Jessica
Josh on Tiger Walk Sunday, October 18, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Tennessee
Since I haven't received any post from anyone I'm going to start highlighting one state a week that we each live in. I figured it would be a fun thing for us to see what goes on in the states we live in and maybe encourage people to get outside and enjoy the fall weather with their families. This week it's going to be the best scenic drives in Tennessee for fall foliage. Enjoy!
Fall Creek Falls State ParkPikeville, TN
Natchez Trace Parkway
Follow in the tracks of bandits and preachers, slaves and soldiers, old "Kaintucks" and new settlers. Explore this National Scenic Byway by car or bike. Take in the living history demonstrations along the way, or just enjoy the waterfalls, the brilliant leaves, and the leisurely pace. The northern terminus lies just 17 miles southwest of Nashville, off Tennessee Highway 100.
Overhill Agriculture Trail
Enjoy the back roads, small towns, scenic rivers, and rolling farmland of the Tennessee Overhill area. Stop to see native gardens, wineries and corn mazes. Meander along the Ocoee Scenic Byway, Tellico River Road, the Cherohala Skyway, or the Hiwassee River Road for spectacular scenery.
Tennessee River Trails
Follow the Tennessee River from Paris to Pickwick, and take in the historic sites, festivals, and beautiful scenery.
Cherokee National Forest
Follow the roads along the ancient mountaintops of the Southern Appalachians, home to more than 20,000 species of plant and animal life, as well as a wealth of history and scenic beauty. The forest encompasses some of the drives in the Overhill region as well as breathtaking Northern District routes along gravel roads.
Mississippi River—From Memphis to Reelfoot
Follow the Big Muddy along the Chickasaw Bluffs, 200 feet above the Mississippi floodplain. Start out in Memphis, rich in history and culture, and travel north to the eerie beauty and natural wonders of Reelfoot Lake.
Tellico River
Take the Cherohala Skyway south on Hwy. 68 for a beautiful drive ending in a short hike to Conasauga Falls. Or try the 20-mile drive from Tellico Plains to Rattlesnake, followed by a 1.4 mile hike to Falls Branch.
Lawrenceburg to Manchester
Travel through historic Davy Crockett country, take in the origins of Tennessee sippin' whiskey, and visit Native American sights.
Appalachian Quilt Trail
Stretching across the eastern part of the state, the AQT links scenic rural drives with shopping, locally grown produce, arts centers and outdoor activities.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
America's most visited national park offers an abundance of scenic splendor.
Tennessee River Gorge, Chattanooga Loop
A 126-mile drive along the Tennessee River, from Chattanooga to the Cumberland Plateau, ending at Cumberland Mountain State Park in Crossville.
Antebellum Trail: Nashville to Columbia
Mansions, horse farms, and Civil War sites line the roadway from Nashville, through Columbia, on to Mount Pleasant, on this 78-mile drive through Middle Tennessee.
Cumberland River: Nashville to Land Between the Lakes
A 110-mile trek along the banks of the Cumberland River travels just north of Nashville through historic Clarksville.
Center Hill Lake to Cedars of Lebanon State Park
Enjoy breathtaking views of the Eastern Highland Rim, Caney Fork River Valley, red cedar forests and the natural rock gardens called cedar glades.
Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area
The Big South Fork of the Cumberland River passes through 90 miles of scenic gorges and valleys containing a wide range of natural and historic features while offering a wide variety of recreational opportunities.
Friday, October 2, 2009
October is here
October, to Erin and I is a wonderful month. We enjoy the fall colors and the coolness of the mornings and nights. After the kids got too old to trick or treat I kinda forgot about Halloween, that is until I married Erin and she forced me to recognize it and participate in it once again. I have hundreds of memories of the kids and all the costumes they wore. And I remember the year each of the them became too "cool" to go out begging for candy.
~Tommy
I love October! Fall is in full swing, the leaves will start to change soon, the air smells a little sweeter, fall festivals all over north GA are beginning and Jacob is going to be the cutest pumpkin ever this year. I figured I needed to do it now before he can start talking and tell me that being a fat little pumpkin for Halloween is for babies. Last year he was a bumble bee, he was only about 7 weeks old last year so this year should be more fun for me...I mean him. HA! I think my favorite Halloween costume was when I was Miss America. I loved that dress my mom may for me. I remember telling her that I was going to wear it to prom when I got into high school. Boy am I glad it got ripped before I had to live up to that promise.
~Rachel
Halloween will be a little different for us this year. Corey is too old for trick-or-treat so we will be going to some of the festivals at the nearby orchards. Jennifer and Corey have been picking out costumes for Booh and Chester. I think Chester will be superman and poor old Booh is going to be completely humiliated in a pumpkin costume.
