Day 6- Worms to Neustat

Friday, Sept 15- 59 km/ 36 mi

This day we rode west away from the Rhine through vineyards into hills overlooking the river valley. This was a day of a few minor climbs and passing one quaint and picturesque village after another and a prelude to a far more strenuous day to follow.

Just a few comments on the German election that was concluded yesterday, Sunday, Sept 24, with Chancellor Angela Merkel wining a sixth consecutive term:
The political posters seemed small (no more than 3' X 4') and subdued with usually just a head shot of a smiling and surprisingly young looking candidate. A party label, such as CDU for the conservatives and SPD for the liberals, was again small and discreet. I could not interpret the commentary but it was brief and to the point. I do not know the customs or regulations, but I was impressed with how approachable the candidates appeared.

The ride not being too long allowed us time to finish with a pastry and coffee before meeting the bus and riding to our hotel on the other side of the Rhine. One note of caution, Rose slipped fell when trying to cross a curb onto a bike path. It was a hard fall and prompted her to skip riding the following day.

Day 5- Mainz to Worms

Thursday, Sept 14- 56 km/ 34 mi

"If I were at home, I would not ride in this weather." A quote like this and advice not to ride from another rider's wife convinced me not to ride this day. Later I heard several comments to the effect of "hardest 35 miles ever ridden." It rained all day and the track was hard to follow including a wrong turn into a field of wet grass.

Instead I rode on the bus to Worms and moved into a delightfully new and clean restoration of an old rowing club beside the Rhine. I was able to trade some detergent for a wash load and then hung up clothes to dry. Later had lunch in the adjoining restaurant overlooking the Rhine.

That afternoon I walked into the center of Worms to explore the city known for its connection to Martin Luther. I also learned that the oldest synagogue in Germany is located in Worms. All was well until I got disoriented, ran began to fall and wind picked up as I tried to find the large clock tower on the main bridge coming into town and beside the rowing club hotel. Eventually I found the tourist office which provided me a map and directions back to the river.

Day 4- Boppard to Mainz

Wednesday, Sept 13- 80 km/ 50 mi

We set out from Boppard in a drizzle and experienced rain in various forms all day long. The weather conditions unfortunately obscured several iconic locations. Formost were the narrows of the Lorelei. Our view was limited by fog and rain of the rock formation where legend holds a maiden lured ships aground. Sounds familiar? Like Homer in the Odyssey this is a folk tale shared by many cultures.

Many of us made a strategic stop soon after in a walled town of Bacharach. There we found a shop that sold a marvelous, heated apple strudel with both ice cream and warm cream. Just the solace needed to  counter the weather. Most unfortunately the respite was brief and the rain really came down hard just as we set out again.

The route did include a ferry boat ride across the Rhine and brief lunch stop in the touristy town of Rudesheim. The route, or often referred to as the track, proceeded down the right, or east side, of the Rhine, past Weisbaden, the home of Richard Wagner and a large US Army base, and onto Mainz. We had a brief look at the city, best known as the home of Gutenberg, the inventor of printing. Most of us were eager to warm ourselves in the bus. We had an half hour drive outside of Mainz to our hotel.

Day 3- Remagen to Boppard

Tuesday, Sept 12- 70 km/ 42 mi

As we left Remagen we stopped to see the remains of a bridge that was destroyed near the end of World War II but was a major Allied objective as the last one spanning the Rhine River. It was captured and used before finally being blown up.

We continued south on a path with the river on our left. A bit confusing as we are headed upriver and the banks are identified from the source looking downstream. So, we are riding on the left bank. There are shipping markers of each kilometer, tenths and haves all along the path. Surprising amount of barge and tourist river boat traffic.  This river was and remains an interstate highway of commercial shipping.

An old crane used to unload barges

We stopped for a picnic lunch across from the Deutsches Eck, or German Corner, where the Mosel River joins the Rhine. There is a restored statue of Kaiser William I commemorating the unification of Germany.

We crossed the Mosel into the city of Koblenz and after a closer look at the Deutsches Eck we proceeded on down the bike path. A sprinkle of rain ultimately became a downpour as we rode into Boppard, our overnight destination.

