Life On A B-I7

Day 40

Austin to Bastrop

Morning. Along the way I acquired eight 50ml (small) bottles of various Bourbons: Maker’s Mark, Woodford, and Pendleton. This morning packing to leave Austin I committed the ultimate sin, I combined them all into a single 16 oz flask. I will be reporting on the result in a future post. Please forgive me.

This will be the first day of solo riding. I’m carrying a bit more weight. A stove, two bottles of fuel, some cookware, misc food items (I’ll have to carry more food now day-in and day-out). To handle all the extra gear I had to buy a 40L duffel bag to strap onto the back of the bike. The additional weight is significant, but the good news is the mountains are now behind me. Of course I could turn around and head back to San Diego to see if I was up to the challenge of hauling all this over mountain terrain, but I think I will press on instead. I would like to weigh all of this to see exactly how much weight I am carrying.

I bought a cargo net so I could carry my palm leaf hat without it flopping around and acting like a drag chute. I resisted the temptation to buy a jersey at Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop. They have very cool clothing there, but I don’t need more clothes and I’m already at capacity when it comes to carrying things. They did an excellent job tuning up the Davidson. I had them replace the Brooks B17 with a Selle Royal M1. When I arrive at my campsite later today we’ll see if I am happy with the change. The Selle Royal is supposed to be the best “anatomical” saddle available. Everyone has their opinion. I know that a lot of long distance cyclists prefer it over the Brooks. This will be a good test for me, I have always ridden a Brooks. I don’t plan to change the name of the Blog from “Life on a B17” to “Life on a Selle M1” so you can keep on reading right here.

End of the day. Today was only 38 miles but I’m still tired. I need to get used to the extra weight as well as the bike’s handling. Every pound that you add changes the handling just a bit. Right now the bike feels very different than it did before I arrived in Austin.

Not much of interest to take pictures of today. Today was “get out of town day” which means navigating a lot of big city sprawl for the most part. When I did finally get into the country side it was not very picturesque. I’m staying in a KOA Campground and the lady that checked me in gave me a great discount. My main objective tonight is to fire up the new stove, cook dinner on it, and also cook breakfast on it in the morning. Liquid fuel stoves can be a little bit fussy. I’m planning to make tortilla spaghetti for dinner and French toast for breakfast. I already see that I am missing a skillet so I may have to alter my breakfast plan slightly.

The Selle will take some getting used to.

Miles: 38

Day 41

Bastrop to Carmine

Morning

A front moved in last night. The temperature has dropped dramatically and things are going to get interesting for me today. I’ll definitely be cycling with warmer clothes today. Today’s goal is 65 miles and there is some climbing involved today. I’m going to just have to see how it goes. I’m not committed to 65 miles, if I need to stop short, I will.

The Camp Host told me a storm was blowing in so I didn’t bother to set up my tent. I slept in the pavilion last night. It was a large building enclosed on three sides so I was well protected - for the most part. It was a bit drafty. That’s not a complaint, just an observation. I slept comfortably and was very happy to have that option last night.

I got a message from Trail Boss last night that two more people have left the tour. That’s unfortunate. I had a feeling in San Diego that it was going to be difficult for me. It never occurred to me that others might feel the same way (probably should not be surprised). I’m glad I lasted as long as I did. I hope everyone is ok. Those that have left and those that are remaining. The group left San Diego 9 strong. As of today, there are 5 remaining of the original group. One individual abandoned altogether shortly after reaching Arizona. Three have abandoned in the last few days. So now there are three solo cyclists out there wandering around. I wonder what the odds are that the three wild cards will band together. Not saying that should happen, just curious about the odds is all.

I cooked last night for the first time on my new camp stove. I made a mock Southwest spaghetti and put the meat sauce into tortillas. It was pretty good. The camp host walked through the pavilion while I was cooking, and told me later when I ran into him that it had smelled pretty good.

The end of the day

It turns out I stopped in Round Top, that is about 10 miles shy of Carmine. That’s ok, because it was a heck of a day. The wind blew all day out of the West. Strong and steady. That was great when I was going East, but all afternoon was spent going North, so the wind was not my friend. In fact, the wind spent most of it’s effort trying to blow me off the shoulder of the road again. I survived without incident. It appears that when the wind comes out of the West in this part of Texas, the temperature can dip unseasonably low. It did today. By 5pm I was chilled to the bone. I had planned to stay in an RV Park tonight, but opted for a motel instead. Turns out to be a very nice place. The end result of the day was a real beating by the wind, happy to have a roof over my head.

The route took me through two state parks, connected to each other. It was a 15 mile bypass of a state highway. About halfway through I discovered the road was flooded from the storm last night. There was no way to cross, that’s how people get into serious trouble in this part of the country. (You see signs everywhere that say “Turn around or drown.” I turned around and it was retrace the 7 miles to the park entrance or take a side road back to the highway. Of course I chose the side road. Five hundred yards down the side road there was a tree blocking the entire road. A windfall from the night before. The road was impassable for cars, but I was able to sneak under the tree and continue on. An exciting morning for sure. (Pictures on Instagram, be sure and check them out.) That put me on a State highway for another 15 miles. About that time I decided that 65 miles for today might be a bit of a reach.

This is day two on the new saddle. I’m sure I will get used to it, but it’s a bit like sitting on a fence rail with a small dry kitchen sponge for padding. Good thing I have a small ass or consequently more of it would hurt.

As I was coming in to Round Top, about 5 miles out, I saw a sign that said “Blue Mule Winery.” It was only one mile off route, so I decided to go do a wine tasting. I pulled in to the barn tasting room and met Ashley and her husband Cooper. They were running the tasting room. They bottle 12 varietals. Six white and six red. Some estate grapes, some North Texas grapes, and some grapes from California. All of their wines were good, and all very distinctive. Ashley’s dad came in to the tasting room and we had a nice conversation. It turns out he is a cycling enthusiast, but doesn’t have time to ride much any more. He was very interested in my bike. When he found out it was Titanium, he went out to take a look. He came back in and told me how much I paid for it. He was exactly right. He knows his bicycles. I sampled 10 of their 12 wines then ordered a glass of my favorite red. It was quite good. Ashley and I talked about the tour and when I told her my destination was St. Augustine, she told me that was her favorite town outside Texas. I got some really good tips from her about where to eat and what to do when I arrive there. We talked about wine, Texas, and travel. She told me she had done the “Blazing 100” in Houston in August (quite some time ago). That’s a Century ride in Houston in mid-August. I asked her how anyone rides in Houston in August. She laughed and told me her Grandfather had a saying that summed that up. He used to say “If the Devil owned Texas, he would rent it out in the summer and stay in Hell.” That is the reason I am here in October.

Every Friday in Round Top the locals get together for a BBQ at the local Black Smith shop (really). There is live music and Texas BBQ. My motel is a mile from the Black Smith, but only 3 blocks from a real Texas Road House, the Stone Cellar. I opted for the shorter destination and it was a good choice. I had a beer and some queso dip and chips, then I had more beer, a ham and cheese sandwich, then more beer, all while watching the Astros/Nationals game. It was a true Texas Road House. The actual population of Round Top is 90, but I counted 100 people in the road house. It was stick framed with a metal roof and the walls were 2 x 12 rough sawn boards. Some boards had been replaced, but most were original. The room was about 30 x 80, no heat and no insulation, but plenty warm. The game was on four monitors and they had live music, it was amazing. The music was great. An acoustic guitar and singer and he was very good. There is nothing quite like watching the Astros in the World Series inside of a Texas Road House! I noticed a sign on the wall that read: “Our town is so small we don’t have a town drunk - we all take turns.” I thought that was pretty funny. As I sat and watched the game, I noticed that I could actually look through the cracks between some of the vertical siding boards and see what was going on outside. I wasn’t the least bit surprised, it just added to the charm of the place. I wish you could have been here with me. There were people there for the music and people there for the food. There was an eighth grade graduation being celebrated. Little kids were running around the bar having a good time and of course, there were people there watching the game. It was a wonderful place. The musician played my favorite song “Give Me Three Steps” by Skynyrd. It was a perfect evening.

Miles: 55

Windy and cold but the hills are becoming more civilized.

Day 42

Round Top to Navasota

Morning

The front that moved in 24 hours ago still seems to be presenting itself. I poked my head out of the door a few minutes ago and I will need to dress warm and also dress for wind today. I haven’t been paying particular attention to the weather. When you are cycling, you learn to take what you get. It seems kind of pointless to look it up on your cell phone because you’re going to be in it anyway.

