HILTON HEAD, SOUTH CAROLINA
It was another pleasant morning. We were given our group assignments at breakfast. I was in Group One, and my teammates were Meg Shipman, Jae Slye, Gwyn Reece. Being Group One meant that we could roll out of the hotel after the dedication circle.
With cue sheets showing left turns when they should be right turns and vice versa, the cue sheets have become a thing of the past. The logistics were horrible. We just followed our driver, Alex Wright. Each day was special, and this would be a special day.
It was Yellow Jersey Day, and I wore a yellow jersey. My Team Fight jersey was dirty and smelly, so I wore my CCC jersey, as the back was marked up as a tribute to Jake the Hero Grecco. I am sure that this was seen by the ride director as “not a team player.”
Alex drove ahead and would wait for us at the turns. When we would pass, he would be jumping up and down and waving the Team Fight flag. LSU must have lost a hell of a good cheerleader when he left.
As we meandered down the coast, we occasionally had to go inland on US 17. That is not a fun road to cycle on.
Twenty-eight miles in, we missed a turn as he wanted us to turn on 16th Street. Instead, we went to 15th Street, then turned back one block. As we passed the First Baptist Church of Surfside, Alex spotted a playground full of kids. He had an idea – the right idea – and we all doubled back for a photo op. Alex first asked the teachers if the kids would pose with the flag, but they suggested that we be in the picture as well. And we did. Yep, we used these kids for a photo op.
It was very meaningful meeting those kids and their teachers. I wonder if they went home and told their parents about these cyclists riding by.
A teacher told us about a pediatric cancer center at the Medical University of South Carolina and told us to contact Jacqueline Kraveka. And we would. Well, we would try.
It was fun, and more relaxing riding on the coastal road. But eventually the coastal road ran out, and we had to ride on US 17. I don’t like Route 17 in Virginia, and I don’t like it in South Carolina. Four lanes, no shoulder, and heavy traffic. But Alex followed right behind us for more than 20 miles, which gave us a protective barrier. Because cars were coming at speed on a large vehicle and not four cyclists, they had to move over. But many saw “honk if you hate cancer” written on the van and gave courteous honks as they passed.
Our moment of truth came when three sheriffs’ cars went by, and none stopped to warn us not to block traffic. That made the rest of the ride even better.
We had a good ride. At 63 miles, it was a personal best for Meg.
On the drive to Hilton Head, I called three numbers to reach Dr. Kraveka. We wanted to come by and visit their cancer center. When I reached someone who seemed to know what I was talking about, I was informed they were having an open house today at 4:00, and it would be a bad time to swing by. I was disappointed, and I think my colleagues were too.
We had located one of the other groups and could have had two groups visit the cancer center. I have a personal interest in pediatric cancer and count this failed visit, even though it was not planned, as one of my disappointments in the trip.
As we drove, the two groups met up at Sonic in Charleston. Rob Keleher had never seen car hops on roller blades, so this was a treat. Then we motored on to Hilton Head.
at Sonic in Charleston SC
Dinner tonight was Dominos Pizza by the pool.
Each day was to average 200 miles, and each of the four groups should ride 50 of those and be driven 150 miles. Today’s ride was from North Myrtle Beach to Hilton Head Island. By car, that should be around 220 miles
MILEAGE: 62.9 miles (101 km)
AVERAGE: 14.7 mph (23.7 kph)
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