Today was what I call a Triple H day....Hills, Hot and Humid. The heat wave continues....even the locals are complaining it is hotter and more humid than normal!!!! Rode 98 miles today after entering Alabama early this morning. In Jasper Alabama tonight which is about 40 miles Northwest of Birmingham. Riding through the William Bankhead National Forest. The hills are part of Appalachian range which extends into Alabama. Some great scenery. To get a respite from the heat this afternoon I stopped under an overpass....shade, a breeze and almost feel asleep during the break. Today marks the 34 day of the ride and I have been averaging 76+ miles a day including the days that I have taken off in whole or partially. It has been an amazing journey. Again, the sights, sounds and smells of rural America at its best!!
I may take a short day tomorrow to spend some time in Birmingham.
One of the causes that the Sandpoint Rotary Club Youth Services programs supports is the Book Trust, a non-profit organization that provides a book a month to students in grades 1-3 in the Lake Pend Oreille School District. Students choose their monthly books and get to keep them as their own. COVID-19 has changed the way we live and is changing the way our children learn. Research has shown that students need to be proficient in reading by the end of grade 3 to continue a successful learning path. Interruption in the school year has created multiple challenges along this path, compounded by the closure of many libraries putting access to critically needed books at risk. The Book Trust puts books in the hands of students every month regardless if schools or libraries are closed. This is critically important now as recent studies have shown that less than 50% of elementary school students, sheltering at home, are actually participating in remote learning. Books are vitally needed. Please consider donating to my ride so we can help support the Book Trust and keep our children on the critical path to learning and a life of success.