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.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Friday, April 26, 2013
Beautiful countryside and Chattahoochee too
Sunshine, green fields, spring flowers and a great ride
Today I bicycled from Marianna to Quincy FL, a total of 54 miles with lunch at the end in Quincy in a Subway store run by black people and frequented by both black and white people, which is a rare occurrence in Boulder CO but quite normal in the Florida Panhandle.
I was drinking some water from my waterbottle after getting to the top of a steep hill when a young black man, about 20 I'd say, stopped beside me on his mountain bike and asked me what I was doing. So I told him I was bicycling across the country - not sure he believed me! - and pointed back to the other riders at the bottom of the hill. He pointed to my odometer and asked me what it was. I said it showed how many miles I'd ridden and he should get one for his bike. He nodded. He was wearing a T-Shirt that said "Vote for Lawson" so I asked if Lawson was a Democrat and he said yes, and pointed out that it said "for the Democrats" underneath. He said he rode his bike around all day - "That's what I do." I said that was why he was in such good shape. He nodded and rode off. Bicycles make friends of us all. The Reddoch Road neighborhood which I was riding through had mostly black people sitting outside in the yard or talking together, or bicycling, or driving cars. This is Florida not Colorado, with its palm trees, green grass and spring green leaves opening on the tall Spanish moss-hung trees.
We went through Sneads, a small town, and then went over a big curving bridge that replaced the bridge that stopped halfway across the river, which I thought was the Chattahoochee but apparently was not though it was in the town of Chattahoochee - great name - and it was called the Victory Bridge. This correction comes courtesy of Dolly who actually rides back doing extra miles to check her facts - I love it.
At the next Sag stop, I had to change my watch and move it forward an hour because we are now on Eastern Daylight Savings Time and two hours ahead of Colorado, and three hours ahead of Portland, Oregon, the two places I keep in touch with regularly.
It was a perfect sunny blue sky 70 degree day with a light wind to keep me cool and rolling hills and dales along roads edged with fields and gardens and houses and trees casting shadows over the roads which were mostly smooth and wonderful to ride. There was very little traffic though I accidently video taped my stop on the bridge and there is the sight and sounds of two huge trucks going by, which I am so used to now I hardly noticed them. I don't know how to transfer them to Facebook or my blog but I'll try later.
I rode through the quiet town of Gretna, which had preserved a rambling old building with two steep staircases up the front to the second floor, with a sign announcing: "First Gretna School House." I could just imagine the rows of boys on the left and girls on the right going up and down the stairs each day as they went to their classrooms. There were some other older buildings and newer houses and the town had an interesting feeling of history preserved and not forgotten.
As I came into Quincy, I remembered I had to eat lunch because the Holiday Inn Express was way outside the shopping area. I saw some bikes outside the Subway and decided to eat there, and not join the Burger King group who wanted icecream. I had a great sandwich and cookie with Linda S. and Ann, and we gossiped about the way things were going and what we were going to do next with our riding and what we liked to eat. We talk about food A Lot because we are hungry because we are doing so much exercise. Then we rode together into Quincy, with Linda S. in front, me in the middle and Ann bringing up the rear, which was a big honor for me because these are two of the Hotshot Wild Wolves Zippedeedoodah Speedy Gonzales Riders, and I could keep up with them for the 2.5 miles to the hotel. Wow! I loved it as we swung across the highway to take the left turn on to Spooner Road and into the Holiday Inn Express.
The Inn provides nice rooms, an excellent pool where I swam and sunbathed, fresh baked chocolate chip cookies every now and then and constant hot coffee. We had a great Linda dinner picnic outside of pasta, salmon and salad in the parking lot, got our Cue Sheets for tomorrow, and are now ready for another day of riding to Crawfordville, where we'll have a day off.
Schedule: Saturday & Sunday in Crawfordville, Monday to Perry, Tuesday to High Springs, Wednesday to Palatka. On Thursday we have our procession with a police escort into St. Augustine for the Final Picnic at a park at 11 a.m. AND in the evening we have our Final Banquet.
Friday: Our bikes go to Jacksonville FL to be shipped home, and it's all over. Amazing to realize that and to think of going home, after such an extraordinary adventure to celebrate my 75th birthday year.
Today I bicycled from Marianna to Quincy FL, a total of 54 miles with lunch at the end in Quincy in a Subway store run by black people and frequented by both black and white people, which is a rare occurrence in Boulder CO but quite normal in the Florida Panhandle.
I was drinking some water from my waterbottle after getting to the top of a steep hill when a young black man, about 20 I'd say, stopped beside me on his mountain bike and asked me what I was doing. So I told him I was bicycling across the country - not sure he believed me! - and pointed back to the other riders at the bottom of the hill. He pointed to my odometer and asked me what it was. I said it showed how many miles I'd ridden and he should get one for his bike. He nodded. He was wearing a T-Shirt that said "Vote for Lawson" so I asked if Lawson was a Democrat and he said yes, and pointed out that it said "for the Democrats" underneath. He said he rode his bike around all day - "That's what I do." I said that was why he was in such good shape. He nodded and rode off. Bicycles make friends of us all. The Reddoch Road neighborhood which I was riding through had mostly black people sitting outside in the yard or talking together, or bicycling, or driving cars. This is Florida not Colorado, with its palm trees, green grass and spring green leaves opening on the tall Spanish moss-hung trees.
