Page 28 - Fall 2021

Before his biking trek, Barry was a youth pastor at Prince Avenue Baptist Church. And before he rode for 4,000 miles, biking purely served the purpose of exercise and peace. “To me, it’s kind of like therapy,” Barry said. “It was almost like a worship service...and I could pray and think.”
The tedious part is the lodging and food, Barry noted, which his wife, Margaret, so graciously managed.
“She worked a whole lot harder than I did,” he said with a chuckle. “I just got on my bike and pedaled.”
Riding through snow, sleet, rain and a lot of wind made them realize that their distance would fluctuate each day.
Barry tells people that if you want to train for a cross-country trail, “Take your bike to the West Coast, and start riding. By two weeks in, you’re going to be in pretty decent shape.”
While cycling 4,000 miles across the country, 78-year-old Barry Shettel collected license plates.
PAGE 26 | OCONEE THE MAGAZINE | FALL 2021