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.

Day 44- Dauphin Island, AL to Milton, FL

Sunday, April 19- 85 miles scheduled (46 miles completed)

The discipline of a daily post has escaped me. So, what is the story? All will be revealed as each day is described.

Nan and I rose early and departed after a hasty breakfast in a light rain. We drove south from Fairhope to meet the Coasters at the Fort Morgan eastern terminus of the ferry from Dauphin Island. We soon encountered heavy rain that required turning on the blinking safety lights. We did arrive just as the ferry was pulling into the dock. My iPhone camera crapped out as I went to take a picture of the boat full of riders and their bicycles. Perhaps, I should have taken this as an omen of future calamities that would occur this day.

The rain let up. Alan from Idaho, Murph from Colorado and regular companion on the 2014 C2C and I get set to begin the day's ride. We had fun raising our feet up like kids when we encountered flooded spots along the road. It was a splendid ride east along the coast, aka the Redneck Riviera.

We soon reached the beginning of the eighth and last state of the cross country ride. Here I am joined by Judy from Atlanta and the King Biking Group commemorating the accomplishment. So, all was good until we reached a small bridge over an inlet from the Gulf of Mexico where I was stopped by the first of four flat tires within the next seven miles. In frustration with #4 I refused to stop and rode an additional 10 yards which led to a painful fall on my left shoulder into oncoming traffic. I gathered myself and bicycle which at the time I was ready to throw into the ocean. Nevertheless Nan came to my rescue and transported the bike and me to the Bikes Plus shop in Pensacola. They administered emergency repairs, put on a new tire and sent me on. At that point I was happy to accept a car ride to our hotel in Milton, a delicious dinner from Chef Anne and a good night's sleep.

Day 43- Rest Day

Saturday, April 19, 2015

Nan and I started the day at a leisurely pace with breakfast at our hotel, pictured below:

This is Fairhope where California meets Alabama:

We departed for a brief look around Mobile before heading down the west side of the Bay. This is a restaurant and bar as well as a bike shop:

Nan spent the afternoon exploring the famous Bellingrath Gardens while I used the time to catch up with friends and staff from last year and meet the 2015 Coastsrs. Also included short ride on a borrowed bike for ice cream. Nan returned and we enjoyed our first dinner of chicken and beef fajitas prepared by Chef Anne. Then back to Fairhope to spend the night pondering the upcoming week of rides.

Returning to Coast2Coast

Friday, April 17- Drive from Atlanta to Fairhope, AL- 340 miles

Nan and I packed our luggage and biking gear in the morning and set out in a light rain from Atlanta. We drove southwest down I-85 towards Montgomery, the capital of Alabama. We stopped for a delightful lunch at the Amsterdam Cafe in Auburn. Nan used Trip Advisor to find this small spot near the Auburn Univ campus. We resumed our uneventful drive through Montgomery and then south towards Mobile. And that is when the skies opened up and we were deluged with rain. It was so heavy we pulled off the highway briefly and used our emergency blinking lights for much of the remainder of the journey. We left the Interstate before reaching Mobile as we were headed to the quaint village of Fairhope on the eastern shore of Mobile Bay. We settled into our hotel and then set off for dinner of oysters at Wintzell's.. Yummy. They were from Louisiana, but I did not ask if we should be concerned about any after effects of the BP spill.

Here are a couple of pictures from our hotel balcony of the old City Hall and a fire engine inside it:

Bike Florida- Day Six

Thursday, March 26- 41 miles

Rain was threatening from the outset so we tried to get off to an early start and chose the shorter option. However, not before getting all the Coasters (6 from 2014; 3 from 2013; 1 from 2010 and two Wolfpackers) in a group portrait:

The rain held off for two hours but finally came down heavily the last hour home. We were motivated to keep going while maintaining 20 mph in a pace line. Several of us bummed a ride by car back to Indian Pass (a true wide spot in the road) to feast on local oysters for lunch. Yummy!

That was followed by an afternoon of almost steady rain. Lil, Mike and I hid out in a nearby museum commemorating the signing of the Florida State Constitution. We learned that Port St Joe came within one vote of becoming the capital of Florida. That was all before the population of 12,000 in the 1820's was reduced to 4000 by Yellow Fever and then things really got bad. The remaining town was soon blown off the map by a hurricane, leaving behind no survivors.

Bobby, my ride home, proposed leaving early to avoid another day of riding in the rain. I readily agreed and we set off after indulging in a feast of jambalaya and ice cream. Bobby dropped me off in Atlanta around 12:45 am before heading to his home in Athens, GA.

What a perfect way to prepare physically and mentally to resume the Coast2Coast tour in April.

Bike Florida- Day Five

Wednesday, March 25- 85 miles

Another move day South from Marianna to Port St Joe. Mostly flat, light winds and cool weather made for an ideal day for cycling. Mike and I rode together again and were joined by Lil, another 2014 Coaster. Here's a picture of us with yet another 2014 Coster, Pete, at a rest stop near Wewahitchka, aka Wewa: 

Note: The UNC jersey was not enough to stop Wisconsin from winning in the NCAA Men's Basketball tournament the following night.

The ride ended with a 15 mile slog heading East into a headwind along the coast. We did finally reach camp safely and treated ourselves to a dinner out at the aptly named Sunset Grill. Here are a couple of pictures with the fading sun after dinner and with Wayne, a 2010 Coaster:

Bike Florida- Day Four

Tuesday, March 24- 58 miles
 (including minor detour off the route and trip to and back from a laundromat)

Circle route today to the West of Marianna. We began the day choosing the shorter of the two options, both of which brought us to another State Park and CCC project. This one Falling Waters, as seen in these pictures:

This area is another example of limestone erosion that in this case created a hundred foot chasm, or sinkhole, to capture water. This was, as might be expected, a popular site for the native Americans and early settlers unlike the caverns from yesterday that were dark and too narrow for habitation.

The ride itself was uneventful and the shorter duration allowed for an early return and time to do some much needed laundry. Several of us toured what to us was a surprisingly large and prosperous downtown Marianna after a dinner catered by Dixie Grill from Live Oak.