Week Six
During the ride, Marie will write a message recounting the highlights and progress of the day. Just e-mail Marie's husband Ron at ronnemec@hughes.net to request subscription.
- June 29 - Nashville TN to Lohman MO
- June 30 - Lohman MO to Oakley KS
- July 1 - Oakley KS to Fountain CO
- July 2 - Fountain CO to Grand Junction CO
June 29 - Nashville TN to Lohman MO
We were all a little teary saying farewells. This visit meant a lot to Becky and to us, reconnecting ...
Headed West to Dickson, the headquarters of Explorer's Bible Study, a study in which I have participated off and on for 25 years. The CEO Jim Gabrielson was so cordial. Tom Constance, son of the founders of the ministry, was there visiting, back from China. We talked about some GJ area folks, Barry Furukawa and Allan and Mary Ellen Tratos. We got to see the printing and binding operation. They were binding the books we will be using in the 2010-2011 study.
Headed for Clarksville and the I-24. Today will be a four state day: TN, KY, IL, and MO. It is always a thrill to see the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. Drove and navigated pretty much all day as Charlotte nodded off most of the time.
Arrived in the Jefferson City area about 6:45 pm and drove a few miles further to Lohman. The Ehrharts have now hosted us four times on our rides for HD (1999, 2004, 2008, and now 2010.) We stayed with Keith and Denise Ziegelbein (Denise is a daughter of the Ehrharts). They prepared a wonderful meal with grilled pork tenderloin, baked potatoes, grilled veggies, and for dessert homegrown blueberries and some cantaloupe. We have sure been spoiled by our various hosts over the last month!
Some of the extended "Ehrhart" family dropped by to say hello. It was fun to see how Todd and Kelly Rakow have grown up snce we last saw them two years ago. We were all pretty tired and were fading fast.
Now that we are West of the Mississippi River, I feel like we are half-way home.
Take care, everyone. With love,
Marie
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June 30 - Lohman MO to Oakley KS
Wonderful breakfast prepared by Denise - quiche, fresh blueberries, and OJ. She left for work in the archives of Missouri (in Jefferson City) about 7:45 am, and we got on the road by 8:15 am. Followed US Hwy 50 to Kansas City (same route I drove with Sandy Roy back in mid-May.
Destination was the IHOP restaurant on the KS side near I-435/I-70 off Parallel Pkwy. Third time at this IHOP. Had brunch with Barbara Younger and her granddaughter Megan, Debbie Peek and her 8 yr old grandson Nathan, and Ted Hatfield. All are from HD familes. Good catching up on everyone's family news. All such dear friends.
Got back on the I-70 across Kansas. Kansas is a wide state. The first completed section of the Eisenhower Interstate System was opened here in November 1956. Enjoyed the Flint Hills section, a nutritious grazing area first for buffalo and then for cattle. It's about 60 miles wide. Saw about 200 wind fans, so you know it has to be windy there. Stopped in Salina for an oil change, which was a bit overdue. Passed St. John's Military Academy. My favorite part of Kansas is the part where there are still hewn stone fencing posts.
Finally got to our destination - Oakley KS. Had a very nice room waiting at a Friends and Family rate (thanks to Lynn Stewart). Charlotte ate the rest of her Caesar salad from brunch and I had a pint of milk and some crackers.
We are on the Western edge of the Central Time zone, so it stayed light until almost 10:00 pm. Down to just two more easier days driving.
With love from Kansas,
Marie
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July 1 - Oakley KS to Fountain CO
Nice breakfast in the motel, I always enjoy the waffle you can make, by pouring a serving of batter onto one side of the waffle maker, then flipping it over. It cooks for 2 to 2 1/2 min. It was actually cool when we took the luggage cart outside to the van. That was very pleasant!
Chose to go the most direct way to Colorado Springs, on US Hwy 40. Road is one lane in each direction for the most part. Wasn't a lot of taffic in either direction. Guess you could call it "The Road Less Travelled." Crossed into the Mountain Time Zone about 20 miles from the KS-CO border. Passed through Firstview, where you can see Pikes Peak for the first time. Today it was hazy, so Pikes Peak wasn't visible yet. Portions of the super highway being built along US Hwy 287 have been completed. I understand this road will run from the Gulf (near Brazoria County TX) to Denver CO. Passed through Kit Carson, and Wild Horse before turning onto Hwy 94 at Arroya. Familiar territory from my return trip home after the Convention in 2008 in Pittsburgh. Drove through Ellicott, where Amanda and I used to do training rides in 2000 and 2001.
