Week Three

Got up early to beat the heat. Thought we'd be eating the continental breakfast in the Lounge, but on Saturday and Sunday, they don't begin serving until 7:00 am. Too late for us, so we just ate our own cereal and milk in our hotel room, and were on the road by 6:30 am. We drove a couple of miles, then started riding, Charlotte first, as usual. We just had to follow Hwy 78 the whole 72 miles.

After getting out of Charleston, the road was pretty much the same. One lane in each direction, not much shoulder, but not too bad. Both Charlotte and I are now riding with reflective vests, for more visibility.

All along this highway, which is designated "Heritage Corridor - Discovery Route" (also, a hurricane evacuation route). For miles, dense forests line the highway, mostly pine, but some oak and other trees.

Passed through St. George (near where I-95 crosses) and Branchville (The World's Oldest Railroad Junction), founded in 1858.

Arrived safely in Bamberg. Found the Mt. Carmel United Methodist Church quite easily, because it is on Hwy. 78. Nice brick church.

Met the custodian, and he OK'd eating lunch at some tables in their Fellowship Hall. Spent the afternoon on E-mails and my journal. Fixed a simple dinner of wings and salad.

Our contact Anthony was the man of the hour. He had just returned with his family, from a vacation in Orlando FL. He brought me an air mattress upon which to sleep, then got a compressor to blow it up. (Charlotte will do her usual sleeping on a church pew.)

We've been on the road riding for just over 2 weeks. Just 5 more days of riding.

With love from Carolina,
Marie & Charlotte

Miles ridden:
Charlotte - 41
Marie - 31.5
Road change - 27 cents

Wish we could have stayed in Bamberg longer, and gone to the worship service at our host church, but the service wasn't until 11:00 am.

We hit the road about 6:45 am. Weather was a cool 62 degrees.

Passed through Denmark, home of the Dogwood Festival, Denmark Technical College, and Voorhees College. A few miles later came Blckville, the home of Troy Brown of the New England Patriots. (As much as players in the NFL change teams, I'm not sure if he is still a Patriot.)

Between Blackville and Elko we began to experience the first hills of the ride. I knew they were coming, but didn't know when. Well, they're here! I was able to get up enough speed on the downhill to make it up on the uphill side, with some effort.

Found it fascinating that the University of Georgia Conference Center is in So. Carolina, on the grounds of the Savannah River Ecology Lab. It reminded me of the Oldham County (TX) Golf Course being in Deaf Smith County.

Beech Island was our last So. Carolina town. Founded in 1645. In Beech Island, I passed a church which had these signs: ENTER to worship, EXIT to serve.

I got to ride over the Savannah River, which divides So. Carolina from Georgia. While riding, I was passed by a pelaton of serious bicycle riders, probably going twice as fast as I was.

Downtown Old Augusta is very quaint. I stopped briefly at Meadow Garden, the home of George Walton. Walton was a Revolutionary War patriot and soldier, Governor, Congressman, Senator, and Jurist. He was a Georgia signer of the Declaration of Independence, with Button Gwinnett and Lyman Hall.

At breakfast, we all got to peruse the article which appeared in the Augusta Chronicle. Headline was "Bikers raise funds, awareness for disease." We all chuckled about this quote: "I wanted to go down the Atlantic coast and see the WHITE HOUSE," Ms. Nemec said. The staff writer thought I said "White House" when I said "lighthouses.!" Ron may be able to set up a link to this article: check our website at HYPERLINK "www.bikeforthecure.org"www.bikeforthecure.org

It was very kind of the Pastor to lead us from his home to Wrightsboro Road. Charlotte road first, while I drove on ahead to Grovetown to buy a couple of newspapers. We followed a parallel road south of the I-20 (within hearing distance, but not within sight.)

Crossed over the I-20 on Hwy. 78 and continued our trek towards Washington. Fairly busy highway with a shoulder, but the shoulder has rumble strips the whole way, so it was unrideable.

I arrived in Washington first. Found the motel where the Methodist Pastor had arranged a room for us. Very nice.

After we showered, etc. Pastor Kathy came by and drove us around this very historic town. Washington was founded in 1780.

Eli Whitney perfected the cotton gin at Mt. Pleasant Plantation, just East of Washington.

One of the most impressive homes belonged to Robert Toombs. He had been a successful planter and lawyer, and led a turbulent career as a state legislator, U.S. Congressman, and Senator. He lead Georgia to secession and into the Civil War. He had ambitions of becoming President of the Confederacy, and resented Jefferson Davis' election. He reluctantly accepted an appointment as Secretary of State, but after a few months he resigned his appointment to take a commission in the Army of Northern Virginia. He was dubbed "An Unreconstructed Rebel."

