6/16/26

Today is the third day of soul bending heat. There will be more…

Our first ride day … 95 degrees with a heat index of 99. Locals from Richmond have  enough sense to be off the bike paths… we have no choice…40 miles in  …sweltering heat  and as Sweep I coax three newbie riders as best I can .  When  it becomes clear that one is  not sweating I call a stop at an unoccupied historic farmhouse, get off my bike and find  a hidden spigot. I know  if it works the water temp will be 55F… it does  and much to their surprise I drench each head to foot… twice… one after shock and surprise asks for a third…

They make it to the end with smiles on their faces not knowing they have just tasted the Forge. 

Day two I drive support with two young women route leaders  riding sweep… 83 miles in heat. 

Arriving in camp they sit exhausted looking like deer in headlights. I walk into town to buy them sapodillas for desert…they need something to pull them from the Heat of their Forge. I get a surprise kiss on each cheek…

Today I fall  into the Forge  and get  my soul singed…

Driving the support van and trailer I arrive into town for our nights stay at a church. 

30 yards from the parking lot I am careful not to hit a parked car on the right only to hit a 2 ft stone wall on the left… popping a trailer tire, bending the wheel rim and possibly the axle to boot … final assessment pending as I type. 

An afternoon is  ruined as we search for a repair crew without success …the other six route leaders kindly leaving me to pout , sulk, hurt, want to crawl into a hole of embarrassment and even go home ( I call my  wife and in a kind way she says absolutely not )….the riders seem less concerned and approach me with joint pains, early saddle sore rashes and dietary concerns… I put on my professional MD face and do my work…why not it’s better than a pout…

The route leaders  are  gracious …finally daring  to approach me  to say anyone  could have hit that wall and that they are  glad  I am  on the ride. 

Finally with help of the Central MS Office a plan is formed and 4 of us drive  200 miles back  to Blacksburg to get another trailer for all the riders “stuff”. 

We will get back at midnight …in 7 hours I will put this all behind me  to join on a bike helping  riders on their first true mountain climb …while the wounded trailer makes its way to a  mechanic’s  shop. 

The Forge takes many forms… the trick is not to get burned , to have someone by your side to pull you from the flames…and to go on…and on…and on…