After two days of cycling solo, I’ve realized it is different than cycling in a group. Of course you have to be more self-reliant. But there are some subtle differences as well. When I’m out there on the road, I’m not thinking about who is in front of me or who is behind me. Should I catch up? Am I going to slow? I simply don’t have those thoughts any more. Likewise, at the end of the day I don’t worry about arriving at the days destination too early or too late, when I get there now, it tends to be the perfect time and the perfect place. It may not be where I thought it was going to be when I started the day. What do I think about all day long while I’m riding? That’s a good question. Some people can’t be alone. Those people probably aren’t going to go cycling in the first place. Some people can handle being alone, but they need a distraction, so they listen to music. Listening to music while cycling has never been my thing. I guess you would say that I am simply alone with my thoughts. That’s ok, every once in awhile I actually have one. Sometimes I don’t have any thoughts at all because the shoulder is so narrow and the traffic so heavy that just holding a safe line pretty much takes all the concentration and effort that I can give it. Add wind to that situation and you are pushing the limits of my mental capacity. As my friend Terry says, “I’m just a hard working 81 IQ.” You probably shouldn’t be on the road on days like yesterday unless you are an 82 or above. Somehow I survived. When people ask me about the hazards of road travel by bicycle, particularly whether or not that scares me, I tell them the amount of fear you feel on the road is proportional to your IQ. An 81 is perfectly suited for road cycling.

End of the day

My goal today was the town of Navasota. Even though I am now riding solo, I’m still following the original itinerary laid out by the Trail Boss back in San Diego. That had us in St. Augustine in 66 days. If I keep on the itinerary, I will be there in 68 days because of my two extra rest days in Austin. I’m not sure I will keep to that. If I’m inspired to take an extra day here or there, I’ll do that. Reaching Navasota today meant covering an extra 10 miles since I cut yesterday’s destination short by that much. I reached Navasota easily. Good weather makes a huge difference when it comes to riding results. I’m stopping to take more pictures now. I’m going to really appreciate that when I look back on this experience.

Update on the new saddle. Today it felt great. I’m not really sure why one day it feels terrible and the next day it feels great. I hope to figure this out before I get to St. Augustine…

I rode ten miles this morning before I found a nice breakfast spot. It was an absolutely charming small town cafe. You can’t count on cafes in small towns being open every day, but since today is Saturday, I figured I’d have good luck, and I did. The cafe was called the “Blue Willow.” There is a theme going on here, at least the last two days. I seem to be attracted to things with the word “blue” in the name. I looked over the menu and decided to give biscuits and gravy a shot. That is not a typical breakfast choice for me, but I had an urge to try it in this place. So I ordered it and dedicated the experience I was about to have to my sister and my brother-in-law. The breakfast came and it was delicious. Not at all what I expected either! The gravy was meatless but very tasty, with just a hint of sage. A very tiny hint. The biscuit was somewhere between fluffy and scone like. I was taken aback at first, then started to appreciate what was going on. The sweetness of the biscuit and the savory but meatless gravy were perfectly paired. Yes there was meat on the side, and I ate all of it. But this particular version of biscuits and gravy was presented without meat as a component of the gravy. To say that the gravy was better than my brother-in-law’s, or the biscuit was better than my sister’s would put me in grave danger of being disowned. Suffice it to say it was very different from their version, and very good.

Lunch was at an old, I would say almost historic, gas station/grocery store. I purchased a chicken salad sandwich and a can of Bud. I ate them outside. A fellow on a Triumph pulled in and we had a nice chat. I asked him how far he was coming from and he said “ten miles away.” He told me I needed to have the hamburger there, but by then it was too late. He is also a cyclist, so we had a good conversation about equipment. He has been considering tubeless tires, so I got him all spun-up on that. I also introduced him to the Schwalbe G-One tires that I’m running. These are brilliant tires, fast and comfortable, I think that is a difficult combination to pull off.

I’m traveling at my own pace now. I feel much more relaxed than before. Henceforth my travels by bicycle will be solo or in the company of close personal friends rather than a group of strangers.

By mid-day, the previous front had cleared completely. I was able to shed layers and enjoy an almost perfect afternoon. The sky was blue. The sun was out. There was still a slight breeze and the temperature was brisk, but that made for good cycling. When I got to Navasota I couldn’t find the RV Park I intended to stay in, so I checked into the Navasota Inn instead. This place is a great value. I got cleaned up and took a late afternoon nap. That is the first one of those I have had in… about… 43 days.

I got some great photos today for Instagram. I should be in Louisiana by Wednesday.

Miles: 54

I’m now in East Texas farm country, the hills have become manageable.

Day 43

Navasota to New Waverly

I’m enjoying some Jim Beam in my tent and writing this post. Not the real Jim Beam, the one I made myself by combining expensive bourbons into a travel flask to make a so-so bourbon. I will drink it just the same.

Much of my writing is dictated by the words that I know how to spell. I start out with a nice word, spell check tells me it’s spelled wrong, so instead of looking it up I choose a simpler word, i.e., one that is easier to spell. This could mean I’m lazy, or it could be the bourbon making me lazy.

Not every day needs to be, or can be, exciting. Today was one of those days that was not particularly exciting. It was still good. Riding through the Sam Houston National Forest was nirvana. At one point I pulled off the road to chat with the Assistant Director of Tours for the ACA. (While I was on the phone, a park ranger drove past me and gave me a wave and a thumbs-up for pulling off the road to talk on the phone.) The conversation with the Assistant Tours Directory went very nicely. He wanted to know all about why I’m no long on tour with the group. I explained clearly that they failed the group with their too-lenient food policy, and also they had failed me by not releasing me from the ride back in San Diego when I made that request. He was sympathetic. He confessed at the end of our call that they have had this issue with their longer tours for almost five years now. He said they were working on revising their “accommodations” policy. I hope so. I also hope I gave him some good feedback that will move them along in that direction. This issue has now been put to rest as far as I’m concerned.

Tomorrow I plan to skip ahead and do two itinerary stops in one day. It will be about 70 miles, perhaps a bit more. My rationale is that it will give me an extra day in Chicot State Park in Louisiana. I’ve heard this is a beautiful place, with deluxe cabins for rent. I went on line to reserve one and there is a three night minimum stay - thus my jumping ahead one day tomorrow.

When the weather is nice, like it has been for the last two days, there really is nothing like tent camping, it can be very enjoyable with the right equipment. One thing about tent camping that I don’t enjoy, is camping in a pine forest and having pine cones drop out of the tree onto your tent. That is happening right now, coincidentally. Tonight for dinner I made mac-and-cheese with bacon, chicken and a spicy buffalo sauce. Pretty good stuff at the end of a long day of cycling. Ya, no salad, but maybe I’ll have one with my lunch tomorrow, or maybe not. I’m not going to die if I don’t get salad every day. My new camp stove is a blow-torch. The MSR gas stoves have one temperature setting, full-on blast furnace. You have to be on top of whatever it is you are cooking every second. The stove will boil four cups of water in less than two minutes.

All of a sudden, I can’t get pictures off my Nikon camera any more. I really hate to be negative, but I’ll just say this: If you want to buy Nikon, don’t go entry level. Get a more expensive model that has built-in WiFi so you don’t have to rely on a crappy vendor provided IOS app to get pictures from the camera to you iPhone or iPad. It looks like I am back to square one when it comes to taking photos. (Recall that the camera in my phone is broken.) I do not want to buy a new phone, but it is beginning to look like that is my best option. I’m probably a thousand miles away from a camera store that would allow me to trade my brand new D3500 for a better camera with WiFi.

Miles: 54

Passed through the Sam Houston National Forest.

Day 44

New Waverly to Shepard

Today was a pleasant surprise. I intended to double-down and do two days of riding but my legs wouldn’t allow it. Turns out to be a good thing, because tonight I’m staying in the weirdest place since the El Cosmico in Marfa. Very eclectic and completely off the normalcy chart. Small cabins, an open area for tents and a pavilion that is impossible to describe. Everything here is decorated for Halloween, in a big way. Just take a look at the photos on Instagram and you’ll get the idea.

The morning was cool and foggy. The fog didn’t start to lift until noon. I didn’t see any sunshine until 1:30pm. Very Seattle like. Today would not have been a good day to double-down on the mileage. Also, I thought doubling-down would mean 74 miles. When I looked more closely later in the morning, I realized it would have been a 94 mile day. It’s a good thing I didn’t attempt it. I would have made it, late in the day, but it would not have been fun.

It looks like I will be in Louisiana on Wednesday. When I got to Chilcot State Park I was planning to rent a cabin and stay an extra day or two. When I checked availability today, they were all rented. I’m planning to tent camp there, but just stay one night. At this point I don’t know when my next rest day will be. When I get to a place that is cool, I’ll make that my rest day location. It will be a surprise.

I’m excited to get to Louisiana. I’m very curious to see what the terrain will be like. East Texas is gradually becoming more forested and flatter. I expect that to continue. Based on the maps that I’m using, it looks like I will also be passing through areas of swampy lowland in Louisiana (not a surprise). I am quite eager to see what that will look like.

