Where in the US is Ellie?

Half Way There! And enjoying every mile!

With South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas and just over half of Texas under their belt, Ellie Towle and her team of fellow cyclists are grinding it out!  At times grueling (particularly the 100 mile/100 degree days in Texas where, as Ellie says, "the rural roads are covered in a thick tar/gravel mixture that our shoes sink into when we stand on it... which means that even when we are cycling downhill in Texas, we have to pedal hard!) but at most times awe-inspiring (over-the-top generosity of strangers, the warmth of southern hospitality and the beautiful scenery) the group is having a great adventure!

Days are long, each beginning with a 4:30am wake-up, so they can get in as many miles before the real heat of the day.  Lately, however, this hasn't proved a viable theory.  As Ellie says, "we start riding at 5:30am and start sweating at 5:40am!"   The three rest days they have had so far have allowed for long sleep-ins and lots of food! Appetites are voracious!

Lodging at night has run the gamut from church rec rooms and school gyms to camp grounds, a private home (they loved that!) and even a fire station!  They have been so warmly welcomed in each town and love it when they arrive, on occasion, to find that dinner is awaiting them,  a nice change from their normal routine of having to shop for and prepare dinner after 12 hours on the road.

Ellie is loving this experience, even on the tough days, and is especially grateful for the amazing group with whom she is riding.  Their perseverance, unselfishness and joy are her inspiration!

Post by Laura Towle

Click here for more information on Ellie's bike ride across America!