~Andy
I don't really remember any Halloween costumes that I had. Like probably most of us with our kids, I remember Rachel's better than my own. I can't really say that this was my favorite of hers but it was the one I remember the most. It was one of, if not the last year she really went trick or treating, with Mom along anyway. She wanted to be Miss America, or some kind of beauty queen. I bought a pattern and cut it down & I found some awful teal colored taffeta. I made her a long dress with 1980's big puffy sleeves, and if I remember correctly a peplum. I guess she liked it, she acted like she did. Like everything else she hung on to it for the longest time before she finally through it out. All I remember was that her crown got caught in the limb of a tree she walked under, and her feet were killing her by the time we got home from the heels she was wearing. But like every year, after the kids went to bed Mom snuck in and raided their candy sacks. This year I'm sure Jake will get a ton of candy, he looks adorable in his pumpkin costume. I guess Granny and Mom will be raiding his candy sack after he goes to bed.
~Diane
If anyone has anything they would like to post about fall/October, November/Thanksgiving or just general post send them my way. Let us know what is going on in your lives.
Love to everyone!
Rachel
~Tommy
I love October! Fall is in full swing, the leaves will start to change soon, the air smells a little sweeter, fall festivals all over north GA are beginning and Jacob is going to be the cutest pumpkin ever this year. I figured I needed to do it now before he can start talking and tell me that being a fat little pumpkin for Halloween is for babies. Last year he was a bumble bee, he was only about 7 weeks old last year so this year should be more fun for me...I mean him. HA! I think my favorite Halloween costume was when I was Miss America. I loved that dress my mom may for me. I remember telling her that I was going to wear it to prom when I got into high school. Boy am I glad it got ripped before I had to live up to that promise.
~Rachel
Halloween will be a little different for us this year. Corey is too old for trick-or-treat so we will be going to some of the festivals at the nearby orchards. Jennifer and Corey have been picking out costumes for Booh and Chester. I think Chester will be superman and poor old Booh is going to be completely humiliated in a pumpkin costume.
~Andy
I don't really remember any Halloween costumes that I had. Like probably most of us with our kids, I remember Rachel's better than my own. I can't really say that this was my favorite of hers but it was the one I remember the most. It was one of, if not the last year she really went trick or treating, with Mom along anyway. She wanted to be Miss America, or some kind of beauty queen. I bought a pattern and cut it down & I found some awful teal colored taffeta. I made her a long dress with 1980's big puffy sleeves, and if I remember correctly a peplum. I guess she liked it, she acted like she did. Like everything else she hung on to it for the longest time before she finally through it out. All I remember was that her crown got caught in the limb of a tree she walked under, and her feet were killing her by the time we got home from the heels she was wearing. But like every year, after the kids went to bed Mom snuck in and raided their candy sacks. This year I'm sure Jake will get a ton of candy, he looks adorable in his pumpkin costume. I guess Granny and Mom will be raiding his candy sack after he goes to bed.
~Diane
If anyone has anything they would like to post about fall/October, November/Thanksgiving or just general post send them my way. Let us know what is going on in your lives.
Love to everyone!
Rachel
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Ricky & Scott's triathlon @ Callaway Garden's
The swim was first it was 1000 meters, bike ride was 18 miles, the run was 5 miles,
the leapfrog was 200 yards, the three legged race was 1/2 mile, the long jump was long
Posted by Ricky
the leapfrog was 200 yards, the three legged race was 1/2 mile, the long jump was long
Posted by Ricky
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Andy's Fall
Fall is without a doubt my favorite time of the year and is at least partly responsible for my moving to Kentucky therefore my wife and child. Fall in Kentucky brings noticeably cooler days and frigid nights a most welcome change from the summers heat and humidity. The rolling hills lined by wood plank fences make for a scenic landscape all on their on, but throw in the red, orange, yellow and gold foliage of fall and a paddock full of the springs young proud thoroughbreds and you get a landscape like no other place on earth..
I can't believe I almost forgot about football season. Tis the season that Dad takes over the remote control and this year it contols a new sony bravia 46' hdtv. Go Big Blue!!! Roll Tide!!! and War Eagle!!!
I can't believe I almost forgot about football season. Tis the season that Dad takes over the remote control and this year it contols a new sony bravia 46' hdtv. Go Big Blue!!! Roll Tide!!! and War Eagle!!!
Monday, September 7, 2009
Erin's September
I will only be able to share through September and the rest later, because Tom is feeling risky and wants to try out his bike riding skills with a sprained ankle. :) He certainly perseveres.
I'm feeling a bit emotional this morning because I just finished watching Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons. If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend you do. The timing of me watching it made all the difference, as well. Today is Labor Day, so no schedule, no work, no appointments...a rare treat.
I am a process person. I am a "dash" person. You've heard of the "dash": our lives are not about the start date and end date, but the "dash" in between. I also thoroughly enjoy "stories", even of nonsense. I've also enjoyed literature, would be called out in class to explain a Shakespeare Act from Lit Class, and you wouldn't dare see me peak to the end of the book to see the ending before getting there page by page. Why do I go on and one?