We also stopped to see the Stained Glass Windows in the First United Methodist Church. "Christ the Consoler" is the North Sanctuary window. It was created in 1922 to honor Methodist young men who lost their lives in WWI. The top of the window has "stacked rifles," symbolizing peace with caution and preparedness. Just below the stacked rifles are two windows showing the flags of France, England, and the US, signifying we are not alone in our struggle against the enemy, just as we are never alone in our battle against evil. To the right of Christ is a panel showing an empty trench, indicating the battle is over. To the left of Christ is a cemetery marking the graves of those who did not make it home. This could depict Flanders Field where "poppies grow beneath crosses row on row." There is a difference of opinion as to the person Christ is consoling. Some think it is a woman; others think it is a soldier, and the helmet at his side may so indicate. "Let not your heart be troubled."

Following our little tour, Rev. Kathy treated us to lunch at a Mexican restaurant. Yum! We then returned to our motel room. I slept most of the time until 6:15 pm or so, while Charlotte E-mailed and journaled.

Rev. Kathy came back for us at about 7:00 pm, and brought us to the parsonage where we had a potluck dinner with congregation members from her three churches (Smyrna, Little River, and Mt. Zion). She is a Methodist Circuit Rider, who drives her SUV to her various churches!

We enjoyed the wonderful food and fellowship, and were humbled by the donation taken up for our cause. Over $100 was donated, which will triple up to $300!!!

When we left the Parsonage, it was raining. Not sure what tomorrow will bring, but we know it is in God's hands, and He is in control.

Georgia is the largest state East of the Mississippi River. So much to see and do keeps Georgia on our minds. Just three more days to bicycling - Atlanta, here we come!

With love,
Marie and Charlotte

Miles ridden:
Charlotte - 29.7
Marie - 17.5
Road change - 1 cent

Slept in a bit, until 6:00 am. Peeked outside, and it was raining! Oh my!

Rev. Kathy joined us for breakfast (she just had coffee). She gave each of us a cookbook her churches had put together, published by Morris Press in Kearney, NE. Charlotte and I visited there in 2002 on our way back from Columbus, and they are the ones I will use when I get ready to publish the "Bike For The Cure Cookbook." More about that later ...

Anyway, the rain stopped and Charlotte was raring to go. After a prayer with Rev Kathy, Charlotte took off riding, and I left driving the van. What a great stay in Washington!

The scenery was more of the same; tree lined 2 lane highway, with a few little towns every few miles. Every few minutes a logging truck drove past.

Rode through Lexington in Oglethorpe County. This county was created Dec. 17, 1793 and named for Gen. James E. Oglethorpe, the founder of Georgia. He was born in London, England Dec. 22, 1696, and left England in Nov. 1732 with 116 settlers and arrived at Yamacraw in January 1733 where he established what is now Savannah GA. Later, he brought over 150 Scotch Highlanders and some German Protestants from Salzburg. He returned to England in 1783 and signed over his Georgia Charter to the British Government in 1752. Always a friend to America, he died July 1, 1785.

We got to the outskirts of Athens about 11:30 am. Directions to the church where we were to meet Jan Harmon (who is the church secretary) were pretty confusing, but after about 20 miles of driving around aimlessly, we finally figured out where the church was, and got there OK.

Beautiful Lutheran Church, with pink and gray granite stonework, and large windows with a forest of trees.

Jan lead us to her home nearby, and we ate lunch, showered, and did laundry. We enjoyed the antics of Sassy the cat, and Lucky the runt Jack Russell terrier. Lucky has very short legs, and she taught herself to sit up on her haunches and beg for food!

A word about Athens. It is the largest city in the rolling piedmont of Northeast GA. It is home to the Univ. of GA. The quarter final, semi-final, and finals of mens and womens soccer at the 1996 Summer Games were held at the stadium on campus. The U of GA was founded in 1785, and is said to be the nation's first state-chartered univ.

After Jan's husband Barry came home, we all ate dinner, then they took us on a tour, primarily focused on the U of GA where Barry works as a veterinary pathologist. The stop at the Ramsey Rec Center was amazing! This facility houses all kinds of courts, swimming pool, weight and cardio rooms, indoor track, climbing wall, etc. In front of the Rec Center was a sculpture called "Bike Tornado." It was about two stories high, and had maybe 100 bikes of various sizes welded together. We got to see the stadium, which has the famous hedges. The College has a student body of about 33,000. The buildings were fantastic!

