Making New Freinds

Each morning I wake up thinking “I hope I have something worthwhile to write in my blog.” Somehow, at the conclusion of each day, there always is.

First, I am very proud to say that I cycled 105 miles today, by far the most I have ever ridden. It really wasn’t my goal to do so, but I really wanted to reach the Cochan Campground in Aliceville, AL and by the end of the day I was determined to get there. Finally, about 7:00pm Michigan time (it’s the central time zone in western Alabama) I pulled in. There is only one other camper, so as I paid the Camp Host and asked him if they had any food for sale, he invited me to come eat with him and his wife. James and Polly Brown made me a nice meal, just what the doctor ordered. I was not looking forward to firing up my camp stove and cooking Ramen noodles. This morning they even fed me a breakfast of grits, eggs and venison sausage. God is good.

Talk about generosity, the gang from the “Bobby Ride” fed me a complimentary lunch, too. They are a group of 18 cyclists from North Carolina and Georgia (hope I got that right) who go on a yearly cycling expedition. A few of them were going in the other direction and invited me to their “pit stop” just as I was running out of gas. I’m riding in some pretty desolate country and they were a sight for sore eyes. I put the photo of Bobby, Elaine and Ginny on my blog hoping I might get an invite to next years outing (call me a suck up, whatever.)

The last town before the campgrounds was Gainesville, AL where the party store owner let me in, even though she was closed, so I could grab something to drink. (I’m trying to stay hydrated, Joe.) As I was eating my popsicle outside the store, Bob Glen (leader) and Joey Webster (just shy of his Eagle Rank) of Boy Scout Troop 70 from Meridian, Mississippi pulled up to get a soda. They were just on a “Rails to Trails” cycling trip this weekend so Bob pumped up my tire, which really needed it. People helping people – That’s what it is all about, isn’t it?

(P.S. To my Geography classes: Bob’s truck was running on bio-diesel. He and Joey’s dad started the first biodiesel company in Mississippi. A great energy alternative, I would say.)

Random Thoughts from Thomasville, AL

Today I rode west on US 84 from Evergreen, AL to US43 north, and finally called it quits in Thomasville, AL. There were some good elevation changes again, one of which took me over the Alabama River (see picture.) The other picture was taken by Marjorie Holderer as they drove past me in Florida - pretty cool to have an action shot.

Now for a few random thoughts:
* I'm getting a pretty funky tan with my bicycling gear, specifically my gloves. My fingertips are tan, but the rest of my hand looks like I've been cooped up in Gaylord all winter.
* Just to keep my mind occupied I counted 25,253 times that I pedaled my bike today. (I hope you know I'm just kidding - but this is a good estimate.) At that rate the entire trip should take about 3/4 of a million pedal strokes. Yikes!
* Going up and down hills is kind of like going to Cedar Point. It seems to take forever going uphill (just like waiting in line for the big roller coasters), then before you know it the ride is over (like going downhill) and you're back in line. By the way, my top speed today going downhill was 32 MPH.
* Unleaded gas is $2.78 a gallon here.
* The small towns in the south are much more racially integrated than in Michigan. I think it's pretty cool. Even though there may still be racial tensions, my experiences tell me there is much more harmony than people would think. And I've been treated great by everyone, regardless of race.

Well, it's time to pig out! I really appreciate your comments, even if I am not responding personally. Keep writing, I'm happy many of you are going on a virtual ride with me!

Sweet Home, Alabama

Well, I'm finally out of Florida and now I know what Alabama is like - HILLY! Instead of going all the way to Mobile, AL and starting my way north I decided to hook into the Underground Railroad biking route taking northwest roads through southern Alabama. I'm on US84 heading northwest toward the Alabama/Mississippi border. Tonight I'm staying in a small town called Evergreen, AL (I still don't have my camping site selected but I've talked to the local police and they said if I have to I can camp at their airport.)

When I was eating my lunch in an Andelusa, AL truck stop I asked a guy they call Bubba (later found out he was an off duty trooper) how to get to US84. He told me to turn left at the light and "pedal like hell." He was right. Man, am I going to sleep good tonight!

Defying Gravity?