Day 2- Starting off for Remagen

Monday, Sept 11- 80 km/ 50 mi

We began the morning in the rain attempting to identify and prepare our bikes for the tour. Lots of fretting about heavy Dutch bike frames and preferred adjustments such as swapping flat pedals for clips. Fortunately I brought a pedal wrench and quickly became everyone's NBF.

2014 Coaster Rose and tour guide Booke

My trusty steed for the next month. Like the botttle holder?

We eventually got organized and set out on a 20 km route north and west to the Rhine River and into Koln. We passed many of landmarks from yesterday's journey and crossed the Rhine using a bike path on the same railroad bridge that we crossed the previous day. Unfornately a large portion of our group became separated and had to find an alternate route. BTW- I had a flat tire after inadvertently running over a broken beer bottle. Surprisinglconsidering the heavy tread on the bike tires. We spent an hour touring the square around the Koln cathederal. Several of us stopped for a lunch of a yummy fish broth along the riverfront before heading south on a bike path beside the Rhine River. 

Looking into Koln from the right or east bank of the Rhine River

While riding after lunch the right side of my handlebar had an encounter with a construction truck parked on the path and I ended up ingloriously entangled in some shrubbery. The work crew pulled up my bike and helped me regain my footing. No harm except a nice bruise on my left bum.

The path was relatively easy to follow and paved almost all the way. We did have to wander off from the river to make our way past and through a massive petrochemical plant before reaching Bonn, the former capital of West Germany before unification and restoring the capital to Berlin. We did stop for a coffee in a small square before heading on to our overnight stay in the village of Boppard.

Day 1- Gathering in Troisdorf

The tour operator, Fital, staff and bicycles were not due to arrive until late in the afternoon. Three of us, Todd, Hargy and myself, set out in the morning for an adventure using multiple forms of public transportation into Koln, aka Cologne. We started on a bike/ pedestrian path walking to a bus stop. It being Sunday the bus came only once and hour but being Germany it was precisely on time per the posted schedule. It took us to a train stop. Not a full station but soon enough a very clean and on time train arrived and took us into the main Koln Bahnhof (train station). It was directly acrosss from the spectacularly large cathedral. It was hard to get the whole building into one picture.

We found a tourist information office nearby the cathedral, picked up a map and immediately set out in the wrong direction in search of the old town neighborhood. We came upon some American tourists off a river cruise and they led us back to the Cathederal where we soon found the old town. We stopped for a lunch including liverwurst and rye bread for me outside in a lively square.

Afterwards we retraced our route back to Troisdorf proudly using our newly found knowledge and appreciation for the efficiency of public transportation. We found the Fital staff and remaining riders at the hotel and enjoyed a lively dinner filled with celebration and information about the upcoming tour.

Day 0- Arriving in Germany

Left Atlanta Friday evening, Sept 8, and flew into Düsseldorf airport arriving early Saturday morning, Sept 9. This was one day earlier than the scheduled start of the bike tour but gave me an extra day to adjust to the six hour time change and get oriented to new surroundings. Three fellow riders, 2014 Coaster Todd, Jim and Kathy from Minneapolis, were on the same Delta flight. Jim had made arrangements for a shuttle to our hotel as he and his wife had bought their own bicycles in boxes. We came outside into a cold light rain with our luggage. Will this become an enduring theme? We were unable to locate the expected shuttle despite numerous phone calls and moves of luggage including heavy and bulky bike boxes. So, we secured another van that neatly accommodated four passengers and luggage. We found the Best Western motel after a drive of about an hour south in a suburb southeast of Cologne.

We busied ourselves the remainder of the day greeting old and meeting new friends. It turned out that almost all the riders made provision to arrive early. Some traveled a bit to Paris, Lisbon and Cologne before congregating in Troisdorf.

Euro Bike Tour

It has been almost two years since the last post upon the completion of the Coast2Coast tour. Many of the riders and support staff from the 2014 cross country ride are coming back together this Fall to ride from Cologne to Rome. John and Hetty, who are from the Netherlands to joined the ride across the US, have organized this ride using a Dutch tour company, Fital.