While we were driving through the subdivision where the Harmons live, we spotted a yearling deer. For those who follow men's college basketball, Tubby Smith (who coaches Kentucky now) used to live around the corner from the Harmons when he coached at the University of Georgia. The Harmons' son John was friends with one of their boys.

Just two more days riding. Hard to believe.

With love from Athens,
Charlotte and Marie

Miles ridden:
Charlotte - 22
Marie - 21.5
Road Change - 1 cent

Fond farewells to Jan and Barry; we took their photo, with Barry wearing the long sleeved ride T-shirt they bought! Of course, Lucky was in the photo, too.

We drove out 4.5 miles, away from the morning traffic. Just had to follow Hwy. 78 the whole way. Sounded simple enough, but almost the whole way, there were rumble strips on the road shoulder, which forced us to ride on the edge of the traffic lane. It wasn't too bad until we got to Snellville, but then, it was pretty scary, especially when I was grinding my way up a long, somewhat steep hill (going about 3.7 mph). Thank God we made it safely.

Found the church easily, then drove a bit farther down the street to the home of Aggie Calder, our host. She is 78 years young, a great gal. For the past 13 years, she and some friends have been working on hiking the whole Appalachian Trail.

After lunch and showers, Aggie took the tour guide role, and what a tour! She took us to Stone Mountain, the 3200 acre park just a few miles from her home. The most obvious feature is the 825 ft. granite dome, upon which is carved a 90 ft. by 190 ft. relief sculpture, larger than a football field - the largest relief sculpture in the world. This Confederate Memorial Carving depicts three Southern heroes of the Civil War: Confederate President Jefferson Davis, Generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson seated on horseback. The carving is situated 400 feet above the surrounding ground, and recessed 42 feet into the mountain. Gutzon Borglum (of Mt. Rushmore fame) started the project in 1923, but abandoned it by 1925. Augustus Lukeman then was hired to complete the carving around Gen. Lee's head, but these alterations so badly damaged the original work that it had to be blasted from the mountain's face. The project was then abandoned for 30 years, until 1963, when Walker Hancock and his crew were hired, and the project was completed, using Lukeman's intact designs and newer technology. The Carving was dedicated in 1970 by Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, and finishing touches were completed in 1972.

Besides the Carving, there is much to see. Remains of a quarry, a carillon from the NY World's Fair, a grist mill, a Conference Center, campgrounds, hiking trails, bicycling lanes, a man-made lake, a museum, gift shops, restaurants .... amazing!

We returned to Aggie's for a wonderful dinner of spaghetti with meatballs, salad, and Quick Cool Pie (recipe will be in the "Bike For The Cure" cookbook I hope to publish next year - more on that later). Aggie's son John joined us for dinner, and they both helped us with our routing for tomorrow's ride from Stone Mountain into Atlanta.

God has been so gracious to us, enabling us to stay with just the right people to help us on this incredible journey. I don't want to get overly caught up with emotion, but this ride - actually all the rides - have been most of the best adventures in our lives. Such unforgettable folks that we have met ... we love you all!

Need to get a good night's sleep before the finale tomorrow.

Good night from Stone Mountain GA!

With love,
Marie and Charlotte

Miles ridden:
Charlotte: 23
Marie 21
Road change: 48 cents (Charlotte found 40 cents of it) This was the only day that we met our expected quota of 1 cent/mile

Because of the shorter distance to ride today, we were again able to sleep in a bit. Great breakfast with Aggie - cereal, fruit, and juice.

We drove 1/2 mile back to the church. I left the keys with the church secretary. Sherri Kole, our friend who rode the KATY Trail with us last year, will get a ride out to Stone Mountain and then drive the van to the Hilton. Thanks Sherri!

After a prayer, Charlotte and I started the last leg of our journey. It was about 3.5 miles from the church to where we got onto the bike path we would follow for much of today. Very smooth and well marked, and we felt so safe out of the traffic. Much of the bike path followed the railroad tracks and a parallel street which changed names a few times.

We stopped and ate lunch in the shade, on the steps of an administration building at Agnes Scott College, a private women's liberal arts college (tuition, room & board, books - about $30,000/year.

We deviated from our original route designed by Aggie and her son John. It took us on a more circuitous route, but still in the general direction we needed. Finally got back on Aggie/John's route on DeKalb, and Edgeware. Passed close to the Martin Luther King Jr. birthplace, but couldn't stop because of trying to meet our 2:00 ETA at the Hilton.

As we were riding North on Piedmont, we spotted Sherri Kole, her mother Marge, her aunt Louise, and her uncle who had walked out from the hotel to be the first to greet us. How special!