We went through Sneads, a small town, and then went over a big curving bridge that replaced the bridge that stopped halfway across the river, which I thought was the Chattahoochee but apparently was not though it was in the town of Chattahoochee - great name - and it was called the Victory Bridge. This correction comes courtesy of Dolly who actually rides back doing extra miles to check her facts - I love it.
At the next Sag stop, I had to change my watch and move it forward an hour because we are now on Eastern Daylight Savings Time and two hours ahead of Colorado, and three hours ahead of Portland, Oregon, the two places I keep in touch with regularly.
It was a perfect sunny blue sky 70 degree day with a light wind to keep me cool and rolling hills and dales along roads edged with fields and gardens and houses and trees casting shadows over the roads which were mostly smooth and wonderful to ride. There was very little traffic though I accidently video taped my stop on the bridge and there is the sight and sounds of two huge trucks going by, which I am so used to now I hardly noticed them. I don't know how to transfer them to Facebook or my blog but I'll try later.
I rode through the quiet town of Gretna, which had preserved a rambling old building with two steep staircases up the front to the second floor, with a sign announcing: "First Gretna School House." I could just imagine the rows of boys on the left and girls on the right going up and down the stairs each day as they went to their classrooms. There were some other older buildings and newer houses and the town had an interesting feeling of history preserved and not forgotten.
As I came into Quincy, I remembered I had to eat lunch because the Holiday Inn Express was way outside the shopping area. I saw some bikes outside the Subway and decided to eat there, and not join the Burger King group who wanted icecream. I had a great sandwich and cookie with Linda S. and Ann, and we gossiped about the way things were going and what we were going to do next with our riding and what we liked to eat. We talk about food A Lot because we are hungry because we are doing so much exercise. Then we rode together into Quincy, with Linda S. in front, me in the middle and Ann bringing up the rear, which was a big honor for me because these are two of the Hotshot Wild Wolves Zippedeedoodah Speedy Gonzales Riders, and I could keep up with them for the 2.5 miles to the hotel. Wow! I loved it as we swung across the highway to take the left turn on to Spooner Road and into the Holiday Inn Express.
The Inn provides nice rooms, an excellent pool where I swam and sunbathed, fresh baked chocolate chip cookies every now and then and constant hot coffee. We had a great Linda dinner picnic outside of pasta, salmon and salad in the parking lot, got our Cue Sheets for tomorrow, and are now ready for another day of riding to Crawfordville, where we'll have a day off.
Schedule: Saturday & Sunday in Crawfordville, Monday to Perry, Tuesday to High Springs, Wednesday to Palatka. On Thursday we have our procession with a police escort into St. Augustine for the Final Picnic at a park at 11 a.m. AND in the evening we have our Final Banquet.
Friday: Our bikes go to Jacksonville FL to be shipped home, and it's all over. Amazing to realize that and to think of going home, after such an extraordinary adventure to celebrate my 75th birthday year.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Next week at this time....
Just keep it calm and quiet from now on....
The trouble with the tour winding down is that I don't really want anything too dramatic to happen because I want to make sure I get to the end safely as do all the other riders. So I'm looking for a Really Boring Week to make sure all goes well, which won't make for a really interesting blog.
Today we are in Mariana FL, a nice little town in the middle of nowhere, and tomorrow we ride 54 miles on to Quince, another place on the way across the middle of Central Florida. Today was a long 94 miles ride along Route 90 east which I decided was way too much for me after two 65 mile riding days. I felt really tired in the morning so I opted for a Day of Rest, and sat in the van with three of the other riders, speeding along the road. We stopped at Winn Dixie, where Carol and Linda shopped for the last week so we had lunch at the Subway opposite. Then we drove on to the Days Inn in Mariana which has a pool, but no hot tub, and I found my room and decided to go for a swim and read in the sun - it's about 80 degrees though the pool water is still cool.
Before that, Judy and Pat and I had icecream at the closest place, the PoFolks Café next door where I had a peach cobbler with vanilla icecream and pink lemonade. Then we checked out the Super WalMart which is amazingly full of stuff that is so cheap it's almost sinful not to buy it. I got some Bandaids, and a chocolate bar, and that was about it.
When I came back, I put on the Dauphin Island swimsuit and went for a swim - cool and refreshing but so nice to be in the water. The pool chairs invited me to sit in the sun reading the autobiography of Rosanne, Johnny Cash's daughter, which is a great story of a complicated life of singing and song-writing as the daughter of someone famous. About 3 the others started coming in after their long ride. The only excitement was a baby goat getting caught in a fence so one rider went and rescued it and the mother goat and baby goat bleated in excitement. And two riders who stopped for lunch along the way had their meal paid for by an older couple who admired them. Such are the joys of cross-country biking.
I felt as if I'd been on vacation for a day, which was delightful, and was quite ready for dinner with everyone else. Tomorrow's ride is only 54 miles - as I can now say quite calmly- so I plan to ride out with everyone at 8 a.m. tomorrow morning..
The trouble with the tour winding down is that I don't really want anything too dramatic to happen because I want to make sure I get to the end safely as do all the other riders. So I'm looking for a Really Boring Week to make sure all goes well, which won't make for a really interesting blog.
Today we are in Mariana FL, a nice little town in the middle of nowhere, and tomorrow we ride 54 miles on to Quince, another place on the way across the middle of Central Florida. Today was a long 94 miles ride along Route 90 east which I decided was way too much for me after two 65 mile riding days. I felt really tired in the morning so I opted for a Day of Rest, and sat in the van with three of the other riders, speeding along the road. We stopped at Winn Dixie, where Carol and Linda shopped for the last week so we had lunch at the Subway opposite. Then we drove on to the Days Inn in Mariana which has a pool, but no hot tub, and I found my room and decided to go for a swim and read in the sun - it's about 80 degrees though the pool water is still cool.
