Danny’s Ride

********If you have pictures from today, please email the to Drew@dannysride.org.  Thank You!

Today was an absolute perfect day.  After heavy storms last night, we woke to calm weather with plenty of sun.  My parents flight was delayed several times before being cancelled around midnight.  I was awakened to a knocking on my door at 5:30, more tired than I was.  I gladly gave up my bed and went to the lobby to wait for the others to wake up for breakfast.

Once everyone met in the lobby, we drove to Waffle House for our last breakfast of together.  We shared several laughs and the mood was understandably upbeat.  We were excited!  When we returned to the hotel around 7:45, we found several bikers already there and ready to go.  Around 8:15, we hit the road.  With the police escort, we made great time.  A small tailwind didn’t hurt either!  It seemed like every mile I looked at my watch to see where we were at and every time I was amazed to find we were one mile closer to the finish.

We arrived at Folly Beach around 9:30.  We waited and talked with friends, family and bikers for the 10:00 hour.  When it arrived, we eagerly walked our bikes down the ocean and dipped our tires.  With Ken in the middle, we held our hands and bikes in the air.  I wish I could put into words the feeling that we had but there is no way to put it into words.

Afterward, we walked back to the pier and each gave a speech.  It was a truly unique and special opportunity.  It was fun to laugh and tell some of the hundreds of stories that happened over the course of crossing the country twice.

It was fun to meet and be with the the friends and family that we had missed for two months.  Thank you to all of those who came out to support us today at Folly Beach and those who have supported us both on Danny’s Wall and financially.  This trip would not have been the same without you.

I will try to post tomorrow the poem that Danny read during his speech.  It is a great poem and worth reading.

Danny – it has been a true honor to bike across country with you.  You are an inspiration to everyone you have met, myself included.  You gave me an opportunity of a lifetime – to spread the awareness of early cancer detection and raise funds to fight the leading killer in the United States.  Watching you cross country while overcoming all of the obstacles you did, I will remember and cherish my entire life.  Thank you for all the lessons you taught me.  I will certainly use them as I move forward in my journey.

Ken – I have never known anyone with better sense of humor than you.  You had the most difficult job of anyone the entire trip and you did it all without a single complaint.  I learned many lessons from you – including the heimlich.  I can’t wait to follow you as you create and begin crossing off items on your bucket list.  I can’t imagine driving across country in a motor home was on there but at this point, you might as well put it on and just cross it off as soon as you finish writing it.  That is an incredible accomplishment!

Butch – I have had a great time impersonating you as I crossed country.  I apologize for any damage I may have caused to your reputation across this great country.  Just Kidding.  I can’t tell you how much we enjoyed getting updates regarding your wife’s condition.  She will continue to be in our prayers.

To view the day’s pictures, click here!

We will start at 8:15 a.m. with a police escort from our hotel – Lands Inn on Savannah Highway.  We will be at Folly Beach around 10:00 a.m. and will finish at  The PIER.  The newspaper was incorrect in its information.

The Ending Place Tomorrow Will Be The Folly Beach Pier Around 10:00 A.M.

See everyone tomorrow!!!

1,000 People
$30 Donation
$30,000 Closer To A Cure
Danny’s Ride has set a goal of raising $30,000 for cancer research by June 6th,2009.  This is a big goal but we have a big challenge – finding a cure for cancer.

Sponsors names will be presented on a certificate with the check for the total amount of money raised.

Please be one of 1,000 people who have had enough with the hurt and destruction cancer has caused.  Thank you.

FACT: Cancer is now the leading cause of death in the United States.

Miles: 44.61 Total
Biking Time: 3 Hours, 01 Minutes, 48 Seconds

Total Trip Miles to Date: 2,519.17

Estimated Miles To Folly Beach: 16!!!!
Days Until Saturday’s Finish: 1

Flat Tires: 23
Drew: 18

Danny: 5

We were joined today by Charleston bikers Charles Fox and Susan Kerns.  It was great to have new cyclists join us for the ride.  Charles Fox just completed his second cross-country journey and was a member of the first Danny’s Ride.  It was fun to hear about his experiences while biking across country.  As we have learned, many, many stories can come out of one of these trips.

We were again blessed with terrific weather.  The sun was shinning and the humdity was high but we had a slight tail wind that pushed us along throughout the ride.  We biked on scenic roads with tree cover and spanish moss to busy highways with no shoulder and cars flying passed us at 50 mph.

