By Harvey Miller
Six-thirty a.m. In a hush, the lights quietly blast their announcement of a new Fuller Center morning. Friday, the 13th (September 2024), is our next to the last day of the Silver Comet adventure as we start heading back east, from Anniston, Alabama to Rockmart, Georgia, a 65-mile cycling trip.
We plan to ride our two-legged steeds along the Chief Ladiga which seamlessly morphs into the Silver Comet, both rail trails whose namesakes share a long history. This time it’s going to be into the wind, hoping to skirt the threatening forecast inspired by the vestiges of Hurricane Francine.
“I saw the radar and we’re only getting the tip of it,” Jackie Rouse blurted, half-sure and half-hoping.
I think otherwise only to be later proved, gladly, wrong.
Either way, the morning rush is on and by 7 all our belongings are packed and placed by the trailer where the baggage “team”, usually two of the riders, lift them all up inside to be pulled by Neil’s large Chevy van to the next location. Once done… it’s breakfast time! This was the 6th time I’ve seen this morning miracle work and I still can’t comprehend how everyone can get it all done by 7 a.m. I’m usually close to last place.
The kitchen is a mad fireworks display of hands, each floating suddenly where there was once empty space. Hands laden with coffee mugs, bagel filled plates, bananas, hard boiled eggs, grits in a paper cereal dish, something from “Jack’s” and, for the more creative, maybe some leftovers from dinner the night before.
After breakfast we all coordinate to leave the church as we found it, maybe better. In a word…clean. Chairs are placed where they were. The brooms compete with the vacuum cleaner as each emptied wastebasket is laid on its side signifying the end of its Fuller Center’s useful life only to stand again before the doors close one last time.
By 8 a.m. it’s “Circle Time”!
Circle Time is where we all gather together (yup, you guessed it, usually in some form of a circle) before the physical challenge of the ride. Beyond the cycling, participating in a Fuller Center bicycle adventure is about making a difference. It’s about building homes for those in need but for Circle Time it’s about reminding us that we should never forget about the role love plays in our lives, how we are all, ultimately, connected, and the Devotion(s) that follows are focused on that. It’s a way to say that building is not just about homes but it’s about the spirit of life, meaning and connection found in all of us. It’s also a time when there’s a review of the trail, announcements are made, and important details are repeated. Our amazing leader Neil Mullikin does this, along with his seemingly endless other tasks.
Today, Nancy Fish (one of our riders) shared her Devotion reminding us that our individual hopes, fears, bad luck and good can be dealt with and how we grow with that experience.
Finally there’s the “Oyee!” This concludes the Circle Time with cheers, literally. Sounding very similar to the Yiddish word “oi-vay” its meaning is quite the opposite. Shouted by all, in unison, while raising up a fist as an exclamation of gratitude to those people and things that that we feel deserve it, so anyone in the circle can Oyee (!) their blessings. For example, “Let’s hear an Oeeay for the great meal that the church donated to us…Oyee!!!!” Like, in the photo, below:
And then, we’re off!!
By “we’re off” I mean to the next location, most of the time via the bicycle trail. I, though, had an unfortunate pre-ride surprise. My previous day’s drippy nose morphed into what I thought was a cold as I was feeling ill and tired. I later determined that I had bronchitis. So, despite my wanting to end up first place for total mileage for the week in one of my local cycling club’s Strava listings, I elected to ride in the van today along with Neil, Isabelle Canada, Cindy Hepp,Wayne Wilson, Bill Buckett and others (growing to a total of 7 by the end of the ride).
It was far from a total loss though. Riding with the others was just a different experience, even a learning one. For instance, I never knew that “the bigger the yellow spot on the outside of a watermelon, the riper the melon” or some of the intricacies of flying a B-52 bomber (yup, we had a former B-52 co-pilot, Gary Schroeder, with us!). Hearing all our accents, from the rural depths of Tennessee to the tough streets of Brooklyn was fun too. The view from the road and witnessing the efficient setting up of the rest places was also enjoyable. We even got to see young Caleb Schall (age 16) and Kevin Anderson come in first, as usual, to the rest stop. Caleb said he needed a rest day, so they both “only” averaged 16.5 mph.
One of the van traveler’s big, happy surprises was having us all opt in to take the van to the closest coffee shop just prior to the next rest stop. It turned out to be a most fortunate pick as its offerings were as delectable as it was VERY unusual. Named “Elevated Grounds” as it was Christian-based (hence making its name have a dual meaning) but, even more, it was not only an excellent coffee shop with a spiritual bent but a bicycle shop also! We all ordered our fill and, incredibly/happily, Bill paid for everyone’s orders! THANKS BILL!!!! I guess there’s really something to his name, eh? (get it?)
Meanwhile, back on the cycling trail, the riders had some drama today. A tree fell over the path preventing easy going as, being shrouded in poison ivy, it required a walk around. Perhaps some of those “elevated grounds” from the coffee shop would’ve helped? And, in the finest traditions of a Fuller Center ride we had a crash. Actually, given the wet path conditions, only one minor skin scrapping crash was somewhat of a relief, poor Jonathan Barringer. Gotta watch those leaves and mossy conditions at the bottom of an incline.
Finally the rides and the day’s main adventures ended and we were all back at our new home, the Crossview Community Church in Rockmart, Georgia. Contrasting with the previous night’s abode of color, history, size and more, Crossview was much simpler; even its colors were mostly in shades of black, white and grey.
Once there we each chose our favored location for our bike and our bed, shared between the outer space and the sanctuary, mostly based on how close one can get to an electric plug.
As usual, Neil got to work making our schedule poster where an 8 p.m. meeting was announced and, best of all, today is an “eat-out dinner on your own” day with the great majority choosing to eat Mexican at the El Coyote, about a mile’s walk away, even if most of us filled the van for the ride there. And, again, true to his name, BILL PAID FOR EVERYONE’S DRINKS!!! Gotta love those Social Security check received days! Thanks again Bill!
And finally, lights out at 9:30. And, incredibly, all the Fuller Center adults actually do go to sleep upon lights out.
The end of one magical day with the Fuller Center cycling people.
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