Paddlin' and Pedalin' Sunday

9/1/2013

Sunday morning began as more than 90 paddlers climbed in kayaks and canoes and paddled into the mist on Lake Waccamaw. They headed east for a clockwise circumnavigation of the lake. Very few dropped out and most completed the 14-mile course.

The afternoon brought the "fun" event of the weekend, as hundreds of cyclists filled the lawn of the N.C. Boys and Girls Homes across from Dale's Restaurant.

They rode five miles to the state park visitors center first, turned around and headed for the other side of the lake. This second leg, at 10.5 miles was the longest, and when they turned around at the dam, they had just a little more than five mile to return back to Dale's.

More photos on Whiteville.com in the Latest Photos section

2013 Paddle Challenge times

2013 Bike & Hike times

1 Comment

Mark Gilchrist link

9/12/2013 01:31:56 am

Brad Heath of Dunn, N.C. sent this in -- Thanks, Brad!:

BIKE RIDES AND HOLIDAYS
Happy Rosh Hashanah! Normally, I would never be able to tell you when Rosh Hashanah is celebrated, but my wife has a knack for keeping up with the lesser renowned holidays in a way that makes you feel down right inquisitive about what they mean.
Today is the ancient Jewish New Year and is traditionally considered to be the day that Adam and Eve were formed. Curiously enough the next Jewish holiday, Yom Kippur, arrives in just nine days and is known as the Day of Atonement.
I can’t help but wonder if that is about how long the first couple made it in the Garden of Eden until they ate the apple, got kicked out, and needed divine help. Before you think me being sacrilegious, go and live a full nine days without needing atonement for something and then get back to me.
Under the heading of more recognizable holidays, my twelve year old and I participated in a twenty one mile bike ride this past weekend as part of the Labor Day celebration at Lake Waccamaw. The other events in the three day “Take the Lake” challenge include a 15 mile walk/run, a 14 mile kayak around the lake and a 4 mile swim.
My daughter had recently purchased a new bike with money that she had saved and this was her first major ride on it. I was just excited to attempt the event beside her and was doing my best not to make a race of it against the other five hundred or so participants.
As we got started I set what I considered to be a mild, but steady pace navigating us safely through other participants as the heavy traffic thinned out the farther we went. Every few minutes I would check on her to make sure that she was still with me and then we rode virtually side by side along the lake side stretch of highway.
The Spanish moss, the breeze off the lake, an occasional curious alligator watching us as we watched him and an afternoon ride with my girl, what could be better? Nothing could sabotage this as long as I didn’t let my natural competitive drive push her too hard.
Once we got about five miles in I realized that she was quite tired and needed water. No problem, we aren’t racing….are we?
Then at about mile seven she said, “Dad I can’t keep this pace and I have to have water. My chest is rattling.” We stopped and took our time as I remembered that she had been fighting off a summer cold and was dehydrated.
I told her the rest of the race, I mean ride, would be ridden at the speed she chose and I let her take the lead. I never brought up the senior citizens and occasional turtles that began to pass us, but I was wondering if I didn’t need to push her a little more.
She never once considered quitting and when we approached the last mile I let my fatherly instincts encourage her to finish strong. I gave her a pep talk as we approached the finish line and she trudged across at a time that seemed way too long.
I found myself doubting what I should expect of her and maybe even her physical conditioning. Then came the next day when her uncle, local businessman Joey Tart, realized in moving her bike that the rear wheel would not spin.
The young woman had ridden the whole twenty one miles in the summer heat with her brake pressed solidly against the tire. I no longer have any doubts about her whatsoever.
Her dad on the other hand; he is looking forward to the Day of Atonement.

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Paddlin' and Pedalin' Sunday

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