Martin's Ride: Day 1
Day / Date: Tuesday, June 29th
Miles Ridden: 60 Miles
From: Morris Cancer Clinic at Duke Hospital to Greensboro, North Carolina
Riders: Martin Smith, Dr. Kim Lyerly, Dr. Lee Jones and David Mainella (Executive Director Marketing Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center)
Brian's Martin's Ride Journal
Four months ago Martin had only had enough balance to ride his mountain bike. Today Martins Smith rode his Specialized Roubaix out of Duke Hospital amidst fanfare of a cheering crowd of doctors and hospital staff, the very people that had worked so diligently years earlier to save his life in a battle against leukemia. After riding more than twenty miles each day on the Tobacco trail, he is ready to tackle the journey of a lifetime.
We departed from Duke at 7:30 AM. Martin, Dr. H. Kim Lyerly, Dr. Lee Jones and Deputy Director of Development David Mainella shot out of the Morris Cancer Clinic lot like bats out of hell. By the time our driver Jeremy was able to pull our colossal rented thirty-foot RV into traffic we lost sight of our riders. A man even stuck his door out to prevent us from getting ahead of him on the main road out of the hospital.
We caught up with riders at the next intersection of Cameron Blouvard (NC 751) following patiently at a cool twelve miles per hour down winding roads covered by shady trees. North Carolina's wide-open farm landscapes was like nothing this Boston native has ever seen. White picket fence enclosures, three bars across spaced every five feet, lined our way. It is reported Australia has more Kangaroos than humans. North Carolina's countryside may have more cows than people :). Two baffled black cows with hay hanging from their mouths watched with vacant black marble eye as our entourage rolled by.
Halfway through the ride, the bikers took a rest at the Saxapahaw General Store (picture), a posh local wine tasting taking place table only few feet away from freezers brimming with beer and aisles full of organic treats. After restocking, the riders once again headed for open road. Passing by another farm, we watched two dalmatians bark their heads off restrained only by an electric fence. Then two mutts from out of nowhere defiantly ran towards the riders. Martin has encountered this situation before. He warded attacking dogs off with a quick spray from his water bottle.
After lunch heat intensified and pace slowed. Jeremy remarked that he should buy more heavy-duty sunscreen since the left side of his upper body is going to be exposed to the sun for the next two months as he drives Martin's Ride across the USA. If we switch to a British model RV (driver on the other side) maybe he can even out his tan :).
Once we got close to Greensboro, North Carolina's hairy with traffic and almost impassable for bicycles roads the riders opted for a safe and sensible RV ride to the Proximity Hotel. Sweating profusely and low on water, they collapsed on RV couches and unwound with granola bars and water. Everyone was relieved to be done for the day.
Later in the early evening we met some Duke Cancer Center donors at a reception in the Greensboro Country Club. Martin and Dr. Lyerly made short speeches and everyone mingled over Hor D’Oeuvres. Dr. Jones told us by 2050 thirty million Americans would have cancer in the US. What a flooring number! Dr. Jones estimate provided reflection on why we were all here on Martin's Ride. After leaving the reception we went back to the Proximity to get some shut-eye.
Tomorrow was going to be a full day.