Stage 5 - The End Nears

[Stage 4 was just posted (below), a day late due to the lack of internet at the secluded Greater Kilmichael venue where the team stayed Wednesday.]

Conrad [Tim] is tired, enjoying time at home with the family, resting for the final push, and due at Ray Charles' [Stu's] house at 6:30 a.m., so this will be short.

The team pushed off early and enjoyed the cool weather that comes with that. During the noon hour, the team crested the hill heading into the (old) Craft Center and was greeted by kids, cowbells, and cheers that made the team proud (truthfully, the cowbells didn't make at least 4 team members proud, but I'm sure King Air [Scott], RoRo [Ronnie] and MacGyver [Joel] got a chill thinking about the maroon and white). As usual, Ol' Roy had spread the Newk's feast, but the well-wishers added to it with even more goodies. The team has enjoyed long lunches, but today's was probably a bit longer, for it isn't easy to leave the family you haven't seen in days to head back to the asphalt and heat for another 30+ miles. In addition, Conrad's horse suffered another broken leg (flat), this time the front one, and Bishop's [Keith's] chain decided to take a break, but the team persevered another 30 or so, ending the day at Dean's Stand, just south of the mile 74 marker.

It was a sad day, too. After today's run, the team had to say good-bye to Roy, who is headed back to Missouri after driving the sag and spreading the picnics. Ol' Roy IS part of the team, so we are disappointed he won't see us finish what we started, but he will get a phone call when we circle the Champs Elysee' (or even if we just make it to Natchez). He's been planning S2S for us (Savannah to San Antonio), but the team thinks Roy's dreaming a little too large. Regardless, we'll miss him tomorrow and hope he drives the 2009 sag, regardless of the route.

370 miles down; 74 miles to go.