We (32 riders, a guide and a driver) will gather at a hotel near the Cologne airport. We will set off on Sept 11 south along the Rhine River, through eastern Switzerland, over Splugen Pass in the Alps and into Italy on our way to Rome. The tour is scheduled to last 36 days including a few rest/ sightseeing days along the way. Use the link below to access a map of the entire route including stopover cities and hotels:

Euro Bike Tour Route Map

Day 52- The Finish: Palatka to St Augustine Beach, FL

Saturday, February  20, 2016- 40 miles

Wow, this is it! The start was cool and damp and began with a bridge crossing using a well protected and separated bike path over the St John's River and then onto newly paved paths that paralleled another busy highway. Bill P joined me East of the bridge and we rode out together for about 10 miles. Bill turned back to retrieve his car and provide valuable scouting support. I continued on the path until it came to an abrupt end and forced me to cross the highway and use the shoulder beside speeding traffic. Respite came quickly after two quick stops to confirm with locals that I was headed in the right direction. Thanks to Bubba the route turned out onto quiet rural lanes and ended up at historic St Ambrose Catholic Church. Here are just a few pictures:






































Bill phoned while I was enjoying the setting and confirmed where we were to meet along FL-207. As I departed I came upon an organized and supported group of 100+/- colorful cyclists out for a Saturday ride in the country. Lots of greetings and good cheer. I found Bill after coming across a motor cycle event and using another link in the bicycle path. Bill pointed down the path and mentioned that I would be turning soon to remain on Bubba's route. Unfortunately I misunderstood the instructions, passed the turn and ended up at a dead-end confronting active railroad tracks. Never wanting to turn back, I proceeded by walking my bike ahead about 100 yards to a dirt path leading to a driveway. That led me back out to FL-207. No problem. I just proceeded and after a quick check on the iPhone map found a direct route to St Augustine Beach, of course, after a stop for iced coffee and a bear claw at a Panera. The chosen route resulted in a miss of downtown St Augustine and a ride over the Bridge of Lions but after another phone call Bill and I agreed to meet at the designated Hampton Inn end point.

And onto the beach for a few commemorative pictures followed by a celebratory lunch before driving back to Atlanta in 6 hours. 800 miles of driving for 200 miles of cycling in 4 days.

The journey could not have been accomplished without encouragement and support from so many friends and family. Nan kept reminding me of this ambition and came along last year. Sam, David, Phill, Vern and the Chain Gang and Charlie, Johnny and the King Biking Group accompanied me on multiple training rides. Bill P was there this year with scouting reports and the confidence that I could complete the journey. And, of course, I cannot say enough good things about Bubba; the Wolfpack that did all the heavy lifting; Anne and Serge who fed us so well; Ed, Joyce, Greg, Gary, Happy Hans, Larry, Chandler, Gayle and Roger who were there with good words, shade, support and snacks along the way; and most especially Rose, John, Hargy, Stretch, Jim and all the 2014 riders who became lifelong friends and companions along a remarkable bicycle odyssey. 

Thanks is not enough to express my appreciation for all that everyone gave so that the journey could be completed.

Day 51- High Springs to Palatka, FL

Friday, February 19, 2016- 80 miles
(Note: Bubba's C2C itinerary includes a rest stop on Day 50. With just three days of riding we chose not to spend an extra day in High Springs.)

The Diner, featured in Trip Advisor and across the street from the High Springs Inn. was surprisingly not open for breakfast so we had to make do with biscuits at the local Hardees. Really not so bad.


Today's route started South on US 441 and with warmer temperatures in the high 40's the ride was pleasing as it passed through rural ranches before heading East past Bubba's home (the one, I presume, with the oversized garage doors to accommodate RV's).The route also passed under a strikingly beautiful allee of live oaks before going over I-75 and proceeding via a bike lane into Gainesville. Again, Bill P drove ahead, scouting out the route before getting his bike out for a ride heading West. He found our favorite stopping point, a Starbucks, for coffee and a nearby Wells Fargo ATM for some much needed cash.

The passage through Gainesville could not have been more accommodating for bicycles. First, we were on well marked bike lanes on a road North of downtown and then a connection to a 16.5 mile trail heading East to Hamilton, where we stopped for a lunch of BBQ.

