andy reagan only the interesting stuff

Discostick Day!

Every day of riding at our pre-ride route meeting with all 32, the group awards a Lady Gage inspired "discostick" to a rider for something special to carry with them riding that day.  The first day it went to the rider who raised the most money for the trip, and yesterday she gave it to Derrick because it was his birthday.  Today, Derrick gave it to me for being a really nice all around person and especially helping everyone out with the bikes!! Pretty awesome start to the day.

Breakfast!

Raleigh just loves being on breakfast crew!

I packed my rain jacket with a forecast for rain, and sure enough it started coming down not long after we had left at 7:30.  I caught up to the front group, and as it started to really come down, four of us took off.  It was pretty flat to start, and we were going a solid 25mph on the flats and 22mph uphill! The rain coming off the rear wheels in front of us got us all completely soaked, and it was actually pretty hard to see, but we kept hammering.

The rain started to clear up after awhile, and we had gone over 20 miles by 8:30 and at 29 miles, we decided to call the van driver to see where he was, because by my estimate we would be done with the ride by 10:10 if we held that pace. Derrick said he was at about mile 23, so we waited at a nice spot for lunch for him to get there for 15 minutes, and at 9 we unpacked the van.  Lindsey and Scott are both hurting, Scott's knee is bothering him and Lindsey threw out her hip after tripping on a wire the first day, so they were riding in the van too.

Our average for that first leg of riding was just under 22, in the pouring rain and it was definitely not flat haha.  Jesse was pulling super hard towards the end, he's really strong.

Jesse after our lunch stop, we had mostly dried off

And then lunch got there!

We had the pleasure of unloading it haha

Lindsey, miss photogenic!

Everyone at lunch

I waited around awhile at lunch....since there was really no rush to get to the host before the van haha and we had seen the last of the rain.  I spent about two hours at lunch altogether helping Noah with his rear brake.  I thought about it, and I like riding fast but it's really pretty much a waste of effort since there is no reason to get to our destination before noon lol.

The rain jacket I packed stayed strapped onto my saddlebag the whole time, even through the pouring rain because we were riding so hard, I was warm and didn't really mind being soaked.  That thing takes up so much space...I thought that I might as well just mail it home, but there will probably be days that I'll be glad to have it.

I set out with a group after awhile, and after a little while I got to talking with Jen and didn't watch my effort and we had ridden away from the group we were with, but we kept going and decided to just catch onto the next one.  But, when I saw this town I had to stop!

Had to take this picture for Kaity haha

We caught up with the small group in front at an ice cream shop, and Jen (different Jen) gave me the rest of her ice cream that she couldn't finish, score!! I really wanted the double chili cheeseburger so I had to hold myself back lol but not really.

After that, Jesse and Noah and I rode at a pace comfortable for the whole larger group (12 riders?) but that's not like slow or anything, just not hammering away haha.  The sun had come out strong and the rest of the ride was a lot of fun talking and riding.

Lily pads along the way! Photo courtesy of Allyson

Here's a picture of my goood side haha, Photo courtesy of Allyson

With the disco stick!! Photo courtesy of Allyson

We got into the  military base with our driver's licenses, but little did we know that our barracks is in the middle of freaking nowhere in the woods 8 miles out in this huge base lol.

Our barracks! Photo courtesy of Allyson

My sweet room!

My stuff all laid out, I think it's decreasing in amount!

I caught Scott taking a quick nap before we got here haha

My makeshift computer setup, Jesse and I plugged in the router we found and with his Linux skills, we soon had internet! The National Gaurd's internet security is no match for Jesse either haha

The dinner crew is out now at wal-mart., and I'm about to go get a shower!

To Waverly, VA and the Peanut Museum

Today started off early again at 6:30AM, but not quite as early as the 6AM yesterday which my alarm was still set to, oops haha!

I had packed up at night and laid out the clothes for the day, so I could take my time getting around in the morning.  It's actually quite a hand workout rolling up the thermarest and sleeping bag SUPER tight though haha.  Breakfast provided by the church was great, and I did manage to get a good bit down along with my vitamin, and I was proud of myself after the 1.5 pounds of spaghetti from dinner last night haha.

