Sep 07, 2007 |
The Packing is pretty much done, all I have to do is pack my clothes and do a few things here around the house. Leaving in the morning about 7:15 am or so to pick up Todd and then we are going to head over to Bobby's to finalize any last minute packing. So then we will be off heading to Banner Elk, to spend the night and will get started on Sunday Morning riding towards the coast. I want to say thanks to Everyone who has helped me get to this point and helped get Crankin For Crohn's off the ground and running. Until next time, Thank You for your interest in Crankin For Crohn's. God Bless. |
Sep 08, 2007 |
The trip is on, I left the house at 7:15am, Picked up Todd and headed over to Bobby's. We headed out with one goal in mind. To make this trip a success. Over the Next 7 days we will make our way from Banner Elk to Surf City. We are spending the night at The Little Main Street Inn and Suites. Great Place, very nice. This place is for sure worth checking out if you ever find your self in Banner Elk for the night and don't live here. I would like to Thank the Owners of this great little Inn for the generous gift of the Donation of this room for the night. All the information can be found here
http://www.askavery.com/businesses/littleMainStreetInn/littleMainStreetInn.htm
Tomorrow is the first day of riding, and I am ready. Going to get a good night sleep tonight and have a nice breakfast with June Covington and her friend David, June is one of the members of Crankin For Crohn's who lives not far from here and wanted to be here for the Start of this ride.
My Crew Todd and Bobby are ready, and I know every one at home is pulling for me.
Until next time, Thank You for your interest in Crankin For Crohn's. God Bless. |
Sep 09, 2007 |
What a beautiful morning, I woke up at7:00 am and we pretty much took our time getting ready to head out for the day. We met June and David for breakfast at the little Café in Banner Elk at 9:00 and again had a very nice visit.
 After eating we prepped to depart which I had planned on leaving about 10:15 it work out great.
 Right on time I pushed off and headed out of Banner Elk. The roads were really nice the scenery was awesome and the only thing I didn’t like was the climb out of town. I road for quite some time before I had to stop for a natural break about 14 miles into the trip we hit route 421 in about 45 minutes then turned towards Boone. Most of the way to Boone was up hill which is not my favorite to say the least. But it comes as a package deal when you’re in the mountains. The Blue Ridge Mountains are beautiful. 
They really do have a blue coloring to them. On the run down into town, about 3 miles of down hill, I had my first “OH SHIT” of the trip when I slid off the road into a black top ditch but I held it together and didn’t crash. Good thing too, that would have really put this trip in the hurt zone. We arrived in Boone around 11:30 or so and pretty much pushed right on through town. I had to watch my speed because the town speed limit is only 25 in most places. The rest of the trip was pretty good road, I saw a few other cyclist’s along old route 421 waves pasted back and forth I kept on pushing ahead. Major descending miles after I road under the blue ridge parkway 4 miles of 8% grade, now that was fun. I looked down at my speedometer and the reading kind of shocked me, I was going 49 down on the lower bars tucked into an aero position I was flying almost or it seemed as such anyway. I pushed on up the hill to Wilkesboro arriving to the Addison Inn right at 1:30 pm. http://www.addisoninn.com/ pretty nice hotel if you ever need a place to stay while in Wilkesboro NC. What a ride, I was drained but didn’t feel like I was dead like I have in the past on a few rides. I didn’t really feel any pain until the last few miles of the ride today. Grand total for today’s leg was 48.2 miles. Nothing really tuff but one of the longest ride I have ever done alone. All said and done it was a good first day
Until next time, Thank You for your interest in Crankin For Crohn's. God Bless. |
Sep 10, 2007 |
Today was one of those days on the bike that every one dreads I put myself in the hurt locker today with over 35 miles of climbing starting with Big Brushy Mountain which was about 6 miles of a crazy 10% grade or so the sign said. 
I started about 8:30 this morning and it was a good thing I did because the 60 mile trip took me about 5 hours with about 3 rest stops of about 10 minutes at a pop. Many Many Many climbs one after the other it was hear breaking each time I would turn a corner and there would be another hill to crank up. But knowing helped, I have said sense we did the route recon that today was going to be the hardest for me. I got chased by a rather large dog about 13 miles out side of Salisbury that put a little pep into my cadence. All in All a pretty hard good day. So we will hope for a nice easy ride tomorrow and push ahead with this trip.