Before that, Judy and Pat and I had icecream at the closest place, the PoFolks Café next door where I had a peach cobbler with vanilla icecream and pink lemonade. Then we checked out the Super WalMart which is amazingly full of stuff that is so cheap it's almost sinful not to buy it. I got some Bandaids, and a chocolate bar, and that was about it.
When I came back, I put on the Dauphin Island swimsuit and went for a swim - cool and refreshing but so nice to be in the water. The pool chairs invited me to sit in the sun reading the autobiography of Rosanne, Johnny Cash's daughter, which is a great story of a complicated life of singing and song-writing as the daughter of someone famous. About 3 the others started coming in after their long ride. The only excitement was a baby goat getting caught in a fence so one rider went and rescued it and the mother goat and baby goat bleated in excitement. And two riders who stopped for lunch along the way had their meal paid for by an older couple who admired them. Such are the joys of cross-country biking.
I felt as if I'd been on vacation for a day, which was delightful, and was quite ready for dinner with everyone else. Tomorrow's ride is only 54 miles - as I can now say quite calmly- so I plan to ride out with everyone at 8 a.m. tomorrow morning..
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Eerie ride in the Florida Panhandle
Riding, pedaling and sweating to cover 65 miles
Two of the faster riders ended up way ahead of the rest of us on the ride and found themselves winding along deserted farm roads in the Florida Panhandle with rundown trailer homes, piles of garbage, and miles of trees and bushes and grass around them and even saw a town sign for the community of Bagdad in the middle of nowhere which gave them pause.
"It just felt eerie" one of them said discussing it afterwards, "as if I might just disappear and some one show up out of nowhere and kidnap me." The other added: "I didn't see anyone for miles and it looked like that movie "Deliverance" when I stopped and looked around."
These are the joys of riding on quiet roads instead of busy highways where the trucks zip by far too close and the traffic feels like the enemy.
For me, it began as a pleasant ride winding our way out of downtown Pensacola on side streets and quiet residential roads in neighborhoods with both black and white residents though the houses in the white areas were significantly larger than the ones in the black areas. Then we came to the farm roads. I was riding with Carla the Zingy Brazilian and we have developed a good pattern of taking the lead when we feel energetic, and following when we don't. The roads stretched for miles between the fields and the trees casting their shade on the road, between green grass and occasional barking dogs who like to chase bicycles, as if they were trained for it. My technique is to ring my bicycle bell constantly and shout "Go home! Bad dog! Bad dog!" assuming that most dogs know "Bad dog" is not a good thing to hear. It works most times, though one dog did try running after me which got me pedaling harder than I've done in a while. Nothing like adrenaline to get your speed up.
There were some bridges to cross that went up and down, and after a metal bridge there was a distinct hill, which we haven't seen in a while, and lots of rolling roads going down and up in a nice pattern so you could get up enough speed and momentum to coast the up part. Always fun to do. It was a cloudy warm day, and a light breeze instead of the demoralizing wind we had yesterday.
At one point we crossed a long bridge, and looking to the right, saw a huge lake spreading out in the distance and the waves rippling on the shore. This is not what we have seen before and it reminded me that Florida, even the Panhandle, is watery not mountainy. There are also palm trees and beautiful flowers in bloom and leaves on the all the trees, and it is so green.
At mile 27.5 we turned right at a bike shop called "Truly Spokin' " - great name - and found a real bike path, just like the ones in Boulder, which we rode for 6.5 miles. We met a woman walking a baby in a stroller, four people on recumbent bikes taking a nature tour, one man on a bike going the other way, and a woman walking a small dog. Otherwise we had the path to ourselves and I had a wave of nostalgia for the Boulder Bike Paths which I have been riding for several years and know so well, and decided I would be very happy to come back and ride them again without the traffic and the highways and the hills.
From there we turned on to Munson Highway which wound into the deserted roads alongside trees and grass and occasional houses - but often there was nothing to look for except the hard-to=see road signs. I follow the mileage on the Cue Sheet but sometimes it's a bit off so I've learned to be creative when looking for the turns and stops. There was not a lot to see, though it was peaceful and the occasional bird cheeped, and there were small black squirrels, much smaller than Colorado squirrels, that would dart across the road, consider committing hari-kari under our bike wheels, and then dart back as we swerved to avoid them. A few horses stood grazing here and there, and that was about it.
We passed through small towns with names like Pace and Milligan and Holt, which would be hard to find on any map, which had auto shops and pawn shops and second hand shops and gas stations and realtors and lawyers and not much more I could see pedaling past.
The 20-mile Sag Stops are always welcome when we check up on how we're doing and what is going on with the other riders. Carla and I decided to ride in the full 65 miles, and not stop for lunch, so we got back about 2:30 p.m., the first ones this time, while other people stopped at different restaurants for lunch and came in a bit later. I had my PBJ sandwiches and snacks and fruit and lots of water and that was fine for me.
This evening we had chicken curry and salad dinner. As it was raining, we sat outside under the shelter of the Hampton Inn in Crestview FL and a beautiful rainbow appeared on the dark storm clouds which was a good omen for tomorrow. It will be a 94-mile day and I shall do as much as I can but will see how hot and tired I get before we reach Marianna, FL about which I know as much as I know about Crestview.