It was a good think I stayed in a hotel last night. As I was watching the weather channel I saw that I was riding right into an area of the Florida panhandle that was going to be under tornado and thunderstorm warnings. Luckily I got an early start and checked into the Defuniak Motel in Defuniak Springs, FL just before a torrential downpour. I wanted to post a picture of the Wicked Witch of the West (was she really wicked?) riding her bicycle in the tornado outside of Dorothy's window with my head superimposed, but I just couldn't find one. As for the title "Defying Gravity", we just went to see the musical Wicked in Chicago, and it's the title of my favorite song. It doesn't refer to fighting tornadoes, like I was; it means you can do anything, be unlimited with the right vision.

So far I have biked 652 miles while pedaling 57 hours. Not bad for an old man.

Christa just told me about the bicycling accident in Elmira. It sure means a lot more to me now than it would have before. I will be saying prayers for the bikers and their families. I have come to find the close kinship between cyclists, and the potential for danger. Please don't worry about me - risks are proportional to the rewards you seek. I am living my dream, so it won't come easy.

Tomorrow I will be heading into northward into Alabama. I'll miss the palm trees but will enjoy the scenery nonetheless.

PS: I appreciate all of your comments, so keep on posting them. Also, if you want to show your support, please make a donation to the Kyle Casey Memorial Scholarship Fund (see the panel on the left side of the page.) It will help future youths defy gravity.

Life of Luxury!

When I started my journey my gaol was to make it on $10 a day. Forget that scene! For the first time I am staying in a hotel, The Admiral Benbow in Chattahoochee, FL, just across the Georgia border. I had to wash my clothes and I thought , man, I should take a good shower and sleep in a bed while I'm at it. Ahhhh, so nice.........

I spent last night in Lamont, FL. I stopped at the local party store asking about a place to stay and ran into Fran Hunt, who writes for the local paper. She said she is going to do a story on my trip, so I guess I am going to be famous. (Autographs available on my return.) I ended up sleeping at the First Methodist Church there, which was nice, but still rustic. They left the door open so I could use the restroom, which was greatly appreciated.

As I entered Tallahassee this morning I ran into Gary and Carol again, this time on their tandem bike. Maybe I can talk Christa into the next trip. Maybe. I got a little misdirected in Tallahassee and ended up riding right through the middle of the Florida State University Campus. I almost felt like I fit in, except for the gray hair. It was cool.

This was the first day I encountered some pretty major hills. In Florida? Go figure. I never had to walk my bike up them but a couple of old ladies walking their poodles passed me as I was climbing. Don't worry - I beat them downhill.

A few people have mentioned that I should put a map on the blog, so occasionally I'll put in a map update. Here is the first. Thanks for checking in with me!

So Much to Say

I was hoping to limit my blog entries to one or two paragraphs, but this might be a little longer. It's 4:30 on Tuesday afternoon and I just had an all you can eat "pig out" with Gary and Carol Speary, retired school teachers who are riding a tandem bike to Denver, then back to Pennsylvania, and then down the Atlantic coast. Holy Cow! Obviously they are experienced cyclists, having made major tours throughout the US for the past 12 years. It kind of humbles me, but boy do I appreciate their advice. (right picture)

While I was stopping for a nap yesterday in Otter Creek, who should stop by but the President of the Alabama Biking Coalition, Marjorie and Micheal Holderer. She said they just celebrated the grand opening of the "Underground Railroad" Bike route April 16th. I guess I won't be the first one taking it. She gave me a bright green vest so I could be more visible on the road. Supposedly, you can see it from 200 miles away if the conditions are right. (left picture)

I spent the night at Fanning Springs State Park last night. (bottom picture) It felt great to go for a swim and relax there. I had my first mega meal of Snow Crab and Alligator tail at The Lighthouse Restaurant across the street, then settled into my tent for the night. Before going to bed I talked to Dawn Stocker, my secret liaison, who lives in Florida and was trying to get me some press coverage until I changed my route. She's still good friends with Sue Casey, so this trip connected with her on a few levels.

I want to get in about 20 more miles before the day is out, so 'til next time........

Finally OFF the Road

Today was the first day that of my trip that went just as I imagined. This morning I cruised up US41 through Tampa, which I later found out is the seediest part of town. After being flipped off by a few cars and beeped at, I figured I would find the Suncoast Bike Trail and bike the rest of the day on a dedicated bike path. This was a great decision, even though I had to ride for about 5 extra miles to find it. It’s a ten foot wide paved bike path that runs about 45 miles. That’s the ticket! I made it about 30 miles on the trail and was planning to camp out in the woods when a couple of “folks” named Jack and Sandy (I hope I remembered your correct names) told me there were restrooms and a shelter a mile down the road. A soon as I got there, who pulled up but Jack and Sandy with an excellent sandwich and a cold beer. Man, that was just what the doctor ordered! They are in the picture with Josh (a bicycle racer) and his girlfriend. One thing I for sure; I am meeting a lot of really nice people, just like I imagined. I traveled 85 miles again, and even took my first #2 of the trip at the end of the day. I know the German’s couldn’t handle evening “business”, but for me it made the day complete. I’ll be traveling up US 19 tomorrow, which I hear is very pretty. I’ll let you know…..