We arrived at the hotel exactly on time. No welcoming group outside (guess folks were busy with meetings) but ran into Annette Williams and her son Shane, Bob Leck, Jean Miller and her friend from Arizona, plus a woman from Delaware.

Got our bikes loaded up into the van, and brought our gear up to our room on the 23rd floor. After showers, we went downstairs, and of course began to see friends from prior Conventions. So special!

The highlight of the evening was the wedding of Sue Leck and Dave Hodgson, each of whom had lost their spouse to HD. It was a Hawaiian theme wedding, complete with four "blow up" palm trees. Bill Marsch from HDSA walked Sue down the make-shift aisle. Carmen Leal sang "The Hawaiian Wedding Song." Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Dave Hodgson!

Hard to believe this year's ride is over. The route ended up being 1090 miles. I rode 471 of those, and Charlotte 619. No flat tires. $1.90 in road change, far below our average of 1 penny/mile.

I will try to write another couple of Daily Messages from the Convention. It is such a busy time, with sessions, visiting with friends, etc. But I will try.

It's not too late to make a donation to this year's ride.

Make check payable to "HDSA" and send it to our ride treasurer, Pat Pillis.

Pat Pillis
3 Maple Leaf Drive
Saranac Lake NY 12983

Thanks to all who supported us and held us up in prayer. Thanks to those who housed us and fed us. It was a team effort!

With appreciation,
Marie and Charlotte

Wasn't able to sleep in - anticipating the day's energy and excitement.

Took a little walk to find some milk for my cereal, then returned to the Hilton, to eat breakfast in the room. Eager to get downstairs to greet old friends.

The Opening got underway at 9:00 am - 1/2 hour late. Pretty much the usual speeches. After a break, the program continued with the HDSA Focus on the Family: Planning for the Future. The speaker on Financial and Healthcare Planning is a specialist from MetDESK, a special branch of Met Life which deals with planning for the needs of Special Kids. I plan to attend his session tomorrow to get more specific information. The Family Planning speaker is a genetic counsellor. Her presentation was quite good, but a bit incomplete. She highlighted alternatives to never having children; she included adoption, Prenatal Testing, and In Vitro Fertilization with Prenatal Genetic Diagnosis, but she neglected to mention Artificial Insemination.

Charlotte and I both participated in the "Walk for the Cure." It was a relatively short walk from the hotel to Centennial Olympic Park, a central gathering place for the 1996 Olympic Games. There was a structure called "The Quilt of Nations" with flags from the various countries. The surface upon which we walked had engraved bricks with names on them. There was a neat sculpture of 3 runners, dimensional within a fan shaped structure.

The morning HDSA Research Forum was most exciting. After Dr. James Gusella's remarks on Basic Research and reiterating the 5 Research Teams set up last year, Dr. Robert Pacifici took the podium. He is with CHDI (not sure what those letters stand for). The purpose of this group is to rapidly discover and develop drugs that prevent or slow HD. It will be located in Los Angeles, near LAX airport, on the Howard Hughes Campus. They will investigate existing pharmacopoeia and compounds of interest, taking a "sniper" approach. This is great news for those seeking something NOW!

Lunchtime today provided a most memorable meeting. While visiting with Muriel Tovar from California, she introduced me to the incoming Chapter President in the Los Angeles Area. I glanced at this man's nametag, and noted his last name "Polito." Knowing this was a rather random question, I told him that in high school or college, my mother had been friends with a woman named Rose A'Augustino Polito, and asked if he knew her. He replied, "She's my mother." I was stunned and overcome with emotion for a few moments. Then I told him, "I have to phone my sister," because my sister lives not far from Rose, and in fact had gone to visit her not too long ago! What a small world!

The afternoon workshops were all very good. One was on Social Security and Disability, another on planning for the future of children with special needs, and the third on research updates, lead by Dr. Martha Nance from Minneapolis.

Back to the hotel room to get ready for the gala National Youth Alliance's silent auction, the dinner, awards ceremony, and dance. I didn't bid on anything this year. Sat with Sherri Kole from last year's ride, Joyce Erven from Albuquerque, Don and Ann Voss, and two other couples where the wives were affected with HD. The dinner was OK, although one of the waiters spilled salad dressing on the left sleeve of my brand new outfit.

The dance was fun, as always, but the musice was way too loud. Charlotte danced up a storm; I did the "Electric Slide" and the "YMCA." Missed having Ron at the Convention.

Didn't turn into a pumpkin, although we were up until midnight.

Rich full day - much information, new friends, many memories.