On the map on the trailer door, the last Florida stops have been circled and there is a sense of everything coming to an end. We go to Marianna, Quincy, Crawfordville for two days, Perry, High Spring, Palatka, and St. Augustine on May 2nd, and then it's all over. It will be hard to adjust to a new rhythm because this one is very satisfying. I get up early, have breakfast, get my luggage out and into the trailer, check my bike tires, make sure my bike is ready, make snacks for the trip, and then ride out on to the highway for a day of adventure. Then it's simply pedaling and riding and taking care on the bike until finally I come to a new town and a new hotel and a new bedroom with the light switches in different places and a new bed and dinner and a map meeting to talk about the next day's ride, and then to bed. And that's it..
It is physically tiring and my brain is definitely turning to mush. But it is an amazingly simple way of life where someone else takes care of the food, and the schedule, and the hotels, and the vans, and the support systems that in my own life, I have to provide. We joked that when we get to St. Augustine, we will simply stay at the hotel for ever and let Linda cook dinner every night so that we don't have to cook for ourselves ever again.
Two of the faster riders ended up way ahead of the rest of us on the ride and found themselves winding along deserted farm roads in the Florida Panhandle with rundown trailer homes, piles of garbage, and miles of trees and bushes and grass around them and even saw a town sign for the community of Bagdad in the middle of nowhere which gave them pause.
"It just felt eerie" one of them said discussing it afterwards, "as if I might just disappear and some one show up out of nowhere and kidnap me." The other added: "I didn't see anyone for miles and it looked like that movie "Deliverance" when I stopped and looked around."
These are the joys of riding on quiet roads instead of busy highways where the trucks zip by far too close and the traffic feels like the enemy.
For me, it began as a pleasant ride winding our way out of downtown Pensacola on side streets and quiet residential roads in neighborhoods with both black and white residents though the houses in the white areas were significantly larger than the ones in the black areas. Then we came to the farm roads. I was riding with Carla the Zingy Brazilian and we have developed a good pattern of taking the lead when we feel energetic, and following when we don't. The roads stretched for miles between the fields and the trees casting their shade on the road, between green grass and occasional barking dogs who like to chase bicycles, as if they were trained for it. My technique is to ring my bicycle bell constantly and shout "Go home! Bad dog! Bad dog!" assuming that most dogs know "Bad dog" is not a good thing to hear. It works most times, though one dog did try running after me which got me pedaling harder than I've done in a while. Nothing like adrenaline to get your speed up.
There were some bridges to cross that went up and down, and after a metal bridge there was a distinct hill, which we haven't seen in a while, and lots of rolling roads going down and up in a nice pattern so you could get up enough speed and momentum to coast the up part. Always fun to do. It was a cloudy warm day, and a light breeze instead of the demoralizing wind we had yesterday.
At one point we crossed a long bridge, and looking to the right, saw a huge lake spreading out in the distance and the waves rippling on the shore. This is not what we have seen before and it reminded me that Florida, even the Panhandle, is watery not mountainy. There are also palm trees and beautiful flowers in bloom and leaves on the all the trees, and it is so green.
At mile 27.5 we turned right at a bike shop called "Truly Spokin' " - great name - and found a real bike path, just like the ones in Boulder, which we rode for 6.5 miles. We met a woman walking a baby in a stroller, four people on recumbent bikes taking a nature tour, one man on a bike going the other way, and a woman walking a small dog. Otherwise we had the path to ourselves and I had a wave of nostalgia for the Boulder Bike Paths which I have been riding for several years and know so well, and decided I would be very happy to come back and ride them again without the traffic and the highways and the hills.
From there we turned on to Munson Highway which wound into the deserted roads alongside trees and grass and occasional houses - but often there was nothing to look for except the hard-to=see road signs. I follow the mileage on the Cue Sheet but sometimes it's a bit off so I've learned to be creative when looking for the turns and stops. There was not a lot to see, though it was peaceful and the occasional bird cheeped, and there were small black squirrels, much smaller than Colorado squirrels, that would dart across the road, consider committing hari-kari under our bike wheels, and then dart back as we swerved to avoid them. A few horses stood grazing here and there, and that was about it.
We passed through small towns with names like Pace and Milligan and Holt, which would be hard to find on any map, which had auto shops and pawn shops and second hand shops and gas stations and realtors and lawyers and not much more I could see pedaling past.
The 20-mile Sag Stops are always welcome when we check up on how we're doing and what is going on with the other riders. Carla and I decided to ride in the full 65 miles, and not stop for lunch, so we got back about 2:30 p.m., the first ones this time, while other people stopped at different restaurants for lunch and came in a bit later. I had my PBJ sandwiches and snacks and fruit and lots of water and that was fine for me.
This evening we had chicken curry and salad dinner. As it was raining, we sat outside under the shelter of the Hampton Inn in Crestview FL and a beautiful rainbow appeared on the dark storm clouds which was a good omen for tomorrow. It will be a 94-mile day and I shall do as much as I can but will see how hot and tired I get before we reach Marianna, FL about which I know as much as I know about Crestview.
