ok... i waited until i finished mine before i read eddie's and i'm glad i did.  otherwise, i would have felt compelled to change a few things because it sounds like i copied off his paper.  i guess we were in the same car, seeing and doing the same things.  anyway, here are my notes and thoughts of the event:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I guess for me it really started a few years ago when you  mentioned that we should run an ultra, and not just one of those wussy 50k jokes.  My first reaction was “Chris is off his gourd.”  Little did I know.

Then there was the facebook status update towards the end of the year (2009) that stated “Chris Hardbeck is going BIG in 2010.”  In retrospect, that was the understatement of the decade.

Sitting in the truck waiting out the rain before the Savannah Bridge run in Dec 2009, you explained to me about Bricks4Hope.  This was the first time I’d seen you since your mom’s funeral, and Kris’ cousin Megan had slipped into what turned out to be the beginning of her final decline.  So doing something to help cancer research was definitely on my radar, and I never had a second thought about helping out in any way I could.

As “B”-day approached, and I kept staring at the route and reading your training reports, I never thought for once that you would fail, I just wondered just how ugly it would get, and how long it would take.  Those suffering with cancer probably are thinking something similar.

July 9th, 2010 - I wake up and started checking facbook and twitter for updates on start.  Nothing.  I finally call Sheri at about 9 and she tells me that you’re off, traffic is heavy but polite.

I check back in at noon and you’ve already transitioned to the run.  Sheri says it’s hot and hilly.  80 miles on the first bike leg and I’m thinking “Crap... he’s going too fast and is going to pay for it later.  Oh well, he knows what he’s doing better than I.”

Half-day at work, run home and pack my ‘bricks’ gear.  Then tape boxes for the impending move.  Keep checking facebook... pics coming in... first IV dripping....  uh-oh.... but all seems well after the next update.  Eddie arrives to pick me up, and we’re off.

Nervousness on the way up, not sure what we’re about to get into.  Crap... I forgot my Garmin... wanted to make sure we stay on pace in case I get to run.  Oh well, nothing to be done about that now.  Try to get online with Eddie’s laptop and broadband card.  Weak signal won’t let me pull up the route I save to google maps.  0 for 2.  Lets call Sheri to see where you are. Eating at Zaxby’s in Sandersville.  We are still 30 minutes out of Sandersville.  Had hoped to beat you guys there, but we’re not far off.

As we pull into a parking spot at Zaxby’s, we see the support truck pulling off.  Eddie needs to pee, and I’m fairly sure you’ll be running now, so we have time.  I need to pee too.  This level of detail is really not necessary in this report, but let’s just go with my stream of consciousness  for now, and I’ll edit later (doubtful).  Get back to car and have missed Sheri’s call.  Call her back, and she tells me what I already know... that you guys just started out down 242 on the run.  As Sheri answers on my call back, I can see the flashing lights.  This is it... the Bricks caravan!  Sheri says that you have runners with you now, and that we should run ahead and scout turns.   As we come to the back of the caravan, we pull over and Sheri brings us a radio.  “He’s being hard-headed and is not eating/drinking like he should” she says.  I don’t eat or drink as I should either... but I don’t tell her this.  Sheri has her ‘game face’ on, and I will not mess with this.  Radio in hand, we pull past and we see you running for the first time... looking strong.

We zip down 242, i make occasional stupid comments into the radio, then I realize that A) you are going 5mph, B) we are going 50 (Eddie drives like an 80 y/o woman) and C) these radios don’t have a very large range.  We pull over at a church at MM10 to wait at Jackson Church.  Then I realize that we’ll be waiting a while.  We call Sheri, she confirms that radios have a 1-2 mile range.  We come back down to the caravan, and decide to go all the way to Bartow for the next turn, about 12 miles away.  We get there, scout the back-2-back turns, then decide to get some coffee, etc before it gets too dark and we get too busy.  About the time we pull up to the gas station, Sheri calls, wondering about what to do at the church.  “Keep on going” I tell her... “you won’t turn again during the run segment.”  Two and a half brewed pots of coffee, three 64oz gatoraides and a bag of Doriotos (Mr. Dragon’s Fire Chips) later, we’re off.

We crawl back down the road (seriously Eddie, Chris is probably going faster than us now), coordinate with Sheri that we’re nearing the 2hr mark and need to find a transition spot.  Luckily, Eddie’s aforementioned snail’s pace pays off... he had marked the approximate 10mi mark from Zaxby’s and had previously spied a gas station near this point.  I knew having a Marine on board would pay off.  Semper Fi.