At one point, we were riding on Highway 17 with cars passing us and we had to swerve to avoid a dead baby alligator by the side of the road.  It was startling to be so close to an alligator – alive or not and was one of the few things I had not yet seen on the side of the road during the trip.  When we finished, we celebrated.  Hugs, smiles and laughs were the medium of celebration.

To me, it still didn’t (and doesn’t) feel real.  It hasn’t hit me that we have biked all the way across country and are back in Charleston.  It just feels like to me that we have been on a long trip and are back home.

Thanks to Danny’s family, we had a terrific cookout this evening to celebrate the return to the Holy City.  We ate venison meat, burgers and shrimp.  Again, stories were told and laughs were common.  It was a relaxing evening that was well earned and deserved after the past two months.

Tomorrow, we are meeting at 6:30 to go to Waffle House for breakfast.  We will come back to the hotel afterwards, begin preparations for the last day and be on the road with a police escort around 8:15.  We expect to be at the Folly Beach Pier at 10:00 or a little after.  We look forward to seeing everyone (including the Atlantic Ocean) tomorrow!

1,000 People
$30 Donation
$30,000 Closer To A Cure
Danny’s Ride has set a goal of raising $30,000 for cancer research by June 6th,2009.  This is a big goal but we have a big challenge – finding a cure for cancer.

Sponsors names will be presented on a certificate with the check for the total amount of money raised.

Please be one of 1,000 people who have had enough with the hurt and destruction cancer has caused.  Thank you.

FACT: Cancer is now the leading cause of death in the United States.

Miles: 36.63 Total
Biking Time: 2 Hours, 40 Minutes, 56 Seconds

Total Trip Miles to Date: 2,474.56

Estimated Miles To Folly Beach: 60!!!!
Days Until Saturday’s Finish: 2

Flat Tires: 23
Drew: 18

Danny: 5

Today was another unbelievably scenic ride.  As you can see by the pictures, not even the extreme heat could keep us from enjoying South Carolina’s beauty.  One picture from today (click for today’s photos) is of a thermometer.  It was taken at 10:10 in the morning and it was already 95 degrees.  Oh, did I mention, the thermometer sat comfortably in the shade?

Less than a half mile into the ride, Danny had a flat tire.  We pulled off onto the grass shoulder and quickly changed it.  We were back on our way within fifteen minutes.  For a lot of the ride, the road was lined on both sides with tall thin trees.  These trees were a true blessing on a day this hot as they provided almost complete shade and allowed us to bike without the sun beating down on us.

We stopped three miles from our hotel, The Comfort Inn, to interview with Live 5 News.  Live 5 is the CBS affiliate in the Charleston area.  They were kind enough to drive out and find us on the road to do an interview.  Danny did another terrific job in the interview and after the short stop, we finished out our ride before 11:30.

We will be leaving The Comfort Inn at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow and be heading for Charleston!  We will spend the night at Lands Inn in Charleston before biking 14 miles to Folly Beach on Saturday morning.  We can smell salt water in the air!!

To view the day’s pictures,  click here!

1,000 People
$30 Donation
$30,000 Closer To A Cure
Danny’s Ride has set a goal of raising $30,000 for cancer research by June 6th,2009.  This is a big goal but we have a big challenge – finding a cure for cancer.

Sponsors names will be presented on a certificate with the check for the total amount of money raised.

Please be one of 1,000 people who have had enough with the hurt and destruction cancer has caused.  Thank you.

FACT: Cancer is now the leading cause of death in the United States.

Miles: 35.25 Total
Biking Time: 2 Hours, 39 Minutes, 29 Seconds

Total Trip Miles to Date: 2,437.93

Estimated Miles To Folly Beach: 90!!!!
Days Until Saturday’s Finish: 3

Flat Tires: 22
Drew: 18

Danny: 4

First off, we want to thank each one of you who followed us throughout our journey and donated to our ride.  We can’t tell you how much we appreciate your support both financial and otherwise.  This trip would not mean nearly as much without you.

Today was a beautiful ride.  We got started on the bikes after a hot breakfast around 9:00 a.m.  The weather at this time was already in the mid 80’s and wasn’t headed anywhere but up any time soon.  There was plenty of sun and a light breeze that provided us with some natural air conditioning at times.  The roads were great heading out of Georgia.  Knowing that we were going to be entering back into South Carolina, gave such an energy during today’s ride.