We travelled to Grady, Alabama this past weekend for some sacred hours with Jessica, Josh and Ricky, JJ, Mrs. Florence and Scotty. It was a very nice time. I cherished travel time with Jessica to and from Prattville, blessed by her willingness to share her heart about her dear friend David's last days. To hear an 18 year old young women express to me that she knew God had him here on this earth for only 19 years to touch many people's lives, and the FAITH and HOPE in God's intervention displayed by his family and friends in the hospital brought strangers closer to knowing God...well, I can't put that into words. We know God allows things to happen, for His Plan His Glory, and why? We won't know for sure until He tells us why.
Back to Rachel's question: what do I love about Fall? Fall reminds me of the cycle of life. I cherish taking deep breathes and smelling the coolness and the leaves. There is so much undiscovered beauty in life because we're so focused on the next appointment, project or even as simple as the next day. Fall reminds me of romance, falling in love with Tom, planning my final weeks before our wedding 4 years ago on October 8th. The joining of our families. It reminds me of sipping moonshine in the stands of Bourbon County High School football stadium to stay warm inside or warm apple cider at the Lehmann's horse farm in Kentucky. It reminds me to roll the windows down on the way from here to there. I Love Autumn. I intentionally drive through piles of leaves, so that I can look in the rear view mirror at the leaves flutter around behind me.
How does this all tie into Benjamin Buttons? Well, I was startled out of bed this morning at the wee hour of 6:20am by crashing, banging noises coming from our pipes under my bedroom floor. I jumped out of bed and ran into the living room to find my husband in the kitchen doorway. He was just filling up the koi pond :) ...we have something going on with our water pipes, banging and clanging that needs to be checked out. So, needless to say, I couldn't get back to sleep. So I decided to do something I haven't done in YEARS. I went into the livingroom, and found a good movie to watch; while still halfway asleep.
I won't ruin it for those of you that haven't seen this movie, but I will say a few things about it as we enter Fall and Winter seasons. There seems to be patterns in life that allow for a normal life, comforts, traditions and planning to come easy. But sometimes something happens that changes all patterns, we can all think of a few we've experienced that changed the course of our lives. If we aren't careful, we might try too hard to create structure and miss all the process and beauty that might come through the brokenness, repair, and healing. There is Love all around us, and i look forward to experiencing the coming seasons with each of you in 2009. I pray we are not rushed through one single gift of relationship ~Erin
I'm feeling a bit emotional this morning because I just finished watching Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons. If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend you do. The timing of me watching it made all the difference, as well. Today is Labor Day, so no schedule, no work, no appointments...a rare treat.
I am a process person. I am a "dash" person. You've heard of the "dash": our lives are not about the start date and end date, but the "dash" in between. I also thoroughly enjoy "stories", even of nonsense. I've also enjoyed literature, would be called out in class to explain a Shakespeare Act from Lit Class, and you wouldn't dare see me peak to the end of the book to see the ending before getting there page by page. Why do I go on and one?
We travelled to Grady, Alabama this past weekend for some sacred hours with Jessica, Josh and Ricky, JJ, Mrs. Florence and Scotty. It was a very nice time. I cherished travel time with Jessica to and from Prattville, blessed by her willingness to share her heart about her dear friend David's last days. To hear an 18 year old young women express to me that she knew God had him here on this earth for only 19 years to touch many people's lives, and the FAITH and HOPE in God's intervention displayed by his family and friends in the hospital brought strangers closer to knowing God...well, I can't put that into words. We know God allows things to happen, for His Plan His Glory, and why? We won't know for sure until He tells us why.
Back to Rachel's question: what do I love about Fall? Fall reminds me of the cycle of life. I cherish taking deep breathes and smelling the coolness and the leaves. There is so much undiscovered beauty in life because we're so focused on the next appointment, project or even as simple as the next day. Fall reminds me of romance, falling in love with Tom, planning my final weeks before our wedding 4 years ago on October 8th. The joining of our families. It reminds me of sipping moonshine in the stands of Bourbon County High School football stadium to stay warm inside or warm apple cider at the Lehmann's horse farm in Kentucky. It reminds me to roll the windows down on the way from here to there. I Love Autumn. I intentionally drive through piles of leaves, so that I can look in the rear view mirror at the leaves flutter around behind me.
How does this all tie into Benjamin Buttons? Well, I was startled out of bed this morning at the wee hour of 6:20am by crashing, banging noises coming from our pipes under my bedroom floor. I jumped out of bed and ran into the living room to find my husband in the kitchen doorway. He was just filling up the koi pond :) ...we have something going on with our water pipes, banging and clanging that needs to be checked out. So, needless to say, I couldn't get back to sleep. So I decided to do something I haven't done in YEARS. I went into the livingroom, and found a good movie to watch; while still halfway asleep.
I won't ruin it for those of you that haven't seen this movie, but I will say a few things about it as we enter Fall and Winter seasons. There seems to be patterns in life that allow for a normal life, comforts, traditions and planning to come easy. But sometimes something happens that changes all patterns, we can all think of a few we've experienced that changed the course of our lives. If we aren't careful, we might try too hard to create structure and miss all the process and beauty that might come through the brokenness, repair, and healing. There is Love all around us, and i look forward to experiencing the coming seasons with each of you in 2009. I pray we are not rushed through one single gift of relationship ~Erin
What our family loves about September
For the month of September I only received responses back from 5 out 21 family members. Even Jacob who can not type contributed. Donovan is excused but I expect his comments for October. You can still send me your likes and dislikes about September and I'll post later. I hope we can do better for October.
