flat mattresses, 40 new friends and Bruce #1, 8 rest days
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