Day 9– You Never Ride Alone

The theme of this post here on Day 9 is friends. Kirsten’s tired. I’m tired. And I know that all of you are tired just from keeping up on the updates! This rally, as has been said before, is not only about the riders – it’s about you, me, everyone that forms the support network that makes this ride possible. 

The postings here and on FB have been so supportive – and often humorous! Two of you came to the checkpoint yesterday for cheers while a third tried to catch her in Raleigh (and just missed the blur). A group from work mailed a letter to checkpoint two with inspiring quotes such as, “I hope you still think this was a good idea.” Today, I’ve had no less than four messages and a couple phone calls wondering why Kirsten’s spot stopped for so long and if everything is ok. (She left checkpoint two pretty much after receiving the Leg Three packet last night, and drove all night. The stop today was a rest break thank goodness!) I was in an all day meeting at work, yet I got an update about her location from a friend. And I met up after work with George – fabulous George and his wife- who just arrived from the FL checkpoint. He passed off Kirsten’s spare helmet and riding clothes (which I’m bringing out to her for the trip home). I gave them both a huge hug. They stopped to meet up with me in the middle of a thunderstorm, after a 12 hour drive, before they even went home.


Really, I can’t say enough about the network of friends and family that make each rider’s ride possible.

The other things that help are those odd reminders of your friends. For example, one of our Motor Maids riding buddies always comments that Kirsten stands up on her pegs and rides down the road. In a long line of bikes, all of a sudden, her head will just pop up out of the pack, have a look around and then go back down. (In reality, it’s that iron butt needing a stretch.) So in honor of this phenomenon, our friend gave Kirsten an appropriate riding buddy – a little plastic prairie dog who is currently mounted next to a GPS in her cockpit.

The field has dwindled by two more riders. People are now making tough decisions for themselves, their stamina, their bikes, and the point values for the final leg. Today's IBR report explains the spread better than I can. I will just comment that Jim Frens is an incredible rider that we have had the pleasure of meeting in other rallies. The finish should be very interesting.

Kirsten is currently in 5th place.

State Tally for Leg Three (41 of 48): Florida (for the capital), Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana.

State Tally for Leg Two (36 of 48): Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, (District of Columbia), Virginia, West Virginia (again – this time for the capital bonus points), Kentucky, North and South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.

State Tally at End of Leg One (21 of 48): Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and New York.