My adventure ...raising awareness of hunger...

Profile picture for user trailrunner
trailrunner on 4 Mar 2010 at 10:17

I am biking from St. Augustine FL to SanDiego CA. I am using this as an opportunity to raise awareness of hunger in this country . My local Food Bank, Food Bank of East Alabama, is helping me by placing barrels in local spots in my town of Auburn/Opelika AL. I am trying to raise 3100# of food as well as $ 3100 since the trip is 3100 miles. We will take about 60 days to do this so it is also a personal celebration of my 60th year on this earth. I am in Day 7 today and we are in Marianna FL. at the library. I will check in periodically. Here is my log so far . If you want to follow my progress you can get on Face Book for the Food Bank of East ALbama and see the updates. It would be wonderful if any of you would like to make donations to your local food banks in honor of my "Pedaling for Food". Caroline Donnelly

 

here are the updates to today. We decided that since it is so cold and windy STILL we would take a short day and a break. Only 22 miles today. Here is the log. 

Day1 Feb 26th-44 miles/avg 11 mph with loaded trailer from St Augustine to Palatka FL. windy and cold. camping in the cold.

Day 2 Feb 27th -61.34 miles/avg 10.7
wind and cold for the first part till the last 14 miles and then the sun came out and we hit the lovely bike path into Gainesville. What a treat. The overlook of Lake Alachua was beautiful. Stayed at the Zen Center Hostel.

Day 3
Feb 28th we in rode from Gainsville to a campground Ichutucknee Springs.. instead of Live Oak.
Was 45 miles/avg. 10.2. mph w/ trailer loaded. Head wind was 20 again to today with gusts.


Day4 March 1st----Great ride 57.69 miles/11.8 mph avg.we are staying Perry Fl/Days Inn.


Day 5---First 1/2 of day was wanderful heading out of Perry then HILLS/RAIN/ WIND WIND...50 miles/avg 10.7....it was a very hard day into Tallahassee. Days Inn again as it is supposed to get very cold again at night. What happened to warm flat Florida !!????? Had Sonny's BBQ and it sure tasted good.


Day 6 --started so hard as we took ONE HOUR to cross Tallahassee...there is a wide shoulder for part of but not all of it. T..hassee drivers DO NOT like cyclists. I "took a lane" and Pete and I simply made them stay over and out. It worked great as they can't crowd you to the curb. It is an essential riding technique I learned in NYC...thank goodness. WIND WIND all day and hills and more hills...50 miles and only 8.8 avg. It was so bad for one of our riders she gave up and went back to the hotel and called her husband to come from KY to get her...sad sad day. We didn't find this out till we were at the end in Sneads FL. . I had been carrying her tent and drop cloth ( 9#) she had the poles and so I abandoned the tent in the post office w/ the drop cloth ( postmaster said someone will want it) and I emptied and sorted and mailed 7.5 # of stuff home ! I am so LIGHT now. Yeah! Motel Seminole Inn in Snead FL.


Day 7---- decided to have a short day today . It is COLD and WINDY and HILLS....huh...have I said this before !!??? Ah well 22miles to Marriana FL avg 10 mph. We are at the library catching up on emails etc. Will probably Days Inn again. It is supposed to be gorgeous this weekend and into next week. We are all still bummed by Diane's leaving the group. We are adding a gal in Pensacola. So rest and regroup today. Pretty little town. c

Thank you for posting your amazing quest!  Wishing you all the best!  I can't wait for my husband to read your post...cyclist do suffer but, oh my the rewards!

Sylvia

I have a brother who lives there!  

It doesn't sound like heat exhaustion will be a big risk for you on your journey!  Isn't there a biker's lament that the route is always uphill and against the wind?

Best wishes for a trip that is memorable and accident-free.

Paul

One way to fund a trip.  On the surface it sounds nobel as long as none of the donations pay your traveling expenses.  If the trip is being paid for by donations, I would not support it. (Sorry to be sceptical but it has not been made clear.)

Thank you, I do and will continue to support my local "Food Basket". 