Until next time, Thank You for your interest in Cranking For Crohn's. God Bless. |
Sep 11, 2007 |
Today was my third day out on the road pedaling my way across NC, I was expecting a nice easy day but it turned out not to be the case, how ever it was easier than yesterday. Many more long hills then I was really looking forward to.We left the Holiday Inn in Salisbury around 10 am. 
Traveled down some roads that we didn't even know existed which was really nice seeing NC the way I am on a bike, it really makes you appreciate the country side and being that Today is 9/11 it gave me time to reflect on how lucky we are to live in our country. 
We stopped out in the middle of no place around 12:30 and I ate some lunch, having a few MRE's(meals ready to eat) with me is a bonus I try to keep a few every chance I get.
Bobby got to eat some puddin that Todd gave him, which I might add he really likes.
now the funny part about lunch as while we were there, we noticed how bad the cycling tan line on my legs are getting so we just had to take a picture.
We arrived to the Hampton Inn in Asheboro around 1:30 pm we were greeted by the great people at the hotel. Tomorrow is another day with about a 50 mile ride to Sanford then on to the house for the night before heading off to Goldsboro, Jacksonville, and finally Surf City on Saturday.
Until next time, Thank You for your interest in Cranking For Crohn's. God Bless. |
Sep 12 ,2007 |
Day 4 out on the road with another 45 miles down with a total now of 210 miles under my wheels. Today was not the longest day yet I think it might have been one of the toughest do the severe pain in my legs and they feel like 50 pound bags of potatoes instead of legs. More rolling hills today coming into Sanford which we left about 9:15 am from Asheboro, with some really pretty farm land along the way.
Seeing the farms is nice but smelling them is something totally different. We had a nice day today with an overcast sky but till again no rain to speak of. Cool temperatures in the high 70’s was good for riding, the only issue I had weather wise was a pretty good head wide for most of the ride. I tell you nothing will drain you faster while riding then a head wind. We arrived in Sanford
 at our final destination just before 1pm and loaded the bike onto the trailer to head for home for the night. This is really an interesting adventure.
The crew is doing fine bored out of they’re minds I would think as they follow behind me trying to keep vehicles from speeding past me in an unsafe manner. I feel a lot better knowing they are back there to help keep me out of trouble.
Now if we could just get people to keep they’re dogs from chasing me we will be great. I had a rather grumpy pack of about 6 chase me today which the leader was a very ticked off Pitt Bull. They didn’t get ahold of me but it was close.
|
Sep 13, 2007 |
Day 5 out on the roads of North Carolina this being the longest stage of the ride I had a few concerns about todays ride as we road back to Sanford from Fayetteville this morning. We all spent the night at home last night and it gave us all a chance to do laundry and have a home cooked meal, most importantly an evening with family. Being out on the road just the three of us we all looked forward to a night at home. Todd drove my car back to his house last night as he was going to come pick me up this morning which just made since. he and I arrived at Bobby's about 7:15 and not log after we were off. We got to Sanford about 8:30 and I guess it was about 9:00 when I took off down the road. The first 35 miles of todays 80 mile ride which is by far the longest ride I have ever done at one time was full of rolling hills, up and down, up and down over and over again. That combined with 10 mph winds and ruff pavement made it not really all that much fun. Once we made it to Benson which is just off of I-95 the road became flat and made for good pedaling for the next 25 miles then the last 20 miles was more up and down. At one of our rest stops Todd found himself standing in a Fire Ant hill which he didn't see when he stepped out of the truck, those little buggers got him good. The whole thing wasn't really funny until one made it's way up into his shorts and got him on the rear end. Now that was funny I don't care who you are. We ended up in Goldsboro around 3:30 pm  considering we took our time or more so I took my time and the boys followed behind so they didn't really have a choice. I took breaks about every 15-20 miles mainly because I didn't want to over do it and hurt myself having two good days of riding left to do.The winds acted like a break on me all day long, making me feel like I was working alot harder than on any other ride I have ever done. So I am really hurting tonight and not looking forward to the 64 mile ride I have tomorrow but I am only 100 miles from the finish of this adventure that we will end on Saturday having traveled almost 400 miles cross North Carolina in hopes of raising $50,000 to fund research for Crohn's and Colitis. The prospect of meeting our goal seems bleak but I will not give up, and next year is another year, and If we don't make it this year we will pass on what we can and Try gain Next year. Crankin for Crohn's is not going away any time soon. This will be an on going effort on our part to help find a cure working with the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America.
