Day 45- Milton to DeFuniak Springs

Monday, April 20, 2015- 55 miles

Nan and I stayed in a motel across from the KOA campground where the Coasters were spending one of their last nights in tents. So, in the morning it was a quick ride across a street to meet today's riding companions, Judy, Udi, Ken W and Lisa. These four riders had developed a disciplined pace line routine of switching leaders every two miles. My erratic riding style without an odometer presented all of us some challenges in getting into their rhythm. It all worked out and we enjoyed a pleasant, sunny ride east on US 90. Some readers may recall that this is the same highway that we used in Texas from Van Horne to Uvaldi.

We had one amusing stop and photo op at the Animal Tree along the way:

 No one knew the origin of this carved tree trunk featuring the heads of sheep and the initials, DCG.

We pedaled on stoping for lunch in Crestview. That's near Niceville. Simply Good Country Cooking BBQ featured a smash burger that included bacon and cheese all mushed together. Yummy! We soon reached, despite the heavy load of lunch, a fork in the road. My companions turned north towards the Paradise Island campground on a lake and I proceeded on to DeFuniak Springs and the motel south of town where I was to meet Nan. We spent a pleasant afternoon touring the historic part of the village. We learned that this town hosted the first Chautauqua Institute established in the late 19th century outside of its original western New York setting. The homes and and a library (first in Florida) were build around one of only two perfectly circular lakes in the world.

That afternoon I met John and his wife, Sue. They are from Milwaukee and know AD from the 2014 C2C. John is riding a recumbent bike solo across the country using Adventure Cycling's Southern Tier route. He left San Diego in early March before C2C and has ridden 40-50 miles a day with Sue driving support. As is the custom I invited John and Sue to join us for dinner. We all drove out to the campground and enjoyed a dinner hosted and prepared by the residents. Later we sat around a fire and listened to songs including a lively rendition of 'Bad to the Bone' by Chandler, despite his body brace, and 'Live your life as if you are Dying" led by Bubba.