deCycles Southeast America 2014
Journal Entry
Day 20 ... Thursday, July 10

Start: Rocky Top, TN. (Formerly known as Lake City)

End: London, KY

Distance: 81-miles.  

Terrain: Easy rolling hills.

Climate: Fog in morning.  Sunny afternoon, high mid 80s.  Slight headwinds.

Rocky Top, Tennessee is a town ... and ... a song.  The town just in the past month changed it's name from Lake City to Rocky Top.  Can you imagine re-naming Bloomington "Stairway To Heaven"?  So we are a guest in this new town called Rocky Top and we sang the song in their evening service last night.  We wanted to honor them in the most special way because they certainly honored the deCycles.  This is a poor town with a vast amount of wealth ... richness in spirit and love.  They really took care of the student-riders and so many of them shared special thoughts about the riders.  They were inspired by what these brave young people are doing.  So they opened their hearts and welcomed us back anytime in the future ... as a group, or as individuals.  These are special people.

The route today was gorgeous.  We probably had the least amount of traffic than any other day on the trip.  The road was smooth, winding, and rolling.  That makes for great cycling conditions.  It was fun!  The downhills were fast and furious and the uphills didn't seem that challenging.  The groups are really looking good......almost like military or marching band style.  Straight lines, steady pace, predictability, and quick.  It surely wasn't that way during the pre-trip training rides and the beginning days down in the Keys two weeks ago.  They are all becoming expert cyclists.  However, there can be a few dropouts as the day wears on.  There were three crashes today, but all are OK.  The number or riders with Triple Crowns are dwindling.  Three riders lost their crown today.  I think we are down to less than 10-riders without a crash, without a flat tire, and having pedaled the entire distance.  Only less than 10-riders have not pedaled the entire distance.  But many have had flat tires.  That is usually the case when deCycles pedal through metropolitan areas like the east coast.  

The deCycles arrived at London, KY in mid-afternoon.  Our host church is the First Baptist Church of London.  Our hosts seem to be outdoing each other and going out of their way to make the riders comfortable.  The facility is palatial and extremely nice ... so nice that we are afraid to get it dirty.  Then the surprise.  The church provided supper for the hungry riders.  They are in disbelief that the church would provide this much for strangers.  We usually show our appreciation by singing our theme songs to lighten up their day.  This group is one of the best singing groups we've had in the past 5-6 years.  They are actually enthusiastic with their singing.

We got a surprise visit from deCycles 2001 veteran Jay Minner and his wife Emily.  Jay attended IU and is a Little 500 veteran.  He was a very strong rookie rider on the Rocky Mountains trip in 2001.  He vividly remembers his days on the bike trip and is now operating two restaurants in Lexington.  It is always great to see deCycles riders from long ago.  

Tonight we did laundry and bike fix-up.  When the jobs are done, the riders can have free time to immerse themselves in their cell phones.  In our society, smartphones are quickly replacing face-to-face interaction.  You make the call whether that's the way the world should go.

We have now covered 1367-miles with 3-days to go.  We are off to Lexington tomorrow traveling through some of the most gorgeous horse farms in the world.  Kentucky is a beautiful state when you travel the backroads.

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