Until next time, Thank You for your interest in Cranking For Crohn's. God Bless. |
Sep, 14 2007 |
Day 6 out on the road was the hardest day yet for me. I am feeling like I have had the flu or been hit by a truck or something. Pain is an understatement. We started out in Goldsboro this morning about 9:30 with a long 64 mile ride ahead of us. I wasn't looking forward to it knowing what I had ahead of me. The winds stayed pretty strong all day 10-20 mph all day long blowing right in my face most of the way. I was hurting pretty bad most of the way, I in fact I had to take a rest break about every 10 miles or so the first half of the ride. The we stopped and had a small bite to eat. I pushed on towards Jacksonville with the clouds rolling in fast on my route. The it hit. The rain came down with out a care in the world about me being out riding my bike. I was drenched fast. I was able to get my rain coat on quickly before I got very wet above the waist so then I was riding down the road trying to avoid the white line so I wouldn't go down in a pile on the side of the road. 
We made it to Jacksonville around 4:00 pm I figured with the rain and not feeling very well today I did ok. Not great but ok. Then I had to wipe all the rain off the bikes so they don't even think about rusting over knight. Tomorrow is the final stage of my state long ride and I will have ridden almost 400 miles all together in 7 days. We have been pushing hard over the last week and its hopefully going to pay off. I do know I have learned alot so far and I am sure I will learn more even as we close down to the last 40 miles tomorrow so with that said.
Until next time, Thank You for your interest in Cranking For Crohn's. God Bless.
|
Well I made it, 367 miles across North Carolina what a ride. This was the most interesting and challenging thing I have ever done. From Banner Elk NC, to Surf City NC, I rode my bicycle while my brother Todd and Brother -in-Law Bobby followed behind as my support team. Many turns of the cranks and a really funny looking sun tan. I made it. Today's final stage started out Wet just as the prior day ended. I made my way down highway 24 in Jacksonville towards route 53 people driving past giving me thumbs up and honking in support of my efforts. As we made it onto 53 the rain stopped and stayed away the rest of the day. The farther I made it the more joy I felt knowing I was going to finish understanding just what I had just done. Not every one can ride a bike as far as I had and still feel good about it. I took a rest stop at the half way point for a few reasons, first off I was drenched and I wanted to change my riding clothes (it's not fun riding in wet shorts), secondly we needed to stall just a bit to make sure that everything was set up for the finish in Surf City. while at the rest stop, the coolest thing happend as a Monarch Butterfly landed on the handle bars of one of my spare bikes Almost as if God himself was telling me good job Troy, keep going you're almost there. We turned onto route 50 headed straight to Surf City and the miles seemed a bit longer than they really are and it seemed like I was crawling along even though I was going 20 mph. The nice thing was I new I was almost done. I finally made it to Surf City and was joined by my Brother on one of my spare bikes for the final mile across the bridge onto the island. What a reception. most of the Crankin for Crohn's members were there along with Angela Parks of the CCFA Carolina's Chapter, all the children, family and friends. It was heart warming to see every one there to cheer me one as I crossed the finish line. It was great. I am glad to have this event done, and I know we have gotten our name out there a bit more, we have made more people aware of the need to find a cure for Crohn's and Colitis and so far we have been able to raise a little bit of money as well. we are making moves in the right direction. I want to say thank you to every one who has helped in this ride and made donations to Crankin For Crohn's so far, and I would like to ask every one who has of yet to send in a donation to please do so. Was have along way to go to meet our goal of $50,000 but we will not give up the fight even if we make our goal this year. Crankin for Crohn's is going to be around as long as there is a need to find a cure and we are able to continue to try and raise the funds needed to support research for this dreadful disease that I hate so much. You can find the address to mail in your donation on our contact us page and remember to November 17th will be our first event ride with a Metric Century ride with a cost of $25.00 per rider, staged out of Hope Mills NC, the Turkey Turn Around ride will be a lot of fun so come join us for a great day of cycling fun.
Thank You for your interest in Cranking For Crohn's. God Bless.
|
