It's the truth. At the end of Day 6, (Tuscumbia, Alabama to Lula, Mississippi) or maybe it was the beginning of Day 7, because it was 1:30 am when I finally got the laptop out, I literally fell asleep on my laptop before I even got the photos downloaded. So, to those of you that are following Team Effie, I apologize, but I just couldn't do it. Today is the one and only rest day we get on the whole trip - so I will quickly recap the events of days 6 and 7. Be sure to check out all the photos in the Motorcycle Cannonball album on my facebook page - I got them uploaded finally, and stayed awake doing it! And as always, the http://www.motorcyclecannonball.com/ site has scores and info on the event. Today there is a cool video that Buzz Kanter did when he arrived in Hot Springs. It's worth a peek.
THE START OF DAY 6 Tuscumbia, Alabama to Lula, Mississippi
Day 6 - Toast left us today, but will be back towards the end of the run to be with us at the finish line. So the first few miles of the day were to get Pat acquainted with how things run on the Team Effie Van. Hahaha. It was fun, sharing with him some of the adventures of the van so far. We are truly enjoying being sweepers because we not only get the see the scenery that the riders see, we learn more a about what happens out on the road. Llet me tell you though, when you read about the Cannonball, or any such event really, you don't always get to hear the stories behind the stories, and the guys out there running sweep work their butts off! Many of them are also riding old bikes...but more like 1940's-1960's with sidecars rigged up to haul a bike to safety.
Cris' husband, Pat Simmons, replaces Toast on our all woman crew...ok, so now it's not an all woman crew...well for a couple days anyway. We're excited to have Pat on board as we leave Tuscumbia, AL, as a sweep vehicle on the Motorcycle Cannonball
In the first 20 miles we encountered the truck/trailer (we have endearingly named Bill Wood and his rig the "grim reaper" or the "Angel of death") and #42 Buddy Stubbs with his 1915 Excelsior and sidecar. We hate to see anyone on the side of the road, and it's even worse when you can't fix it there and have to load em up, but that was what was happening for Buddy. We pulled out our ramp as they needed 2 to get him on the trailer, and helped load him up. So, right away, Pat got a taste for what our days have been like. I gave Buddy a big hug, and off we went.
I truly feel like an explorer out here "discovering" America. No, I haven't found any new territories, but it's new to me. I'm making it a point to look some things up (when I'm not so tired that I fall asleep at the laptop!), so I looked this one up. Today we were on the Natchez Trace Parkway for a while. It was BEAUTIFUL and peaceful. I looked it up and found this: The Natchez Trace, also known as the "Old Natchez Trace", is a historical path that extended roughly 440 miles from Natchez, Mississippi to Nashville, Tennessee, linking the Cumberland, Tennessee and Mississippi rivers. It was a traditional Native American trail and was later also used by early European explorers as both a trade and transit route in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Today, the trail is commemorated by the 444-mile Natchez Trace Parkway, which follows the approximate path of the Trace. Wow. Pretty cool. I know you learn some things in history class in school, etc. etc. but honestly, I find myself getting tunnel vision as I go along in my busy life, and you forget that there's so much more out there in the world than what's right in front of you each day. So, I'm trying to really pay attention to all of the things I get to see on this journey.
In addition to the parkway, I was especially intrigued by the "viney things that cover all the trees". I asked Mr. Tom Sparrow about this yesterday and he said they are called Kudzu, so I looked it up and found that it is one of Alabama's most invasive plants! It sure does look cool, but I guess it's not something they really like. Kudzu is native to China and was introduced into the South in the 1930s to 50s for forage and erosion control, but it was finally realized that it could not be used or contained. This highly recognized perennial vine, “The Vine that Ate the South”, continues to spread along edges of forests, pastures, and right-of-ways and around cities and towns. During spring, kudzu vines can grow up to a foot a day, covering trees, buildings, fences, road signs, and telephone and utility poles. Yep, that's what I saw. We went through an area that was COMPLETELY covered with the stuff. Weird. Oh, and we went through Oxford, Mississippi, home of "Ole Miss", which made me think of the movie Blindside, which I loved. It was cool to see that. And, we stopped and I collected some cotton along the side of the road. Lots of cotton and wheat fields out here.
The plant that ate the south - Kudzu. It literally covers any trees, fences, buildings, cars in its path
Ok, back to the Cannonball, not that the roads we travel aren't part of the story...but I'm sure you want to hear about the riders! Cris and Effie did GREAT Day 6 - a little valve adjustment needed as Cris was reporting that Effie was lugging up the hills, but she made it. What was different about today is that her riding partner, #55 Jim Petty, was having trouble with his 1915 Indian. So much so that he was the next rider we came up on in the Team Effie sweeper van. We worked with Jim for a couple hours...cleaned out his carb, got him rolling, and then his bike would stop again. Jim was determined to not go on the trailer, so ultimately we left him to his own team. He made it, except for the last 20 miles or so, arriving finally at around 10 PM.
Team Effie assists rider #55, Jim Petty, with his 1915 Indian on the side of the road somewhere on the Natchez Trace Parkway on Day 6
This posed a new personal challenge for Cris. She rode most of the day on her own. Which on a modern day bike would seem like no big deal, but there's a certain amount of fear that comes with riding a 95 year old motorcycle. Some things you readily accept...you WILL need to work on them every night, you may need to adjust things while on the road, you may have to ask for help if you get too hot and tired from kicking them if they won't start, and you may even have to ask for help to get your bike on its stand if you're exhausted. And if you're Cris, who is riding with a pretty bruised up foot yet from being run over at a gas station way back on day 1 or 2, along with some other bruising and swelling of her legs and feet that she's experiencing - you for sure need help with these things, and there is NO shame in it. What she is doing is amazing. Jim had been helping her the last few days and they ride together so well, having to go on without him along took her out of a comfort zone she had found. I texted her notes during the day "you can do it!" "think positive" "don't be afraid to ask for help" "What would Effie do?" "It could be worse!". Cris is one tough cookie, and she rode in...quite a bit before us because as a sweep, and then as a sweep that assisted a rider for quite some time, we were at the very back of the pack.
We ALL arrived very hot, tired and even a little cranky at the end of Day 6. But that all quickly fades away as we share stories from the day and are all together again, ready for the routine of getting Effie and Cris prepared for the next day.
On day 6 I felt a certain air about the group. Especially since we were with someone that just didn't want to quit, and also with Cris who was faced with new challenges and completely taken out of her comfort zone. I think one of the guys headed home. Others are simply tired and some were dealing with issues that are plaguing them. Isn't it true of most journeys or tests of endurance that you have a point when you think "can I do this?" Tested, challenged - physically, mentally, spiritually, mechanically - this is a TRUE endurance challenge. Absolutely. Yet, when you think about that finish line, somewhere deep inside you find that strength you never knew you had, and you keep going doing whatever it takes.
Jim Petty #55 said to me at one point "Laura, will you please take some photos because I can't believe that Pat Simmons of the Doobie Brothers is working on my bike!" Here's one of the many that I graciously took of Pat working on Jim's bike, a 1915 Indian 
End of Day 6 at the Isle of Capri in Lula, Mississippi 
Even a Klock Werks business card becomes a necessary tool when doing roadside repairs! (Team Effie assists rider #55, Jim Petty, with his 1915 Indian on the side of the road somewhere on the Natchez Trace Parkway on Day 6)
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