Miles: 43

The “Shepard Sanctuary” is a weird but very cool place.

Day 45

Shepard to Silsbee

I was chased by a Texas storm all day. When I left Shepard, I looked over my shoulder and the sky to the West was dark. As I headed East, I noticed the storm front was keeping up with me. It must have been moving about 10mph, which is about what I do when you average in my stopping time. I pulled into a gas station and got two breakfast tacos. A truck driver there told me I had better get some shelter tonight because a storm was headed towards Silsbee (my destination). I was inclined to agree with him, after watching the storm front follow me all morning.

About 1pm I pulled into a country store in Honey Island. I was about 20 miles from Silsbee at that point. I had a hamburger, even though I wasn’t terribly hungry, and watched the storm creep closer. By the time I got back on the bike, I was getting just a few drops of rain, the leading edge of the storm. No more stops for me until I reach Silsbee.

I was hoping for a nice hotel in Silsbee. No luck. Even though there is a bed, I’ll be sleeping in my sleeping bag tonight. I got checked into the room just as a burst of thunder seemed to shake the ground. It was perhaps the loudest burst of thunder I’ve ever heard. I looked West and the sky was dark. It was only 4pm. I opened the door to the room, moved a chair into the doorway, and waited. Within two minutes the storm hit. Thunder and lightening that you could feel. The rain came down in sheets that made the visibility a thousand yards or so. I watched the show for a good ten minutes. The foremost thought in my mind, how glad I was to be under a roof and not out in the open. I was fortunate to run ahead of the storm front all day.

This isn’t Seattle. Within an hour the front had passed over Silsbee, depositing (according to my weather app) an inch of rain. Currently, several hours later, the temperature is 70 degrees and the humidity is 96 percent. I’m almost in Louisiana, in fact, I’ll be there tomorrow. Seems like it has taken me a long time to get through Texas, and indeed it has.

For the record, my two favorite campgrounds in Texas were El Cosmico in Marfa, and The Shepard Sanctuary in Shepard.

My flask of Jim Beam is all gone.

Miles: 62

Chased by a Texas storm front all day.

Day 46

Silsbee Texas to DeRidder Louisiana

Morning

Brace for weather. I don’t usually look at my weather app. To tell you the truth, there really hasn’t been a lot of reason to look at it. Due to the storm that blew in behind me yesterday, I figured I’d better have a look. According to the app, I’m dry until noon then things will likely get wet, possibly very wet. The forecast at noon is 40% chance of rain, increasing throughout the afternoon to 90% by 5pm. I was planning to do another 60 miles or so today and camp tonight. I’m revising that plan as I write this. I think I’d be smart to try and make it 73 miles (to DeRider Louisiana) and get a hotel room again tonight. That’s the plan. One thing I have learned about cross-country travel by bicycle, plans are just that. Often the best laid plans somehow manage to get changed.

End of the day

Louisiana greeted me with a downpour about 10 miles in. I consider myself lucky. It only rained for about 5 miles. It stopped with 15 miles to go before reaching DeRidder. By the time I got to DeRidder, I was mostly dry. In Arizona they say “but it’s a dry heat.” I don’t know what they say about rain in Louisiana, but based on my experience today it wouldn’t surprise me if they say “but it’s a warm rain.” It was not nearly as uncomfortable as a Seattle downpour would be. Things will start cooling off as we get into November, so I’m told.

DeRidder doesn’t have a bookstore, or a bike shop, so I won’t dally here. They do have a liquor store (of course every town has one of those). This one was well stocked. Tomorrow my flask will be carrying Barrel Finish Select Woodford Reserve Double Oaked bourbon. What doesn’t fit in the flask is my reward tonight for surviving the second rainstorm of the trip. That is something worth toasting; the surviving, and the fact that there have only been two. (Note the use of a semi-colon, the first one on this blog - I’ll have to toast that as well.)

This is day seven out of Austin. My body is beginning to need a rest day. I’m hoping that when I arrive at Chicot State Park on Friday, the weather will permit camping for a couple of nights. I’m just playing this day-by-day at this point. I won’t see a large town (10,000 population) until I get to Alabama. I won’t see a big town (50,000 population) until I get to Pensacola, Florida. The Southern Tier bicycle route is a pretty rural affair.

Now that I am out of Texas, things have change. The humidity is way up, the terrain is flat, and there is a lot more water in the form of creeks and streams. I’m guessing the water will become even more prevalent. Today I saw my first road-side crawfish shack. I didn’t stop. As a matter of fact, I wasn’t even tempted. I also passed a Cajun Snack Shack, but I didn’t stop there either. Before this is over I will have grits and hush puppies for sure, if I can get them without catfish. Kolaches are big here. That’s a fancy name for a hot dog in a pastry bun.

Miles: 73

Louisiana, where the roads are narrow and the shoulders non-existent.

Day 47

DeRidder to Mamou

Morning

Brace for weather, only this morning it’s cold. Currently overcast and 41 degrees, which is cold for Louisiana. The forecast is for sun by noon, but temperature will probably only climb to about 50 degrees today. It should be a good cycling day. It appears the cold has driven out the rain. The news is calling this “Winter Storm Bessie,” but it is mostly impacting East of me. Not sure yet where I will end up at the end of the day. I’m planning to ride either 37 miles to Oberlin or 63 miles to Mamou.

End of the day

I don’t think the temperature ever reached 50. There was a strong North wind blowing all day. After seven hours of riding, the wind will finally start to penetrate you, no matter what you are wearing. You can’t wear a down parka when you are cycling, so it becomes a balancing act between ventilating and not being too cold. For me, that means by the end of a day like today, I’m chilled.

When I got to Oberlin I was ready to call it a day. I pulled in to the only motel in town and discovered that it was not open for business. I had actually taken my time to get there, it was 2:30 already. I had enjoyed the ride very much to that point, i.e., I was not yet chilled. Now it was push on to Mamou or find a campground. There weren’t a lot of camping options, and it was cold after all, so I pushed on.

I’m glad I did, when I got to Mamou about 5:30, I found a hotel right downtown that was also an historical landmark. Built in 1911 by one Mr. Cazan. The story goes he built the Cazan Hotel and the town as a place to help the Governor of Louisiana launder his money. The important part of the story, from an historical perspective, is that the Governor at the time told voters he was going to make more money once elected than he would every make in salary. The people elected him anyway. I think this story has important relevance today. I’ll leave that as an exercise for the reader.

The hotel Manager gave me a tour of the place. There is an old bar and restaurant, complete with original furnishings but no longer used. It was one spooky place to stay on Halloween. She also showed me the secret door behind the bar to the back room where they kept the safe. The safe is still there. She told me the ghost of Mr. Cazan is said to roam the halls at night sometimes. I was delighted. This seemed like the perfect time to be staying there. The decorating style reminded me a bit of the Shepard Sanctuary.

After I got settled in I walked across the street to what looked like the most promising bar on the block. There were four within 100 yards of the hotel. At first glance, it appeared I did not choose wisely. Inside the bar was the bartender and one paying customer. I assume he was a paying customer, he was definitely the bar tender’s best friend. They seemed like best fiends anyway. I ordered a Bud and struck up a conversation. They were great company. We talked about a lot of stuff, from the fires in California to the election in Louisiana. I got my first taste of what I will call “Louisiana accent.” I only understood about half of what the bartender was saying to me. They also filled me in a bit on the Cazan. There is no ghost they said. The Manager just likes to tell people that. When the bartender was telling me this, he was twirling his finger along side his head. The gesture indicating clearly that the Manager might be a bit batty. He made the same gesture when he told me about the hotel’s owner, a woman who lives down in New Orleans. After two Buds, I decided I was hungry. I asked the bartender where to go for a meal. He seemed to think a little too hard, then said “David and Lori’s.” He took my order and called it in for me. I got up to leave and he asked me if I was going to cycle there, I said no I’m going to walk. He shrugged his shoulders and we all shook hands. I realized 20 minutes later why he asked me if I was going to cycle there, the place was a good mile from the bar. I made it, and the food was waiting for me, mostly hot.

When I arrived at David and Lori’s, It was at the only drive-in restaurant in town. I picked up my order at the window and started looking around for a place to sit down and eat. There was none. I did see several milk crates lying nearby, so I stacked one on top of the other and sat down. Someone came up to the window to pickup their order and looked at me and said, “you know, there’s a dining room right there.” Sure enough less than ten feet from where I was sitting was a door that clearly said “Dining Room.” It was warm inside, so I finished my meal in relative comfort while anticipating the 20 minute walk back to the hotel.

