Today the team awoke in Union, MO at 5:15 AM to ride 50 miles into St. Louis. The arrival was unique in that we “staged up” 20 miles away. We then rode in double pace lines with a police escort into the city and arrived at Forrest Park to a sponsored lunch provided by the Foerstal’s.
After enjoying some sub sandwiches along with fruit and deserts, the team concluded the ride by cycling the final 5 miles on to Union Station. From 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM the guys enjoyed free time by relaxing by the hotel pool, resting in rooms, and enjoying the city.
Once 5:00 PM rolled around, the team loaded up in vans and drove to St. Charles to indulge in an all you can eat buffet provided by the Foerstal’s. Reviews from team members were highly favorable. “My favorite part was the fried ravioli. We have that down in Alabama.” Said Crew Chief Nick Barton, “I was so full I didn’t think I could eat desert.”
Luckily, most of the team fought through the mindset of being too full and went to world famous Ted Drewes to have some frozen custard provided by Public Relations chair Noah Hendel’s family. Many team members took the remainder of the evening to explore the city. It’s hard to believe that there are only 21 days until arrival in DC!
Author: David Hicks, Cyclist (Alpha Epsilon, University of Florida)