Todd Watts, UMCA Official, completing paperwork prior to start. Note Tennessee-Alabama concrete state marker across road just above the front window.

My son and I took six days this summer and cycled the full length of the Blue Ridge Parkway from south to north. It was my third time (the other two were with my oldest brother) and I wanted to do it one more time with my son.

Afterwards, I wanted to maintain the fitness but didn't have a specific goal in mind. By chance I happened to come across the UltraMarathon Cycling Association website and the state records. I have been blessed with two grandchildren already this year and another one is on the way in November. I thought it would be appropriate for a new grandfather to hold a cross-state record.

I have read on the UMCA website every rider's narrative summary of their cross-state record attempt and I couldn't help but picture myself attempting to do the same. Since I was raised in Tennessee, I thought what better state to hold a record.

Rodney Darby waiting for the official's okay to begin the Tennessee bicycle record attempt.

This was obviously a goal worth training for and I proceeded to read the rules and make application. The logistics seemed fairly easy and straightforward. Get an official, a crew, complete the paperwork in a timely manner, and then ride fast. It soon became evident that it was a bit more than first imagined but luckily everything came off as planned. As the saying goes, "If it were easy, anyone could do it."

On the morning of September 23 my official was awaking from jet lag after returning from Hawaii, my son had arrived at 1:45 a.m. after driving in from Birmingham, and my wife had been up all night fixing food for the ride and waiting for my son's arrival. I, on the other hand, had gotten nine hours of restful sleep and was ready to go.

I left the Tennessee-Alabama state line on Highway 231 at exactly 6:54 a.m. CDT. The weather forecast was for rain and thunderstorms throughout the day so I was prepared for the worse. Luckily, except for some rain around Murfreesboro, TN, the weather was perfect during the ride. Aside from some relatively flat stretches of road north of Shelbyville, TN, the route is rolling with a few steeper hills. My wife and I had driven the route the previous weekend and had counted 50 traffic lights, three four-way stop signs, and six turns.

A right hand turn onto Highway 231 and the clock begins.

My strategy was to ride hard from the start and try to hold on to the end (very creative, huh?). Well, it worked out just as my strategy allowed. I rode overly hard the first 90 miles and then suffered through leg cramps the last 30 miles (the hard part of the ride for me).

Consuming the right kinds of food and drinking sufficient amounts of liquid (in this case, pretzels, raisins, M&M's, Ensure, Gatorade, and water) while riding is not one of my strong points and I felt the results!

The best part of the ride was having my wife and son as my support crew because they knew how to motivate me. And, of course, the occasional encouragement provided by passing motorists and pedestrians. It's amazing how much energy you can derive from someone yelling "Good luck" out a car window. Aside from a flat tire and a bit of rain, the ride was uneventful. We were extremely lucky as torrential rains, thunder, and lightning came through the area only hours after my finish.

The Tennessee-Kentucky state line and the clock stops.

I arrived at the Tennessee-Kentucky state line on Highway 31/Highway 231 at exactly 1:30 p.m. CDT for a total crossing time of six hours and 36 minutes.

Acknowledgement
A cross-state record attempt cannot become a reality without the help of others. I want to thank Todd Watts, an avid cyclist himself, for acting as my UMCA Official for this record. Todd had previously served as the support crew for a cyclist who was qualifying for RAAM so he was well aware of the rules and how to properly enforce them. I also want to thank my son, Anthony, for all the support and encouragement he gave me throughout. A counselor by occupation and an experienced cyclist himself, Anthony knew when and how to motivate and support me. And, of course, I want to thank my wife, Cindy. Cindy intuitively understood how much this meant to me so she not only encouraged me but graciously agreed to drive the support vehicle. What a wife!

Official record: 121.5 miles in 6 hours minutes, average speed of 18.41 mph
Start: US Hwy 231 / 431 where it crosses the TN - AL state line
Finish: US Highway 231 where it crosses the TN - KY state line about six miles north of Westmoreland, TN.