Wheelsucker Blog - Week Twelve

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Sunday 3rd August

Carterville, Georgia. Went looking for a bike shop today with Derek and Jenny but everything is closed! Found one that looked suitable but you could only contact it by email, have to wait until the morning to see if I have a reply. If not will have try and hunt down some more.

Saturday 2nd August

Catersville, Georgia. Left Fort Payne at 7.15am, very warm so just cycle top and shorts. Had a 4 mile climb out of town and then made good time to Summerville, and had a snack at a Subway. Then climbing out of Summerville disaster struct, the rear mech broke and jammed up the back wheel. I was helpless on the side of the road. I tried flagging down pickup trucks for help but no one stopped. I was close to tears when suddenly someone stopped. Mike and Robin were their names (see picture) and they were the nicest people you could have met. The bike went into the back of the pickup (a Ford L150, my favourite) and they took me to my hotel in Carterville. To repay their friendship and kindness I took them for lunch, and then they insisted on paying. I cannot thank Mike and Robin enough. I have found some truly wonderful people on my journey. God bless them all. Now I'm going to have to find a Bike Shop, but I think most of them are closed on Monday! Tonight I am having dinner with Jenny and Derek. It will be great to see them both and plan our ride back to Boston.

Friday 1st August

Fort Payne, Alabama. 82 miles. Average speed 12mph. Left Cullman at 7.30am. Cooler and overcast so gillet, cycle top and shorts. First 24 miles was a nightmare, they put a rumble strip in a very narrow hard shoulder, and the big lorries came along too fast and too close. The countryside got more hillier and big roller coaster hills. Had lunch at Albertville and an ice cream at Fyffe. Picture shows a rather big hard shoulder, but look at those hills in front of me!

Thursday 31st July

Cullman, Alabama. 81 miles. Average speed 11.9mph. After I sent yesterday's blog I got talking Fred and Sally, who had just driven 600 miles from Florida, and were going to drive to Kansas today to see their. They were a lovely couple and I appreciate the interest they showed about my journey and their friendship, thank you. Warm and muggy when I left Hamilton but still just cycle top and shorts. It started to get a lot hillier yesterday and continued today. The hard shoulders continue to be a problem. Some are good, then they stick a foot wide rumble strip in it so you have ride in the road! Fortunately the roads were light of traffic but the riding is still stressful because of the hard shoulder situation. Hopefully it will improve tomorrow and Saturday when I cross the State line into Georgia. Stopped for early lunch in Double Springs at a 'Subway' (tuna roll again). Rode past a Days Inn hotel on the way into Cullman but there was no food nearby, so rode North out of town to where I new there were several hotels and food. My two sons Paul and Stephen ride motocross, so this picture is for them.

Wednesday 30th July

Hamilton, Alabama. 81 miles. Average speed 12.5mph. My 80th day since leaving Dave and Jeanne in Danvers. Left Booneville at 8.30am. Not very good hotel and I could only manage to send one email to Paul and Stef. Quite warm so just cycle top and shorts. Used Highway 30 for first 24 miles but turned into a nightmare as it had no hard shoulder and the big lorries kept passing me too close. Shortly after stopped at a 'Subway' for a tuna roll and came out and saw a sign 80F. Then crossed the state line into Alabama and a small hard shoulder started appearing, thank goodness. Didn't see an Alabama state sign, perhaps because I was on a minor road! Stopped for ice cream at Hackleburg. Today was quite hilly and towards the end some very big climbs. A taste of things to come as I near the Smokey Mountains. Good news is Derek flew out today, so he should be chilling out in Carterville. Pictures tries to show the forests I am cycling through.

Tuesday 29th July

Booneville, Mississippi. 78 miles. Average speed 12.3mph. Left Holly Springs about 8am. Much cooler this morning but sill warm enough for just cycle top and shorts. Lots of short sharp hills in the forests today, but this brought back the logging lorries. Still no hard shoulder to ride in so you have to use your discretion and pull off the road sometimes! Stopped lunch at a place called Ripley, fortunately I found a 'Subway' and had a 12in tuna roll. Temperature was only 77F when I rode into Booneville. The picture is for my grand daughter.

Monday 28th July

Holly Springs, Mississippi. 67 miles. Average speed 12.6mph. Very warm when I cycled out of Memphis so just cycle top and shorts. Then saw sign 78F at 8.30am! Although I was on a minor road (Highway 51) the traffic was quite heavy and there was hardly any hard shoulder which made it worse. Stopped for lunch at Senatobia and then headed east. The landscape then changed from flattish farmland to hills and forests. 90F when I reached Holly Springs. Picture tries to show the countryside I'm riding in.