What I Learned On Soldier Ride Nashville 2010

• Chewing tobacco will draw out bee venom…and there is no shortage of chewing tobacco among gentlemen soldiers
• If you hold in your sneeze you’ll blow your brains out
• A whole lot of whoopass can fit in a tiny package
• You can find a great unplanned made-to-order breakfast for 50 at a general store in Lieper, Tennessee
• The women of Fly sure can bake pie!
• A 7-year-old fiddler from Franklin can out-fiddle most fiddlers
• A simple gesture of gratitude can bring tears to a soldier’s eyes
• If you want to be truly inspired, spend time on a Soldier Ride.

Hal, Dane and I had the privilege of supporting Soldier Ride Nashville. This year’s ride took us to Fort Campbell and to the area in and around Franklin Tennessee. Some of the best biking I’ve ever done is on the rolling hills in rural Franklin. It didn’t hurt that this year the skies were bluebird perfect and the temperatures warm, giving me one last opportunity to ride in shorts and short sleeves.

Our first day of riding was in Fort Campbell. We left our hotel in Franklin at the ungodly hour of 5:30 (note from Dane: Those of us driving the trucks left at 4:30) for the drive into Kentucky. The perfect riding conditions made the early hours well worth it. Unfortunately, during the last half of the day’s ride I had an unfriendly encounter with a honeybee. I removed the stinger and decided to tough it out for the last 6 miles of the ride but a mile later the swelling was getting a little out of hand. I asked if there was Benedryl in the support van. Someone said that chewing tobacco worked better. When I looked up from my sting, three soldiers were standing there holding out their tins. I looked at them hesitantly and said, “Someone’s going to have to chew that for me.” One soldier had a pre-pack so no DNA needed to be exchanged. I held the packet on the welt of the sting and, within a minute, the swelling went down. Amazing to us Northerners but something probably every southern farmer knows. Hal and I now joke that we’ll have to make a can of snuff a part of our cycling kit. Our ride ended with a breakfast spread of Einstein bagels, fresh fruit and hot coffee.

Two of the rides most memorable people for me were two tiny women soldiers. Both no more than 5’ tall, they had the spirit and tenacity of even the most burly of men. I swear Barbara channeled my Grandma, who was 4’10” of pure whoopass. Jessica put up with a lot of good natured teasing, took it and could dish it out with the best of them. During the registered ride, Jessica was asked to pose with a public rider who was well over 6’8” of massive bulk. Their contrast brought a comment of “Beauty and the Beast” from John from Soldier Ride. We all stood there quiet for a few second when the large man offered that he was the beast. I said, “John, I wasn’t going to say anything because either way could have gone VERY wrong.”

On the morning of our second day of riding, breakfast plans were changed unexpectedly and we were treated to a wonderful, made-to-order breakfast at a picturesque general store in Leiper’s Fork. Puckett’s Grocery and Restaurant couldn’t have been more accommodating as they served up fresh eggs, biscuits and gravy, sausage and bacon to our group of about 50. Fully fortified, we had another perfect day of perfect riding along rural Franklin’s beautiful rolling hills again under bluebird skies. At the end of the ride we were treated to lunch at the community center in Fly. While the main course was good, the desserts were heavenly, all made from scratch by the women of Fly. A tempting apple and raisin pie broke my 8 month moratorium on sugar and it was well worth it. Only lard could make a pie crust that flaky and light. And we won’t even mention the homemade banana pudding that followed. Oh, and can I say that spontaneous Karaoke isn’t always pretty. Just putting it out there.

Saturday’s ride was an invitational ride to raise money for Soldier Ride. We were joined by about 500 local riders from the Nashville area. Once again traveling over the rolling hills we also rode through some subdivisions where the residents’ display of patriotism brings a smile to our faces. At our water stop we were treated to the talents of a 7-year-old fiddler who could probably out-fiddle just about anyone. His fingers and bow flew as he played southern favorites with heart to a group of truly appreciative soldiers. At age 7, with only 2 years of fiddling under his belt, I can only imagine where his talent will take him.

Our Saturday morning ride took us past ball fields where baseball and football teams from grade school through high school age played their weekend games. This typical suburbia scene was elevated when all the teams stopped mid-game, lined up and stood at attention with their caps over their hearts as the soldiers passed. That one scene personified Soldier Ride Nashville 2010. Many a tough soldier had tears in their eyes that evening as they explained what that simple gesture of gratitude meant to them.

With each Soldier Ride, I ride away a better person after spending time with these inspiring men and women. While Barbara and Jessica stand out to me because they are strong women, all of the soldiers deserve credit. From Nathan who amazed me with detailed history of Texas to Daniel who kept us in stitches with his perfect Larry The Cable Guy and to every soldier in between, I thank you for the sacrifices you have made for me. You are all very special people and I am blessed to have had the privilege of spending 5 perfect days with you.