Quincy To Crawfordville FL

A good ride and a day off in Crawfordville

     Today was the last ride before our last free day in Crawfordville, and then we have four more days before we set off for our Final Ride into St. Augustine in procession to our picnic. Judy S. today received a package of a teeshirt signed by about 50 of her friends and supporters which her husband put together saying: "Ride Today, Heal Tomorrow" which is a good message for us all since we're definitely getting aches and pains and feeling tired.
      My daughter and her husband and daughter sent me a little packet of dark chocolate chocolates which the Front Desk called to tell me about.. I opened them and they were already a leetle soft in the heat - so I shared them with the four riders standing in the lobby and yummyyummy. There was also an encouraging card which I shall take with me on Monday.
        Friday morning I set off for a lovely ride with 18 miles along a quiet road to Wakulla along a tree lined street, with green grass and wildflowers edging the quiet road which had a good shoulder to ride on so it was fun to ride. Pleasantly sunny and warm with a light breeze and I was wonderfully happy to be riding Ricardo, my True Friend Bicycle, for the 47 miles to Crawfordville. We were all riding along at a steady pace - though the front-speedies were still way ahead - so we met at the Sag Wagon stops and agreed it was lovely day to be out on a bicycle.
       I didn't take a lunch stop, but ate my PBJ sandwich at a quiet spot along the highway. Judy R and I were more or less in tandem - I passed her, she passed me, and we'd meet now and then to take a drink of water and a break. As we got nearer Crawfordville and Wakulla, the traffic increased so there was the whoosh of trucks and cars and vans going by, but there was a bike lane at the side so it wasn't too bad.
     A group took off about mile 34 for a trip to Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park which had a pool and walks and time for a break. I preferred to keep going once I started pedaling and not take a long break - because for me it's hard to get going again especially if it means adding another 10 miles. So I continued on, and finally turned on to Highway 319 which went on for a long time until I hit the left turn on to Highway 98 which led me past some hotels and open land to the impressive golf course and the three-storey  building of the Inn at Wildwood on Coastal Highway.
       It's set back from the road and is an older style resort with big rooms, a welcoming lobby, coffee available, and pleasant décor. Apparently it's about to be taken over by another company called Sandy Oaks, so the gift shop had been closed, and there was an air of expectation for change. I found my room on the third floor with a lovely view outside of the green golf course and old trees. For reasons known only to bathroom designers, the bathroom light was behind the door so in order to put it on, you had to open the heavy wooden door wide, go into the dark bathroom, feel on the wall behind the door and find the switch which turned on the noisy fan as well as the light. Every day a new discovery...I met Ann, who'd just arrived and we were both hungry so we went next door to the Bistro attached to the golf course, and I had an excellent chicken quesadilla and she had a sandwich. Then I went to get my stuff.
      I'd already I set my bike against the wall so I collected my case and backpack from the van. I found my swimsuit and went down to the pool behind the hotel, which has a pool house next to it. The water was cool but refreshing and the sun was hot and sunny and warm.  I went into the water and it felt wonderful to be swimming and in the pool and splashing and swimming and feeling refreshed. When I came out, I organized my chair partly in the shade, and read the book by Shirley McClaine about getting older which did not seem particularly perceptive or interesting except for who she was. A couple of other riders came out and got into the pool and sat in the sun and relaxed without wanting to pedal anywhere at all. It is lovely to find a pool - though no hot tub - and relax.
      During the afternoon, the other riders drifted in. At 6:30 p.m., we had our dinner out on the patio and swatted at the no-see-ums who are voracious and persistent, and so far they'd avoided me until tonight. The map meeting will be tomorrow, after our day off, for the ride on Monday morning. There was some talk about the last day, about what people had bought at the Walmart stop, and about bike cleaning. Manana manana for me.