There was still a good 30 miles left to Palatka along an extremely busy highway, FL 20. The shoulder was a designated bike lane but the posted speed limit was 65 mph. There were a lot of cars and trucks going past at a much higher and uncomfortable speed. It all finally came to an end upon reaching our hotel, a Holiday Inn Express, for the night. We did enjoy a delightful seafood dinner overlooking the St John's River, as a reward for the longest of the three days of cycling.

Day 49- Madison to High Springs, FL

Thursday,  February 18, 2016- 78  miles

So, what made me think I could just hop on a bicycle and pedal all day? Well, I had been riding regularly without any major difficulties, but these were short 20-40 mile rides mostly in-town and short in duration.

Bill P and I departed after a quick motel buffet breakfast. Chilly in the high 30's. We scouted a route on Bandit Rd which was dirt and made its way to a County road up to Lee and US 90. Bill was kind enough to drive along and protect me from any marauding dogs. None seen or heard. Bill drove ahead to Live Oak, parked and rode back towards me. On the way I crossed over the Suwanee River and of course, hummed the Stephen Foster tune, Way down upon...

We returned to the Dixie Grill for a second breakfast. I rode East, again along US 90. after shedding jacket and pants. The temperature was a delightful 60+/- with sun shining. I passed by Camp Weed, an Episcopal Church camp, where Chandler led a week long Road Scholar biking program that I attended a few years ago and first heard of Bubba and his amazing pampered pedalers. 

At about the midway point I headed South. Bill drove ahead and alerted me that there were no viable places to stop for food or drinks until reaching a canoe rental store near the Ichetucknee State Park. I finally reached that destination after battling head winds whenever I turned East. I did see one amazing site along the way:

Bill again, scouted the route ahead and rode back on his bike. He led me along a trail to and through another State Park and out to US 41, the same highway that passes nearby (Northside Dr) my home in Atlanta. Bill picked up his car and proceeded into High Springs where we  spent the night in a cosy little motel. We went out to a pleasant dinner that I recall included fresh strawberries that had been harvested locally among other ingredients in a large salad,.

Remember the opening comments about preparation? At this point every joint and limb in my body was screaming, "What have you done?" I slept restlessly as I could not find a comfortable position. Nevertheless I woke up surprisingly refreshed and without significant pain. On we go...

Third Time a Charm

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Last year Bill P organized a few riders from the Atlanta based King Biking Group to travel down to Florida to meet Judy, a 2015 Coaster, and me as we completed the Coast2Coast ride. They rode their bicycles South from Amelia Island on the Georgia border to St Augustine. As you may recall my ride was interrupted again. Bill immediately offered to help me finish up the last three days of riding. His hip replacement surgery in November and my commitments delayed the trip. We vowed, however, to find at least three days of clear and relatively warm (60+) weather and we would set out.

We watched weather forecasts and finally saw four consecutive days of ideal conditions in North Florida last week. We left Atlanta after breakfast and made the  250 mile drive to Madison in about 4 hours. We did not see much of Madison as we drove past the quaint downtown and out to a motel on I-10. We decided to drive over to Live Oak for dinner at the Dixie Grill, which I knew had most adequately catered a Bike Florida event in early April 2015. Did not disappoint.

Back in the Saddle

A little over a week ago, the morning of Wednesday, May27, I entered the Piedmont Hospital Fuqua Heart Instiute for a scheduled ablation surgical procedure. All went well and I was released later the same day. The preparation for the procedure started soon after my arrival at 9:30 am and included shaving what little chest hair I have and a gynecological consultation (little humor here) from a good friend and doctor who came by to check on me. Dr. Smith then took over and explained the procedure and let me know that I would have to wait a bit as he was running behind schedule. So, I finally got to the operating room, called a labratory, by noon and was back in the same room where the prep had taken place at 2:00 pm. The first step of recovery was the removal of three catheters from two 1/4 inch incisions in the upper right thigh and applying pressure for twenty minutes before dressing the wound. Remarkably none of this was uncomfortable, except for exposure to multiple nurses. I was required to lie quietly for another four hours while having vital signs monitored. Finally at around 7 pm my blood pressure was taken one last time while standing and the reading was normal. So, off I went home with a brief stop on the way to pick up dinner. I had not eaten in 24 hours and was ravenously hungry.