On the map on the trailer door, the last Florida stops have been circled and there is a sense of everything coming to an end. We go to Marianna, Quincy, Crawfordville for two days, Perry, High Spring, Palatka, and St. Augustine on May 2nd, and then it's all over. It will be hard to adjust to a new rhythm because this one is very satisfying. I get up early, have breakfast, get my luggage out and into the trailer, check my bike tires, make sure my bike is ready, make snacks for the trip, and then ride out on to the highway for a day of adventure. Then it's simply pedaling and riding and taking care on the bike until finally I come to a new town and a new hotel and a new bedroom with the light switches in different places and a new bed and dinner and a map meeting to talk about the next day's ride, and then to bed. And that's it..
It is physically tiring and my brain is definitely turning to mush. But it is an amazingly simple way of life where someone else takes care of the food, and the schedule, and the hotels, and the vans, and the support systems that in my own life, I have to provide. We joked that when we get to St. Augustine, we will simply stay at the hotel for ever and let Linda cook dinner every night so that we don't have to cook for ourselves ever again.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
A ferry ride, a windy day, and Florida!
April 23, 2013 Leaving Dauphin Island and arriving in Florida
Today was warm and a bit breezy. My back wheel has been losing air, so today Carol The Guide looked at it, and May discovered a leak in the seam, and so Carol expertly replaced my inner tube so I could ride out of the condo complex and the 2.5 miles down to the ferry station joining the 27 of us with our bicycles and our helmets and our gear. The ferry takes 45 minutes to chug across the bay to Fort Morgan AL, where we found Route 180 and rode for 20 miles. It should have been a delightful ride along a quiet country road near the ocean with glimpses of waves and sea. Instead a vicious east wind erupted, blowing in our faces and at our bodies, and we all struggled to keep pedaling steadily and to cover the mileage without getting exhausted. It was tough pedaling and my speed sank to about 8 mph as the wind tugged at my body to stop it moving forward.
At the first Sag stop, we were all tired but we pedaled on, eager to cross the Florida Bridge and leave Alabama for the last state on this cross country trip. When I reached the bridge, I pedaled hard and panted my way over the huge curve and came down by Perdido Keys State Park, where I had another six miles to pedal. There was no sign so I wasn't sure this was really Florida. Finally I saw the group of four riders who keep just ahead of me by a modest sign saying "Welcome to Perdido Florida" and we all took the iconic photos. Later on there was another sign - but I missed it as I was keeping my head down to battle the wind. When I stopped at one point to eat my sandwich and have some water, a local came by and said "Taking a break?" and I said "Yes, and please cancel this wind." She smiled and said: "We all hate it but it's here today." Which was true.
I went over a bayou bridge, another big curve over a water way, and turned right to find the second Sag stop, thinking I might call it day. But I had ridden 41 miles, and there were only another 19 to go. So Carla and I rode together for the last section, and the wind dropped a bit, and the roads were good, and there wasn't too much traffic.
Carla came from Brazil to ride across America, a dream of hers for years since she is a good cyclist in Rio. She arrived , pedaled, has served as a Sag Driver too, and is stronger riding every day. Today she confessed she cried as she came over the bridge to Florida: "This is the last state and then this tour will end," she said sadly, "and I don't want it to finish."
I feel a sense of surprise that we have actually made it to Florida, and that there are only about eight days of riding left before we arrive in St. Augustine for our procession, the picnic with friends and our final dinner. And then it's over. How could it have happened so quickly?
Today we are at Sole Inn and Suites, a fancy redone old hotel which now has snazzy black toilets and black basins in the bathroom, and a jazzy black and white décor in the rooms, and wooden slat shutters on the windows. There seem to be a lot of men staying here who watched bemused as we set out our circle of plastic chairs, enjoyed jambalaya and salad for our outside picnic, plus cake for dessert, and then had a map meeting for tomorrow.
On the way in, we knew there was a bike shop right next door to the hotel and several riders went in to meet the helpful staff. I bought two more inner tubes and a couple of bolts to give to Judy who'd given me hers. Then we got our rooms and were settling in. I really wanted some coffee and the owner said there was a shop about three blocks down the road. So May, Linda and I wandered down into the shopping street with bars and restaurants and found a fabulous bakery that made excellent coffee. They each had a Napoleon which I helped finish up, and I bought a strawberry chocolate ball, which turned out to have cake in it. I had an iced latte, which was delicious, and Linda got her espresso in a Real Cup, and we sat at one of the tables in the sunshine pouring in the window and enjoyed the experience. I do wish we had time to explore more or that we stayed in town, like this, s we could wander around for an hour or so.
When we strolled back, we found that the hotel had set up a Happy Hour with wine and snacks for us which was very nice. Then at 6 p.m. we had our traditional Margaritas for crossing a state line - our last state line - and dinner outside.
Tomorrow we leave around 7:45 a.am. for another good day of riding - with less wind I hope. The daughter of a friend of mine lives in town and she called me but said she had just finished work so we couldn't meet. We had a nice talk. She is the daughter of Jean Alexander, one of my good friends in Boulder who will be coming out next month for her grand-daughter's high school graduation. Her daughters also lived in Boulder for a time but she said she'd had enough of snow. I understand the feeling and think a winter somewhere warmer would be the ideal.
I also did the booking to send my bike back from Jacksonville FL to University Bicycles in Boulder CO which is all done online through ShipBikes.com and all our bikes will be taken to Jacksonville FL after the tour ends to a bike shop who will pack them up. I hope it works out OK.