Drove into Colorado Springs to the CS Bike Shop and visited Bonnie Johnson, co-owner with her husband Ed. Hadn't seen Bonnie in two years, but we remain good friends. Decided to tour the Olympic Training Center. I had been there once or twice, but Charlotte hadn't. This site had been the ENT Air Force Base, and it was sold for $1 to the US Olympic governing body. There are resident athletes who live there, and camp athletes who come for shorter periods of time. I saw a motto in one of the buildings: "Practice as if you are the worse. Play as if you are the best."
Drove South to Fountain, where we are staying overnight with Amanda Adams, our friend who SAGGED with Scott Springer and me in New Mexico in 2000 and rode "Border War on HD" with us in 2001. We could have driven from Oakley to Grand Junction but then Charlotte wouldn't have gotten to see Amanda. Amanda has started her own cake decorating business, Sugar Plum Cake Shoppe. She had to work late tonight, so she didn't get home until 8 pm or so.
Just another 300 miles and we'll be home, and this year's ride will be another memory.
I'm all caught up now so tomorrow will be the last Daily Message. I will try to get some totals together to share.
Back in the Centennial State, and almost home,
Marie
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July 2 - Fountain CO to Grand Junction CO
Up early, so I could say good-bye to Amanda. She is very busy wth her new custom Sugar Plum Cake Shoppe, which is good. Her website is www.sugarplumcakeshoppe.com for anyone in the Colorado Springs area.
Decided to take US Hwy 50 home to Grand Junction, so the scenery was pretty much the same as when I left Grand Jct driving East with Sandy Roy six weeks ago. Passed Fort Carson, while on Hwy 115 South thru Penrose and on to Canon City. Not sure how many prisons are there, but there's a bunch, including the SuperMax. Beautiful drive through Bighorn Sheep Canyon. Plenty of rafting activity on the Arkansas River. Through Salida and over Monarch Pass (Continental Divide) but didn't stop.
Down into Gunnison (home of Western State College). Great place to visit in Summer, but brrrr what an icebox in the winter. Drove past Blue Mesa Reservoir in Curricanti National Recreaton Area, over Cerro Summit, and down into Montrose. Stopped at McDonald's for lunch - we were treated to a free strawberry/banana smoothie.
Very familiar territory now, just 60 miles from home. I drive this route 1-2 times a week for my jobs.
Took Charlotte home (she lives 8 miles from me) and unloaded her bike and gear. Returned home, thanking God for yet another completed ride for HD. Not at all sure what next year wll bring.
Some totals which hopefully you will find interesting.
- Total miles of route -1464 (originally we had thought it would be 1200)
- Total non-route miles - 5363 (includes driving to Maine, and then home from Raleigh NC)
- Total miles start to finish - 6827
- Total miles biking for Marie - 550 (Not sure how many miles Charlotte rode)
- Total Road change - $4.12
- Total number of churches stayed in - 10
- Total number of homes stayed in - 16
- Total number of motels/hotels/B & B - 7
- Funds raised - $32,000
Originally the goal was set for $40,000 so we came up a bit short, although we did surpass the goal of reaching $500,000 in 12 rides. There is still time to make an on-line donation at www.firstgiving.com/bikeforcure Donations can still be sent to:
Coastin' to Carolina
C/O Marie Nemec
3087 - A 1/2 Road
Grand Junction, CO 81503-9678
If everyone on our e-mail distribution list and everyone on Hunt-Dis each donated $10, we could reach $40,000.
Thanks again to each person who donated, bought a tee-shirt, provided or arranged for overnight accommodations, provided a meal, prayed for our safety, sent an encouraging e-mail, and anything else I may have forgotten.
If you are feeling you want to do something to help get the HD Parity Bill (HR 678) passed, go to www.hdsa.org and contact your Congressman.
So grateful to be home - as Dorothy said, in "The Wizard of Oz," "There's no place like home."
With love from home in Grand Junction,
Marie
PS from Ron: And I'm glad to have her back safe and sound too!
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