Saturday, May 30, 2009
Check this out.....
Check out this New York Times article on "Cycling through history..." on the Underground Railroad Bicycle Route.
Mike's Bike Tour: By The Numbers
20 Days into Mike's Underground Railroad Bike Tour!
Crossings of the Tombigbee River: 5
Crossings of the Ohio River: 5
Number of times Mike got lost: 2
Number of days Mike rode in the rain: 5
Bike repairs: 3
Number of states so far: 6
(Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio)
Churches who provided Mike lodging: 8
Church leaders who hosted him in their home: 2
Church buildings he slept in: 1
Churches who paid for his hotel: 4
Unoccupied buildings Mike slept in: 4
Acquaintances who hosted him in their home: 4
Number of times Mike paid for his night's lodgings: 1
Number of times Mike camped out: 0
Number of nights Mike spent at home: 1
To learn more details about Mike's goal to raise money for diversity scholarships at Lipscomb University, go to biketour.lipscomb.edu.
Crossings of the Tombigbee River: 5
Crossings of the Ohio River: 5
Number of times Mike got lost: 2
Number of days Mike rode in the rain: 5
Bike repairs: 3
Number of states so far: 6
(Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio)
Churches who provided Mike lodging: 8
Church leaders who hosted him in their home: 2
Church buildings he slept in: 1
Churches who paid for his hotel: 4
Unoccupied buildings Mike slept in: 4
Acquaintances who hosted him in their home: 4
Number of times Mike paid for his night's lodgings: 1
Number of times Mike camped out: 0
Number of nights Mike spent at home: 1
To learn more details about Mike's goal to raise money for diversity scholarships at Lipscomb University, go to biketour.lipscomb.edu.
Traveling Underground in Ohio
Friday, May 29
Miles Traveled: 61
Average Speed: 11.6 mph
Elevation Gain: 3,800 feet
Maximum Speed: 38 mph
Cumulative Miles: 1,188
Miles To Go: 882
Mike had his most exciting day of the trip on Friday as he came to one of the most active stations in the Underground Railroad. Not only did he finally have beautiful weather in Kentucky, but he crossed the Ohio River, the landmark that brought escaped slaves into the free North.
"Free at last!" Mike crossed the Ohio River on Friday.
Just as the escaped slaves did, Mike traveled on to Ripley, Ohio, where he stopped to tour various historic sites related to the Underground Railroad. He stayed the night with Sonja Cropper, the tourism director for Brown County, Ohio, and a member of the Adventure Cycling Association's advisory board for the Underground Railroad Bicycle Route. She gave him a personal tour of some of the sites in Ripley.
While Ohio was in the free North, slave catchers were still authorized by law to catch escaped slaves and return them for rewards of $50 to $100. As Ohio was just past the border, it was a convenient place to catch escaped slaves, so the network of friends on the Underground Railroad still had to operate in secrecy. Cropper showed Mike the riverside Rankin House, a large house owned by John Rankin, one of the leading "conductors" of the Underground Railroad, that escaped slaves could recognize because it had three front doors. The Rankin family was large and everyone was involved in shuttling the escaped slaves from safe house to safe house in Brown County in the middle of the night.
Here is a description of Ripley and the Rankin House from the Brown County Tourism Department's Website:
Mike also toured the Parker House in Ripley. Here's more from the tourism department Website.
Mike also visited a church in Ripley, and guess who was buried in the cemetary? Aunt Jemima!
Miles Traveled: 61
Average Speed: 11.6 mph
Elevation Gain: 3,800 feet
Maximum Speed: 38 mph
Cumulative Miles: 1,188
Miles To Go: 882
Mike had his most exciting day of the trip on Friday as he came to one of the most active stations in the Underground Railroad. Not only did he finally have beautiful weather in Kentucky, but he crossed the Ohio River, the landmark that brought escaped slaves into the free North.
"Free at last!" Mike crossed the Ohio River on Friday.