Tomorrow I’m heading to the town of Bunkie. I’m not going to stop at Chicot State Park because there are no cabins for rent there and we are still in the midsts of a significant cold snap. I could tent in the park, but I’m thinking right now I’d rather not. Reaching Bunkie would amount to a 37 mile day. That sounds like a nice number to me right now.

Miles: 63

The wind chill factor was, well, a factor.

Day 48

Mamou to Bunkie

Since today is November 1, I could start counting the days to completion of my journey, rather than days since the start. To completion, I now have 20 days remaining. I plan to be in St. Augustine on November 21st. We shall see.

I had high hopes for Ville Platte. Since the population is 8,000 I was hoping for a bookstore, or at the very least a coffee shop. There were none to be found and I haven’t seen either one of those since I left Texas. A man stopped to chat about what I was doing in Ville Platte. We met as I was coming out of the lunch place where I stopped. He was very nice, we chatted for ten minutes about the bike, cycling, my journey, he was genuinely curious about it all. I forgot to mention that when I was in DeRidder, a stranger gave me his phone number when I was having morning coffee. That was the first really cold windy day. He told me if I had any trouble at all, to give him a call. What a nice guy. The people here really are more than friendly and very kind. There are no shoulders on the roads in Louisiana, and almost everyone is giving me three feet of room or more when they pass. It’s rare actually that someone doesn’t. To the nice man I chatted with at the ranger’s office in Chicot State Park: the answer is Fairbault.

The morning started off cold and windy, but less windy than yesterday. I made it maybe fifty feet down the street, and then ducked into the Krazy Cajun Cafe for some breakfast. I had a great time. I saw a news clipping on the wall with a picture of Anthony Bourdain, he had visited the cafe. My server told me all about it and even mentioned that she had waited on him. I sat down at the same table where he sat. After ordering and eating my first bowl of grits since entering Louisiana, we chatted some more about Anthony. She told me that he had only tipped her $2. She said she should have asked him to sign the bills. As I ate my breakfast it occurred to me that this situation presented a great opportunity. When I was done eating I paid, and put a $3 tip on the table. I got my server’s attention (I didn’t get her name, my bad) and showed her the tip and told her “now I can tell everyone that I’m a better tipper than Anthony Bourdain.” We got a good laugh out of that, but she didn’t ask me to sign the bills.

One of my friends mentioned that I seem to be having a good time. I am. Traveling in an insular group with your time tightly scheduled is just not my cup of tea. I know there are people in my former group that look down on the kind of travel I’m doing now. But a lot of “how best to travel” depends on your age, your background, and what you want to get out of the experience. To those that think I’m decadent because I’m not camping every night and cooking my own meal every night, all I ask is that you look back 30 years from now and ask yourself if you still feel the same way. I suspect by then things may have changed a bit for you.

The day was cold until about Noon, after that it was chilly but quite pleasant otherwise. I entered Chilcot State Park early afternoon. The route took me six miles though the park. It was one of the most beautiful six mile segments I’ve ridden so far. It was truly a beautiful day, and the park was every bit as stunning. I almost lost track of time as I was riding. I was out of the park way too soon. In listening to the locals talk, as near as I can place it, the park is pronounced “She-ko.” I think the people down here talk strange simply so the can easily detect outsiders.

Another example of the speech differences came up this morning. My host at the Hotel Cazan was telling me about “Fred’s Boar.” I could not figure out what she was talking about. Finally I stopped her and asked her to explain. She said, “you know, a bo-ar.” She said it real slow so I could keep up. Even at that it took me a second, then I realized she was talking about “Fred’s Bar.” A common programming error is to be “off by one.” I found myself “off by one” once again. It’s Friday, and “Fred’s Boar” is only open on Saturday. I was particularly saddened when she told me that “Fred’s Boar” serves the best Margaritas in the State of Louisiana. I’ll have to take her at her word, since I won’t be there myself to verify that claim.

I love the way women call me “darling,” and “sweetie.”

Miles: 37

My first Bayou. My first above ground cemetery.

Day 49

Bunkie to New Roads Louisiana

All things considered, a very good day. Still cold, but it is now almost to the point where I can start camping again. I plan to camp tomorrow night at Perry’s Bike Hostel in Jackson, LA. I arrived in New Roads at 4:30pm, after leaving Bunkie at 7:30am. I covered a distance of 82 miles in 9 hours. A bit disappointing. That is just under 9 miles per hour, but that does include stops; and I did spend a good bit of time at the “Daiquiris Express” in Batchelor. I might be able to make 100 miles in a day if I eat my lunch while riding and don’t stop for a daiquiris. I had a goal to see a Friday night High School football game in Texas. I missed that goal. I also have a goal to do a 100 mile day. Since the days are getting shorter now, I may have to forego that one as well, we’ll see.

Some random observations on the day. I don’t always understand what people in Louisiana are trying to tell me. They have “Daiquiris Bars” at gas stations. Cajun Chicken is sold everywhere. I don’t know what a Crawfish is and I won’t be having any. I’m allergic to all fish, but more importantly, I’m opposed to the idea of sucking the guts out of anything. A lot of people are shocked when they learn where I’m coming from and where I’m going. It’s a good feeling to see people smile and wish me well when I answer that question. There are no shoulders on the back roads in Louisiana. Double Oaked Woodford is better with Coke than it is straight. My Davidson is the best damn bike on the planet.

My friend from Florida called me this afternoon. It was great to hear from him. We cycled the Finger Lakes in New York together this last spring on an ACA self-supported tour. We had a great time. It was a very diverse group that became tightly knit in a very short period of time. The leader was a super cool guy and an awesome cyclist. (I don’t use names on the blog, but you know who you are.) My friend offered to open his home up to me for a couple of days so we could hang out. I’m very excited to spend time with him and his family.

Maybe a 100 miles day carrying 60 pounds is not such a good idea, I’m thinking about sleeping in tomorrow morning.

Miles: 82

You can get a fill-up and a daiquiris at a lot of gas stations in Louisiana. God bless Louisiana.

Yes, I need an editor, but I could not afford to pay one to come with me, so you’ll have to tolerate the spelling and grammatical errors. The next time I do an epic tour, I will consider taking an accomplished editor with me.

Day 50

New Roads Louisiana to Jackson Louisiana

Morning

Last night at the restaurant where I was eating, I met a very nice couple. We talked throughout our dinner. We chatted about the trip and the local area. A bit of history and a good bit of information about the Mississippi River. When I showed them the map of my route for today they explained that I was going to miss a really beautiful town and some very old plantation mansions. They gave me directions so that I could take in those sights. It will get me to Jackson without adding more than 10 miles, probably less. The people here are wonderful. I’m having an amazing time.

End of the day

I took a leisurely approach today. I added a side-trip to St. Francisville and had cheesecake and coffee at the Magnolia Cafe. The weather was all most perfect. By mid-afternoon it felt like 60 degrees. The sun was out and the sky was a perfect blue. The road was smooth, still no shoulder, but I’m becoming used to that. I stopped at the Oakley Plantation for a visit. That is where John James Audubon lived for four months and painted 32 of the birds in his “American Birds” series. The plantation itself was the seat of money and power in Eastern Louisiana for 50 years. The museum at the plantation holds all 32 lithographs created from Audubon’s original drawings. His originals were all done with pencil and crayon.

I’m spending the night at Perry’s Bike Hostel about 5 miles outside of the town of Jackson. I can’t say enough nice things about this place. If you are a cyclist passing through this area, you really should make it a point to overnight here.

Miles: 34

Today was an almost perfect cycling day.

Day 51

Jackson Louisiana to Franklinton Louisiana

I’m now in what I am referring to as the “Hill Country” of Louisiana. I don’t think that’s how people here refer to it, but it seems an apt description. Once you cross the Mississippi River heading East the landscape changes dramatically. On the West side it is flat flood plain, with levees to hold back the river. On the East side the terrain slopes higher and forms a natural flood barrier. The West side has rolling hills, not like Texas, but enough to have you shifting gears again. Of course, I’m describing the landscape where I am right now, I don’t know if that holds true in general up and down the Mississippi.

Today started late. I forgot that I was facing a shorter day due to the end of Daylight Saving Time. I should have gotten on the road around 6:30, instead I dallied for almost two hours. Most of it was time well spent. I ended up talking to my host at Perry’s Bike Hostel for about an hour. She is a very entertaining person, avid cyclist, and cycle techie. She has been hosting at her Hostel for 20 years and she has seen a lot of cyclists come and go. If I remember correctly, she said she sees about 500 cyclists there every year. She shared some amazing stories with me and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to meet and chat with her.

As a result of my late start, I didn’t get to my destination until after dark. I don’t like cycling after dark. I wouldn’t call it scary, but the term “white knuckle” probably is a good descriptor. I did finally find my motel for the night, after riding past it. You have to treat Google Maps with caution. It can lead you astray in subtle ways that can catch you off-guard. This place is a great value, the best price on a motel so far and the best hot shower so far. I was particularly happy about the shower, since it is the first truly hot shower I have had in three days.