The flashing light of the Riddleville crossroad was soon accompanied by the flashing hazards of the caravan.  We hop out to anticipate your arrival.  I must say that everyone seemed more keyed-up than I would have imagined.  I guess everyone was ready to get out of the car after the run portion.  And as I type this, I realize that we (Eddie and I) never experienced a run portion at  running pace... we were either not present (run leg 1), scouting ahead (run leg 2), or running (run leg 3).  I guess they were ready for the change.

The transition was a whirlwind of activity.  You arrive and give us hugs (holy crap, he’s sweaty.  I’m not afraid to some sweat, as I sweat profusely myself, but am just not accustomed to hugging sweaty people when I’m dry).  Very soon, you get hooked up to the IV.  Eddie and I receive a crash course in plugging an IV into a pig-tail.  Syringe to blow out any clots.  iPod cord for IV bag hanger (again, those Marines are a handy bunch to have around).  Sheri says that we will take lead position for you, Keith and Juaquin.  A slight bit of nervousness, as we go from joking around in the car to having three bikes on our arse at 20mph.  Man it would really be a downer if we cause Chris to smash into the back of the mini-van and bring the Bricks adventure to a screeching halt.

We get moving, and muddle through the first 30 minutes trying to figure things out.  We are either way ahead, or about to have you guys smash into us.  Eddie is driving, I am spotting.  At Kris’ urging, I remain buckled at all times.  I am turned round backwards looking though the back window, as this affords a better view of all three cyclists instead of one (or none) that happen to be far enough over to see through the side-view mirror.  (NOTE FOR BRICKS 2.0:  Van with a swivel captain’s chair would be choice.)  I tell Eddie to slow down or speed up to keep you guys in the sweet spot.  I do this in many different ways, with verbose and lengthy commands.  He suggests curt commands to facilitate this communication, and as such, we fall into a pretty good groove.

We approach Bartow, the location of the dual turns.  You take a whiz at the first turn.  As we approach the second, some of the ‘inhabitants’ of Bartow are taking a leisurely stroll across the road.  We slow enough not to hit them, I assume that we’ve not killed the three of you, and we roll on.

Later down the road we hear the request on the radio that there are cars that need to pass and to let them know when is good.  Not sure if it was the first or second one we let by, but as soon as the car pulls out and starts to pass Eddie calls out “NO NO NO HOLD HIM OFF!!!”  At this point I dodn’t bother keying the mike, as I knew there was nothing to be done.  Luckily, the car Eddie saw approaching slowed to a stop and pulled of the road to let the passing car by.  Afterwards, the silence in the car was broken by the radio “Well that didn’t work so well!”

The  hours seem now to have zipped by.  When the three cyclist dropped to one, it was much easier on us, if not you.  We could concentrate fully on one bike, and things seemed much easier.  Those times when you were right up on the card were pretty cool, and at times, surreal.  I could see your face clearly in yellow when the hazards would flash... at times I thought you had a grimace of pain on your face, but the next flash of the lights would reveal that you were as cool as a cucumber and seemingly hitched up to us getting a ride..

Getting to Millen, we decide to go down 25 to hit the 4-lane road.  This eases my mind, as it will be less likely to send another approaching car into a ditch.  As we start to turn on 25 I see the ‘road closed’ sign.  I’m thinking “CRAP” but then remember that they’ve been working on this bridge forever, and that they’ve finally routed traffic to the new side as they work on the old.  So after the bridge we open up to 2 lanes on our side and the cars can pass safely.

Time to call THE MAN in Statesboro.  My contact tells me his officer is waiting near the bypass.  I was thinking he was going to pick us up much sooner, but I’ll not argue.  He also recommends routing us onto the bypass, which he thought was safer.  I thought it was longer (1.5mi).  He was very accommodating and let us cut right though town.  We transition just short of the bypass at William James Middle School.  Cpl. Williams meets us here.  He seems unimpressed with our sojourn until he learns that you started at Lake Lanier and have not stopped since 8:40am.  He perks up and jumps on board the Brick Train.  Eddie and I join the running fun and head on down the road.  This was my favorite part, mainly because we couldn’t really talk with you while you were on the bike.  Running early AM while everyone else is sleeping has always been enjoyable.  Never thought it would be so with a cop chasing me.

