Orangeburg, South Carolina
I'll brighten the above picture soon enough.
Some of the same old players from last year will be here.
One of Orangeburg's finest!
Marie, read that cue sheet well!
Pre-ride meeting will give us the word.
Colorful array of outfits assemble.
One bike shop from Columbia will dominate the attendance. and the speed.
Chief Davis tells us about the fight against gangs, for which the ride is.
Okay- the first attack will be right out of the Edisto Gardens.
We may be a little late getting started.
We don't want to drop anyone yet.
On your mark....
You need a shave....
Barca-loungers get set......
No laughing......
Go!
Let's look serious!
This furniture moves pretty well!
This lady isn't too serious at all. Maybe it's her birthday.
Recliners- to the front!
Mike Hunt is looking strong in his "Army Strong" outfit. Nice!
That's a better game face lady!
Orangeburg andthe Edisto Gardens are gearing up for Christmas. The light show will be outrageous!
The police give us an escort right out of town.
This traffic policeman is making sure Chief Davis and the rest of us get through safely.
Army Strong Mike!
It's a stroll right now.
We're just rolling through the motions.
I love the black water of the Edisto.
The shot is not good but what the hey!
The storm is just about to start. No pictures until it settles down some.
Okay maybe a couple on "Cordova Hill".
Mike's hanging tough!
It's mostly a steady grade all the way to Cordova.
The pace is rough.
I guess the pace is fine for this yahoo named Erich!
Cordova- the wind will be at our back.
Maybe after this turn things will ease up.
Don't you hate it when they come back "new and improved"?
Smiling- knowing that he's going to kick my butt over the goal posts of life!
Nothing to do but hang on as well as possible.
I got a shot here after missing one of my favorite homes on the route.
I missed the barn but got a friendly face.
A pace-line looks beautiful. This one was painfully beautiful.
He looks like he was feeling it but it was just a ruse.
This gentleman would keep this poker face of ease all day and push everybody hard.
Jane rolls back after her pull at the front. Some guys were glad her ribs were broken.
Paul gets one of his dozen feeds of the day. It's nice to have your lunch carried for you.
I would not have made it to Bamberg had the group not waited on me once.
The acceleration through one of the corners hacked my legs off.
Nice!
No stopping at any SAGs.
I could hardly take the picture we were riding so fast.
Here we are at the home of Dallas and Linda but no one is out here.
Drink up- it's going to get rougher.
I'm spending no time at the front and I'm almost off everywhere.
Couldn't even take this picture. Missed a bunch more just trying to breathe.
I took this one too early and missed the homestead up ahead- had to- too much pain and speed!
This was my drop-off, climbing up from the Little Salkehatchie.
The weak link is about to pop.
One picture of the Little Salkehatchie though.
Jane waits and pulls.
And pulls....
I took out some pictures but she pulled some more.
This is another one of my favorite homes on the route.
Jane let me pull through here just to allow me to feel manly, just a bit anyway.
She's a lady and a scholar too.
When will they be coming through?
This has always been one of my favorite routes.
It's easy terrain - mostly.
Nice jersey- where did you get it?
Jane and I shaved off a few miles to get more pictures of the first group.
No one behind could catch us so we wanted to ride with the big boys some more.
I was too familiar with the roads. We enjoyed each other's company but wanted to see Paul and the gang.
I think I can smell them.
Yep- sure enough - here comes the calvary!
Here's poker face.
He'll pull them all up.
He's got the cards, or the legs, to go with the "poker face" too.
No problem, we're here.
It's just another "day at the beach"!
It's too hot for that vest though.
Getting close to nowhere.
Paul had a flat right here.
We would wait.
Or like this fellow and I, we would "soft-pedal" until Paul got back up.
It was real. It was pretty. It was real pretty.
They even had food for us at the end of the ride. That got us down the road!
Here is cycling legend, Woody Graham from Columbia.
He's so nice I put him up twice!
http://www.bicycleinn.com/WoodyGraham.htm
Here's Dallas. Look out- he's carrying a phone!
Sam
Here's one of my best friends ever, Linda.
Linda, Sam, and Linda's daughter, Pam
Here's Ashley and her "new edition"!
Kayden- up and running!
Bon jour South Carolina!