For me September is about the start of college football season. Although I am not quite the lunatic I used to be I still enjoy the excitement of Auburn Football. This is one of the things I have definitely passed on to my three children. Over the past years we have made a lot of memories, from watching games at " Wings" in Montgomery or having a party at our home. We can all look back on the many Septembers we have shared and smile.Thank goodness I married someone that although may not love Auburn Football like we do she does how ever enjoy football and looks for any reason to get together. ~Tommy
I love September because it's my birthday is on the 12th and Alabama Football starts. ROLL TIDE!! ~Jacob
Below is the response I received from Scotty....
I'm too ignorant to operate a cumputer I can barely operate this phone. Me and ricky will be at callaway gardens sunday doing a triathalon and my butt stinks ~Scotty
Most of the tourist leave the beach ~Diane
I love September because cool weather is around the corner, changing of the leaves, I can break out all my fall decorations and candles, football and now Jake's birthday; but of course I don't need his birthday for a reason to celebrate my son... any day will do.~Rachel
For me September is about the start of college football season. Although I am not quite the lunatic I used to be I still enjoy the excitement of Auburn Football. This is one of the things I have definitely passed on to my three children. Over the past years we have made a lot of memories, from watching games at " Wings" in Montgomery or having a party at our home. We can all look back on the many Septembers we have shared and smile.Thank goodness I married someone that although may not love Auburn Football like we do she does how ever enjoy football and looks for any reason to get together. ~Tommy
I love September because it's my birthday is on the 12th and Alabama Football starts. ROLL TIDE!! ~Jacob
Below is the response I received from Scotty....
I'm too ignorant to operate a cumputer I can barely operate this phone. Me and ricky will be at callaway gardens sunday doing a triathalon and my butt stinks ~Scotty
Most of the tourist leave the beach ~Diane
I love September because cool weather is around the corner, changing of the leaves, I can break out all my fall decorations and candles, football and now Jake's birthday; but of course I don't need his birthday for a reason to celebrate my son... any day will do.~Rachel
Friday, August 7, 2009
My Blog
Since I have not received any pictures and a summary from Tommy's family vacation to Mexico I will post the link to my blog so everyone can check out what we've been up to. http://rachel-hendrixmccoy.blogspot.com/
Love to all!
Rachel
Love to all!
Rachel
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
The family should be proud of Scotty
We were at beef o Brady s recovering from a 51 mile bike ride Scott orders 16 boneless wings. The waitress gave him crap about ordering boneless. Are you a girl? A real man would order the 20 nuclear challenge in twenty minutes of course he did and 7 minutes later he got his free t shirt and a hug.
Posted by Ricky
Posted by Ricky
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Smile
Although Toms gums are sore from his first dental cleaning in years, he's still smiling. Never mind Tom, notice to the right is Pat's Oak Tree, an oak seed gift given to us by Frank and Jen Hunt. Already we have 8 leaves on this baby oak. 
Posted by Erin
Busy men
No big story, we both completed the "audie murphy triathlon at Ft. Rucker, the swim was 1/3 of mile and bike was 10.6 miles and the run 3.3 miles. We both won our on race, we weren't at home sitting on the couch eating bon bon's.posted by Ricky
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
20 years and counting
Rick and I are celebrating our 20th anniversary today. I have to say these 20 years have been the best years of my life and I am so lucky to be married to the best man in the world!!!! I look forward to spending the next 20 years with the love of my life. Thanks Mrs. Florence for raising such a good man!! We went to Callaway Gardens this past weekend and stayed at the Gardens Lodge and Spa. Rick spoiled me there. He treated me to a couples massage Saturday morning that was out of this world.
Posted by JJ
Monday, June 1, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
The Ride
It’s funny; I can not even remember now whose idea it was for us to all go for a ride over the Memorial Day weekend. There is a part of me that thinks it was my suggestion but I honestly can not remember.
Never the less Erin, Rick, Scott and I planned on meeting at Grandma’s house yesterday May the 23rd, for our group ride. Somehow we chose 20 miles as our target for this ride. As we are all quite busy, none of us put a lot of thought or planning into this ride. Rick did however email us a proposed route. I figured he has spent his adult life navigating helicopters over oceans, around mountains and through dense jungles, then if he proposed this route I had no worries. So Erin and I packed up Friday night and drove to Montgomery in preparation for our ride.
On the drive down to Grandma’s house a constant rain was coming down. Erin had been in contact with Scotty and Ricky through text messaging and Scotty quickly reminded us that “Lance” would not let a little rain stop him. So I accepted the fact we would be riding in the rain, and actually began to look forward to a nice leisurely ride with my wife and brothers. I know my brothers were also looking forward to this too, especially at the opportunity of witnessing Erin going fast on her bike.