Miles: 74

My kingdom for a hot shower at the end of 74 miles. Early start tomorrow.

Day 52

Franklinton Louisiana to Poplarville Mississippi

I’m pretty sure there is no such thing as a free lunch, but I found the free breakfast. I got moving early this morning, I didn’t want a repeat of yesterday. My motel was on the outskirts of town, so I headed back into town looking for a breakfast spot. I came to place that looked promising. The sign said “Breakfast, Donuts, Coffee.” I thought breakfast was donuts and coffee, but I figured I’d see what else they had in mind. Sure enough, it was a real breakfast spot plus donuts and coffee. The lady behind the counter was busy and a big guy stepped in to help me. I ordered grits, bacon, eggs, two glazed donuts, orange juice and coffee. He had a very deep voice so he was a bit hard to understand, but I did hear him tell me that he feeds all the cyclists that come through. I looked at him and said something like, “I came to the right place.” As I stood there waiting for someone to take my money (and the big guy staring at me) the busy lady said to me “your all taken care of honey.” That’s when I realized he literally feeds all the cyclists that come through. I shook his hand, sat down, and had the best breakfast I’ve had yet on this tour.

Six pieces of bacon, what looked like 4 eggs scrambled, and a big ladle of grits swimming in something that was probably real butter. When your burning calories you can eat this way. This is my fourth encounter with grits on the tour, and this serving was the best. Butter makes the grits, don’t turn it down. The donuts were excellent as well. The coffee was what you see almost everywhere down here. The brand is Community Coffee. You see so much of it, it has to be the Starbucks of the South. It’s not bad either.

The day I left Austin the weather changed. It started with a storm that night from the North and a huge temperature drop. That was 14 days ago. Today was the first day of warmth I’ve had since then. It felt wonderful. I spent the second have of the route today in cycling shorts and shirt. I’ve been wearing long pants puffy vest and a wind jacket even in the afternoon.

I downloaded “On Writing” by Stephen King and “The Elements of Style” to my Kindle. I’m actually going to have some time today to read. Don’t expect things here to improve dramatically right away. You never know, perhaps some day…

I’m staying in a sweet B&B cottage tonight. I got in at 1:30pm. Early starts are magnificent. I have time to walk around town, find a coffee shop, and relax. That’s where I am now. I’ll be heading back to the cottage soon to spend the afternoon on the front porch. It’s been awhile since I have had a lazy afternoon. I plan to have a few of those when I get to St. Augustine.

Miles: 51

Tomorrow I’m heading to Biloxi to put my feet in the Gulf.

Day 53

Poplarville Mississippi to Biloxi Mississippi

“Climbing is akin to love. It’s hard to explain; we endure pain for the joy that comes with discovering ourselves and the planet.” -Cory Richards

Substitute the word “cycling” for the word “climbing” and this describes how I feel better than I can. I’m not comparing an average joe cyclist with a world class mountain climber. I’m just saying these two groups share a very similar view of their experience, even though those experiences are very different. He also uses semi-colons very well.

If you asked me to give you a pithy quote to describe the joy and meaning of cycling, I would give you the following:

“Ride eat sleep wash rinse repeat.”

My editor (my support team back home that reads these posts daily) has been working very hard to get me to stop over using commas. Perhaps I took that advice too literally when I wrote the quote above. You can’t tell from the way it is written if I ride, eat, and sleep day-in day-out; or if I ride, eat, sleep, and do laundry day-in and day-out. I will leave the insertion of commas in this case up to the reader. Have fun. Hint: I rarely do laundry in the morning.

My host here at the cottage left an assortment of small boxed breakfast cereals on the kitchen counter, as well as a good selection of other items. This morning for breakfast I had two bowls of Fruit Loops with milk, coffee, orange juice, a muffin, and some apple pie. The kind of apple pie that comes in a small box, individual serving size. The best part was probably the Fruit Loops. It reminded me of my Grandmother. She had two miniature poodles and she used to feed them Sugar Smacks as doggie treats. I don’t know what shape their teeth were in, but it was great fun as a small kid to feed that cereal to her little dogs. I remember one day grocery shopping with my Mom and asking her to buy us some Sugar Smacks. She explained to me that there was no way she was going to serve her family dog food. My Mom was ahead of her time. She wouldn’t buy any kind of soft drinks for us and all her dinners were cooked using real food, nothing canned or boxed. I realize now we ate well compared to other kids I knew. At the time I just thought it was strange. For the record, I did have a bowl of Sugar Smacks along with my Fruit Loops this morning. It’s great to be able to eat crap on tour, you can burn it off before lunch.

Dogs can be a real problem when cycling. For some reason they love to chase bicycles. Unlike cars I suppose, they can actually catch them. It must seem like good sport to them. I solved the riddle today about how to handle dogs on the road. When a dog runs out, stop immediately and get off the bike. Present yourself full on to the dog and say “go home,” and phrases like that. I like the phrase “you don’t want to mess with this.” Say it with authority. Usually the dogs will bark a few times then back away sheepishly, trying to preserve some dignity while remaining tough. You’ve won. Walk the bike past there “domain.” That’s would be their driveway or fence line. After that you are home free. I have not had to deal with a truly vicious dog. Hopefully I never will.

So what about shifting? With all the miles I have accumulated over the years commuting to work and pleasure riding, I’m still a shifting novice. By that I mean I look back to see what ring on the rear cassette I’m on. I sometimes even look down to see what ring I’m on in the front. (I know that doesn’t say a lot for my I.Q., but you all know I’m a just a hard working 81.) One thing about riding across the country, you have a lot of time to think about things like this. After much thought and analysis, I have arrived at a solution. I will always start out with the rear cassette on the 5th ring (middle ring). I call this the “zero” position. When I shift “up” on the cassette, I will say to myself “plus 1.” When I shift up again I will say to myself “plus 2.” When I get to plus 3, I know it’s time to shift down to the smaller chain ring in the front. I only have two chain rings in the front, fortunately. If there were three, I would have no idea where I was at any given time. The same applies in reverse when I’m shifting “down.” Down one I say to myself “minus 1.” Down again I say to myself “minus 2.” When I get to minus 3 I better be on the big chain ring in front. The bottom line is this seems to work pretty well. It is really handy at night when even if you look, you can’t see where the chain is in the front or in the back. It works most of the time for me. I do have lapses. If I get distracted I will forget my “count.” When that happens I have to look down to get reoriented. Not surprisingly this happens a lot. I’m probably the sort of guy that needs to have only one chain ring in front, and something like 14 rings on the real. Keep It Simple Stupid. I believe they call that a “Roloff Hub.”

Quick observation. The number of columns you have holding up your front porch roof is a sign of wealth in this part of the country. Four seems to be the norm for middle class abodes. If a house has nine columns supporting the front porch roof, the owner probably has a large and well diversified investment portfolio.

Miles: 68

This is my last night in Mississippi. Tomorrow the great state of Alabama.

Day 54

Biloxi Mississippi to Dauphin Island Alabama

I’m sitting on the second floor deck of a B&B on Dauphin Island. I’m just 2,000 yards from Fort Gaines. Fort Gaines was one of the sites where the Battle of Mobile Bay was fought during the Civil War. Admiral James Farragut was reported to have said “damn the torpedos.” In those days a “torpedo” was a mine placed in a harbor or waterway. You might recall this, I had to look that up. The reason I’m sitting on the deck is because there is a storm brewing to the Northwest. There is a magnificent light show and even a bit of thunder. The temperature is dropping and I have a strong suspicion this little island is in for some rain. The bigger question for me is, what will it be doing in the morning?

So this morning in Ocean Springs I got an early start. I arrived at Buzzy’s Breakfast Joint at 6:30am. By 7am it was raining. The weather app said it would stop at 8. That turned out to be true. While I was hanging around waiting for the weather to break, a woman showed up with her service dog in training. He was a pure bred Italian Mastiff. He was just a puppy, but already larger than most full grown dogs. He is a beautiful dog. His owner keeps his drool wiped up regularly so he doesn’t drench you when he says hello. He likes to say hello a lot. We chatted and she gave me some good recommendations on how to get out of town. She also told me about a famous donut shop in Ocean Springs that makes all their donuts using potato flour instead of wheat flower. My itinerary for the morning is now set. I leave at 8am. I breeze through a couple of downtown streets, then head for the “Tato Nut” shop. The Tato Nuts are very good. A bit heavier then donuts made with flour. My three Tato Nuts are roughly equivalent in weight to 2 wheat donuts.

