9:00pm SeaTac International Airport checking in for Atlanta. I showed up to check in with US Airways. I think they must make a lot of mistakes. EVERYone who was checking in was pissy, rude, and mean to the clerks. Why I couldn't figure out. I guess they all just expected something to go bad so were being grumpy ahead of time. When my turn came along I asked the guy how his day was going - the roll of the eyes says a lot. Then told him a corny joke and he laughed. When it came time to book my bike box, clearly labled - BIKE - due to the Schwinn box it was in - he didn't charge a thing and sent me on my way. Now I think ever carrier charges for a bike, it usually ranges from 50 to $80. However if the clerk at the counter doesn't charge you - then you don't get charged - they have all the power.
Uneventful flight. Got to Atlanta to find my bike but no luggage. The security guys told me where to go hunt it down and suggested I scream and shout and use obsenities. I talked with Jim at the counter who was very nice, I didn't scream - unless Jim was the one loading the bags into the plane and purposely decided to keep mine behind, I really didn't see the reason to yell at him. He looked everywhere. I couldn't put my bike together because the pedals and pedal wrench were in my bags. So I decided to have lunch and wait for the next flight. Jim bought me lunch - and a drink. Well, I guess Delta did.
Getting out of the airport to downtown Atlanta couldn't be easier. Just hope the MARTA train, bikes are welcome. And the checker for the tokens decided I really could get by on my beauty for the day and let me ride for free - has this 24 hours gone off well - there is more. I get to the hostel, check in and it RAINS. No I mean it RAINED really. But the timing was nice. Then I discovered I had left my CamelBak at the airport when I packed everything up. It is worth a ride back to see if it is there - It was. Someone had even put it off to the side so it wouldn't get stepped on. Oh by the way - the trip back on the train was also free.
Atlanta sightseeing: (Between rain storms) Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Museum, Jimmy Carter Pesidential Museum, CocaCola Museum, State Capitol, Olympic Park, Turner Stadium ($1.00 ticket for a game), Atlanta History Center, Cyclorama. I was not aware of the extent Dr. King used children to help fight for civil rights. Reason being the kids might be put in jail but then the parents could continue to work, pay for food, rent etc. Not to mention the bad PR it would give the officials to have 6year olds in jail overnight. It was interesting to go through the Jimmy Carter Museum and remember all the events that took place in the 70's. Reliving the gas wars, the hostage crisis, and the Middle East Peace Talks. The history of Atlanta and Georgia in general was great to review and learn. Having only read about the Civil War it was great to see places where the history actually took place.
The Rain! Got a bit werrisome, and it was not to get any better. Thunderstorms predicted for the rest of the week and the weekend - solid. So I took the easy way out and caught a Greyhound Bus to Nashville. When we went to make a change in Chatanooga about 14 of us got bumped. I started talking to these two young men Chris(25) and Mike (18) They were headed up north to a music festival as vendors and had a bunch of connections to make - which now they wouldn't. So they are losing money. After futzing around trying to figure out what to do they decided to rent a car. Not having a credit card they needed help - this is where I come in. So credit card in hand Chris and I run over to the car rental place - Mike left behind to unpack my bike and be ready to go. We get back to the bus station, load up, get phone numbers of Greyhound in Nashville (we know we'll miss it) Louisville (maybe), and Indianapolis (we gotta). The drive was great the guys were fun to talk to and so appreciative of the ride. Just one of those things where everyone is in the right place at the right time - I even had a map of the Southwestern states Mom and Dad had thrown at me as I left so we didn't have to stop to get one. Time is of the essence. I bit like a time warp and we had to get them caught back up to where they were supposed to be. We saw signe for Crazy Jake's Fireworks & Beer. Nervous Johns Fireworks & Beer, and Tattoos while you wait. Haven't figured out how you couldn't wait. Though two different long sections of road work (5 miles and hour) we got to Louisville ten minutes behind the bus. Now on to Indianapolis the only thing missing was beer - but we didn't have time to stop. A time change as we entered Central Time relaxed us all. The time change back to Eastern Time did the opposite. We came up on the bus 3 miles out of Louisville and followed it in. The boys ran out to get their tickets stamped - they are not getting bumped off this one - the bus driver exclaimed, "What's your hurry? We have 25 minutes until we leave." We had switched back to Central time. They grabbed their stuff we said our goodbyes and I headed out - to spend the night in the back of the car at a rest stop - really it was okay - it was a midsize car.
