Won' Get Caught Again

Conway to Brinkley AR. 100 miles, 1900' climbing and air thick enough to breathe. Temp at the start 56f. During breakfast it has been raining though not very hard. It will be one of those sloppy rides that slings muddy water off the wheel in front of you. The bike will need a through cleaning at the end of the day. There is confusion at the 3rd turn just 0.7 of a mile into the ride, no street sign. We don't get confirmation that we are on the right street for a mile. James, Pat and I are rolling along at an easy pace. For the first time in the trip I hear "On your left, Norman" meaning someone is going to pass me. Tom, Frank, Conrad and MIKE!!! come by. This is the first time I have seen Mike on the road so far. Now there are 7 riders in a nice smooth working pace line. I notice Mike is doing some nice hard pulls. We make a turn and a short while later Frank gets a flat. James, Pat and I roll to a stop and start to go back when Mike waves us on to continue the ride. He probably didn't think it took 7 to fix a flat. When the flat was fixed Frank wanted to try to catch us. Mike told him that there was no way that we would let that happen. James made sure of it by keeping the pace brisk to the SAG stop. Though we were first to the SAG we didn't leave first. We got under way with Sandra right in front of us. She was rearing to go as her husband was comming to meet her. We came up to a turn as James got a flat. I didn't hear him and kept going. These soft spoken English boys must learn to project. I pass Scott, then I pass Will. I'm rolling along easy and look back every once and a while. Thinking I know they're comming. Finally I see some riders. Though I am surprised when it's Will, Sandra, James and Pat. James, Pat and I are setting a pretty hard pace. Soon Will is dropped but Sandra hangs with us all the way to lunch. Leaving lunch Will and Sandra are out first. Sandra does have incentive. We don't seem to be in any hurry to get going. Finally under way we cross the White River, it is above flood stage. There is this house on a spit of land with a pickup parked on the north side and no visible road around just water. We eventually catch Will and Sandra but we must have beat up on them enough as they don't jump in with us. The requisite stop is made for chocolate milk and snickers. A reporter from a local paper comes in and we give her a general outline of the trip. James went to call home, time difference to the UK. The reporter has to leave but wants a picture. Eric has arrived during this time and we snag him for the photo. He wants to tell the reporter his name is Stephen Colbert. We talk him out of it. I don't think they even get the comedy channel around here. We have a rather long meeting tonight. What to expect for the next few days. Warnings not to get off the road in any kudzu or you will never be found. Watch for fire ants. Our end banquet. Tomorrow is Darrell's funeral and we will have our own service in the morning. Conrad will be making a sculpture to send to the family commemorating Darrell's Ride. Crossing the mighty Mississippi tomorrow.