The People You Get to Meet!!!

Holy Cow Batman! - we have ridden 187.3 miles in the last 5 days, not bad for a couple of middle-age folks (I know we're both 69 but God promised us 120 years so we're just in our prime)!

We have had an incredible time so far, it has been hard no doubt about it, but it has been so rewarding and good. We met a couple from Australia who were here visiting their daughter, had a great time talking with them. Just got an email from them - they are back home in Australia already!! Who would've thought you'd get on your bikes and ride south from

North Carolina and meet folks from 'down under.' Only God can set this in motion!

On day 3, we had to change our camping plans; one - because we were running out of gas, (AKA energy), and two - if we would've got to where we were supposed to stay it had a 2 night minimum for camping. We didn't know that until we checked on it for the next day. But in changing our plans I was looking on the map for some places to camp for the night, you know it is getting harder and harder to find places that have tent camping. Well I called the first place I saw, Hop-A-Long RV park, the gentlemen told me he had no facilities for tent campers. I told him we were on bicycles and what we were doing and we were getting ready to hang up, when he said, I have a few mobile homes out here that I rent out - one just became empty the other day. If you have all your bedding you could stay there, bathroom, shower, even a kitchen. I said, "SURE!" I asked him how much, he said I'll let you know when you get here, but it won't be much.

This is Duane Cassidy, that's right of Hop-A-Long Rv's, hmm wonder where he got the name. Duane is the gentleman that hooked us up with the vacant mobile home, and as he promised it wasn't much. I can't disclose how much it wasn't because he didn't want me to tarnish his reputation as a ... well you know, haha! Duane truly blessed us the whole time we were there. If you're ever in Hartsville, SC I HIGHLY recommend Hop-A-Long RV park.

Well, on we went on to the infamous Swamp Fox Campground in Florence, SC. We spent our first night in our tent, finally finding a campground to use it! Well, by then the temp was getting warm enough in the night that we could endure it, LOL. We talked with some folks that were traveling up from Florida going back to Vermont, they had bikes on their car and that's what got us to talking. They travel and camp in their car, I thought, Now, that's a great idea!

This is only part of this ride and I will say one of the best parts of it, the people!!! It has been a joy for both Linda and I to be able to talk and share with people, to hear their stories and where they are in life. We want to encourage you get out and meet some new folks, share your story, and LISTEN to theirs.

Till the next time from the trail,

Randy and Linda.