Joke: The anesthesiologist came by during the prep and asked among other things if I knew the difference between minor and major surgery. I replied, "No." He then told me that minor surgery is what everybody else has. So, now you know, major applies to any procedure done on you.

Dr. Smith came by and professed satisfaction with the process that included using electricity to create scaring that restores the malfunctioning circuit responsible for the heart flutter. I expressed my appreciation and admiration for the knowledge that electrical circuits exist in the heart. He said, of course, he had studied under the person who discovered the specific circuit tied to flutter. I thanked him and agreed to come back for a follow-up exam in August, when hopefully the need for a blood thinner will be eliminated.

I rested quietly at home for three days and actually took advice from my three sisters and wife not to ride until the fourth day. I am happy to report that my friend, Sam, and I rode briskly Sunday out and back on the Silver Comet Trail west of Atlanta 22 miles. We kept a steady pace on the flat trail such that we increased our heart rate and breathing. All felt fine and I experienced no discomfort. Yeah!

Still do not know when, how or if I will finish the C2C but am considering just going to Florida in the fall and ride on my own the final three days. Bubba sent me cue sheets for the routes.

Medical Update

It has been two weeks since I returned home. I have resumed my normal schedule which includes coffee (now decaffeinated) and reading a paper, as well as solving a Sudoko puzzle, each morning and two bike rides a week. All has felt well and I have been able to ride without any difficulties.

An appointment this morning with a local electrophysiologist confirmed that I am no longer exhibiting any signs of atrial arrhythmia. He felt my heart, which now had a resting pulse of 57 this morning, has returned to normal on its own without any impact from the prescribed medications. That's great news! However, I learned that an event such as I experienced in Florida can and will reoccur without warning and not necessarily be tied to any exertion. The alternatives, again as were explained earlier, are: 1) take medications to control heart rhythm but that are not considered effective; 2) ignore the condition but take a blood thinner to prevent strokes and which in my case could be just a daily aspirin; or 3) undergo an ablation surgical procedure which has a 97% effective rate of permanent prevention and elimination of a blood thiner after three months. Although I was tempted to choose Door #2, Nan and I agreed and have scheduled myself for an out-patient surgery on May 27.

Tallahassee Memorial Hospital and Home

Friday, April 24- Sunday, April 26

Feeling pretty bummed out at failing a second time to complete the Coast2Coast tour, now with only three riding days left to St Augustine, and not having had a chance to say, "Good-bye," to any of this year's Coasters I found myself in another hospital ER. I was finally admitted and taken to a non-emergency room at 2 am and slept, as might be expected, fitfully.

Friday was full of visits from doctors and nurses drawing blood and recording vital statistics. My heart rate remained normal but I learned that I was being treated as if I had a heart attack. In the afternoon I had a consultation with a cardiologist. He explained the what, when and where but admitted there was no clear why the heart has an arrhythmia. He recommended that I have a surgical procedure, called an ablation, to restore an electrical circuit that was most likely damaged. The alternative was to begin a life long dosage of a blood thinner. The risk was that a blood clot might form since the heart was not efficiently clearing blood and the clot might migrate into the brain causing a stroke. That caught my attention! We discussed the alternative of returning to Atlanta for the procedure upon which was agreed.

Saturday I was discharged but delays in filing paperwork resulted in my actual departure from the hospital not happening until 1 pm. Bad storms between Tallahassee and Atlanta suggested that we were better off staying another night in a motel. The extra time allowed us to enjoy a nice lunch at Food Glorious Food. I enjoyed some fantastic mac and cheese with bacon. Clearly all the medical issues were not interfering with my appetite.

Sunday we departed for Atlanta following a route directly north using US 41 between I-85 and I-75. Not the most scenic drive ever but a traffic and stress free alternative through Middle Georgia.

