Does bicycling use up one’s energy or infuse riders with it? Most cyclists will probably answer “Both!” These riders, just several of the more than 1,100 participating in the seven-day, 475-mile Mountains to the Coast ride, from Waynesville to Oak Island, are leaving a rest and fueling stop at Stearns Park, Columbus, on Sept. 28, the second day of the trek. They seem energized on a 72-mile day that took them from Hendersonville to Shelby, via Saluda and Columbus. According to organizers, the eldest rider is an 87-year-old man, with a nine-year-old boy being the youngest. This ride is fully supported, with a large truck carrying all possessions not required for actual riding. Some 200 of the riders made hotel arrangements along the way; about 200 more stayed in gymnasiums and similar indoor facilities, while over 600 camped outdoors. Riders on the trip are from 40 states, three Canadian provinces, Washington, D.C., the Virgin Islands. Eight North Carolina Highway Patrol officers will accompany the riders on the entire route, while others provided traffic control along the way. (Photo by Mark Schmerling)