Today was warm and a bit breezy. My back wheel has been losing air, so today Carol The Guide looked at it, and May discovered a leak in the seam, and so Carol expertly replaced my inner tube so I could ride out of the condo complex and the 2.5 miles down to the ferry station joining the 27 of us with our bicycles and our helmets and our gear. The ferry takes 45 minutes to chug across the bay to Fort Morgan AL, where we found Route 180 and rode for 20 miles. It should have been a delightful ride along a quiet country road near the ocean with glimpses of waves and sea. Instead a vicious east wind erupted, blowing in our faces and at our bodies, and we all struggled to keep pedaling steadily and to cover the mileage without getting exhausted. It was tough pedaling and my speed sank to about 8 mph as the wind tugged at my body to stop it moving forward.
At the first Sag stop, we were all tired but we pedaled on, eager to cross the Florida Bridge and leave Alabama for the last state on this cross country trip. When I reached the bridge, I pedaled hard and panted my way over the huge curve and came down by Perdido Keys State Park, where I had another six miles to pedal. There was no sign so I wasn't sure this was really Florida. Finally I saw the group of four riders who keep just ahead of me by a modest sign saying "Welcome to Perdido Florida" and we all took the iconic photos. Later on there was another sign - but I missed it as I was keeping my head down to battle the wind. When I stopped at one point to eat my sandwich and have some water, a local came by and said "Taking a break?" and I said "Yes, and please cancel this wind." She smiled and said: "We all hate it but it's here today." Which was true.
I went over a bayou bridge, another big curve over a water way, and turned right to find the second Sag stop, thinking I might call it day. But I had ridden 41 miles, and there were only another 19 to go. So Carla and I rode together for the last section, and the wind dropped a bit, and the roads were good, and there wasn't too much traffic.
Carla came from Brazil to ride across America, a dream of hers for years since she is a good cyclist in Rio. She arrived , pedaled, has served as a Sag Driver too, and is stronger riding every day. Today she confessed she cried as she came over the bridge to Florida: "This is the last state and then this tour will end," she said sadly, "and I don't want it to finish."
I feel a sense of surprise that we have actually made it to Florida, and that there are only about eight days of riding left before we arrive in St. Augustine for our procession, the picnic with friends and our final dinner. And then it's over. How could it have happened so quickly?
Today we are at Sole Inn and Suites, a fancy redone old hotel which now has snazzy black toilets and black basins in the bathroom, and a jazzy black and white décor in the rooms, and wooden slat shutters on the windows. There seem to be a lot of men staying here who watched bemused as we set out our circle of plastic chairs, enjoyed jambalaya and salad for our outside picnic, plus cake for dessert, and then had a map meeting for tomorrow.
On the way in, we knew there was a bike shop right next door to the hotel and several riders went in to meet the helpful staff. I bought two more inner tubes and a couple of bolts to give to Judy who'd given me hers. Then we got our rooms and were settling in. I really wanted some coffee and the owner said there was a shop about three blocks down the road. So May, Linda and I wandered down into the shopping street with bars and restaurants and found a fabulous bakery that made excellent coffee. They each had a Napoleon which I helped finish up, and I bought a strawberry chocolate ball, which turned out to have cake in it. I had an iced latte, which was delicious, and Linda got her espresso in a Real Cup, and we sat at one of the tables in the sunshine pouring in the window and enjoyed the experience. I do wish we had time to explore more or that we stayed in town, like this, s we could wander around for an hour or so.
When we strolled back, we found that the hotel had set up a Happy Hour with wine and snacks for us which was very nice. Then at 6 p.m. we had our traditional Margaritas for crossing a state line - our last state line - and dinner outside.
Tomorrow we leave around 7:45 a.am. for another good day of riding - with less wind I hope. The daughter of a friend of mine lives in town and she called me but said she had just finished work so we couldn't meet. We had a nice talk. She is the daughter of Jean Alexander, one of my good friends in Boulder who will be coming out next month for her grand-daughter's high school graduation. Her daughters also lived in Boulder for a time but she said she'd had enough of snow. I understand the feeling and think a winter somewhere warmer would be the ideal.
I also did the booking to send my bike back from Jacksonville FL to University Bicycles in Boulder CO which is all done online through ShipBikes.com and all our bikes will be taken to Jacksonville FL after the tour ends to a bike shop who will pack them up. I hope it works out OK.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Day Off at the Beach on Dauphin Island, Alabama
April 22, 2013 enjoying the sun without a bike
Today I woke up in my bedroom with the floor to ceiling window overlooking the ocean, where some gas or oil rigs are sticking up in the distance and the only other things to see are the sand and the sky. The schedule for today: clean the bike, walk the beach, find food, and relax. Sounded good. I'm sharing the condo with three Bicycle Babes and we all did whatever we felt like.
I had leftovers for breakfast - some garlic bread from dinner last night, an orange from the snack pack and some apricots, and some coffee made in the apartment using the microwave. I ate it sitting on the deck and looking at the view. Then I took Ricardo the Bike down for his weekly cleaning, which was not too complicated. I realized he'd lost a bike screw on the rack. While I wondered about that, Judy R. magically produced a spare bolt AND the correct tool to screw it in with - and now my bike rack for the bag is in perfect shape. Tomorrow we're near a bike store and I will buy her a new one to replace it.
Then I went for a lovely long walk along the deserted beach on the soft white sands. The water curves round and comes to a peninsula with lots of birds. I saw two giant big blue herons standing on their spindly legs with their striped faces watching the water intently for any passing fish. There were lots of white-headed and black-winged gulls standing around, flying, watching, standing. And there were seagulls flying in the air, swooping over the water. As I walked along, a young woman was walking along behind and when she caught up, I said "Hello - do you live here?" She said: "Yes, I work for the Coastal Service and someone reported seeing a dead loggerhead turtle that had washed up on the shore so I'm checking but I haven't found it yet."