The next day I drove through Louisville, took a tour of Lincoln's Birthplace, and toured The Lost River Cave. Decided Mammoth was too long of a tour - Ahh but met a family at The Lost River Cave who invited me back to their campsite - so off I go. Stayed their and then took the History Tour in the morning. That part of Mammoth is a dry cave - no cool columns. but the history of the place was fascinating to learn - the slaves had been used to leach saltpeter out of the dirt which is then used to make gunpowder. Then I took off back to Nashville. I had thought of just riding from Indianapolis but I wanted to see Nashville. Besides a frind of mine, Bob (met in Nepal, lives in TN) had arranged a place for me to stay with a friend of his - Beth Brown. So after standing Beth up for two nights in a row, she had expected me on Wednesday, I finally arrived Friday evening. A quick jaunt from the airport and I was there. Beth was a great host. We got to know each other Friday night and decided to do the tour thing together on Saturday - she had grown up in Nashville so obviously had never done all the touristy things. The Ryman Theatre (old Opryland), the Country Music Hall of Fame, and the Studio B tour is what we acomplished on Saturday. Oh and a rouge tour through Nashville out to the Opry Land Hotel as we had gotten on the wrong bus. All places were good to see and try to relive what is was like back in the "old days." As technology changed and the music could change with it. On Sunday I rode my bike out to the BelleMead Plantation. If there are any horse loves out there this place is supposed to be famous for having the original sire for Seattle Slew, Seabiscuit, and a bunch of others. He was a busy boy and got a lot of $$ for it. It was great to see the house. The limestone columns on the front of the house have chunks missing, due to a small scermish on the front lie between some Confederate and Union soldiers. For the 4th we had a great show of a storm. My favorite weather forecast ever I think, "We have severe storm warnings for the Nashville area for the next 10 minutes." That was about right. We still had a lovely BBQ and a great 4th of July.
Monday I took off on my bike. With a bit of aprehension. I hadn't ridden more that 20 miles a day for two weeks. Oh my butt is gonna hurt. I was pretty sure my legs would be okay. Yesterday I rode from Nashville to Clarksville (not named ofter Clark - founded in 1785 way before the two adventures). Clarksville was significant in the Civil War though as the fort on the river gave up without a fight after Fort Donelson - up river - was taken over. Go Yankees. The ride itself was nice. The road was great with a shoulder and not much traffic. Places to stop and get something to drink or refill on the water. Out of Ashford the hills hit. Oh my, and they did not connect to allow you to take advantage of the downs. But a great thing happened to spurn me on. As I was climbing one hill a truck passed me and then stopped a 100yds ahead. Now I don't like that as you never know why they stopped. I gave him a wide berth as I went by and kept going. When I got to the top of the hill I stopped to guzzle down some much needed liquid. The same truck pulled in behind me. Then it moved up beside me. The gentleman rolled down his window and told me he had never seen anyone ride up that hill before! Everyone walks up it. Well, that fed me ego just enough to keep on going - and smiling. For atleast the next 20 miles when I collapsed, just outside of Clarkville. I didn't realize I was just outside of Clarkville, I don't think it would have mattered. The heat, the humidity, the hills. When I stopped I took enough time to take off my shoes and laid down. My hands were shaking. The people at the Shell station were very nice to me though. Then the lightning started. A local Sheriff woke me up to tell me not to go south. It was stormin' good there. Then as I looked north the sky was black, the wind picked up (Dorthy, Toto where are you kind of wind). Packed everything up and waited for the rain - then it went away, I rode on. Rode out to the state park in Clarksville to discover it did not have a campground. I just waited untill everyone had left and rolled out my airmattress, oh had a lovely wash with a spigot on the side of the building, no other running water - and no bathrooms. (67.8 miles).
This morning had a lovely cup of coffee on the banks of the Cumberland river in town, and the maintence guys let me into the history building so I could read up on things. The army guys who had a run came back and we all stretched out together before I took off. I am now in Dover, TN have ridden 37 miles today probably will get in another 20. The road here was great as far as hills went, terrible as far as shoulder was concerned, tollerant drivers, however, it was garbage day and the garbage trucks were forever going back and forth, their aroma trailing along behind. I am headed to the Land Between the Lakes. It got really hot though so I took a break in town for some food and to update. Apreciate this - I have a heck of a hill to climb back up to get back on track. And I was right, My butt will suffer, so any good thoughts you want to send for my butt will be appreciated - the rest of me seems fine - avoiding sunburn and heatstroke so far. TTFN Sharon