On the Road Again...

Well, Phil brought me to the Port Charlotte Bike Shop yesterday morning, and after a little problem solving I was back on the road by 10:30am. I stopped in Venice and grabbed a Stromboli for lunch, and was only a couple of miles down the road when Larry and Jo Rickfelder (Terry Murphy's parents) pulled me over. It's a small world - they looked great but I think Jo was disappointed that I wasn't hungry.

Once again there was a pretty brisk headwind (I never had that problem training in the family room) but I still got in 80 miles. I was pretty pooped at about 7:00pm but as luck would have it, the 6:00 mass at St. Anne Catholic Church in Ruskin (about 15 miles south of Tampa) was just letting out. Father McEvoy let me pitch my tent in back of the church. In an area where 80% of the residents are Hispanic, he was the only person with an Irish brogue. It's about noon on Sunday now and I'm writing this from the Howard Johnsons just north of Tampa. It might be tougher finding wi-fi spots than I thought, so don't worry if I miss a day.

Saved by the Phil!

Today was my first trip north from Marco Island. I decided to travel all the way up US41 instead of going through the middle of Florida. It's very scenic, but I was riding against a 15 mile an hour headwind so it wasn't as easy as yesterdays ride. I traveled 84 miles today into Port Charlotte, but after 65 miles in I knew there was something wrong with my rear derailer. There is a bike shop in Port Charlotte I was trying to reach but just as I saw it my derailer broke into pieces and I was stranded at the side of the road.

Luckily Phil Harnden saw me struggling and stopped to see if I needed a hand. After we found out the bike shop was closed, Phil invited me to his home for the evening. He and his wife, Heidi and thier two children, Danny and Victoria, and Nana are awesome hosts. They fed me dinner, shared fine conversation and made me feel right at home. Nana is going back to Hamilton, ON pretty soon so I figure maybe I'll just take her room. Tomorrow morning Phil is bringing me to bike shop and hopefully I'll be on the road again within an hour.

On to Marco

Day one is in the books, although I’m not sure it “officially” counts. The first time I thought of making this ride Christa and I were sitting by the pool and I told her I’d like to ride from our residence in Gaylord to our other place on Marco. So today I actually traveled south to our condo on Marco Island. Go figure.

My flight arrived in Fort Myers, FL at about 1:30 and by 2:15 my bike was assembled and I was on the road. I took the Tamiami Trail most of the way and even though there was a little traffic, it had a nice bike lane for almost the entire length. It turned out being 49 miles to Marco Island, and I averaged 15.9 mph. Not bad for an old man.

I also had my first flat tire today. I was about 5 miles from arriving; I could see the Marco Bridge when it blew. It’s the first time I’ve changed a tire on this bike, and I’m sure it won’t be the last. So I am sleeping in a bed tonight, having a home cooked meal and watching Survivor. And I’m sure I’ll sleep like a rock.

Countdown....5.....4....3....2...

Tomorrow morning I will be flying down to Fort Myers to start my adventure, and I am a little nervous and a lot excited. I'm spending the night with my brother Joe and his wife Gina, who will be driving me to Metro tomorrow morning to catch my flight. Christa drove me downstate today with my bike (packed in a cardboard box) and minimal provisions. I am checking it in as luggage, so once I arrive in Fort Myers I'll unpack it, hop aboard and cruise down to Marco Island (about a 50 mile trip) to spend the night at our condo. Then on Friday I'll start heading north.

I'm Glad I'm Starting in Florida!

When I first planned my bike ride I was going to start in Michigan. My logic: I'll be going downhill the whole way (see yellow line) so all I'll need is good brakes. Then someone reminded me that it's much nicer in Florida in April than in Michigan. Even though it is uphill (see red line), it will be easier to get started on dry ground instead of six inches of snow.

My plans are set. I will be leaving Metro Airport on Thursday, April 19th and landing in Fort Myers. After I land I'll bicycle to Marco Island and spend the night. And my trip begins Friday, April 20th!