Ready to ride in the morning!

Poor Joe was on trailer crew this morning

Sarah!

Zach is excited!

So is his girlfriend Lyndsay!

Today I was a little sore from yesterday admittedly, and I rode with some different people which was nice.  We took a stop after 12 miles for a nice stretch break!

Yoga!

Derrick whose birthday was today! with the cigarettes from his Lady Gaga decorated bike (that no one smoked haha).

And check out the gorgoues US map on the trailer that we painted!! This was our lunchstop haha. Look at that sexy beast

I've never seen such a clean chain!

There was this really cool looking lake about 15 miles after lunch!

The reflections off the dark water were cool

This tree ate a power line!! "Nature is amazing" -Emily

CUS '10!!!

It turned out to be a "Folk Art" museum in the old home of and all about Miles Carpenter, a very famous folk artist. He actually got to meet President Reagan when he was like 90, when he was discovered.

A real old peanut picker!

Our tour guide through the house (which was the Folk Art Museum) the shed (Peanut Museum) and the various other museums, she was very nice!

In a random shed, I found some totally vintage coke bottles. They all came by the gallon haha!

I'm also pretty sure I found senor Carpenter's whiskey stash!

Lots of randomness in that barn/shed, no way those wheels are older than 1970 (they look like they're from a 10-speed bike)

The coolest part of my day. Digging around in the shed, I discovered the journals (looked like records of sales, lots of numbers) of Carpenter, this one is dated JULY 1931, look!!

And there were lots of them! I like this shot.

Check out how old this coke must have been. It explicitly says that the cocaine has been removed from the Coco leaves

Then we came back to the church eventually, I was amazed at all of the old stuff, even found an old outhouse on the nature trail out back...

Dinner at the church was phenomenal, it consisted of macaroni and cheese, green bean casserole, southern fried chicken, applesauce, deviled eggs, chips and salsa, pretzels, potato salad, and normal salad with pink lemonade to top it off! It's going to be tough to top that.

And my spread for the night! I now have to go clear that off to sleep haha

Looks like rain for our 65 mile ride tomorrow, I may try to go a little faster today and get outta the wet if I can! Sleep calls.

Night!

To Suffolk….and beyond!!

Today began bright and early at 6AM with packing, breakfast from our host church, and then to the wheel dip ceremony before we headed out!

Here is the day in pictures:

The church cooked us an awesome breakfast...I look retarded this picture haha, and couldn't eat too much, but hopefully I will have my apetite for breakfast back soon!

The whole 32, ready to set out!

I'm ready to get this party started!

And everyone lines up for the WHEEL DIP

And go!

My girlfriend Lauren and I, together for the last time in awhile

So glad my parents were able to come, and for their continued support for the trip, thanks guys!!

I set off from there with Mark, who was ready to get this show on the road.  I managed the group's first flat tire about TWO MILES down the road, and we found a big ol' chunk of glass in my rear wheel, thank VA Beach! Got it changed quick though and we were on our way.  Mark and I kept cruisin, starting at the very back after the flat, and caught up to all but the lead group by the time we stopped for lunch, which was about 27 miles in.

Yay lunch!

Mmmmm leftover sandwhiches haha (not sarcasm haha)

But apparently somebody kidnapped Jesus! That's the church we ate lunch at haha

And had to take a picture of my lovely ride

And then we set off....and I got another flat! I was the only one to get a flat today, and I got two! Just bad luck I guess, though I'm glad that if anybody got one it was me, because I'm pretty comfortable changing them. In another 10 minutes we were off

Until we saw FRESH STRAWBERRIES

Who knew I liked strawberries so much...they were delicious!

Emma loves strawberries as well haha

And after a few wrong turns, at mile 57 we arrived at the church that's putting us up tonight. It's huge, we've got a table tennis table, and I had room to spread out my crap!

And after Emily led the group through some yoga to stretch (one upping my quad stretch I demonstrated at lunch haha), we were just chilling. The yoga was great though, thanks Emily!

And then we got shuttled over to the YMCA to shower, and are just hanging out (blogging) before dinner!

A great day so far, one thing I know for sure: I'm going to sleep like a baby!