Now, before I tell the rest of the story I must regress a moment and tell you about my riding experience. Other than when I was a kid and I was still putting playing cards in the spokes of my bicycle wheels, I have not found a lot of pleasure in riding. My idea of having fun is going on a nice run. However I married a woman that has deep passionate love for cycling and finally convinced me sometime last year to buy a bike so we could enjoy her love of biking together.
So from time to time we go off riding together, and for the most part I enjoy these rides. As I have told Erin many times, you ride yours for exercise I ride my bike for pleasure and the exercise I get is a byproduct of that. When it comes to biking, time and distant have never been a factor for me, it always has been about coasting down the hills. I have taken a few solo rides downtown. During these rides I find pleasure in stopping every mile or so at one of the many local establishments for a cold beer. As you can see when it comes to biking, I am no Lance Armstrong.
Finally we arrive; Rick and Scotty are already there and prepared to go. So I quickly unload our bikes in preparation for our ride. Erin immediately notices her back tire has gone flat during the trip down. After a few minutes of trying to inflate it we realize there is a small hole in the tube near the valve stem. Being that Erin has a bike with high pressure tires that are designed to help her go fast, the only place you can get a new tube is at a bike shop. There are none to be found in Grady so Erin stayed back with Grandma.
Due to the rain we decided to shorten our trip to a 14 mile course, again I trusted the navigational skills of my brother the Black Hawk pilot. So I prepare myself mentally for the 14 mile journey.
Off we went, turning right onto the Meriwether Trail heading toward Pine Level. Within the first half a mile Scotty quickly announces that he will be our wing man and bring up the rear. Rick is setting the pace out front and I am alternating between the middle and the rear with Scotty.
Our pace was faster than I had anticipated; somehow I had envisioned this being like my solo rides, strictly for pleasure with the added benefit of exercise. Nevertheless, I thought, 14 miles I can handle, surely Rick will slow down after the first few miles.
The rain continued to fall so within a few miles we were all soaked and having trouble seeing through our glasses due to the mud and the rain splashing up onto our lenses. Around mile five I realized that this was going to be harder than I thought, but figured “hey you’re nearly half way, just continue to pace yourself and this 14 mile trip will be over in no time.”
By the time we passed Spring Hill Road our riding order had been established. Rick out front navigating; Scotty in the middle prepared to spray anything that got close to us with a container of mace he carries on his bike; and I was bringing up the rear, performing the most important job of yelling “CAR” at the top of my lungs anytime one was approaching us.
As it has been many years since I have traveled what we all use to call the ‘old dirt roads’, I was not always sure where we were or how far until the next road. I did however have my GPS watch on which was tracking our distance, speed and time. Somewhere around mile 8 I begin to have some reservations on the actual length of this trip. I did a quick calculation, 14 miles minus 8 miles left us with 6 miles to go and somehow I felt like we were much further away from Grandmas than that. I tossed this thought aside and figured my worry was due to the fact I couldn’t remember all the different roads and that any moment one would appear and we would turn on it and it would take us directly back to Grandmas. However, I was familiar enough with our location to know that we were for the most part heading Northwest and if I wanted to ever get home we needed to start heading Southeast at some point.
So from my unique vantage point I could see the upcoming roads that would lead us in that direction and would shout out to Rick “ARE WE TURNING?”; He would not respond verbally, he would just thrust his hand and arm forward while pointing North with his finger. Not Southeast toward Grandmas but North, further and further away. This played out more than a few times and I finally came to the realization that our 14 mile trip had turned into something much different. For me it had become a ride of survival, just finish it without having to get off and push was my new mind set.
My thoughts of Rick slowing down at some point had also vanished, with the exception of a few brief moments I was always riding in Scotty and Rick’s tracks. Finally after 11.5 miles we came to Old Long Road and took a brief moment to re-hydrate. I grabbed a bite of a Clif Bar, Rick ate some Lance Beans and I believe Scotty drank some Liquid Goo, and also had a few Lance Beans. I gotta get me some of those things because I am quite sure that is the only reason my brothers were ahead of me. They had these secret Lance Beans and I did not. Now I know what they were doing when I arrived at Grandma’s, conspiring against me and loading up on Lance Beans.
Memories of the many times I drove this road as a teenager started coming back to me and although I could not remember every detail of this road, I could remember one and that detail was hills, long steep hills. After our quick break we headed off again, our riding order was quickly reestablished and my only thought was to make it to Shavers because at that point I could coast all the way home.
Mile 14 quickly passed and from time to time I would hear Scotty ahead of me saying things like “get up the hill fat boy”. No, he was not yelling at Rick who was in front or me who was behind him, but he was having flash backs of his days at Parris Island and was using this to motivate himself up the steep hills. I am quite sure before every hill I would see Rick reach down into a bag, and pull out a few more of those Lance Beans, all the while never offering me a single one.
