September 25, 2012

Cape Girardeau, MO to Charleston, MO

Distance 51 miles, averaged 10.4 mph, ride time 4:55, actual time on road 6 hours.  Expenses $69.41 ($60.00 of this was purchasing a pendant made from Ivory by Judy)

Have you donated to National Multiple Sclerosis Society yet? If not here is the direct link to my profile page where you can make a donation and end this world of MS:
http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?px=1782261&pg=personal&fr_id=17893&s_tafId=230714
Your donation will make a difference, please help. Thank you. The Old Guy

By the time I came downstairs Judy had a huge breakfast ready.  Judy said she makes such a breakfast every morning to give herself and any guest bicyclist the fuel to power through the day.  Judy rides a recumbent every day and later when I phoned her to let her know I made it to Charleston she told me she had done a 15 mile ride that morning.   You think I inspire you with my writings?  Please, my exploits are minimal compared to this gal.  Judy had pancreatic cancer and as a result had most of her insides removed.  Friday she is having surgery to have a cancerous spot removed on one her lungs.  She asked the doctor how long before she’d be able to resume bicycle riding.  He advised her 2 or 3 months, she told me she’d be back on her bike in two weeks as that’s what she did after the pancreatic surgery.  Now this one tough gal who truly is an inspiration to all she meets.

Riding out of Cape was fairly easy with the turn by turn directions Judy provided, she knew every turn including a close approximation of distance to each turn.  Unfortunately, I battled a 20+ MPH headwind this entire day.  The last seven miles into Charles were the most brutal driving my average speed down to between 6-8 mph on flat terrain, I was so glad I didn’t have to go any further then 51 miles.

There being no Warm Shower Hosts in Charleston I had left messages with the Charleston Chamber of Commerce and three local churches the past few days.  For various reasons three of the four were not in their office when I phoned and texted.   A first, by the time I arrived in Charleston  I had heard back from all four assuring me I would have a place to stay in their community.  My first stop was at the Chamber office where I met Karen Teeters the Executive Director.  We visited about Charleston community their annual Dogwood-Azalea Festival which attracts over 30,000 folks to the community each year and that the community has been hosting the event for 44 years.  While we were visiting Karen phoned the local newspaper office and asked them if they would like to do a story on the Old Guy on a Bicycle and they promptly dispatched a reporter to interview me.  Karen said she would email me a copy of the story.  Last year, I frequently forgot to ask for a copy of the many interviews I did to be sent to me.  Thought it might be fun to read what was written by various reporters across the Country?

Shortly after the newspaper reporter left, Pastor Dan Faust of the United Methodist Church arrived at the Chamber office.  After a brief visit with him he led me to the motel the Ministerial Alliance was going to provide for me this night.  I prefer to stay in the home of a Christian family but with the short notice it wasn’t to be.  Pastor Dan did say Pastor Mike of the First Baptist Church would be taking me to dinner and breakfast and would make time to visit with me and listen to my stories of how God has protected, provided and guided me on my journeys.  Pastor Dan then led the way to the motel and checked me into a room.  I didn’t ride very fast on the way to the motel as my muscles were tightening up from the near 100% physical effort I had exerted riding into what turned out to be a 30 mph headwind today, when I watched the nightly news.

Pastor Mike arrived promptly at 4:45 to go to dinner.  He said we could visit until 6:30 when he had meeting with one of the church deacons.  We decided to have Chinese and I was amazed that the fried catfish on the buffet menu was some of the best I’ve ever eaten.  Pastor Mike said he and his wife frequented this restaurant as much for the catfish as for Chinese cuisine which was also very good.  During the course of the next hour forty minutes Pastor Mike and I shared many stories from each other’s life.  Mike encouraged me to continue sharing my stories with folks of all religious faiths and that I should consider writing a pocket size book to use in my fund raising campaign for the National MS Society and simultaneously inspire folks.  My bicycle adventures are becoming more a journey of self-discovery and I believe God is revealing to me the purpose of my life.

My brief time with Pastor Mike went much too quickly and I was sorry we didn’t have more time to visit.   Mike said he’d come by early for breakfast in the morning so we could visit more.  I went to sleep tonight feeling all was right with my world and the path I will continue on is where God is leading me.

Sorry no pictures today as wore myself out just trying to get Spirit and I down the road.

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