Eight States Down

Prattville to Columbus GA. The route today is officially listed at 115 miles and 2300' of climbing. I'll end with 118 miles and just shy of 3600'. Just a minor discrepancy. Breakfast is open in the motel at 6 but there is no need to hurry. We are having rap at 7:45 and load at 8:00. We will lose an hour when we cross the state line. Most have brought their bags and bikes out to rap. I am last to load and then go back to the room for my bike. When I come back out I am the only one left. I stop at the mechanics van Mike is there with Kirstin who is vanning to some point up the road because of a knee issue. We talk for a few minutes and I finally leave. The cue sheet today is 4 full columns and 60 turns. One way to look at it is there is a turn about every 2 miles all day. The chip seal roads are many and make riding the road in the Everglades NP look smooth. I have a dry skin crack in my thumb that I'm treating aggressively but everyday on the rough roads it opens up again. So I am riding and turning towards GA. First the mechanics van and then the lunch/luggage van passes. Now I am truly last on the road. I've never been last in almost 4 weeks, something new. By the time I get to the first break I am no longer at the back. I don't spend much time there a few apple slices, a banana into my jersey pocket and I am off. Yesterday when I thought I was signing the lunch register I was actually signing today's break one. So every one thought that I had already been there. Soon after the break I catch up to Tom, Eric, Frank and Conrad. "What are you doing behind us we thought you were up the road". A few miles later we catch James and Pat. "We thought you snuck off without us". At 53 miles we stop for refills at a store. Lunch won't be till another 25 miles. We pass through Tuskegee. Home of Booker T Washington and the Tuskegee airmen of WW11 fame. At lunch there are some ABB alums with pecan pie and fruit popsicles. What a treat. By the time we get in we are ready for chocolate milk. We have to settle for milk shakes at McD instead. We are near old downtown Columbus and there are some great places to eat. We go to a micro brewery called Cannons. Good food 2 nights in a row. We are living large. Onward to the sea. Three riding days left.