Mini

Toast

LindyD on 4 Mar 2010 at 19:11

I'll be delighted to make a donation to my local food bank in your honor, Caroline.

I admire your energy and dedication in making such a trip.  Goodness knows, there are plenty of people who can use help nowadays.

Your NYC experience is going to be a big help, but bike safe!

Thank you Sylvia ! We are indeed having a wonderful time of it. The rewards have been the amazing people we have met on the journey. We have stopped so many places in very tiny wide places in the road and everyone has been so thoughtful and helpful. A very different side of America from the one we see on the CNN.

 

PM I sure wish I had known...would love to have met him. Funny sayiing...it sure was true for several days but today was carefree and wonderful. We ended up in Chipley last night as we were rested and so we went on. IN DeFuniak Springs today. Sun out and warm.

Mini...what a snotty response. It didn't take any brain cells on your part to see that I said they had put out collection barrels for food and that the donations were to be made to the Food Bank. I will pretend I didn't see your post...you are the only one of 100's that have responded to my journey in such an ugly way.

 

Thank You Lindy ! Indeed as I ride I have reflected on that very thing that being alone in NYC and facing challenges in my trailrunning have set me in a good place for completeing this...the hardest journey yet. I sure do appreciate all the good wishes. I am sure your food bank will be grateful for the donation. Thank you again....c

Caroline, thank you for doing what so many of us maybe think about doing - and then move on to something else. It is a sad commentary that there is so much hunger in this very rich country, and I admire you for raising our awareness. I will happily make a donation in your name to Good Cheer, the food bank here on the south end of Whidbey Island. Safe pedalling with some downhills now and again, A.

I personally don't care whether or not the food bank is sponsoring this ride or not. Most charities I know have paid employees of some sort, otherwise it would be very difficult if not impossible to get donations. If every one of us gave money to the food bank without being asked or without a ride to make us more aware of the needs the world would be a much better place. In reality we need people like Carolyn to bring the need to the forefront. Although it may be fun and see lots of the country it is damn hard work to ride all those miles a day and pull a trailer.  I will be in to my food bank here in London to make a donation in your name Carolyn. Thank you for the reminder that there are people who live in city without enough food to eat while we have the luxury of worrying about whether our home baked bread has a great crumb or not. 

Actually I don't care whether the food bank is sponsoring her ride either. What I do care about is that this is a bread baking forum, not a billboard for pandering, but that is ultimately Floyd's call. I hoped it was the last place in the world where people would come begging for money and trying to make me fill guilty about the fact that there are people worse off than I. I don't feel guilty about it at all. There are charities I support gladly. This will not be one of them.

Michael

I don't see anyone pandering, begging for money, or trying to make anyone guilty. This is her blog, not the main forum, she's a long-time community member, and she isn't spamming or flooding the site with a bazillion off-topic posts or comments.  If you don't like it, Michael, don't read it.

Good luck and be safe, Caroline.  I look forward to hearing more about your journey.

Floyd

Caroline,

Thanks so much for your unselfish act and for reminding people that others are going hungry in these tough times. I'll be bringing some cases of canned goods over to the local shelter..........one less night at the movies won't kill me and it might be the difference between someone going hungry or having a decent meal. Have a safe ride.   Mattie

Thank you Annie T I am so glad I was able to touch a chord with you and others that resonates throughout the world. We are all a community of people that wish things were different or better and we all need each other more than ever in this life. I appreciate the good thoughts and will continue to raise awareness where and when I can. Pedaling not pandering...

 

Yolanda thank you too for the wonderful support. I makes my load much lighter .

 

Oh Floyd thank you so much for responding in such a kind way. I knew this would be close to your heart as the work you do is so important too.

 

Mattie I am so glad that you will be adding to the food bank in your hometown. Thank you. I hope all is well  with you. We will pass through Baton Rouge in a few days...Poplarville MS tomorrow. An update to follow. c

Caroline,

     Hopefully by the time you get thru BR the weather will clear up a little, right now it is rainy, not to cold but not too nice out either. I'm about 60 or so miles west of BR. Are you traveling along I-10? If so you'll pass right by us......continued safe riding to you all.    Mattie