With the exception of three deer that decided to cross the road in nearly the exact spot Rick was in, the rest of the ride was uneventful and became a test of survival for me. Lucky for the deer, Scotty could not get to his can of mace in time. My legs had turned to jelly and if I had not been wearing my biking shoes which I had clipped to my pedals, I am quite sure my feet would have slipped from the pedals and I would have rolled backwards down the hills. Finally, we came to Curtis Road and I knew where we were, and how long we had ‘til we were home. At this point I knew I was not going to have to get off and push but would finish this ride, what a relief. At last we made it to Shavers and I do not believe I ever enjoyed coasting down Shavers Hill as much as I did on this particular day.
One hour twenty seven minutes, and eighteen and half miles later we all arrive back at Grandmas, soaked to the bone and at various levels of exhaustion. Although I would have thoroughly enjoyed Erin being with us and I am quite sure she would have kept my brothers laughing, I must say it was nice to ride with just my brothers. If my memory serves me correctly, this is the first time we have done something like this together since we were kids riding to Shavers and hoping to pick up enough refundable bottles along the way so we could by a drink when we got there. Hopefully sometime in the near future we can do it again and Andy will be able to join us.
Despite the rain, aching legs, and burning lungs I thoroughly enjoyed this adventure with two of my brothers. I fully believe we will do this again soon and when that time comes I do not believe I will do anything different. I will still trust Ricks navigating skills, and will depend on Scotty to fend off wild animals. Oh, there is one thing I will do different and that is, I will make sure to bring my own “Lance Beans.”
Never the less Erin, Rick, Scott and I planned on meeting at Grandma’s house yesterday May the 23rd, for our group ride. Somehow we chose 20 miles as our target for this ride. As we are all quite busy, none of us put a lot of thought or planning into this ride. Rick did however email us a proposed route. I figured he has spent his adult life navigating helicopters over oceans, around mountains and through dense jungles, then if he proposed this route I had no worries. So Erin and I packed up Friday night and drove to Montgomery in preparation for our ride.
On the drive down to Grandma’s house a constant rain was coming down. Erin had been in contact with Scotty and Ricky through text messaging and Scotty quickly reminded us that “Lance” would not let a little rain stop him. So I accepted the fact we would be riding in the rain, and actually began to look forward to a nice leisurely ride with my wife and brothers. I know my brothers were also looking forward to this too, especially at the opportunity of witnessing Erin going fast on her bike.
Now, before I tell the rest of the story I must regress a moment and tell you about my riding experience. Other than when I was a kid and I was still putting playing cards in the spokes of my bicycle wheels, I have not found a lot of pleasure in riding. My idea of having fun is going on a nice run. However I married a woman that has deep passionate love for cycling and finally convinced me sometime last year to buy a bike so we could enjoy her love of biking together.
So from time to time we go off riding together, and for the most part I enjoy these rides. As I have told Erin many times, you ride yours for exercise I ride my bike for pleasure and the exercise I get is a byproduct of that. When it comes to biking, time and distant have never been a factor for me, it always has been about coasting down the hills. I have taken a few solo rides downtown. During these rides I find pleasure in stopping every mile or so at one of the many local establishments for a cold beer. As you can see when it comes to biking, I am no Lance Armstrong.
Finally we arrive; Rick and Scotty are already there and prepared to go. So I quickly unload our bikes in preparation for our ride. Erin immediately notices her back tire has gone flat during the trip down. After a few minutes of trying to inflate it we realize there is a small hole in the tube near the valve stem. Being that Erin has a bike with high pressure tires that are designed to help her go fast, the only place you can get a new tube is at a bike shop. There are none to be found in Grady so Erin stayed back with Grandma.
Due to the rain we decided to shorten our trip to a 14 mile course, again I trusted the navigational skills of my brother the Black Hawk pilot. So I prepare myself mentally for the 14 mile journey.
Off we went, turning right onto the Meriwether Trail heading toward Pine Level. Within the first half a mile Scotty quickly announces that he will be our wing man and bring up the rear. Rick is setting the pace out front and I am alternating between the middle and the rear with Scotty.
Our pace was faster than I had anticipated; somehow I had envisioned this being like my solo rides, strictly for pleasure with the added benefit of exercise. Nevertheless, I thought, 14 miles I can handle, surely Rick will slow down after the first few miles.
The rain continued to fall so within a few miles we were all soaked and having trouble seeing through our glasses due to the mud and the rain splashing up onto our lenses. Around mile five I realized that this was going to be harder than I thought, but figured “hey you’re nearly half way, just continue to pace yourself and this 14 mile trip will be over in no time.”
By the time we passed Spring Hill Road our riding order had been established. Rick out front navigating; Scotty in the middle prepared to spray anything that got close to us with a container of mace he carries on his bike; and I was bringing up the rear, performing the most important job of yelling “CAR” at the top of my lungs anytime one was approaching us.
As it has been many years since I have traveled what we all use to call the ‘old dirt roads’, I was not always sure where we were or how far until the next road. I did however have my GPS watch on which was tracking our distance, speed and time. Somewhere around mile 8 I begin to have some reservations on the actual length of this trip. I did a quick calculation, 14 miles minus 8 miles left us with 6 miles to go and somehow I felt like we were much further away from Grandmas than that. I tossed this thought aside and figured my worry was due to the fact I couldn’t remember all the different roads and that any moment one would appear and we would turn on it and it would take us directly back to Grandmas. However, I was familiar enough with our location to know that we were for the most part heading Northwest and if I wanted to ever get home we needed to start heading Southeast at some point.