Keith joins in, Brett cranks some Joan Jett at the perfect moment when things seemed to lag a bit.  Several trips up to the mini van for water/gatorade and to check on Sheri.  We pass the south end of the bypas and up a small hill.  Shortly after this we slow it to a walk and look for a transition spot.  A light ahead on the right looks promising.  We direct Sheri to the location and pull in.  A bike shop.  Perfect.  IV hooked up, and we’re hydrating.  Another good idea from Eddie - see if Cpl. Williams can score another IV bag, just in case.  He flys down the road to the hospital.  He returns with a blanket, plus.  Statesboro blues is playing on the radio.  You look like crap.  To be expected, at this point.

I was relieved to see you back on the bike, because you looked nothing like what you did while you were laying down getting your IV.  Strong.  We also took tail position, which was a lot less stressful.  Cpl. Williams drops us at 46 where we turn east.  I’m thinking we are home free.  Sun will be coming up soon, and as long as we can get close before it gets hot, we got this thing.  A few yawns start popping up in the car, so we hook up the iPod and start pumping some tunes.  Couple of cold coffees are poured.  Sky is starting to lighten up ever so slightly.  Chris is swervering back and forth.  Wait... don’t run off the road.  We stop.  Pee.  I think Eddie and I do as well, for urinal support.

Turn onto 80.  Man we’re so close I can smell it.  We stop at Sheri’s parent’s to pick up Evan.  After this point, you seem as strong as any point that we had seen you.  I guess family has that effect.  We enter pt3 of the bricks route - The Home Stretch

Coordination with Pooler PD got a little crazy when my phone mic went out and Ofc.. Jason Parrish and I were left screaming ‘Can you hear me?’  Once I used Eddie’s phone, we got hooked up with the squad cars just in time for a gas break and to let Eddie use it use it.  I spoke w/ Ofc Parrish, who told me he thought he was meeting a harley, not a bicycle.  Big difference there, Ossifer.

Rolling with Pooler and Garden City PD was cool.  Felt like we were some real somebodies.  Familiar sights were good.  Still strong on the bike.  Cut-though in Garden City to Old Louisville road was seamless, and fairly traffic free.  No escort meant stopping at traffic lights, but this gave us time to communicate w/ you to see that you were still strong.  Last stop before Savannah for a ‘penny-beer-night’ stop let me know you had your sense of humor back (if not a sense of decorum  - Sheri was the very model of a proud spouse at this point).  Big pelaton coming from opposite direction at MLK.  I found this amusing for some strange reason.  Here is a group of, I don’t know, 50 riders?  Seeming very self-important.  Facing off with one rider, a truck and a minivan.  Just rolling by, don’t mind us.  I’m sure they had a big ride planned that day.

Back in the lead, the minivan was.  Hole.  Bump.  Hole.  Stop.  Repeat.  Zig at East Broad, zag at President Street.  Yes, they smoothed out the train tracks, didn’t they?  Islands Expressway toll bridge.  Wilmington River bridge.  Hey look.... there’s John Steiner.  Bull River bridge.  All my worries about this small point were for naught.  Tybee road.  Despite a 20-car backup, nobody passes until the passing lane.  Cool, and I’m still not sure it happened.  Lazareto Creek bridge.  Tybee Island.  Tybee PD ahead.  Several times the lead copper seems to slow to a crawl, which means you almost have to pass us.  A long night, but now the end is flashing by.  Speed limit sign with radar tells me we’re going 20mph, which is confirmed by gps.  Still doing 20+ on the flats after 24 hours - would not have thought it possible.  Big turn on Butler Ave - there are the palm trees and the Atlantic ocean.  Are we gonna be able to get left for the turn to the pier????  Lets veer left and find out.  Yep, we’re in, and no screeching tires.  No bouncing bicycle.  Steiner peels off.  Tybrisia Avenue seemed much longer at the end of the Tybee half-mary.  The circle.  Then.... done.  Just like that.

What to make of it all?  It will take a while for the scale of this feat to sink in (not to mention the scales of your feet ;)   I think for now I’ll use this as a ‘teachable moment’ for the boys.  Don’t know if you’ve read any Shel Silverstein... I love his stuff.  Anyway, I think that on the page that has “Listen to the Mustn’ts” I’m going to inscribe: “Bricks4Hope - July 9&10, 2010”

Listen to the mustn'ts, child.
Listen to the don'ts.
Listen to the shouldn'ts,
the impossibles, the won'ts.
Listen to the never haves,
then listen close to me...

Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.

Way to knock it out the park, man.  Proud of ya.   Rick Tindol
 


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