Day 48- Tallahassee to Madison

Thursday, April 23- 48 miles

Some pictures and lots of news today. Nan drove me out to the Coasters' motel on US 90 and the starting point for the day's ride. I was a little anxious about the difficulties that I encountered the prior day but wanted to ride since this route was short and quite flat. Rose and Judy chose to escort me in case I had any recurring problems. My guardian angels:

We began riding through an Allee of Live Oak trees completely overhanging the road and passed several nurseries and horse farms. The first stop was at Tupelo's Bakery in Monticello at mile 18.

After a leisurely iced coffee and bear claw pastry it was back on the road to Greenville. I was feeling OK but not great and had to stop frequently in the shade to hydrate and catch my breath. The next stop at mile 34 was a highlight as we all had a chance to make some music with Ray Charles in his hometown:

So, feeling refreshed we set off for Madison reaching there after a struggle for me up one last hill in time for lunch. As we finished eating Judy and Rose turned to me and announced that they were going to stand in for Nan and take me to a hospital. I did not argue as it was apparent that I was not able to ride or sustain a normal pace. We found Ed and Joyce who provided transportation for our bicycles and us to the North Florida Community College center housing the Coasters this evening. Rose drove me to the brand new hospital even though it was only 100 yards away.

Registration, quick admittance to the ER and I learned that I had a sustained heartbeat of 135, roughly double normal. It took multiple attempts using three different medications to lower the rate. In addition the EKG revealed that I had a regular arrhythmia, known as atrial flutter. So, the next move since the hospital in Madison did not have a cardiologist on staff was an ambulance ride back to Tallahassee's main hospital. 

Day 47- Marianna to Tallahassee

Wednesday, April 22- 75 miles

Again, no pictures but lots to report. The day and route started routinely when I met Murph and Alan on US 90 near the Lake Arrowhead campground. We continued eastwards crossing at mile 20 the Appalachacola River just below a dam forming Lake Seminole. We headed up an embankment into the town of Chatahoochee and a SAG stop at the Around the Corner Bakery. We did not linger but I noticed that I was still breathing hard after the climb and was experiencing some difficulty with the hills on the way out of town. I chose not to join, but waited for the group of riders that took a short detour to ride up into Georgia. We completed another 20 miles into Quincy where I took an extended rest stop drinking copious amounts of water and other liquids and eating a banana to regain strength.

Alan and Murph proceeded and I joined Judy's group as they were riding more slowly that day. Their lead rider, Ken W, was recovering from laser surgery on his left eye and they were willing to let me tag along. We left US 90 and proceeded along country lanes on a route recommended by local cyclists. I made it to the next stop and had some lunch in addition to more liquids, including a V8.

We left and soon headed into urban cycling across Tallahassee. Again, we were following a route suggested by local cyclists. However, I had forgotten how hilly the terrain is in that city. I had to stop frequently and once walked my bike up a hill. Judy's group was very kind and patiently waited for me as we slowly made our way to the eastern side of the city. We finally parted ways at mile 70 with the group going to their motel just outside the eastern edge of Tallahassee on US 90. I rode on making  one more stop to drink a large Coke and then to my motel.

This evening we completed a rendezvous, planned last year with Lee and Randy, friends from Winston-Salem and Atlanta. Rose, Murph and Judy joined Nan, Lee, Randy and me for a lovely dinner at the Cypress Restaurant. We all had lots to talk about and the evening was a nice break in routine. Finally got back to the hotel and in bed by 11 pm but sleep fitfully.

Day 46- DeFuniak Springs to Marianna

Tuesday, April 21- 69 miles

Sorry no pictures on this day. I met Rose, Murph and Alan at the town library. I rode up from a motel south of town and they rode in from the campground on the north side. Today's route took us around the small lake and through the historic district of DeFuniak Springs before resuming the easterly direction along US90. We made good time through much of the same route that I had traversed during the Bike Florida event, now three weeks ago.

We reached the lunch stop before 11 am, so we all decided to proceed on to Marianna and have lunch at Bistro Palms, the nice place JJ and I discovered two weeks earlier through Trip Advisor. We were not disappointed and enjoyed a leisurely lunch on their patio. Afterwards we proceeded to the Arrowhead Lake campground and the motel, a bit further south where Nan and I stayed. We returned, first for a frozen chocolate yogurt shake for me and then later a sumptuous dinner at the campground. Very pleasant day and evening.

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.