Unsigned Roads

Today brought a bit of a different perspective for me as I played navigator all day. Used to topping out at my directional abilities with "hey, turn left-ish at the 3rd or 4th tree," finding my inner Magellan was a bit of a challenge. Luckily (thanks be to God) we are all tucked away safe and sound in Opelousas, Louisiana for the night.

The gang road about 160 miles on some long, hard, un-even, Louisiana backroads. This was the first of the very hard days and all four teams did very well. The ride is set up in a very methodical and logical way (reminds me of one part of the LSAT exam): four teams, four SAG vehicles, one lead vehicle, and four different drop off/pick up points. Being off the Natchez Trace means not only a lack of a biker-friendly road, but the inability to spread out across the parkway. Starting today, and until we ride triumphantly into Austin, all the vehicles stay together. Think a conga-line on four wheels, with walkie-talkies, and way more fun.

Indeed, this method of traveling does mean we travel at a slower clip than the last two days. A much slower clip. But it means something wonderful - we get to travel together and watch each group ride. The groups are loosely broken into comfortable speeds for the bikers, ie the fastest biker won't bike with the less experienced biker (If I were biking, I'd still be in Nashville peddling, so there's not really any group to which I'd belong). Many of these roads today were full of hills, potholes, and came at the end of long legs of travel.

I shouldn't have been surprised - the Viva Catie team never ceases to pull together for each other. As the novice bikers rounded the last mile of their first 20 mile journey today, I turned and saw three carloads of bikers hanging out of windows (all in complete safety. promise), cheering Dagger Group onto their stopping point.

Playing my assistant navigator role, I was looking for the unsigned road that turned off of another unsigned road. Worried wouldn't begin to describe the mood- I couldn't lead them astray. The thing was, the bikers didn't know. Didn't have a clue.

Could have been the walkie-talkies were out of range, but I'm willing to bet they were too busy cheering the trying-to-be-peloton along to notice.