With love from Atlanta,
Charlotte and Marie

Charlotte didn't get much sleep, because she had to be downstairs at 4:30 am to catch a taxi to the airport, since she had booked a 6:30 am flight back to Grand Junction. Hugs before she left the rrom, with just a carry on. I am bringing her bicycle and other gear back to Colorado in the van.

Attended the Interfaith Service at 8:00 am. Not much depth or length to it, with a simple unexpanded theme of not giving up when you're in the valley. A bit disappointing when compared to past years.

The breakfast round tables were good. Sat with Dr. Martha Nance for awhile, and found out a bit more about her as "a soccer mom." Farewells to friends, always bittersweet.

I didn't stay for the closing remarks. It was raining, and I knew I had a 300 mile drive ahead of me. I pulled out of the parking garage about 11:00 am and found my way to the I-20 Westbound. Rain continued through Georgia, into Alabama (and the Central Time zone).

Drove in three states today, a bit of GA, across Alabama, and into Mississippi. My dear friend Gerleine Schoonover had arranged a motel room for me in Newton, MI, not far from her birthplace in Lake, MI. Had a small dinner and watched TV. Fell asleep pretty easily. I had been talking to Gerleine on the phone, and I think I fell asleep while still on the phone!

Route miles - 317

With love from Mississippi, and now on the way home to Colorado,

Marie

Slept in, ate breakfast in the motel room, got packed up, and left Newton about 8:00 am.

The drive across Mississippi was peppered with stops looking for a postcard of the map of Mississippi. Since 2002 I have been affixing the state stamp to a post card of the map of the state, and mailing them home. I never did find a state map of Mississippi, so in Vicksburg I finally had to settle for a state flag postcard, and mailed it.

Across the Mississippi River and into Louisiana, which calls its counties "parishes." In fact, the welcome sign had "Welcome to Louisiana" in French as well.

The I-20 paralled Hwy. 80, on which Scott Springer and I rode West to East in 2000. I remembered many of the city names from then (Tallulah, Monroe, Grambling, Ruston) and finally got to the I-220 by-pass. Took that to Swan Lake Road exit, drove 3 miles North (past where 5 years ago Scott, Shirley Procell, and I were in a car accident).

Pulled into Shirley's driveway - such fond memories. Shirley arrived about 2 minutes later, in her little purple PT Cruiser. Shirley used to be on Hunt-Dis, and endeared herself to all with her wonderful poems, and caring spirit. She lost two sons (Ken and Gary) to HD already. They are represented on the Phase I Hunt-Dis Memorial Quilt.

Shirley's home is very "country." The kitchen and bathroom are decorated with a Holstein cow theme. Signs like "Milk, the Udder Cola" and "Cow collectors are like no udder." The sandwiches she got were wonderful! We visited, then went out for awhile. She took me to the cemetery where Ken and Gary are buried. Ken's sone has a football on it, and Gary's a motorcycle. The cemetery is about 3 miles from the house. Then we went into Bossier City, looking for a Louisiana map postcard. We found one at Ellis Pottery. Whew! She showed me around Bossier. I enjoyed seeing Ariline High School, where her son Jarrett was a football and baseball stand-out.

Back home to Swan Lake Road. Shirley's older sister now lives in the mobile home where Ken and Gary had lived. Margie came up to visit. Shirley's husband Jerry got home from his milk delivery route. He is a contractor with Borden. We enjoyed a dinner of roast beef, potatoes, carrots, green beans, and rye bread. Later, we had cut up fruit salad on a bundt pound cake.

I got to sleep in the same bedroom I had 5 years ago. The room has many lop-eared bunnies as a theme.

Being able to spend time again with this precious friend is such a blessing. I have been privileged to meet some of the most wonderful folks in the world through my grafting into the HD Community.

With love from Bossier City,
Marie

It was very hard to say good-bye to Shirley. She is such a darling. Not sure when I might be back; that always makes it hard.

Left Bossier City about 10:30 am, following in reverse the route that Scott and I rode in 2000. A new Interstate (I-49) is being built parallel to Hwy. 71. Drove through the "ArkLaTex" area, where Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas are close to each other.

Drove down Stateline, the street where one side is Texas, and the other side Arkansas.

On to Ashville, and then DeQueen. We were SAGged through this area 5 years ago, because of the rain.

