THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, November 6, 1996 TAG: 9611060426
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JO-ANN CLEGG, Staff Writer
LENGTH: 87 lines
After more than seven weeks away from home, Jack Atkins arrived Tuesday at Norfolk International Airport tanned, tired and a tad sore.
``I called my wife the other night and told her to find the best plastic man in town because I was going to need him to remove the imprint of the seat from my butt,'' quipped the semi-retired Virginia Beach dentist.
Small wonder. For 48 days, across 3,500 miles of mountains, deserts, farmlands and the main streets of small Southern towns, Atkins was one of 50 cyclists pushing their way eastward from Disneyland in California to Walt Disney World in Florida in the 11th annual Southern Cross Bicycle Classic, sponsored by a Seattle-based cycling organization.
He was the only participant from Virginia and, at age 73, the oldest to have ever participated in the event. He was also, arguably, the one who had the most obstacles to overcome. Three years ago, he had bypass surgery to correct an aneurysm in his leg. Daily doses of medication, careful monitoring of his diet and regular exercise - most of it on his bicycle - are needed to keep his adult-onset diabetes under control.
He made the trip in support of Lee's Friends, a Norfolk-based program that offers support to terminally ill cancer patients and their families.
``My hope,'' Atkins wrote in a letter to his many friends before he left in September, ``is to increase awareness of this organization that is helping people live with cancer.'' That letter was a plea for prayers and support for his endeavors.
The journey itself was a letter of another kind, a sort of love note to Fay, his wife of 53 years and a volunteer with Lee's Friends for the past three.
``I'm doing this for her,'' he said before he left to join the other cyclists in Anaheim. ``She's my real hero. She's always been shy, but to take on something like this, working one-on-one with people who are going to die . . .'' he said, leaving the words hanging in mid-air.
During his nearly seven weeks on the road, Atkins called his wife each evening. When he arrived in Orlando on Saturday, she was on hand to meet him.
On Tuesday, they arrived home together. The bike, a 21-speed Cannonball SR500, will arrive later.
``We packed it up and shipped it from Florida,'' Atkins said. ``They told me it would take a couple of weeks to get here. I told them not to hurry,'' he added wryly, still mindful of 48 days of sitting and pedaling across America.
On the shortest day, he rode 44 miles, all of them uphill. The longest day's ride was 110 miles over flatlands.
``We rode 80 miles one day, all of it into the wind. That just beats you down mentally,'' Atkins said.
His two biggest surprises came in Texas. ``We spent 12 days, crossing it,'' Atkins said, admitting that he had never realized just how big the state was.
The second surprise was the kindness of the people who live there. Just outside a small town, a man driving a pickup pulled alongside the bikers and asked Atkins what they were doing. Atkins explained about the ride and why he was making it.
The man drove on a bit, pulled to the side, walked back and pulled a $10 bill from his pocket. ``Then he handed it to me to give to Lee's Friends,'' Atkins recalled.
Asked if he ever got discouraged, Atkins answered with yet another quip: ``I did one day. We passed a pawn shop, and I was ready to turn my bike in and fly home, but it was closed.''
Still, he's quick to say, the trip was worth it. And he gives praise where he feels the praise is due.
``A 73-year-old diabetic who had bypass surgery cannot ride across country without God being his strength and his refuge,'' Atkins said.
Lee's Friends Executive Director Emily Filer said the agency has received more than $1,200 in donations earmarked for the project, called ``Jack's Journey for Lee.''
``And those are just the ones from people who told us that they were donating because of Jack's ride,'' Filer said. ``I think the real total is probably closer to $1,500, and donations are still coming in.'' MEMO: Those wishing to contribute in honor of Atkins' bike trip should
send their contributions to Lee's Friends, 618 Stockley Gardens,
Norfolk, Va. 23507, with a note that it's for Jack's Journey for Lee.
ILLUSTRATION: Photo by CHARLIE MEADS/The Virginian-Pilot
Kristin Atkins, right, greets her grandfather, Jack Atkins, as he
arrives at Norfolk International Airport on Tuesday. Atkins, who
needs medication, regular exercise and a careful diet to control his
diabetes, made the trip as a tribute to his wife, who volunteers for
Lee's Friends. by CNB