Forest City to Hickory, NC—63 miles

Monday, October 3, 2005

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It was another hilly ride to Hickory, probably more difficult than the previous day's ride. It was another day spent either suffering on a climb or screaming downhill, with very little in between. Kerie's knee started acting up, giving her a stabbing pain with each pedal stroke. We slowed the pace and continued on until Kerie couldn't take it any longer. At the last rest stop, at about mile 42, she hitched a ride in the sag wagon for the final stretch into Hickory.

I continued to ride, picking up the pace a little, passing a few people, including a group of hotshots who had passed me on at the bottom of a climb. I managed to keep up with them and gradually passed them at the top of the climb. I was feeling pretty good as I rode the last few miles into town. As I was cruising through a residential neighborhood, a car passed going slow, and I heard a pop and felt a sting on my leg; I'd been shot by someone using a pellet gun.

I was stunned at first, but not so stunned that I didn't get a good look at the license plate. I stopped and called the local police to report the incident. I wasn't hurt but had I been hit in the eye it could have been much worse. And I thought that others might have been hit as well. The police took down all the relevant information and even questioned a nearby resident who heard the shot and asked if I needed help. Welcome to Hickory.

Kerie and I met up at camp and rode to our motel, located next to a major highway. The ride wasn't bad, although a bit busy on the final stretch. We tried once again to take the shuttle to dinner. After riding around for a while the driver announced that he hadn't eaten and that he was going to get a sandwich at a nearby BBQ place. He overheard us say that we might as well return to the restaurant next to the motel, so he took us back before his break. So much for the shuttle.

Later we did take the shuttle to camp to check out the vendors and the entertainment. We saw a working model of the da Vinci drivetrain, which allows independent pedaling and coasting for tandem cyclists. I assume we couldn't afford it since the sales rep wouldn't quote a price. It's usually sold as part of a da Vinci handbuilt tandem.

We listened to the bluegrass band for a while, then watched the REI mechanics working on a long line of bike repairs. It looked as if it would be a long night. We didn't stay long as we needed to get ready for the next day's ride. It was unfortunate that we didn't have more time to see the town. We later heard that people come to Hickory from miles around to purchase furniture. Maybe I can check it out when/if I return for the trial.

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