About 7-8 miles N of DeQueen, there was a construction stop with a flagger. I put the van in park, to keep cool leaving the A/C on, since it was about 100 degrees outside. About 3 min. later, when it was time to start up again, the van didn't respond when I pressed the accellerator. Luckily, I coasted out of the line of traffic. I could not get the van to start. There was enough gas, but it wasn't being delivered. While I was pulled over on the side of the road, 2 business associates with Southwestern Electric Power Company pulled over to assist me. Elizabeth and Johnie were on their way to Fayetteville AR. Johnie gave the van a little push and it coasted down to a small convenience/bait store. I remembered Mike Kelsey in Mena AR, who had hosted Scott and me 5 years ago. I still had his phone number in my Pocketmail Computer and fortuitously, he was at home. I got the name of a towing company from Mike. Called for a tow truck, and then waited about an hour indoors (thank God! ). Jerry from Spoon's Towing showed up, loaded the van, and then we drove to Mena AR, to the Chrysler Dealership. The problem was diagnosed as needing a new fuel pump, but they did not have one.

By this time, I had determined that I needed to rent a car to make it to Fort Smith for the getogether with the HD Support Group. I left the van there, after getting my suitcase out. I told them I would try to find a fuel pump in Fort Smith and then bring it back in the rental car.

Drove the rental Chevy Cavalier to Fort Smith. It took about 2 hours to go 90 miles. Arrived about 1/2 hour late for the cook-out. Everyone cheered when I got out of the car. Such wonderful folks, many of whom I had met 5 years ago when Scott and I were given an official proclamation honoring Bike For The Cure 2000.

Enjoyed visiting. Our hostess, June Goff, had 6 ride shirts on display (all but the '99 ride). It was fun to see the evolution in designs. Some photos were taken. June had created a scrapbook from our visit in 2000, and it was a walk down Memory Lane looking at the photos, reading the press release, seeing the newspaper articles, etc.

Stayed up visiting with June after everyone left. Didn't get to be until about 11:30 am.

With love, stranded for awhile in Fort Smith AR,

Marie

First order of business after breakfast was to find a fuel pump for the van. I made about 5 calls before I found one at a parts store about 3 blocks from here. Dealership wanted $335 and overnight shipping (since they didn't have one in stock.) Found a quality pump in stock for $149. It also needed a new pigtail wiring harness. Total came to $191.

Called the dealership in Mena. The service advisor from yesterday wasn't there; he was gone for some training. The work I needed couldn't be fit into days schedule, so I made an appointment for tomorrow morning at 8:00 am. I will have to leave Ft. Smith and drive 90 miles South back to Mena, have the 3-4 hours of work done, leave the rental car, drive to Fort Smith again in the van, then head for Broken Arrow OK. Whew!

Called Verne Farque (host in Broken Arrow) to let her know I've been delayed a day.

June and I went out to do some sightseeing, shopping, and errands. Dropped off a roll of film for 1 hr. processing, went to a Hancock Fabric store where I found three great Route 66 fabrics, and went sightseeing. Went to "Miss Laura's," the "Hello Bordello" which now serves as Fort Smith's Visitor's Center. The architecture of the building is unique. The clapboard structure is a simple, yet elegant, example of baroque Victorian architecture, with a mansard roof trimmed in wrought iron and oeil-de-boeuf (eye of the ox) dormer windows. Inside, the "guest" rooms are papered in different and decidedly feminine prints. The transoms at each bedroom bear the name of some favorite lady. Enjoyed our tour of this historic building.

Toured the Fort Smith National Historic Site, complete with two walk-in recreated frontier jails. It also contains the remains of two military posts built to keep peace on the frontier when southeastern Indian tribes were relocated to Indian Territory. The Commissary Building has been restored. It was used by Judge Isaiah Parker (kicknamed "The Hanging Judge") as his chambers. 180 criminals were condemned to the gallows over a 21 year period (79 were actually hung.) The 15 minute movie was very informative, too.

Back to June's for lunch. Salad, potato salad, and left-over fettucini really hit the spot at 2:00 pm.

June and I both rested for awhile, then went out once more to try to find a postcard of a map of the state of Arkansas. Finally found one at the last place we looked, a C-store in Van Buren. Also picked up my 1 hr. photos. Got a few nice photos, mostly of the Convention. Those will join the other photos next week. Check out www.bikeforthecure.org

About 10:00 pm, June and I had a little dish of vanilla ice cream with some Star Wars colored M & M's.

Have to get up early tomorrow morning, so I won't be staying up late. So far, I have remained calm through this whole ordeal, knowing God is in control.

Take care everyone. With love from Arkansas,

Marie

"On the Road Again ..." Couldn't sleep, so I got up about 4:00 am, showered, and packed up once again. I ate two slices of the zuccini bread, and it was very good. I think June will continue to make zuccini bread this summer.

