The Road Underground - June 19 Ride Day 5
19 hours ago 0 comments Categories: Underground Railroad Tour 2011 Tags: underground railroad, cycling, youth
Aliceville, AL to West Point, MS
Its Father's Day. Started the day at 5am, as usual. We met with Minister Charlie Wilson who provided us dinner. Our sleeping arrangements with our National Guard Armory contact fell thru and but Charlie didn't. He rolled with that punch and took on that responsibility, as well. Minister Charlie Wilson put us up for the night.
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| Minister Wilson giving encouragement |
The following morning, Bob and I gave the Youth Cyclists a deadline for being ready. Be ready or be on the bus. They had 25 mins. We were on the rode by 6:01am.
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| Standing in the church that hid the man in the belltower |
We rode the 10 miles to Pickensville, AL which was instrumental along the UGRR by providing safe havens during the 1840s at the Stagecoach Inn. We were provided a light breakfast by the two term Mayor Mary L. Fuseyamore, Sam Wiggins, County Ext. Coordinator, her sister, Ms. Paulette. There we were told the story of the Stagecoach Inn and the church that housed a man who, while attempting his escape from enslavement, hid in the church's bell tower during the day and emerged at night to get cooler air and food. One night he was caught while doing this.
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| How more wonderful can it be. Good food, good friends and sleeping beneath the stars! |
This is also the day we crossed into Mississippi. The Youth Cyclists rode all the way to West Point, MS. I stopped at Columbus, MS to rest and update sections of the web site. At the end of the ride we drove to our Way Station for the evening in Starkville, MS.
We stayed the night in Starkville, AL with a wonderfully beautiful Quaker family (I think it'd be rare if there was not a wonderful Quaker). We spent the afternoon at Shae's home. Shae is a friend of our host, Andrea. There we swam and at. The food was delicious vegetarian chili, salad, fresh made bread with goat cheese, ice cream and watermelon. What a food combination. Everyone had a great time and as usual, Chris was well loved.
Arriving to Andrea's "hundred acre wood" we were greeted by the friendly Nubian goats that comprise some of the livestock on the farm. The Youth Cyclists were treated to a lesson in goat milking by Olivia the middle child of Andrea and John, who gets up every morning to at 6am to milk them. She learned this at the age of 6. Other cyclists went horseback riding with their oldest son Nicholas.
Bedding down for the night we slept beneath the stars with cool, stiff breezes that blew our empty tent across the concrete slab that has been laid as the foundation of their future home. With peacocks crowing in the background, stiff breezes blowing things around and a clear evening sky with a bright half moon above it was difficult to sleep. I awoke at 2:11am and dozed in and out until 4.
Spoke 'n Revolutions Youth Cycling UGRR Tour 2011 ~ Visit the nation's National Parks. Let's Move Outside!
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