We made one last stop in Georgia at the Welcome Center where we were offered soda from a fountain and cold icees.  It was a great way to finish our enjoyable time in the great state of Georgia.  After a twenty-minute stop, we climbed back on our bikes and headed into South Carolina.  We took the standard pictures at the border and continued pedalling on our way.

The roads changed almost immediately.  We went from having a wide shoulder on a smooth road to no shoulder on a bumpy road.  However, we didn’t mind at all.  We were thrilled to be back in South Carolina!  We made it to Allendale, South Carolina and biked five miles further to Sycamore.  This was almost precisely half way between Sylvania and Walterboro and would leave us with another 36 miles tomorrow.  We even saw our first sign in two months for Charleston!  Now, we knew we smell the salt water!!

We drove back to Allendale, found a hotel and relaxed in the afternoon.  It was a great thing that we finished biking early because the temperatures continued to rise along with the humidity and it would have been a difficult ride in the afternoon.  We will be biking to Walterboro tomorrow and leaving Walterboro at 9:00 on Friday morning from the Comfort Inn to bike to Charleston.

To view the day’s pictures, click here.

FRIDAY
Start Time: 9:00 a.m. Friday morning.

Start: Comfort Inn  – 97 Downs Lane, Walterboro, SC 29488.

Finish: Lands Inn in Charleston – 2545 Savannah Hwy, Charleston, SC.

We should finish by 2:00 at the very latest.  We expect to be done earlier than that but will be take our time and enjoy the ride.

SATURDAY
Have you ever biked with a police escort?  How about for 16 miles?

That’s right!  Join Danny’s Ride with a police escort from Lands Inn Inn  (2545 Savannah Hwy, Charleston) to Folly Beach.  We will start biking at 8:15 a.m. and will finish at Folly Beach around 10:00 a.m.

This opportunity doesn’t come often!  Bring your friends!

1,000 People
$30 Donation
$30,000 Closer To A Cure
Danny’s Ride has set a goal of raising $30,000 for cancer research by June 6th,2009.  This is a big goal but we have a big challenge – finding a cure for cancer.

Sponsors names will be presented on a certificate with the check for the total amount of money raised.

Please be one of 1,000 people who have had enough with the hurt and destruction cancer has caused.  Thank you.

FACT: Cancer is now the leading cause of death in the United States.

Miles: 53.59 Total
Biking Time: 3 Hours, 57 Minutes, 40 Seconds

Total Trip Miles to Date: 2,402.68

Estimated Miles To Folly Beach: 127
Days Until Saturday’s Finish: 4

Flat Tires: 22
Drew: 18

Danny: 4

After breakfast at the Huddle House, we hit the road.  By 9:00 a.m., it was already in the mid-80’s and the humidity was extreme to say the least but it was an absolutely beautiful day.  We were fortunate to bike through spectacular views on wide shoulders.  We biked through tall trees, over small rivers and by lakes.  We saw a little bit of everything today.

In fact, we were having so much fun when we reached Millen (our intended destination), we decided to continue to the next closest town – Sylvania.  Biking extra miles today will allow us to do fewer miles Wednesday and Thursday.

The plan is to bike 35 miles tomorrow and 35 on Thursday.  We will be in Walterboro on Thursday and bike from the hotel on Friday morning.  We have talked to several bikers who will be joining us and we are excited to have everyone!

At one point during the ride, we had to swerve to avoid a two foot long snake stretched out along the shoulder.  As I looked back, the snake was slithering back to the grass.  I wanted to take a picture but couldn’t get myself to stop and go back to anywhere near the snake.

Danny did a terrific job on the bike again today.  He shows no symptoms of pneumonia.  It is great to have him back on the bike.

We had a very special guest join us today – Butch Beck.  You may know him from his posts on Danny’s Wall.  He was the original driver for Danny’s Ride before his wife was diagnosed with cancer just days before our departure.  The good news is she is doing extremely well with her treatments.  It is great to have someone like Butch around.  His energy and humor re-energize all of us.

START TIME: 9:00 a.m. Friday morning.

START: Comfort Inn  – 97 Downs Lane, Walterboro, SC 29488.

