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ALMOST TIME TO RIDE

We're almost 24 hours away from the historic, day-long blogcast of Alan Snel's 160-mile quest to complete the Bill Fox Memorial Ride from the Hudson Valley to Albany, N.Y. in one day.

Alan called in from New York earlier today to say that all lights are green, all systems are go for launch at about 4 a.m. Wednesday morning. Blogging should begin soon after.

Alan reports that news stations along the route have been contacted and at least one in Albany seems poised to capture the drama that this ride will undoubtedly showcase. Also, a photographer will be documenting the ride for Side Salad.

Al is driving from Tampa to New York for the trip. On his way, he stopped in North Carolina to visit Willie Drye, Side Salad's Plymouth, N.C., bureau chief and author of Storm of the Century: The Labor Day Hurricane of 1935.

Willie files this missive:

Hey Jeff:

I can report that Bicycle Guy blew through Plymouth en route to Baltimore, the next leg of his journey to NYC, Albany and a slice of cyber-immortality.

We were expecting him mid/late afternoon Friday, but he spent Thursday night somewhere between Tampa and Savannah (never did get it straight exactly where), awoke fully charged at some ungodly hour of the extremely early morning, and arrived in northeastern North Carolina around 10:30 a.m. As is the custom here, I took him straight to the front porch for a chat, then he unpacked and assembled his "training" bicycle and sped off down NC Highway 32 for what he called a little "loosening-up" ride. I'm guessing he did 30 or 40 miles because he was gone for a couple hours.

After he showered, we had lunch at the Little Man Drive-In, a local landmark where they still make classic Carorlina-style cheesburgers (mustard, slaw, chili and onions), then we cruised around the swamps in my pickup truck for a couple hours, talking mostly about baseball and writing and Tar Heel basketball and history. Gave him a special tour of the Roanoke River Lighthouse. Then Jane got home from work, cooked chicken curry and rice, and basically loaded up Bicycle Guy with enough carbos to power him through the next leg.

An evening session on the front porch, then he awoke recharged again and blew out of here sometime before sunup. I assume he's now in Bahlamore with his sisiter and brother-in-law, making final preparations for the big day Wednesday.

Al's a special guy, just wanted to let your loyal readers (OK, your mom) know that he cleared the first checkpoint today. Jane and I will be closely following your exclusive blogcast Wednesday.

Later,

Willie

Thanks, Willie.

As I've mentioned before, readers can also stop by Alan's outstanding Web site, Hudsonian, to read about the ride.

Posted by Jeff at June 19, 2005 10:51 PM | TrackBack