Left for Waldron about 5:30 am - weather was changing, windy, a relief from the 100 degree plus of yesterday. Hwy. 71 was looking much too familiar - fourth trip. Arrived in Waldron just after 6:30 am, turned in the incorrect model pump, and picked up the correct one. On down the road ... to Mena. Arrived at the dealership by 7:45 am and gave the fuel pump to the service manager. This time, it was the right one, thank God.

While the repair work was being done, I drove to take a closer look at the restored train depot, from the 1920's. Filled up the gas tank in the rental car, in preparation for returning it. About 9:00 am I was told the repair work was finished; labor cost was $150. Rental car cost was $90.

"On the road again ..." My fifth and last time on Hwy. 71. Dropped off the wiring harness that wasn't needed (cost credited back to my Discover card). Got good directions from the store manager on getting to the I-40 for the trip to Broken Arrow.

Crossed the Arkansas River into Oklahoma. Whew! Took the I-40 to the Muscogee Turnpike. $1.25 toll towards the beginning, and $1.25 towards the end. Found CDI (Control Devces, Inc) pretty well, since Charlotte and I had been there last year. Greeted by Kendra, Verne Farque's secretary. So great to see Verne again, and her husband Tony, and their two sons Jason and Eric. Their company is thriving, and they had even initiated a free lunch (prepared by Verne) for the employees. It was fun to see their precious doggie mascot Stan, too.

Followed Verne to their lovely home at the end of a cul-de-sac, with a dense forest (oak, plum, poison ivy) behind thier manicured patio.

Took a nap, then came downstairs to visit with Verne. Tony came home from work, and the three of us had Poor Boy Sandwiches for dinner. Quite tasty!

Did a small load of wash for the last two days of the road home.

Hope I sleep better tonight. I am sleeping in the same room that I slept in last year during "Kick HD on Route 66." I always enjoy deja vu.

Drove 85 miles in the rental car today, then 190 miles in the van (Mena AR to Broken Arrow OK)

With love from Broken Arrow,
Marie

Verne fixed me a wonderful sausage omelet and orange juice before I left. Such a neat lady! After buying gas, I started the westward trek.

Decided to take Route 66 from near Tulsa to Oklahoma City. It was weird that after Sapulpa, I had no recollection of landmarks or scenery until I got to Stroud. Stroud's claim to fame is that 2 million Oklahomas live within a 60 mile radius.

Then the fun began. Chandler is a thriving town, the midpoint in the 400 miles of Route 66 in Oklahoma. Signs for a quilt show caught my attention, so I went in the museum, and looked at the "Piece of History" Exhibit of Quilts from Lincoln County. Stopped at Seaba Station in Warwick. It was built in 1924 as a filling station and garage which continually operated until 1996. That's when restoration began and the antique shop opened in 2000. I had hoped to visit with the proprietor, Sue Preston, whom I had met last year, but the shop was closed. I slipped a ride brochure under the front door with the message "Sorry I missed you."

Also stopped at the Round Barn in Arcadia. It was built in April 1898 by Wm. Odor on his farm. It was restored in 1992 by Luke Robinson, community workers, and local businesses.

Noticed a new wind farm South of Weatherford.

Called Dorothy Hearn as I entered Edmond. Her only son David (who has HD) is in a nursing home there. She was on her way to the Brookdale Heritage Crossing to feed David his lunch, so I met her there. Dorothy and her sister Annie hosted me during our rides in 2000 and in 2004. I got to visit with Dorothy as she fed David, and I got to feed another man (named Billy) at the table. Short visit, but sweet.

Got on the I-40. Good-bye Oklahoma and Hello Texas. Passed through Shamrock with its wonderful art deco building, then through Groom. Groom has the tilted water tower on the East side of town, and the huge cross (largest in the Western Hemisphere) on the West side.

Through Amarillo, after buying gas for the van. Passed Cadillac Ranch, about 10 mi. W of Amarillo. Partially buried Cadillacs with 10 styles of tail fins make this an icon for tourists.

Got off the I-40 in Bushland, where our friend Melanie Allred works at the Experimental Station. The parallel Route 66 road was fine, but the I-40 exits and entrances require traffic on the parallel road to yield as this traffic crosses. Kind of scary.

Finally arrived in Vega, my original destination. Because of the fuel pump problem, I arrived two days late, and Donnie and Melanie had prior plans to spend the weekend with family in the mountains of Northern New Mexico. So I had to find a place to stay. I tried the Best Western - $70 (in Amarillo prices were under $40). Tried the Vega Motel, but there was no vacancy. Hmmm.

