What a surprise to see this little guy at breakfast:
All I had heard for the past 2 days was how tough it was going to be to get over Mount Eagle - so much so that I started to get worried. I got to a rest stop at what I thought was part way up and asked a truck driver how much more climb there was and he said that I was at the top. So nothing to worry about at all - my legs still have their Rocky Mountain conditioning.
There was quite an exciting descent however:
At the rest stop I found this laying on my aerobar pad when I came out from the rest room. Not sure what it was about but choose to believe someone left it as a good luck wish for my travels and attached it to my key ring:
View of Lake New Hope:
There is a closed down rest stop on the lake - such a shame to see the buildings deteriorating especially with the great view of the lake:
On the way into Chattanooga you go into Georgia for about 3 miles:
One way to be welcomed back into Tennessee:
Another way......
I took the photo to try to capture the rainbow but check out this road debris:
I stayed at Warm Showers host Edward Park who had crossed the country by bike in 2013. It was great to swap stories with Ed over the dinner he treated me to in downtown Chattanooga. Thank you very much Ed for your hospitality.
I had an interview with the Chattanooga Times Free Press that evening.
Donations update: Currently at $685
About Soldiers Best Friend ..... If you have been following along you already know that I am trying to collect donations for the charity called Soldiers Best Friend. This is a charity that provides service dogs to Vets that are suffering from PTSD. These dogs can literally be life savers for these men and women.
My blog averages approximately 175 hits per day. I think that suggests folks are interested in the trip and hopefully are being informed and entertained. I am at the half-way point of the trip at 2151 miles. I consider this my job for the summer of 2014. I am putting in the the "blood, sweat, and gears" to steal a phrase - so would you consider a donation to this very worthy cause?
I've done the math for you .... My entire trip is going to be approximately 4200 miles long. Do you think you could donate $.006 per mile (like about slightly more than 1/2 cent per mile)?? If so then that would be a $25 dollar donation to SBF. Or better yet could you afford to donate at $.012 per mile (1.2 cents per mile) then that would be about a $50 donation. And so on .... give what you can - I know this sounds like a Nation Public Radio fund drive but come on - what a worthy cause!!
Please follow the link below to donate and include my name - just "Neil" will do or "Neal" if you like that spelling better:):)
It's time folks please.......
And finally please remember the cause - soldiersbestfriend.org I will go into this in more detail and perhaps some level of haranguing later on, but for now here is the link .... and an additional link for donation SoldiersBestFriend - Donate Please :):) Oh and I would be a lot more comfortable if you use the "honorarium" option vs the "memoriam" option - you'll understand when you click on the link:):).
As you donate please enter my name in the "In Honor of Spot" so the folks at SBF can tally the results to encourage me and let me know WE are getting something done TOGETHER. I recognize we are really trying to honor the Vets but this is the only way SBF can tally the results of this drive (tour)
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