FINISH: Lands Inn in Charleston – 2545 Savannah Hwy, Charleston, SC.

It sounds like we have several bikers that are planning on being with us.  We can’t wait!!

1,000 People
$30 Donation
$30,000 Closer To A Cure
Danny’s Ride has set a goal of raising $30,000 for cancer research by June 6th,2009.  This is a big goal but we have a big challenge – finding a cure for cancer.

Sponsors names will be presented on a certificate with the check for the total amount of money raised.

Please be one of 1,000 people who have had enough with the hurt and destruction cancer has caused.  Thank you.

FACT: Cancer is now the leading cause of death in the United States.

Miles: 34.43 Total
Biking Time: 2 Hours, 35 Minutes, 42 Seconds

Total Trip Miles to Date: 2,349.09

Estimated Miles To Folly Beach: 180
Days Until Saturday’s Finish: 6

Flat Tires: 22
Drew: 18

Danny: 4

Rather than using today as a day of rest, Danny and I hit the road and cut tomorrow’s 70 miles in half.  It was beautiful weather with the sun shinning and very little wind.  It was a good thing we did because we climbed one hill after another.  For a couple days off the bike, Danny did a terrific job battling the hills!  It was great to have him back and we are thrilled he is feeling better.

We finished the lighter day and quickly found a hotel in town.  This allowed us to relax all afternoon and prepare details for the final leg into Charleston.

My uncle, Don, lives in Atlanta and drove 3 hours to take us out to dinner tonight!  It was great to relax and laugh with him.  We learned that he checks the blog every day and was familiar with all of our adventures – even referring to me as “Neil Armstrong” at one point.  We all enjoyed his company and stories.  We only wish we could have convinced him to stay longer!

We will be hitting the pavement at 7:30 tomorrow on our way to Millen, Georgia.  We may bike a couple miles further in order to cut down on the 48 miles we have on Wednesday.  We will see how our tired bodies feel when we arrive in Millen.  We appreciate all of the posts on Danny’s Wall, the furry of donations we have received and the growing Facebook support.  We can’t wait to thank many of you in person in the coming days.

1,000 People
$30 Donation
$30,000 Closer To A Cure
Danny’s Ride has set a goal of raising $30,000 for cancer research by June 6th,2009.  This is a big goal but we have a big challenge – finding a cure for cancer.

Sponsors names will be presented on a certificate with the check for the total amount of money raised.

Please be one of 1,000 people who have had enough with the hurt and destruction cancer has caused.  Thank you.

FACT: Cancer is now the leading cause of death in the United States.

Miles: 65.18 Total
Biking Time: 3 Hours, 42 Minutes, 02 Seconds

Total Trip Miles to Date: 2,314.66

Estimated Miles To Folly Beach: 210
Days Until Saturday’s Finish: 6

Flat Tires: 22
Drew: 18
Danny: 4

With Greg having left yesterday and Danny on the injured reserve, I biked alone today.  It was a perfect Sunday morning for biking.  I got an early start and found myself over 40 miles in before 9:30.  The weather consisted of heavy mist to light rain with dark overcast clouds.

I met Danny and Ken at a gas station 20 miles away from East Dublin.  We relaxed for twenty minutes and talked with several local people.  It seems nearly everyone we have met on this trip so far, have been extremely nice and have some connection to cancer.  We found more of the same at this gas station.

We ate lunch at Golden Corral in Dublin, Georgia.  It was good food and a buffet, which are a bikers best friend.  After lunch, I biked another 5 miles into East Dublin.  We got a good hotel at a great price and were in our rooms relaxing by 12:30.

When we went out to dinner, a woman sitting at the table next to us, approached our table and asked, “Are you the ones with the motor home?”

“Yes, ma’m,” Danny said.  I was worried that it had gotten loose and smashed into her car.

“My father is fighting Leukemia and I think it is terrific what you are doing,” she said as she handed us a donation.

Danny and she talked for twenty minutes about her father’s situation, Danny’s story and what The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society could do for her father.  The LLS can do so many things to help someone in her father’s situation and we explained the benefits of turning to the non-profit organization.  Hopefully, she will take us up on our advice and look into the society.  I know she will be amazed at what she finds.

When we finished dinner, we came back to the hotel and relaxed before bed.  We will get another great night’s sleep and when we wake up, we will be one day closer to the crashing waves of the Atlantic Ocean.