I stopped to see Dot Leavitt at Dot's Mini Museum. Dot has a tree in her front yard called the "Boot Tree." All sorts of gold painted cowboy boots hand suspended from the tree branches! I had met Dot last year during "Kick HD on Route 66.". I asked her if she knew of any place, and she suggested the Fabulous 40 in Adrian (13 mi. W) She found the phone number, and I called and reserved a room for under $40.

Some of you may have watched episodes of the "reality" show "Popularity Contest" which aired this Spring on CMT (Country Music channel). It was filmed in Vega. I had hoped to meet some of the local folks from the show, but with being Saturday evening, most places were closed. I did drive around town and take some photos, though.

Drove West to Adrian, the Midpoint on Route 66. It is 1139 miles to Chicago, and 1139 miles to Los Angeles. Got a room at the motel, then fixed a tuna salad for dinner.

Route Miles - 436 (includes an extra 13 miles to Adrian)

With anticipation of being home tomorrow night, after over a month being "on the road,"

Marie

Up at sun-up, and anticipating the long drive home. At 7:00 am I went to the convenience store to buy milk for my cereal.

Drove back to Vega for one more drive around. Took photos of many of the landmarks, just trying to take it all in before I wave a fond farewell to my favorite city in the TX panhandle.

Now on 385, stopping to read the marker for the Fort Smith - Santa Fe Trail. The forerunner to part of Route 66 as well as the I-40 corridor, this route on the South side of the Canadian River. How prophetic were the words of Capt. Randolph Marcy (the leader of the military expidition: "I have never passed a country where wagons could move along with as much ease and facility without expenditure of any labor in making a road upon this route.

The Canadian River was barely a stream, as it passed South of Cal Farley's Boys Ranch.

On the radio, I heard "Red Neck Days" advertised, complete with riding mower races and the King and Queen of Mud Wrestling. Oh my!

In Channing, the Cowgirl Cafe has changed ownership and name. It's now the Eagle's Nest Restaurant.

From Dalhart to the state line with New Mexico, two more lanes are being constructed alongside the existing Hwy. 385. Stopped in Texline, our starting point for the 2003 "Trek Across Texas." Central Daylight Time changed to Mountain Daylight Time at the State line, so I "gained an hour."

The first view of the Rocky Mountains was from 15 miles East of Raton, NM.

Remembered our climb up Raton Pass in 1999. Crossed into Colorado at 11:10 am. By now, thoughts were returning to Colorado activities. The Western Slope Quilting Shop Hop has started, so I thought I might be able to visit 3 shops which I had never visited (in Monte Vista, Alamosa, and Del Norte.) Called my friend Carol Pavlisick in Grand Jct. to have her check if those shope were open today; unfortunately, they weren't so I continued on my original routing.

After buying gas in Walsenburg, I drove up Hwy. 69 to Hwy. 50 (same route Charlotte and I took in 2003). West on Hwy. 50 (the continuation of the same Hwy. 50 I wrote about in my Day 2 message about Ocean City MD.)

Decided to go to the quilt shop in Buena Vista, so I altered my route. Bought my passport for the Shop Hop, visited with the owner, then headed farther North on Hwy. 24 to Hwy 82 (this state highway crosses the Continental Divide on Independence Pass. The drizzle of rain turned to a downpour of SNOW the closer I got to the summit. There are two portions of road on the way to Aspen where there is no center yellow line, because the road isn't wide enough for 2 cars to pass comfortably, plus there's no guardrail on the Eastbound lane).

Finallly made it to Aspen, familiar territory, because our older son Kevin lived for 9 years in the Aspen area. Hwy 82 used to be quite bad, but construction over the past 8 years or so, using some of the technology from I-70's Glenwood Canyon, has made the road very nice.

Reached the I-70 at Glenwood Springs. As I gazed at the tree-scarred terrain from the fire in 1994, where 16 fire fighters were killed 11 years ago this month. I saw a feature on that event on the Weather Channel's Storm Stories while I was in the motel in Adrian TX.

Pulled into the driveway of our home at 7:25 pm - 586 miles today.

Total route from Atlanta to Grand Junction was 1977 (didn't count the extra 320 miles 2 round trips in the "twilight Zone" of Hwy 71 in Arkansas).

Total van mileage - 5410.

Have to shift gears now to preparations for our trip to Vancouver BC Canada next week, for our son Kevin's wedding. Some know his fiancee Erin Simmons; others have heard me talk about her. Watch for Erin in the 2006 Winter Olympics; barring injury, she will be representing Canada in the Boardercross snowboarding event.

Thanks for all the prayers, donations, and support.

Marie