Just as the escaped slaves did, Mike traveled on to Ripley, Ohio, where he stopped to tour various historic sites related to the Underground Railroad. He stayed the night with Sonja Cropper, the tourism director for Brown County, Ohio, and a member of the Adventure Cycling Association's advisory board for the Underground Railroad Bicycle Route. She gave him a personal tour of some of the sites in Ripley.
While Ohio was in the free North, slave catchers were still authorized by law to catch escaped slaves and return them for rewards of $50 to $100. As Ohio was just past the border, it was a convenient place to catch escaped slaves, so the network of friends on the Underground Railroad still had to operate in secrecy. Cropper showed Mike the riverside Rankin House, a large house owned by John Rankin, one of the leading "conductors" of the Underground Railroad, that escaped slaves could recognize because it had three front doors. The Rankin family was large and everyone was involved in shuttling the escaped slaves from safe house to safe house in Brown County in the middle of the night.
Here is a description of Ripley and the Rankin House from the Brown County Tourism Department's Website:
"The village of Ripley was an important stop on the Underground Railroad. Situated on the banks of the Ohio River, a dividing line between slavery and freedom, this borderland community had some of the most active stations in Ohio. The geography helped shape its role; creek beds threw off tracking dogs, and hills and valleys provided excellent hiding places and escape routes.
"It as in this setting that Rev. John Rankin crossed the Ohio River on December 31, 1821, to begin his new life in a free state. An active abolitionist and Methodist minister, Rankin and his entire family became well known by both freedom seekers and slave holders alike for their role in the Underground Railroad. The Rankin House, located on Liberty Hill, overlooks the Ohio River and the town of Ripley and is one of the most recognized sites on the Underground Railroad. Rankin said, 'My house has been the door of freedom to many human beings but while there was a hazard of life and property, there was much happiness in giving safety to the trembling fugitives.'"
Mike also toured the Parker House in Ripley. Here's more from the tourism department Website.
The Parker House, owned by John Parker, advanced his status from former slave to successful patented inventor and businessman in Ripley before the Civil War. He is credited with assisting hundreds of slaves as they made their way north to freedom. According to Parker’s recorded journals, the real warfare against slavery in the borderlands along the Ohio River was waged around the few houses at the top of the riverbank on Front Street in Ripley.
Mike also visited a church in Ripley, and guess who was buried in the cemetary? Aunt Jemima!
Friday, May 29, 2009
Carrollton to Falmouth, KY
Thursday, May 28
Miles Traveled: 62
Average Speed: 12.4 mph
Elevation Gain: 2,800 feet
Maximum Speed: 38 mph
Cumulative Miles: 1,127
Miles To Go: 943
Poor Mike had more rain on Thursday. He says it's rained so much he's just gotten used to it, even though he still hates starting the morning all wet and chilly.
He traveled to Falmouth, Ky., where he stayed with Deane Tennant, who read about Mike's trip on the Internet and offered to provide lodging. Turns out, Tennant is an alumni of Lipscomb University, Mike's employer and the beneficiary of his fund-raising campaign. He was on campus earlier this month for graduation when the Class of 1959 was honored at a Golden Circle reception and announcement during the commencement ceremony. Tennant earned an education degree and Lipscomb and has had a successful career as a superintendent of schools in Kentucky and Ohio.
Don't forget, if you would like to donate to Mike's Underground Railroad Bike Tour Diversity Scholarship Fund at Lipscomb University, click here.
Here are more of the sites along Mike's Underground Railroad Bike Tour.
Miles Traveled: 62
Average Speed: 12.4 mph
Elevation Gain: 2,800 feet
Maximum Speed: 38 mph
Cumulative Miles: 1,127
Miles To Go: 943
Poor Mike had more rain on Thursday. He says it's rained so much he's just gotten used to it, even though he still hates starting the morning all wet and chilly.