So from my unique vantage point I could see the upcoming roads that would lead us in that direction and would shout out to Rick “ARE WE TURNING?”; He would not respond verbally, he would just thrust his hand and arm forward while pointing North with his finger. Not Southeast toward Grandmas but North, further and further away. This played out more than a few times and I finally came to the realization that our 14 mile trip had turned into something much different. For me it had become a ride of survival, just finish it without having to get off and push was my new mind set.
My thoughts of Rick slowing down at some point had also vanished, with the exception of a few brief moments I was always riding in Scotty and Rick’s tracks. Finally after 11.5 miles we came to Old Long Road and took a brief moment to re-hydrate. I grabbed a bite of a Clif Bar, Rick ate some Lance Beans and I believe Scotty drank some Liquid Goo, and also had a few Lance Beans. I gotta get me some of those things because I am quite sure that is the only reason my brothers were ahead of me. They had these secret Lance Beans and I did not. Now I know what they were doing when I arrived at Grandma’s, conspiring against me and loading up on Lance Beans.
Memories of the many times I drove this road as a teenager started coming back to me and although I could not remember every detail of this road, I could remember one and that detail was hills, long steep hills. After our quick break we headed off again, our riding order was quickly reestablished and my only thought was to make it to Shavers because at that point I could coast all the way home.
Mile 14 quickly passed and from time to time I would hear Scotty ahead of me saying things like “get up the hill fat boy”. No, he was not yelling at Rick who was in front or me who was behind him, but he was having flash backs of his days at Parris Island and was using this to motivate himself up the steep hills. I am quite sure before every hill I would see Rick reach down into a bag, and pull out a few more of those Lance Beans, all the while never offering me a single one.
With the exception of three deer that decided to cross the road in nearly the exact spot Rick was in, the rest of the ride was uneventful and became a test of survival for me. Lucky for the deer, Scotty could not get to his can of mace in time. My legs had turned to jelly and if I had not been wearing my biking shoes which I had clipped to my pedals, I am quite sure my feet would have slipped from the pedals and I would have rolled backwards down the hills. Finally, we came to Curtis Road and I knew where we were, and how long we had ‘til we were home. At this point I knew I was not going to have to get off and push but would finish this ride, what a relief. At last we made it to Shavers and I do not believe I ever enjoyed coasting down Shavers Hill as much as I did on this particular day.
One hour twenty seven minutes, and eighteen and half miles later we all arrive back at Grandmas, soaked to the bone and at various levels of exhaustion. Although I would have thoroughly enjoyed Erin being with us and I am quite sure she would have kept my brothers laughing, I must say it was nice to ride with just my brothers. If my memory serves me correctly, this is the first time we have done something like this together since we were kids riding to Shavers and hoping to pick up enough refundable bottles along the way so we could by a drink when we got there. Hopefully sometime in the near future we can do it again and Andy will be able to join us.
Despite the rain, aching legs, and burning lungs I thoroughly enjoyed this adventure with two of my brothers. I fully believe we will do this again soon and when that time comes I do not believe I will do anything different. I will still trust Ricks navigating skills, and will depend on Scotty to fend off wild animals. Oh, there is one thing I will do different and that is, I will make sure to bring my own “Lance Beans.”
Posted by Tommy
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Update on J.J's sister
Thought I would let you know. My sister went to Dr. today for pathology reading and things are good. He told her the mass tested positive for early detection cancer cells, but he says all the biopsies of the surrounding tissues are negative. He says he got all the cells when he removed the mass and as of right now the surrounding tissue looks good for now. He warned her she is a high risk patient now and she must get her check-ups done frequently to keep it monitored and to never ever miss a check up because she is at a high risk. But as of now he says she is cancer free. He is holding off on the radiation at this time. So, she got an unexpected but good report. I think she may be a little worried if they got it all, but she is happy with the report. They took her drain tubes out today and will remove her stitches on Monday. So, the Lord has answered our prayers thus far, but just keep her in your prayers for things to stay that way.
Love you!
*post sent by JJ
Love you!
*post sent by JJ
Monday, May 11, 2009
1st post from KY
We have ordered Corey's class ring. Corey has signed up for summer swimming, also thinking about looking for a job. Andy won $259 at the KY derby party in the auction. Jennifer won $190 in a 10 dollar pool. Andy also got a new shotgun, 500 Cruiser. We have opened the pool. Corey enjoyed her first time at the tanning bed. (still no sign of tan yet.) Jennifer's so stressed out she didn't realize she went to work with one brown shoe and one black shoe.