It’s 8:30am now and my early start has turned into another slow start. The flat terrain is my friend though. I make the destination, Dauphin Island, at 3:30pm. That’s not bad for 64 miles. That includes a flat tire and a stop for lunch and a stop to buy water.

I’ve already written about how cool tubeless tires are. Today’s experience reinforces that again. About mile 15 into today’s ride, I looked down and saw that the rear tire was almost flat. You actually feel it first, that’s what causes you to look down. I was right in front of the Gautier Police Station. I pulled into their lot to have a look. I thought I had run out of luck and I was going to have to take the tire off and put a tube in it. When I got off the bike I could hear the hiss of escaping air. The culprit was a staple. I pulled the staple out but I could tell air was still escaping. I pumped the tire up a bit and rode around the parking lot to get sealant into the puncture. I stopped and added more air twice before the leak was staunched. How amazing is that? I rode the rest of the day with no issue. I should add more sealant to the tire since I did loose some when I removed the staple.

I caught up to my old group today about 15 miles outside Dauphin Island. I pulled up to one and we had a nice chat. When she gets to St. Augustine she plans to keep going down the Florida coast all the way to Key West. I told her I thought that was very cool.

You have to take a ferry to get off the island. I suspect the group will be on the 8am ferry. Breakfast here at the B&B is not until 8, so I’ll be on the 9:30 ferry. I may not see any of them again until I get to St. Augustine.

Miles: 64

This little island is now getting rain.

Day 55

Dauphin Island Alabama

Morning

It is windy here on Dauphin Island but the Weather App says it’s not as windy in Pensacola. I hope the ferry is running today despite the wind, otherwise I will have to wait here another day. The only way off the island without taking the ferry is to go back the way I came. To get to Pensacola taking that route would require 104 miles of detour around Mobile Bay. Pensacola is 60 miles from here not including connection to the mainland by ferry. I don’t feel like doing 60 miles today. I’ll probably end up in Gulf Shores or Perdido Key. They are 20 and 40 miles from here once you get off the ferry.

Breakfast at the B&B is at 8. I’m planning to catch the 9:30 ferry.

Breakfast this morning was a pleasure. I ate with two fellow guests here, two sisters visiting friends on the island. They have led very interesting lives and they shared some marvelous stories with me. Since they are Southerners, I took the opportunity to ask them the proper way to eat grits. They explained quite clearly that it is not with sugar. The rule is butter, and sometimes salt and pepper depending on your taste. I was relieved to know that I am doing it correctly.

“I have my own dislikes - I believe that anyone using the phrase “That’s so cool” should have to stand in the corner and that those using the far more odious phrases “at this point in time” and “at the end of the day” should be sent to bed without supper (or writing-paper, for that matter).” - Stephen King

It’s so cool that I’m writing electronically (not using paper) because at this point in time the ferry off the island is not running. I hope at the end of the day it will be running so I can get off the island tomorrow. Guilty as charged. No supper for me tonight.

I spent the day touring Fort Gaines. It is remarkably well preserved and I learned a lot of Civil War history today. It was a pleasant day, but I am looking forward to getting off the island in the morning and continuing my journey. If the ferry is not running in the morning, I have arranged a ride off the island from the house keeper here at the B&B. I am hopeful that the ferry will be running.

Miles: 0

Day of rest.

Day 56

Dauphin Island Alabama to Perdido Key Florida

I caught the first ferry off Dauphin Island at 8am. I’m glad to be moving again. Even though I only accomplished 45 miles today, it felt like more. I wasn’t strong mentally today, too much on my mind. I’m outside Pensacola, planning to make my way into town tomorrow then spend tomorrow night there in a hotel. So I can get to a bike shop first thing Monday morning.

I need a different seat on the bike. The one I put on in Austin is just too uncomfortable. After 40 miles I’m ready to get off the bike. I need a saddle that will allow me to go 60 or 70 or more comfortably. Hopefully I’ll take care of that on Monday.

It will take 10 days to get to St. Augustine from Pensacola. I’m going to try and cut that to 8, but that will depend largely on how the new saddle feels. I’m going to put on a B17. It would take the bike shop a week to get a C17 in stock, so I don’t have a lot of options.

Oh ya, I’m tired even though I’m coming off a day of rest. Tomorrow will be a really short day. Just 20 miles. Monday I’ll have to start kicking it again.

Miles: 45

Didn’t have the wind to make it in to Pensacola.

Day 57

Perdido Key to Pensacola

What exactly are we seeking in life? For most I think the answer to that is happiness. I don’t think happiness can be obtained. It certainly can’t be bought. The accumulation of wealth has never bought happiness. Exactly how are you going about being “happy”? Be honest. Don’t read the next sentence yet, think about it for a moment. For me it’s not about being happy. It’s about finding joy. There is joy to be found in a lot of ways. Take for example my morning. I set up my camp at the ocean last night. I woke up to a cold, wet morning. I crawled out of the tent to sort out my gear and start my day. The act of making coffee on my stove and then sitting down to drink it gave me joy. I mean, enough joy make me sit down and write this paragraph… Drinking my coffee (I will be making another cup) is all the joy I need for the moment, that and the sun starting to warm me up. I know that I will find more today. Getting on the bike always brings me joy. I’m looking forward to getting packed up and back on the road. Am I crazy? Possibly, but it’s a good crazy.

All of that does not suggest that having a little money is not important. It is. Let’s just say, enough to live on, and enough to finance a cycling trip across the United States. Maybe even enough to buy a custom built bike to take on that trip should suffice, as long as there is joy in the mix.

As an aside, I offer this (somewhat related) observation from the Sunday “New York Times”: “Some 49 percent of all journeys to school and work now transpire by bicycle. For Danes, the bicycle acts as a liberator. Weather isn’t an issue: When it snows in Copenhagen, bike lanes are typically plowed first.”

After my two cups of coffee, I rode out of the campground at 10:30am. You can be lazy when you only plan to cover 20 miles that day. My first objective was to find a breakfast spot. I was 10 miles down the road (no breakfast spot encountered) when I stumbled on a brewery tap room and Biergarten. Seemed like the appropriate place for breakfast so I pulled in. The “Blonde Bomber” ale was very tasty. A fellow at the bar asked me about my bike and we chatted for a minute, then he asked me if he could join me for a beer. Of course I agreed and we sat down and chatted for a good bit. He is a Marine F-18 pilot in training. We talked about careers, computers, and adventure cycling. He paid me the ultimate complement (in my book) saying he would be happy to accompany me on an adventure some time if he was able to take a leave. I put that right up there with “Coach” telling me he would have had me play center on his team.

I wonder how Coach is doing now. I ran into one of the other crew members on my way to Dauphin Island. We had a nice chat alongside the road. The group was going to stay on the island the same night I was. I did not see them on the Ferry yesterday, so they must have decided to ride off the island back the way we came and go around Mobile Bay rather than wait a day for the Ferry to start running again. Too bad. I was hoping to see all of them on the crossing. I have a feeling I will run into them in St. Augustine if not sooner.

I’m staying at a boutique motel, the Sole Inn and Suites. Reminds me of the East Austin motel. I love seeing old properties refurbished and put back into good use. Tomorrow morning I’ll be knocking on the bicycle shop door bright and early, then it will be get-out-of-town day.

Miles: 20

Found a good food truck for lunch.

Day 58

Pensacola Florida to Fort Walton Beach Florida

My day started at the bike shop where I was able to get a new B17 saddle. It feels good but I think the damage has been done. I’m bruised from the old saddle so it’s just going to take time to work that out. I did feel better at the end of the day, so that is a win.

Getting out of town I ran into Pensacola’s Veteran’s Day Parade. I hung around for about 45 minutes and watched. It was fun. Pensacola’s High Schools have a huge ROTC contingent. It appeared they were all represented in the parade.

Leaving Pensacola I had to cross the Pensacola Bay Bridge. It’s a 5 mile long white knuckle ride. There is no pedestrian/bike lane so you are right in the traffic, riding the white line. Most people gave me room or slowed down, but there were a few that didn’t think that was necessary, and a few more that felt compelled to honk when they drove past. That can be disconcerting, to put it mildly. They are in the process of building a pedestrian/bike lane that will be separate from the traffic, it’s not open yet. I kept looking at it, wishing I was over there.

For the next couple of days I’ll be following the Gulf Coast. If everything stays on track, I’ll be in St. Augustine on Wednesday the 20th. I’d like to push that up to the 19th, for reasons that I will reveal if I am able to make that date.

Miles: 46

Today is Veteran’s Day.

