We Got Guts!

Day 43

New Roads to Revere

Today will be a difficult day and at the same time a very exciting day. When I leave the campground, I will be leaving the last of my new friends to go on the route with my own time schedule, and destinations.

We all got up early today, to figure our schedules and try to make sure we beat the rain that has been threating us the past two days. We watched the ducks, and their ducklings swimming around the edge of our sites, while we drank coffee and discussed plans. Karman and I will leave this morning together, and split so that he may rejoin Emilio in Baton Rouge. Ron and Gerry are heading off together, as they share a similar time schedule to Florida(around May 19th), by way of the regular Adventure Cycling route.

We packed our sites and took some final pictures and were off, my objective for the day - Revere, La. - to meet a fellow colon clubber at a relay for life there. The survivor lap is at 6:00 pm, should be no problem with our early start!

Karman and I headed for the ferry in St. Francisville, this was kind of the long way around, but we heard the town is quite beautiful so we decided to go through it. We caught the ferry(being on a bike we went to the front of the line and made the next ferry)and crossed the mighty Mississippi. When we got to the other side we were met with a couple of hills, we have not had many of those so it just felt weird. The architecture was instantly like that in the history books, columns, and southern influenced buildings.

We headed down Rt 61 and dodged all but the smallest of a mist for rain, the roads were wet and we were not, this was a good sign for the day. Karman got to his turnoff and said good-bye with hopes of seeing each other possibly in New Orleans.

I was off to revere, I still had some 45 to 50 miles to go to get there, to make 6pm. The wind was in my face all day; at times so much so, it was like someone was pushing on my chest to stop me. When I thought I was getting fairly close I turned the garmin directions on and folowed it to what I thought was going to be the RElay for Life. Boy was I wrong, the Garmin took me to Gramercy, and was leading me to a sugar plant - I don't think thats right. I got directions and headed further down Rt 61 ( I was told 5-7 miles), but now it was 5:35, and I had to fight a headwind to get there.

I pulled into the stadium as they were just finishing the last speech and looked for Darcey. The registration table was very helpful and when they found I was a survivor they set me up with a shirt, and my tickets for the survivor dinner. I parked the bike donned my shirt, and Darcey showed up and introduced herself. We walked the survivors lap and exchanged stories and got to know each other a bit.

I was introduced to her family, at their booth - They were "The Tough Cookies" - "Eliminating cancer one bite at a time". They were selling fried oreos (and a bunch of homemade cookies as well)- I finally got to try them and I am entirely hooked on them. I will be making them when I come home - so stop by a try some!! We walked and talked and I was introduced to many survivors that Darcey knew, they all had such unique and inspiring stories, Then it was time for the luminaria ceremony - they used purple glow sticks in the white American Cancer Society bags - tehy stopped the walkers and shut the stadium lights one by one, and lit the word HOPE on the bleachers for all to see.

The speech was beautiful, then they played a few songs --- "I Can Only Imagine" - by MercyMe, "Save a Place for me" - by Matthew West, then Came "Amazing Grace" - by LeAnne Rymes, "Cryin for me" - by Tobey Keith, and ended with "The climb" - by Miley Cirus. By then there was not a dry eye to be found.

After the lights were turned back on we went back to walking and enjoying the people there. The winds stayed srotng and the severe threat of weather brought an early end to the night. I helped Darcey and her family pack and they were kind enough to drive me and my bike around to find a motel in the next town(it was midnight now).

All the hotels were full so we stopped at the local fire station (Laplace Station 3)where the on duty staff said it would be ok to pitch my tent in the yard for the night. I said goodbye and went to setting up for the night. The predicted rains never came(thankfully), I stayed dry and was able to put my tent away dry the next
day!

Todays Garmin information is as follows:

Day 43 New Roads to Reserve by wegotguts at Garmin Connect - Details