He traveled to Falmouth, Ky., where he stayed with Deane Tennant, who read about Mike's trip on the Internet and offered to provide lodging. Turns out, Tennant is an alumni of Lipscomb University, Mike's employer and the beneficiary of his fund-raising campaign. He was on campus earlier this month for graduation when the Class of 1959 was honored at a Golden Circle reception and announcement during the commencement ceremony. Tennant earned an education degree and Lipscomb and has had a successful career as a superintendent of schools in Kentucky and Ohio.
Don't forget, if you would like to donate to Mike's Underground Railroad Bike Tour Diversity Scholarship Fund at Lipscomb University, click here.
Here are more of the sites along Mike's Underground Railroad Bike Tour.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Jeffersonville to Carrollton, KY
Wednesday, May 27
Miles Traveled: 75
Average Speed: 12.2 mph
Elevation Gain: 2,800 feet
Maximum Speed: 32 mph
Cumulative Miles: 1,065
Miles To Go: 1,005
Finished 34 of the 68 maps
Today Mike hit the Eastern time zone. He arrived in Madison at 3 p.m., later than he expected as he was delayed by a rain shower (see video). While in Madison he saw the remain of the courthouse that had recently burned. The city had just finished refurbishing the courthouse when it suffered from an electrical fire. While Mike was there they were taking off the tower.
In order to leave Madison, Mike had to cross the Ohio River. However, the bridge was narrow with a sign saying “Caution, narrow bridge, no shoulder." This was unnerving to everyone as cars either had to go around Mike or follow behind him while he was crossing the bridge back to Kentucky.
Mike arrived in Carrollton, KY, about 5 p.m. (but really 6 p.m. now that he's in Eastern time). He found the Carrollton Christian Church and decided to see if he could find a place to stay. The people there were very receptive and were tickled to have him. Worship started 15 minutes after his arrival. Ron Lacefield, an elder at the church took him in for the night, took him out to eat, showed him around the town. He slept in Lacefield's guest bedroom. Mike enjoyed getting to visit with him.
During the church service Mike was inspired by a video he saw there. The video was about nine guys, from that church and the Baptist church in town, who took the paraplegic sister of one of the group to the Grand Canyon. It was a 33 hour van trip out to the Grand Canyon, and they took her down to almost the bottom of the canyon. They spent 21 hours taking her down to the canyon and then back up. Mike, who has led many adventure outings for Lipscomb students, admired the adventurous spirit of the guys at that church. It was inspiring to him, that they would do something like that to bring joy to a teen-age girl.
Mike plans to spend the next few nights staying with people who learned of his trip through the Adventure Cycling Association and offered to house him on the trip.
He plans to take his first total rest day on this coming Sunday, and is hoping to finish the route a little early, on June 14.
If you are interested in making a donation to the Mike Smith Underground Railroad Diversity Scholarship Fund, go to biketour.lipscomb.edu and click on "Give Online."
Miles Traveled: 75
Average Speed: 12.2 mph
Elevation Gain: 2,800 feet
Maximum Speed: 32 mph
Cumulative Miles: 1,065
Miles To Go: 1,005
Finished 34 of the 68 maps
Today Mike hit the Eastern time zone. He arrived in Madison at 3 p.m., later than he expected as he was delayed by a rain shower (see video). While in Madison he saw the remain of the courthouse that had recently burned. The city had just finished refurbishing the courthouse when it suffered from an electrical fire. While Mike was there they were taking off the tower.
In order to leave Madison, Mike had to cross the Ohio River. However, the bridge was narrow with a sign saying “Caution, narrow bridge, no shoulder." This was unnerving to everyone as cars either had to go around Mike or follow behind him while he was crossing the bridge back to Kentucky.
Mike arrived in Carrollton, KY, about 5 p.m. (but really 6 p.m. now that he's in Eastern time). He found the Carrollton Christian Church and decided to see if he could find a place to stay. The people there were very receptive and were tickled to have him. Worship started 15 minutes after his arrival. Ron Lacefield, an elder at the church took him in for the night, took him out to eat, showed him around the town. He slept in Lacefield's guest bedroom. Mike enjoyed getting to visit with him.