Day 59

Fort Walton Beach Florida to DeFuniak Sprints Florida

Morning

The best laid plans aren’t always the ones that get executed. I was going to get an early start this morning, 6am or shortly after. It’s now almost 7am and that plan is history. It’s raining and 55 degrees. The Weather App (I don’t know why I trust it) says the rain will have stopped by 9am. So now I’m just hanging out, watching the fish in the hotel lobby fish tank. I’m being kind referring to my lodging as a hotel. It’s really not. It’s more like a 2 star motel with chickens walking around the second story balcony, only without the chickens. I will say though, if I’m wet and cold at the end of the day, and a 2 star motel is my only option, I’ll take that, chickens or no. Hopefully it will have a hot shower, that’s never guaranteed. This one did.

It is also windy this morning. According to the Weather App, my trusty friend, it will be windy all day. When I look out the window, it reminds me of the morning that I woke up in Marfa Texas. A “Blue Norther” came in overnight. That morning the wind was blowing so hard it was difficult to keep the bike on the road. It’s not blowing quite that hard now, but it feels like a “Marfa sort of day” anyway. Is there anything else I can say about the weather before I slog out into it? Probably not. I just hope my trusty friend is not lying to me (ands it’s worse than stated).

Later

I turned around 3 miles outside Fort Walton Beach. The road was too narrow, the wind too strong, and the drivers way too unconscious. When the little voice in your head says “turn around,” that’s what you do. I’m back in Fort Walton Beach, having coffee and plotting my next move. It looks like I’m giving up the coast and heading inland. My goal for today is now DeFuniak Springs, FL. It’s about 46 miles from here (plus the 7 I have already done) and a good bit inland as well. Everything is up in the air at the moment. I will definitely be dipping my front wheel in the Atlantic, just not sure at the moment if that will be St. Augustine or a different location. I’ll work that out over the next day or two.

End of the day

My strategy to alter course and avoid the coast winds and dangerous highway was a good one. The only problem is the wind out of the North today was scouring the entire region. My altered course took me North. You can see where this is going, right? About half my ride today was battling head winds. Head winds take flat 12mph terrain and turn it into 3% grade, 9mph terrain. That’s what happened today. I pulled in to my hotel (no chickens in sight) at 4:59pm, just as darkness was falling. There have only been one or two times I’ve been happier to see a hotel. We need not go into those particulars here, but that is saying something, trust me.

Tomorrow I’m looking at 56 miles, if the weather is better. If the weather is the same, I’m going to cut it off at 37. Prudence is the better part of valor, or so I’ve heard.

Miles: 53

Cold and windy, definitely a “Marfa sort of day.”

Day 60

DeFuniak Springs Florida to Marianna Florida

Morning

It’s 6am, it’s clear outside, only a very slight breeze. Overnight the temperature dropped. Right now it’s 29 degrees outside. That is cold for Florida, and cold for me as well. I’m starting the day with a long sleeve base layer, a down vest, a down jacket, and a rain shell on the top. On the bottom, cycling bibs, long pants, and two pairs of socks. Yesterday I ended the day very cold, I’m hoping to avoid that today.

End of the day

I ended the day not as cold as yesterday, There was less wind to contend with today, but the temperature was lower. I think the key was less wind. It was a good ride. I took U.S. Hwy. 90 all the way to Marianna. The shoulder was smooth and wide the whole way. Well, almost the whole way. There is no shoulder in the towns. The ride was beautiful, but as is always the case, no time to stop and sight see. I would have liked to visit the library in DeFuniak Springs. It’s on the Nation Historic Register. I learned yesterday that a man owed the city a significant sum of money, he couldn’t pay, so he donated the city is armor collection. The city didn’t know what to do with it, so they put it in the Library. That would have been worth a visit if the library had been open.

I’m experiencing my first Waffle House. It’s what you would expect. It’s an IHOP with emphasis on waffles rather than pancakes. I do like it. This one is small. I’m sitting at the counter and the kitchen is right in front of me. I love restaurants where you can sit and watch the kitchen. If I could have any job outside the field of computer science, it would be a cook (or maybe a bicycle mechanic). It’s hard work, but it would be fun. That doesn’t mean I’m interested in going to work. I don’t think there is any danger I’ll find work to be better than what I’m doing right now.

Currently it’s 42 degrees in Marianna. Much better than this morning’s 29 degrees. Looks like rain might be moving in tomorrow afternoon. My plan is to be in Tallahassee at the end of the day tomorrow. I’ll get an early start in the morning so I can beat as much of the rain as I possibly can.

Oddest thing I saw today was in DeFuniak Springs, The whole town is decorated for Christmas. I have no idea what that is all about.

Miles: 66

Lots of good shoulder riding today.

Day 61

Marianna Florida to Tallahassee Florida

The Weather App (I still trust it, but I’m starting to have doubts) told me it was 45 degrees this morning. No way. I pulled into a gas station to get some coffee, it was 9:30am. Chatting with a fellow inside, he asked me if it was cold enough for me. I told him it felt colder to me today than it did yesterday. He agreed. So Weather App be damned, this morning at least it was colder.

It was a good ride. I left at 6:30am so I got some good miles in before noon. Today I entered the Eastern Time Zone, so I lost an hour, making my decision to leave early this morning even better. I arrived in Tallahassee at 2:00pm Central Time. I spotted a Zagat rated burger joint so I pulled in to have some early dinner (first dinner if your a Hobbit). The Odometer on my bike told me I burned 2,500 calories today. That doesn’t seem right to me. It determines calories burned based on my weight. But since I’m packing maybe 40 pounds of gear, it has to be more than 2,500. Regardless, I figured a 2:00pm burger and fries was a tasty idea, and well under 2,500 calories. (Note: it turned out I was carrying almost 80 pounds.)

I was describing the pine forests in the South to a friend. She said it sounded like Bend Oregon. As I was riding again today, I realized that was a very astute comment. It does indeed look like Bend Oregon when you are in the areas where the pines grow. As I recall from my Weyerhaeuser days a long time ago, the Southern Pine grows very fast compared to Northwest species. Forty years to first harvest. When the logging trucks go past me, it seems like they are carrying mostly first harvest trees.

I’ve had three days now of cold weather and today reminded me a lot of the Pacific Northwest. Today the sky was grey for the entire day. There was an 80 percent chance of rain in Tallahassee by 5pm. It started raining lightly just as I was finishing my burger and getting ready to ride to my Hotel. It was light rain, not a concern really. It feels like the Weather App is trying to regain my confidence.

I set out for the Hotel at 3:45 Eastern Time. The route took me right through the center of the FSU campus. I expected that because I picked a Hotel that was just on the other side of campus from me. I love college campuses. My strategy had an unexpected benefit. As I was cruising along, and I heard the sound of horns. I turned into a parking lot to listen. The FSU Marching Band was practicing nearby. I headed toward the sound and ended up right next to the practice field. The FSU Marching Band was rehearsing for the game on Saturday. I was on the other side of a fence, but I wasn’t more than 15 yards away from the band. I sat there for almost an hour watching. It was like being on the sidelines during half-time. I watched as they rehearsed all the songs individually. After that, they ran through the entire program from start to finish. They are very good, not as good as the UW Husky Marching Band, but still very good. Sometimes you laugh and you don’t know why. While the band was rehearsing, the conductor was critiquing the finer points of the bands formation. At one point he said “We are not the Wisconsin Marching Band.” I had no idea what he meant by that, but I still broke out in laughter because it didn’t sound like a compliment.

Watching the FSU Marching Band was the highlight of the day. But there was one potential highlight that I let get away from me. Earlier in the day I saw a sign that said “State of Florida Re-Entry Facility.” I figured that is where State Prisoners are sent prior to their release back into society. There was an open field beyond the sign. I couldn’t see any buildings, but I noticed an elderly black man walking in the field not far from the road. He waved at me. I waved back. Sometimes when you are cycling, you loose track of time. Other times you lose track of reality altogether. What I’m saying is you can get so focused on the goal and the motion that you forget there is a whole world out there. About a quarter of a mile down the road I realized I should have pulled over and chatted with that man. We would have had to shout, but maybe he would have come closer to me and we would have had a conversation. There was no fence there to prevent that. It’s possible. I was on a divided highway, so I couldn’t safely turn around and go back. I was disappointed with myself for getting so caught up in my goal and the thoughts in my own head, that I couldn’t see the opportunity right in front of me.

I need a day of rest. The last three days have taken a toll on me. I think tomorrow I will spend the day in Tallahassee. Perhaps I’ll go see if Dale Earnhardt Jr. hangs out at the Chevrolet Dealership that carries his name. Maybe not. I need to make some decisions about what my final route to the Atlantic will be.

I’m having my Hobbit second dinner at the War Horse Whiskey Bar. Of course I’m having a Manhattan, but I’m also having a chicken parm sub. I just introduced myself to Christian. Total Nerd. He’s wearing an Oregon State Robotics T-shirt. He’s such a nerd I had difficulty getting him to talk to me. All I could get out of him was he did his post-grad work at OSU. I guess I’m not nerdy enough. Wow, that’s saying something. He has three friends with him. Two of them (and the robotics post-grad) are drinking something that looks like Rose wine with ice in it. Blah. It’s sort of fun writing about them when they are sitting at the table across from me. I will stop myself now.

