Features Editor

Some unforgettable characters travel the blue highways of Pike County by unconventional means. Just how many, no ones knows.

Nobody keeps a count of how many foot, horse, wagon and bicycle "tourists" come through Pike County on their cross country pilgrimages. Most people don’t even see them because they are caught up in the rat-race on the busy byways.

Maybe we don’t see the sojourners, but they see us and, perhaps, as our very best.

On Saturday, while most local folks busy winding down from the week’s work and gearing up for a busy weekend, a group of 24 cyclists from about that many states were pedaling their way along the backroads of Pike County and basking in the beauty of Alabama.

"Alabama is a treasure," said Bill Lance, a 68-year-old marketing specialist from Mt. Prospect, Ill., "I had no idea it would be so beautiful with its forests, gentle sloping hillsides and wonderful little towns with old South charm. Why do you people keep it such a secret?"

No only has Lance been amazed at the beauty of South Alabama, he marveled at the condition of the "blue highways."

"We started our cycling tour in California and Alabama has the best roads of the seven states we have traveled through," Lance said. "We haven’t gotten to Georgia yet, but I’ll bet their roads don’t compare to Alabama’s. This state does things right."

After cycling more than 2,000 miles no road should have been riding comfortably, so Lance’s compliments to Alabama were high praise.

When Lance came through Brundidge, he was pedaling strong, knowing he was only five days away from fulfilling a longtime dream.

On May 5, he and the other Wandering Wheels cyclists, will complete a 40 day, coast-to-coast cycling tour that will covering 2,600 miles.

The Tour started in San Diego March 31 and will end in Brunswick, Ga. Wednesday.

"Wandering Wheels conducts cycling tour all over the world," Lance said. Each year, they sponsor two, U.S. tours – a southern tour in the spring and a northern one in the summer."

Since the day Lance got serious about cycling, he has been asking himself, "Can I go across country?"

"I think that is the dream of most of those who take up the sport," he said. "It has been my dream for a long time. I’ve done tours of one to three weeks and I thought I was up to this."

What makes the Wandering Wheels tour group even more interesting is that all of the cyclists are between the ages of 40 and 74. Most of them are 60somethings.

"We ride between 70 and 80 miles a day, but we’re all experienced riders, so that’s no problem," Lance said. "The whole tour is quite an experience. We get to see the country and challenge ourselves and our abilities at the same time."

Wandering Wheels takes some of the worry and bother out of the tour for the cyclists.

"They have a large truck that carries our duffel bags, sleeping bags and tents," Lance said. "They also have a bicycle mechanic along to take care of any problems we might encounter.

The chuck wagon comes along with us and the cooks prepare 10 meals a week for us. The rest of the time we are responsible for our own meals, but that’s no big deal and we get to experience the local dining spots and meet the people."

Wandering Wheels also has a "sag wagon" that travels up and down the route while the cyclists are on the road.

"That’s in the event we have an accident or some other problem," Lance said. "We have had two rather serious accidents on the tour, but neither involved a car. Both, happed when the cyclists got up too much speed going down a hill and lost control. One lady broke her arm and a 78-year-old man broke a pelvic bone. Other than some bumps and bruises, that’s the extent of accidents on this tour."

Lance said when the tour started, the cyclists were all strangers.

"The last couple of weeks, we have become a family," he said. "The friendships we have made will last our lifetimes. Some would say, and count me among them, that this tour has been a religious experience. Knowing that we have met the challenge and fulfilled a dream together as friends and having experienced the beauty of our country – when it all comes together – it is a religious experience."