*Thanks to Corey for this post
*Thanks to Corey for this post
Tommy's 1st post
Justin is moving to Montgomery for the summer, Jessica is nearing Graduation and will be starting Faulkner University in the Fall, Josh is two weeks from finishing up with Elementary School he will is moving up to Junior High next year. Erin just finished her last class before summer break, she has a month of no school and that is huge for us. She is away this week in North Carolina. As for me I am traveling 2-3 weeks out of every month. I am on my 3rd week of a 40 day fast (is that correct Fast?), I am not eating: meat, dairy products, or bread and I am eliminating alcohol. Pretty much fruits, vegetables and water Erin is doing it with me although not being quite as strict. We are also planning our summer vacation and are looking at spending a week or so at St. John.
Tom
Tom
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Mother's Day wishes
Happy Mother's Day to all the mother's in our Family! Grandma, Pat, Tammy, Diane, Rachel, Jennifer, Erin and JJ. Enjoy this day it's all about you!
The modern Mother's Day holiday was created by Anna Jarvis as a day for each family to honor its mother, and it's now celebrated on various days in many places around the world. It complements Father's Day, the celebration honoring fathers.
This holiday is relatively modern, being created at the start of the 20th century, and should not be confused with the early pagan and Christian traditions honoring mothers, or with the 16th century celebration of Mothering Sunday, which is also known as Mother's Day in the UK.
In most countries the Mother's Day celebration is a recent holiday derived from the original US celebration. Exceptions are, for example, the Mothering Sunday holiday in the UK.
Different countries celebrate Mother's Day on various days of the year because the day has a number of different origins. One school of thought claims this day emerged from a custom of mother worship in ancient Greece, which kept a festival to Cybele, a great mother of Greek gods. This festival was held around the Vernal Equinox around Asia Minor and eventually in Rome itself from the Ides of March 15 to 18 March. The ancient Romans also had another holiday, Matronalia, that was dedicated to Juno, though mothers were usually given gifts on this day. In addition to Mother's Day, International Women's Day is celebrated in many countries on March 8.
Love to All!
The modern Mother's Day holiday was created by Anna Jarvis as a day for each family to honor its mother, and it's now celebrated on various days in many places around the world. It complements Father's Day, the celebration honoring fathers.
This holiday is relatively modern, being created at the start of the 20th century, and should not be confused with the early pagan and Christian traditions honoring mothers, or with the 16th century celebration of Mothering Sunday, which is also known as Mother's Day in the UK.
In most countries the Mother's Day celebration is a recent holiday derived from the original US celebration. Exceptions are, for example, the Mothering Sunday holiday in the UK.
Different countries celebrate Mother's Day on various days of the year because the day has a number of different origins. One school of thought claims this day emerged from a custom of mother worship in ancient Greece, which kept a festival to Cybele, a great mother of Greek gods. This festival was held around the Vernal Equinox around Asia Minor and eventually in Rome itself from the Ides of March 15 to 18 March. The ancient Romans also had another holiday, Matronalia, that was dedicated to Juno, though mothers were usually given gifts on this day. In addition to Mother's Day, International Women's Day is celebrated in many countries on March 8.
Love to All!
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Crawling baby
This is Tammy' s 1st post...
Hey everybody! I've got big news. My little man is crawling now! He's been working on it for a while, and he's finally got it. The first day I got him to do it was on the first, which of course was a month from the day mom died. It's almost like he knew I was gonna need something extra special to make me smile. He's all over the place now, and I'm sure he'll be walking any day now. He's also started "talking" a lot more. He can say "mama" and "baba" (which we like to translate as Bobby. I'm pretty sure he doesn't know what he's saying, but it still makes me misty to hear him say my name. I love you all!
Note from Rachel: The video of him crawling was to large to attach. Sorry. So instead I'll just post another cute picture of him. Enjoy!
Friday, April 24, 2009
Run Forest Run.....
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
There should be a cure by now...
Everyone please keep JJ's sister Brenda in you thoughts, she got her results of a breast biopsy and it came back as malignant. She now has to go see a surgeon to see what the next steps will be. As I find out more I will update. 
JJ- We love you and are here if anything is needed.
JJ- We love you and are here if anything is needed.Sunday, April 19, 2009
Families 1st post
Welcome to our Family blog. I think since Pat's passing all of us have taken stock of our lives and thought more about our extended family, and we have all thought at some point we needed to stay in better touch with everyone so I have create this blog so we can do just that. This blog will be dedicated to OUR family, we will post on events in our lives, pictures and family memories. I have create a hotmail account florencefamily1@hotmail.com so you can e-mail me what you want posted. Even if it is something small like signing Donovan up for little league (I know we have a few years for that). I can also post pictures and short video's. Someone also needs to show Grandma how to get to this site. There is a company that I can send our blog to and have them print it like a book so I thought maybe every year or every other year I could send this off and have it printed and bound kinda like a "family encyclopedia".
So everyone's 1st job if you haven't already is to send me your family's birthday, anniversary dates and other important dates coming up. I also would like to get some picture together of each family.
So everyone's 1st job if you haven't already is to send me your family's birthday, anniversary dates and other important dates coming up. I also would like to get some picture together of each family.
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