She told me that the turtles lay their eggs on the beach in May but last year's big storms destroyed all the nests so they hope that turtles will come back this year. She waded through the water to get to the far side of the inlet and looked along the shore. I paddled through to the other side and walked almost to the end. The water was definitely cold - nice on the feet but chilly on the legs.
The waves rippled on to the smooth sand. Birds flew in the air or stood on the sand. A big blue heron eyed me suspiciously as I went by and then flapped its enormous wings and settled in the water away from me. Two others left the water as I approached, and flew low over the sand to the dunes and scrub.
For lunch, Judy and I went over the road to the Bienville Bar and Café and I had an excellent chicken and cheese Panini. Then I wandered into the three stores along the road. There was a surf store but not a lot I wanted to take back to Colorado. In the souvenirs and art store, I bought some postcards. Then I went into Marita's dress store, and started to look at fun summer clothes. So I ended up buying the first swimsuit I tried on which fit persfectlyy, and a teeshirt with no message at all. Imagine that.
I came back to the condo opposite, put on the swimsuit, and went down to the pool and swam - briefly - in the somewhat cold water of the pool (the ocean was even colder) for a few lengths. Then I sat in the sun and read the beginning of the biography of Roseanne Cash, which was a fascinating story of a life as the daughter of someone famous trying to find her own voice and her own path.
There was a group outing to a restaurant but Our Peaceful Condo decided we'd rather get some food and eat here without all the hassle of being part of a big crowd in the restaurant. So we went back to the Bienville Bar and I got an excellent chicken salad and some chips and salsa, and each of us had something we took back and ate at the big table. A couple of other people came in to join us - and it was relaxing, friendly and fun.
.Around 8 p.m. we read the condo owner's list of things we have to do to clear this place up tomorrow. I'm in charge of getting the towels in the washing machine and turning it on. Breakfast is in Linda and Carol's apartment at 6:45 .a.m., snacks at 7:15 and then we leave to ride to the ferry at 7:30 a.m. for the 8 a.m. ferry and on to Pensacola, Florida. Only 68 miles I think - piece of cake.
Today I woke up in my bedroom with the floor to ceiling window overlooking the ocean, where some gas or oil rigs are sticking up in the distance and the only other things to see are the sand and the sky. The schedule for today: clean the bike, walk the beach, find food, and relax. Sounded good. I'm sharing the condo with three Bicycle Babes and we all did whatever we felt like.
I had leftovers for breakfast - some garlic bread from dinner last night, an orange from the snack pack and some apricots, and some coffee made in the apartment using the microwave. I ate it sitting on the deck and looking at the view. Then I took Ricardo the Bike down for his weekly cleaning, which was not too complicated. I realized he'd lost a bike screw on the rack. While I wondered about that, Judy R. magically produced a spare bolt AND the correct tool to screw it in with - and now my bike rack for the bag is in perfect shape. Tomorrow we're near a bike store and I will buy her a new one to replace it.
Then I went for a lovely long walk along the deserted beach on the soft white sands. The water curves round and comes to a peninsula with lots of birds. I saw two giant big blue herons standing on their spindly legs with their striped faces watching the water intently for any passing fish. There were lots of white-headed and black-winged gulls standing around, flying, watching, standing. And there were seagulls flying in the air, swooping over the water. As I walked along, a young woman was walking along behind and when she caught up, I said "Hello - do you live here?" She said: "Yes, I work for the Coastal Service and someone reported seeing a dead loggerhead turtle that had washed up on the shore so I'm checking but I haven't found it yet."
She told me that the turtles lay their eggs on the beach in May but last year's big storms destroyed all the nests so they hope that turtles will come back this year. She waded through the water to get to the far side of the inlet and looked along the shore. I paddled through to the other side and walked almost to the end. The water was definitely cold - nice on the feet but chilly on the legs.
The waves rippled on to the smooth sand. Birds flew in the air or stood on the sand. A big blue heron eyed me suspiciously as I went by and then flapped its enormous wings and settled in the water away from me. Two others left the water as I approached, and flew low over the sand to the dunes and scrub.
For lunch, Judy and I went over the road to the Bienville Bar and Café and I had an excellent chicken and cheese Panini. Then I wandered into the three stores along the road. There was a surf store but not a lot I wanted to take back to Colorado. In the souvenirs and art store, I bought some postcards. Then I went into Marita's dress store, and started to look at fun summer clothes. So I ended up buying the first swimsuit I tried on which fit persfectlyy, and a teeshirt with no message at all. Imagine that.
I came back to the condo opposite, put on the swimsuit, and went down to the pool and swam - briefly - in the somewhat cold water of the pool (the ocean was even colder) for a few lengths. Then I sat in the sun and read the beginning of the biography of Roseanne Cash, which was a fascinating story of a life as the daughter of someone famous trying to find her own voice and her own path.
There was a group outing to a restaurant but Our Peaceful Condo decided we'd rather get some food and eat here without all the hassle of being part of a big crowd in the restaurant. So we went back to the Bienville Bar and I got an excellent chicken salad and some chips and salsa, and each of us had something we took back and ate at the big table. A couple of other people came in to join us - and it was relaxing, friendly and fun.
