The picture above represents the four MS150 bike tours I've ridden in. The first number is just the number that was assigned to me. The second, third and fourth #30, #69, and #33 represent the relative standings among all riders as far as fund raising goes. I'm proud to say that I made the top 100 each time I've done this ride and hope to be in the top 100 next year too! The way I've been able to do this is with the help of the wonderful folks who each year dig down and contribute to the MS Society on my behalf. I get to have a nice bike ride and wear a low number, and the folks who contribute on my behalf get to see some funny web pictures and, in a way, take part in the ride. Thank you all for contributing.
The two maps below are the results of uploading tracks from my Garmin GPS III+ to the PC program then writing out the results to a graphics file, I then make it "clickable" by adding a MAP tag to the html file that makes up this web page. The first map has little circles with numbers in them that represent some of the places I took pictures the first day. In some cases I've got the location way off from where the picuture was really taken but you get the idea. The exception to this is the LUNCH STOP. That's where I took a "way-point" with my GPS. The first long straight part is probably not correct since the GPS was not quite working yet at this point. I took a guess at what the route was really like. This year the Emerald Express bike team only had two members, Vanessa my niece and myself. Next year I expect we will be back up to a respectable number of riders. (#1) Is a picture of some of the members of the "Mad Cows" bike team. This is a bicycle team that I'll take credit for creating. The core of this team were all members of the "Emerald Express" bike team last year. Some members of this team did the first day optional "century-loop" and averaged over 20mph for the day (wow!). (#2) Is a picture of Vanessa arriving at the first rest stop. (#3) Is a picture of Vanessa and me at the lunch stop. (#4) Is a picture of me at a rest stop near the end of the ride.
The next clickable map circles where I took pictures on the second day. Once again the locations may be way off from where the picutre was really taken. (#1) Is a picture of Vanessa and me at the start of the second day. (#2) Is a picture from the top of the bridge near Oriental NC. (#3) Is a picture taken while I was riding the bike on a long straight streach. (#4) Is a picture taken at a rest stop. (#5) Is a picture taken at the rest stop just after the "Nature's Bike Wash Event".
The last map illustrates our track along all the overpasses and loops at the beginning of day two. I am sorry to report that Vanessa suffered a flat tire just after the start and that is the last I saw of her for the rest of the day. I will say about 3/4 of the way through the ride a SAG vehiclepulled up beside me and let me know what happened. I think if I had waited a bit longer at the first rest stop we could have ridden together. On the first day just after the last rest stop the bottom bracket on Vanessa's bike gave out this huge screeching noise. Once the bike shop took a look at it they found the bottom bracket had been "welded". They were able to completely replace it for not too much money. This was Vaness's first 150 mile ride and to say she was real trooper about it all would be a great understatement.
