Day 3 — To the Sea
Marion/Mullins → Cherry Grove/North Myrtle Beach
Our instructions were simple: Meet in the hotel lobby at 8:00 AM, get our instructions for the day, prepare the bikes, and head for the ocean!. I was down there about 7AM and I was far from being the first one there. Apparently, sleeping in wasn't on anyone's agenda. It wasn’t all the people already there that caught my attention. It was the raindrops running down the windows.. When I looked out the window, I saw the forecast was right, it was raining and breezy. We knew the forecast called for rain and wind today, but I was hoping the weather man would get it wrong. After a small helping of eggs, ok maybe 4 or 5 scrambled eggs, coffee and a muffin it was time for the instructions for the day. No real change (yet), we would leave as one group for a couple of miles. This was because the police were closing the bridges we were crossing for safety. After the bridges we would break up into two groups as normal. We will also be riding 24 miles to the first stop instead of the usual 12-15 miles between stops.
It was time to leave, and we all started prepping to leave. Then I heard this collective Ooooh! As many of the riders watched him slip and hit the ground. Then a collective sigh of relieve was let out when everyone saw he was ok. I stood there and told myself that was the hiccup of the day. Then in the rain and wind we set off to our final stop, the ocean. The rain did lighten up some, but it stayed light rain and drizzle until we reached our first stop. A couple of miles in, a song came to mind. It was the song ‘Stuck in the Middle with you’. The original verse was ‘Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, Here I am, stuck in the middle with you.’. But for this day I thought the appropriate verse for us was: 'Potholes to the left of me, puddles to the right, Here I am, just trying to stay upright!’. I was also ocused on watching that the two wheelers did not slide and fall.
We made it to our first rest stop. It was a slower pace but we moved along well. Were we all soaked yes, but I was not focused on the rain. I was focused on making it to the ocean, at worse the rain was an inconvenience. After we'd been there a short time, I’ll call her our group leader, but really she is the organizer, one whose knowledge, experience, and willingness to help others succeed, told us there was severe weather between us and North Myrtle Beach. The new plan was to stay at the stop, eat lunch and then get shuttled past the storms. I was saddened but not bothered by the decision. The team that made the decision have been doing this ride for years. They have the wisdom and experience to make those decisions, to keep us safe; I refuse to second guess therm. I respect them and trust them.
So that is what we did. We ate lunch, packed up the bikes and shuttled past the storms. We rode to a school about 5 miles from our destination, finish line, ocean. We all hopped on our bikes and peddled to the finish line, escorted by the police.
The Finish Line
As we entered the parking lot at the finish line, we were greeted by what seemed like 70 or 80 people, waving, clapping, and cheering us on. What a welcome!! I glided to a stop; I sat there on my bike and looked around. And then the emotions came. Not because I had made it through three days of cycling, or because I had reached the ocean. It was something much more meaningful. I realized that the miles, the hours, and the numbers were the least important parts of this story. What mattered most were the people I had ridden alongside. Everyone had their own story, every one of them had faced adversity and challenges in life. Some challenges were visible; others weren't. But each had found a way to keep moving forward rather than allowing those challenges to define what they could or couldn't do.
And what struck me most was how selfless they were. Throughout the ride, I watched people encourage one another, offer assistance, share their knowledge, and lend a helping hand whenever it was needed. These weren't simply people riding bicycles together. They were people who understood what it meant to face adversity, and they were determined to help others succeed. They showed me that adversity may change the road we're traveling, but it doesn't have to determine where that road ends. Some of them have permanently been etched into my memory for they have shown how to live your life when adversity comes your way. I pray I never forget the ride, the roads, and most of all the people that invited me into their family from day one.
As a final thought: Cycle to the Sea was never really about reaching the sea.
The ocean simply gave us a finish line. The reason we rode was to support Atrium Health's Adaptive Sports & Adventures Program. We rode so that physical disability doesn't have to mean the end of sports, or recreation, or competition, or adventure, or discovering something you didn't think you could do anymore. Adaptive equipment can be expensive. Programs need staff, volunteers, equipment and resources. That's why this ride matters. And that's why every person who donated became part of this journey. You didn't ride every mile with us, but I have tried to give you a glimpse as if you were on the ride. If you've been following these posts for the past three days, thank you for coming along. If you've donated, thank you so much. If you've encouraged one of the riders, thank you.
To Atrium Health's Adaptive Sports & Adventures Program (ASAP), the team that led the ride, the volunteers that were so kind and gracious, the motorcycle escorts that were welcoming, to the police escorts, and to the riders that made this week one of the best ever. I thank you for what you have shown me over the last three days.
We are at The Atlantic Ocean.
P.S. In the coming weeks, I'll be sharing some of the personal stories of the remarkable people I met on this ride. Their experiences, challenges, determination, and accomplishments deserve to be heard.So check back from time to time. I think you'll find their stories even more inspiring than the miles we rode.And I promise, there will be more than just stories about rain, potholes, and scrambled eggs!
