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This is Page 1 of 5 of NC Cycle in Oriental
As many as a
thousand bicyclists rolled in to Oriental Saturday. as Cycle
Across Carolina ended its mountain to the coast run. The trip
had begun 470 miles earlier in Sparta on Sunday, October 3rd.
After several days of cycling in the flat lands of Eastern NC,
the cyclists faced one last hill before reaching Oriental: the
bridge over Smith Creek.
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While there were a thousand bicyclists, they arrived in
small groups throughout the day. Here they roll down the
bridge, about to turn down Hodges St.
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Hand made sign on the bridge...
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And a special sign to welcome home Pamlico County's four
participants
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A number
of the riders stopped at the top of the bridge, either to catch
their breath - or catch a view. One rider from Knightdale later
said that “after 60 miles of sawgrass and asphalt”
he was happy to have something like Oriental to take in.
They started
arriving around 11am and for more than four hours, cyclists
rolled down the bridge on to Broad and hung a quick right on
to Hodges. They were cheered on by local residents armed with
bells and horns and, accordions (which we’re betting they
had not heard in the previous 6 towns they visited).
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The welcoming team. The bicyclists all got cheers, a waving
NC flag...and an accordion (sometimes two) playing "King
Of The Road"
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The village welcoming team waits for their next victim.
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A bicyclist pumps his fist in the air after recieving
the fine Oriental welcome.....470 miles completed.
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