During the church service Mike was inspired by a video he saw there. The video was about nine guys, from that church and the Baptist church in town, who took the paraplegic sister of one of the group to the Grand Canyon. It was a 33 hour van trip out to the Grand Canyon, and they took her down to almost the bottom of the canyon. They spent 21 hours taking her down to the canyon and then back up. Mike, who has led many adventure outings for Lipscomb students, admired the adventurous spirit of the guys at that church. It was inspiring to him, that they would do something like that to bring joy to a teen-age girl.
Mike plans to spend the next few nights staying with people who learned of his trip through the Adventure Cycling Association and offered to house him on the trip.
He plans to take his first total rest day on this coming Sunday, and is hoping to finish the route a little early, on June 14.
If you are interested in making a donation to the Mike Smith Underground Railroad Diversity Scholarship Fund, go to biketour.lipscomb.edu and click on "Give Online."
Mike's Already Half-Way!
Lipscomb students celebrate that Mike has reached the half-way mark on the Underground Railroad Bike Tour on Wednesday, May 27! Celebrate by making a donation to the Mike Smith Underground Railroad Bike Tour Diversity Scholarship Fund at biketour.lipscomb.edu.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Bradenburg, KY to Jeffersonville, IN
Tuesday, May 26
Miles Traveled: 48
Average Speed: 11.4 mph
Elevation Gain: 2,800 feet
Maximum Speed: 35 mph
Cumulative Miles: 990
Miles To Go: 1,080
Mike crosses the bridge from Indiana back into Louisville, Ky before heading back to Indiana.
You have got to love some fresh strawberries!
Mike biked to Jeffersonville, IN where he started looking for a place to stay. He went to one church and they could not help him out. Mike was about to get a hotel room, but decided to try the Meigs Avenue Church of Christ. He talked to Hayward Blanton an elder at the church. Hayward allowed Mike to sleep in the pastor's old, vacated house next to the church. In fact, Mike and his air mattress were the only things in the house that night.
While Mike was there, he got to know the pastor David Wright. He learned that David was one of nine siblings which all attended Falkner University. The most unique thing he learned about David was that he is blind. David showed Mike his books of the bible in braille which looked like Encyclopedias because of their size. They also discussed about the many of the changes in the Church of Christ. Mike says he appreciates hearing David's view on this.
Pastor David Wright says that he wears glasses because they protect his eyes.
If you are interested in donating to Mike Smith’s Underground Railroad Bike Tour Diversity Scholarships fund, please click here.
Miles Traveled: 48
Average Speed: 11.4 mph
Elevation Gain: 2,800 feet
Maximum Speed: 35 mph
Cumulative Miles: 990
Miles To Go: 1,080
Mike crosses the bridge from Indiana back into Louisville, Ky before heading back to Indiana.
You have got to love some fresh strawberries!
Mike biked to Jeffersonville, IN where he started looking for a place to stay. He went to one church and they could not help him out. Mike was about to get a hotel room, but decided to try the Meigs Avenue Church of Christ. He talked to Hayward Blanton an elder at the church. Hayward allowed Mike to sleep in the pastor's old, vacated house next to the church. In fact, Mike and his air mattress were the only things in the house that night.
While Mike was there, he got to know the pastor David Wright. He learned that David was one of nine siblings which all attended Falkner University. The most unique thing he learned about David was that he is blind. David showed Mike his books of the bible in braille which looked like Encyclopedias because of their size. They also discussed about the many of the changes in the Church of Christ. Mike says he appreciates hearing David's view on this.
Pastor David Wright says that he wears glasses because they protect his eyes.
If you are interested in donating to Mike Smith’s Underground Railroad Bike Tour Diversity Scholarships fund, please click here.
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