Today’s ride was dedicated to a man named Matthew who we had the honor of meeting in Cleveland at the American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge. Matthew had an incredibly powerful story that resonated with several of the riders on our team. We are thinking of him as he fights his battle, and used his story of courage today on our ride.
Today was our first century ride, coming out to a grand total of 105 miles. For most of us, this was the first time biking more than 90 miles in one day. We typically average about 10 miles per hour when you factor in rest stops and other small breaks, so we were facing at least a 10 hour day when we woke up at 4:45 this morning and rolled out in the fog. Honestly, everybody killed it out there. We rode efficiently enough to be able to watch the Liverpool vs. Tottenham game in a gas station, and made it to the stayover in time to eat dinner and shower. Biking is such a physical sport, but it is also very mentally challenging! I feel lucky to be on such a team that is strong on both fronts.
We are thankful to be staying at Central United Methodist Church this evening, who have opened up their facilities and provided us with showers!!!! We also want to give a HUGE shoutout to Dawn from O’Charley’s in Richmond. She provided us with AND delivered to us a delicious hot meal of rolls, cajun pasta, chicken strips, sandwiches, and vegetarian meals. I think it would have been quite a challenge to have to cook our own food tonight after such a long day, and her meal raised morale significantly.
Rider Shoutout: Sisi is a member on our team that is always full of surprises and stories. She is currently working toward earning her PhD and will likely have it by this time next year. I love being around Sisi because she has such a positive outlook on life and has a variety of so many unique experiences to share with you.