Day 7 - Finally another state here we come Alabama

Alright we are moving now.  We crossed our first state line today it feels great to get one state behind us.  We left Florida by following the gulf coast through a bunch of little tourist towns.  I could see spending a couple of days in these towns just relaxing on the beach.  There was not many people moving around until we reached the Florida Alabama line.  At the line there was a triathlon going on so it increased a little bit.

I felt good again today and had extra motivation as Shane was able to return to our riding team which was great.  Today's theme on the bike was Wind and Bridges.  I have never experienced a wind like this before it seemed to come from all directions.  It was strong enough to literally move me across the road.   This wind lasted through most of the day.  This got particularly interesting when we had to cross some of the bridges we did today.

Here are some facts for you about our ride so far.  I have been burning 4500 calories a day while riding, and are typically on the bike for 8 hours a day.  On the bike I have been eating pretzel, peanut M&M's and peanut butter sandwiches.  This is in addition to whatever we have for Breakfast lunch and dinner.  I have not dropped a lot of weight but it is slowly coming off.  I found a system of hydrating and fueling that seems to be working well for me and I hope it continues to.  As for how I feel, my legs are tender but still feel strong and have been performing well.  When I am riding my heart rate is barely at 120 which is fairly low for me.  This is a good thing, it means i am relaxed and that I am not taxing my body.  I will say that the hills are not getting any more fun but if I find a good song and a rhythm they seem to go right on by.

Still seems crazy that we are doing this.  We are riding across the country and making a difference.  How cool is that?  I let my head start to wonder today and it led me down the path of how much we change as we get older.  I am not talking about our bodies aging, even though I have seen that happen, i am talking more about our attitudes and views on things.  I wonder if the changes I have gone through have been good or not, have they made me a better friend, brother, son and christian.  What type of change will come from this ride? 

Lesson for the day, Stop and think about how you affect those around you and the changes that will come from it.  A smile, a helping hand or just a hello can set someone off for a good day or help change their mood. 

This is Chris, he is riding for MS in honor of one of his friends.  It is so great to hear others stories about why they are riding it is very motivating.  As you can see he is going this solo and unsupported as well.  You really have to respect those that travel this way.  If i had the time this would be a fun way to go.  Don't get me wrong having the support we have is amazing but it also means there is a time table to stay on.  Anyway if you see Chris out there say hello, maybe even help his cause.