Miles: 66

Cold again. Unseasonably cold I’m told, like really unusually cold.

Day 62

Tallahassee Florida

Morning

Good heavens. It’s the Ides of November already. Even though in practice, Ides typically refers to the month of March, I find it a romantic notion to suggest that every month has a half-way mark. I’m half-way thru the Month of November. Time to settle my debts from the first half of the month and look ahead to the finish of my ride. (All good Romans settled their debts on the Ides of March, we have been given one extra month by the IRS.) What stands out to me at this point is that I’m carrying too much gear. Time to unload some of this stuff that I’m no longer using and make my load a bit lighter for the remainder of my journey. I’m going to do that today.

Ever since I left East Texas its been cold. Unseasonably cold. There have been many days when the temperature was 20 degrees below average. To put it another way, I can only remember three days of cycling when I was pleasantly warm while riding. All of this goes to the fact that I have been staying in hotels for most of that way. Some of them nice, some of them not so nice, but all of them have had a roof, some form of heat, and most (but not all) have had a hot shower.

With 282 miles remaining to reach St. Augustine, I’ve decided there is no point in trying to camp between here and there. The weather is not showing signs of getting any better, so I think it is safe to unload my camping gear, send that home, and in the process lighten my load significantly. There is a big difference between riding a bike that is carrying just its rider, and riding a bike that is carrying its rider plus a ton of camping equipment, clothing, and miscellaneous stuff that comes with you on an extended tour. It will actually be fun to complete the tour carrying less gear. To see if that is even possible, I’ll need to spend the rest of the morning figuring out the logistics. I’m calling today a day of rest.

I have discovered the miracle diet. Take 22 pounds of gear off your bike and ship it home. As the fellow in the UPS store said to me, “you’re no longer carrying a toddler around with you.” I thought that was funny. Even if I got rid of everything, including the bike, I’d still be accompanied by a toddler (me).

Tomorrow begins my four day dash to the coast. I will arrive on the 19th. That is a very special day as I have alluded to in earlier posts. I’m not going to go into it right now. I will have more to say about that on the 19th. Here is how I’m going to get there:

Tallahassee to Madison 58 miles

Madison to High Springs 77 miles*

High Springs to Palatka 68 miles

Palatka to St. Augustin 40 miles

Miles: 0

A day of rest. Prepping for the remainder of my trip.

Day 63

Tallahassee Florida to Madison Florida

The first 30 miles getting out of Tallahassee was one rolling hill after another. That was a surprise. I didn’t expect rolling hills in Florida. Once I got 30 miles out, the terrain became flat again. I have to admit, that was something of a relief.

I stopped for lunch at an old-fashioned meat market. I wasn’t sure what I was going to get, then I spotted a man making donuts and that-was-that. I had a glazed, a jelly filled, and a raisin bran muffin. The guy making the donuts was very friendly, and very proud of his creations. After I finished my little snack, he asked me how the raisin bran muffin was. I told him it was excellent, he was pleased.

The next 15 miles was like riding through a park. Each side of the road had a wide strip of grass with trees planted at regular intervals on each side. Each grassy area along side the road was about 30 years wide. The trees were covered with Spanish Moss. Lots of it. I should have taken a picture. Once again I was wrapped up in the motion of cycling and forgot all about the camera I was carrying.

It was another cold day. I was chilled by the time I ended my ride, but the hot shower felt really good. It makes me sleepy but that’s better than being cold. It’s a trade-off for sure. The cold saps your strength. When it’s cold day after day I find the overall effect is cumulative, or maybe I’m just getting worn out. Could be the latter I suppose. I’m finding that my day of rest just yesterday did not give me much of the boost I was hoping it would.

I need to get an early start in the morning since my hotel is 6 miles off-route and I need to back-track to get my day started. That was the plan. While I was writing this I was watching a Hallmark Christmas movie in the hotel lobby and chatting with the desk clerk. The desk clerk kept telling me I could change the channel but I was too tired to get up and grab the remote. It’s a slow day at the Best Western here in Madison. (We had a fun time criticizing the plot and the characters.) When I told her I had to leave early and miss breakfast because I needed to back-tracking, she told me to eat breakfast and she would give me a ride back to the route. What a sweet heart.

I have three days remaining on my tour. I’m looking forward to reaching St. Augustine, but it’s also going to feel odd. When I wake up in St. Augustine the day after finishing what am I supposed to do? I don’t have to get on the bike and ride, That is going to take some adjustment. Kind of like going through a type of withdrawal.

Miles: 67

The Spanish Moss is beautiful.

Day 64

Madison Florida to Lake City Florida

The day started with my Hallmark Channel friend driving me north six miles to put me back on-route. She was a hoot. When I left her to go get some dinner last night, she was watching a new Hallmark movie. I said “How did that one end?” She looked at me and said “How do you think?” I said “the same way the one before ended?” She laughed and said “of course!” (I knew the answer, we were just bantering.) She was driving an old RAM pick-up truck. It ran pretty well but it was beat-up. She called it her “garbage truck.” I assume that’s because she hauls garbage with it, but I’m not completely clear on that. I looked down at the gas and brake pedals and to my surprise, saw that they both had lighted covers. I’ve never seen that before. The pedals were reflecting bright red flames throughout the driver’s side foot well. It was spectacular! I asked her about it, how could you not? She explained that she bought the truck from a Mexican. She was very proud of it, she hasn’t put a penny into it in five years. She bought it for $500.

About 11am I rolled into the town of Suwannee. Yes, the same as the river made famous in song by Stephen Foster. This is not the only notable thing about the town. I was about to meet a man that would fill me in on a couple of other interesting historical footnotes. I turned off the Main Street that was Hwy. 90, looking for a cafe. I wanted a cup of hot coffee to warm me up. A block down the street, across from the Suwannee Court House was a shop with a sign that said simply, “Cafe.” There was a fellow bringing all manner of sports clothes out in front of the cafe. I figured what the heck, I’d pull over, maybe there was a cafe hidden in there somewhere. I got off the bike and asked him if the cafe was open. He said “No, only on Friday and Saturday.” I was getting ready to push-on and he said, “come on inside, you look cold and I have some sweatshirts on sale you might like, at least you can warm up a bit.” Well how can you refuse that sort of offer, even without coffee.

I went inside and the place was loaded with sports clothing. Tom introduced himself and said this was the last of his inventory from the sporting goods store he sold a few years back. He was parting out. Well, I poked around and ended up buying three pieces of gear with a retail value over $100. I paid $14 for all of it. I’ll make room in my panniers for just about anything at that price. We chatted a bit and he said, “come here, I have something to show you.” We walked into the back, this is where the cafe is on Friday and Saturday, he pointed to a full bar. I said “are you telling me you’ll open the bar just for me?” He nodded. I sat down and looked over his bourbon selection and ordered a Crown. It’s noon on Sunday in a Florida County that was dry 6 years ago. Everybody that is anybody is in church. Tom has opened his bar for me. I’m humbled, and just a little bit amused. We chatted as I sipped my Crown. He told me his Ted Bundy story, I told him my D. B. Cooper story. I probably could have sat there all day with him, I’m sure he would not have minded.

He told me all about the Kimberly Leach trial that took place at the Suwannee Court House right across the street from his cafe. Kimberly was Bundy’s last victim. I don’t intend to talk about the trial or Bundy. He was a monster. His victims deserved to be remembered. This story is about Tom. He told me when Bundy was on trial, he ate at his cafe. It was a logistics thing. One day Bundy walked out of the Court House with the cafe’s menu under his arm. The name of the cafe clearly visible. The trial was in the national news and the video of Bundy walking out of the Court House with Tom’s menu clearly visible under his arm was viewed nationally. Tom started getting calls from friends asking him how he managed to arrange that!

I told Tom I had to hit the road and he said “your a Seahawks fan right?” I confessed. He walked me over to his wall where he had all nine retired High School jerseys worn by the local players that had made it to the NFL. Included was the jersey worn by Kelly Jennings, Seahawks Cornerback drafted in 2006. Tom proudly mentioned that he had actually presided over the retirement of Kelly’s jersey. Tom has seen a lot and been a focal point in the community of Suwannee, that’s for sure.

Today started out cold again. It was cold all morning. I covered 43 miles and decided that was enough for today, I ride just how I like after all. I had intended to ride 75 miles but when I arrived in Lake City, that felt like far enough. I checked in to a hotel, leaving the 75 mile day for tomorrow. It is showing signs of warming up. I think tomorrow is going to be almost civilized.

Miles: 43

Two days to go.