.Around 8 p.m. we read the condo owner's list of things we have to do to clear this place up tomorrow. I'm in charge of getting the towels in the washing machine and turning it on. Breakfast is in Linda and Carol's apartment at 6:45 .a.m., snacks at 7:15 and then we leave to ride to the ferry at 7:30 a.m. for the 8 a.m. ferry and on to Pensacola, Florida. Only 68 miles I think - piece of cake.
An evening at the beach
Bicycling, exploring and eating
Today began in Wiggins cold enough at 50 degrees for four layers - all I have - plus long tights to keep my knees warm as we set off along highways and byways to Moss Point, just north of Pascagoula. I was anxious to get back by 4 p.m. because my son and his wife were coming to visit for the weekend and I wanted to be showered and relaxed when they arrived.
The ride was fun - some hills and ups and downs, some barking dogs, some decisions about turns - but altogether a lovely ride along quiet roads with trees and squished armadillos and a few trucks and some beautiful vistas of farms and cows and horses and foals. One of the barking dogs was a beagle who ran out eagerly barking. I assured the others that beagles do not attack because it's not in their nature - and this one ran around barking and then went back to the trailer park where it lived.
It was a lot of cycling for one day - and as the day wore on, and it got warmer, we were all shedding layers of clothing to deal with the sunshine. We stopped for about half an hour at a gas station and had a meal of fried chicken, smoked chicken legs, mashed potatoes, vegetables or salad, and some Blue Bell Icecream afterwards. When we reached the 60 mile Sag at 2:30 p.m. I said I'd like a ride because I wanted to be back in time. This worked out fine and I had a shower and dressed in time to meet David and Lisa about 4 p.m.who drove over from the Hampton Inn opposite, and I introduced them to Carol and Dolly, a couple of other people.
We decided to go to Shaggys, an authentic fish restaurant right on the beach at Biloxi Beach, which meant driving across the bridges again. We drove along the beautiful Biloxi waterfront with rambling old Victorian mansions, charming ante-bellum style houses, and the Visitor Center which seemed to be holding a wedding, and other lovely places to live. Shaggys is a happening lively fish restaurant and we got a table on the deck outside so we could look at the peaceful ocean and the miles of white sand beach. While we were waiting we took off our shoes and walked on the beach but decided the ocean looked a funny color so didn't go in. I had a glass of Chardonnay - in fact two - and David and Lisa had a beer. Then we ordered fish - David had oysters, I had shrimp on eggplant and we had a plate of mixed fried fish which were all delicious. And key lime pie for dessert.
It was warm, sunny, wonderful and the first beach I've seen since I started bicycling along the Southern Route. When I read about the trip I thought there'd be lots of beaches, but instead this is my first but not, I hope, the last.
Inspired by the good food, I bought the tie-dyed Shaggy's teeshirt and will try to get a goo photo of it soon. We ride tomorrow a mere 40 miles to Dauhpin Island, where we're staying two nights for a day off by the beach in a luxury condo complex. How hard can that be????
Today began in Wiggins cold enough at 50 degrees for four layers - all I have - plus long tights to keep my knees warm as we set off along highways and byways to Moss Point, just north of Pascagoula. I was anxious to get back by 4 p.m. because my son and his wife were coming to visit for the weekend and I wanted to be showered and relaxed when they arrived.
The ride was fun - some hills and ups and downs, some barking dogs, some decisions about turns - but altogether a lovely ride along quiet roads with trees and squished armadillos and a few trucks and some beautiful vistas of farms and cows and horses and foals. One of the barking dogs was a beagle who ran out eagerly barking. I assured the others that beagles do not attack because it's not in their nature - and this one ran around barking and then went back to the trailer park where it lived.
It was a lot of cycling for one day - and as the day wore on, and it got warmer, we were all shedding layers of clothing to deal with the sunshine. We stopped for about half an hour at a gas station and had a meal of fried chicken, smoked chicken legs, mashed potatoes, vegetables or salad, and some Blue Bell Icecream afterwards. When we reached the 60 mile Sag at 2:30 p.m. I said I'd like a ride because I wanted to be back in time. This worked out fine and I had a shower and dressed in time to meet David and Lisa about 4 p.m.who drove over from the Hampton Inn opposite, and I introduced them to Carol and Dolly, a couple of other people.
We decided to go to Shaggys, an authentic fish restaurant right on the beach at Biloxi Beach, which meant driving across the bridges again. We drove along the beautiful Biloxi waterfront with rambling old Victorian mansions, charming ante-bellum style houses, and the Visitor Center which seemed to be holding a wedding, and other lovely places to live. Shaggys is a happening lively fish restaurant and we got a table on the deck outside so we could look at the peaceful ocean and the miles of white sand beach. While we were waiting we took off our shoes and walked on the beach but decided the ocean looked a funny color so didn't go in. I had a glass of Chardonnay - in fact two - and David and Lisa had a beer. Then we ordered fish - David had oysters, I had shrimp on eggplant and we had a plate of mixed fried fish which were all delicious. And key lime pie for dessert.
It was warm, sunny, wonderful and the first beach I've seen since I started bicycling along the Southern Route. When I read about the trip I thought there'd be lots of beaches, but instead this is my first but not, I hope, the last.
Inspired by the good food, I bought the tie-dyed Shaggy's teeshirt and will try to get a goo photo of it soon. We ride tomorrow a mere 40 miles to Dauhpin Island, where we're staying two nights for a day off by the beach in a luxury condo complex. How hard can that be????
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