Day 56

We have arrived (on the right)!!!!!!!!!!

Took our front wheels into the Atlantic Ocean!!!!!!!!

Hugs, tears, family, friends, laughter, more tears, high fives………we made it!!!!!!!!!!

Day 55 High Springs to Palatka, FL

Best of day: Last long (74 miles) day. Odometer reads 2953 for trip w/ 46.8 planned for trip to ocean tomorrow.

Worst of day: One more flat at 12 mile mark!

Quote of day: Motorcycle biker stopped to ask if we needed help & said "After all, we're all biking & we all need to stick together!"

Day 54 Perry to High Springs, FL

Best of day: Stopping at the beautiful Ichetucknee Springs

Worst of day: 77 miles with one more 70+ tomorrow

Quote of day: "Who will cook for us when we finish the ride??"

Day 53 Wakulla Springs to Perry, FL

Best of day: Short ride and great weather

Worst of day: Typing FedX labels for shipping our bikes on Thursday but gave up and called Kathy at LY&C to come to our rescue!

Quote of day (from Patti's "book" of thoughts given to her for the trip): "The five S's of sports training are: stamina, speed, strength, skill and spirit -- but the greatest of these is spirit."

Day 52 Recovery day in Wakulla Springs, FL

We spent today in Wakulla Springs, FL, a veritable "time warp!" No TV's in the rooms. Wildlife refuge on the river. Postcards and a stamp machine. China in the dining room. Soda fountain in the gift shop. Today was our last day of rest with only 4 more biking days until we reach the Atlantic ocean. So we (Patti, Kirby, and I) sat with our cameras, computers, and a tape recorder while we reminisced each day of the trip. Our memories won't be this fresh again and allowed us to exchange pictures, remember roommates, happy moments, difficult times, and begin closure to this phenomenal journey.

Day 51 Quincy to Wakulla Springs, FL

Best of day: Short ride & rest day tomorrow. Staying at beautiful lodge on river full of Florida wildlife

Worst of day: Threatening rain

Quote of day: Some people staying at lodge watched us doing dishes in parking lot. They said they "were wondering what was going on." Someone explained "we always play music and dance."

Day 50 Marianna to Quincy, FL

Best of day: Spectacularly beautiful ride and spectacularly wonderful weather

Worst of day: Didn't take any pictures (posting one of Linda earlier in the ride, making Shepherd's pie with sweet potato crust)

Quote of day: An older gentleman in the motel in Marianna at breakfast said, "In my next life I want to do this ride!"

Day 49 Crestview to Marianna, FL

Best of day: Last 90+ mile day of tour (picture taken at last sag stop of day to get much needed water!)

Worst of day: 93.6 miles in 90 degree heat

Quote of day: Gentleman looking at our bikes as he was leaving gas station where we stopped said (in a Florida accent), "You should get motors for them those."

Day 48 Pensacola to Crestview, FL

Best of day: Paved bike trail (picture) for part of day & Starbucks at end of day!

Worst of day: Traffic in Crestview

Quote of day: Map meeting (tomorrow is 94 miles). There is a "scenic option" available!!

Day 47 Florida

We are in Florida, the 8th and last state!!!!

Day 46 Recovery day on Dauphin Island

Best of day: Beach front at our condo (picture), seafood gumbo, in- house laundry (no coins), and overall luxury!

Worst of day: Most Island restaurants closed on Mondays

Quote of day: "Wonder why lodgings are improving so much at end of trip??!!"

Day 45 Pascagoula, MS to Dauphin Island, AL

Best of day: This island is a piece of paradise!

Worst of day: Biking colleagues w/ 2 flats on intracoastal bridge

Quote of day: "Sure can tell who the cyclists are with those strange tan lines!"

Day 44 Wiggins to Pascagoula, MS

Best of day: Reached the coast!

Worst of day: Not enough time to stop & see everything

Quote of day: At gas station where we ordered crab burger poboys, I told a local gent who was also having lunch, that the station was so busy. He responded with "Ain't nothin between here & yonder."

Day 43 Hammond, LA to Wiggins, MS

Best of day: Spectacular weather

Worst of day: Poor road conditions

Quote of day: We came upon biking buddies at a crossroads. They said "We are comparing the road conditions and taking the best one!"

Day 42 Hammond to Bogalusa, LA

Best of day: Short! (55 miles)

Worst of day: Off & on headwinds (where are the westerlies???)

Quote of day: "Our world perspective comes from within this biking bubble!!"

Day 41 St. Francisville to Hammond, LA

Best of day: Miles of live oaks and azaleas in bloom

Worst of day: Weariness from consecutive "over 80 mile" days

Quote of day: "Keep your head down, don't think, and just pedal!"

Day 40 Recovery Day

St. Francisville, LA has all the charm (and more) of the small southern town. The day was spectacular. We met up with a couple biking the same route to St. Augustine. They have been following us and said they had heard about us along the way ("the women's group"). They provided the quote of the day when they said the word on the street (aka, gas stations) is that "the women's group is pampered!" We also had dinner at a real restaurant with friends of Kirby's who came from Chicago to visit! Bud (in absentia) treated to our dinner and provided a bottle of wine to the "big" table -- they toasted with "this Bud's for you!" He's our guy!

Day 39 Lafayette to St. Francisville, LA

Best of day: Crossing the mighty Mississippi on the ferry to St. Francisville

Worst of day: Negotiating w/ traffic & escort over Morganza spillway

Quote of day: "Does anyone know what day it is?"

Day 38 Lake Charles to Lafayette, LA

Best of day: 1# boiled crawfish at lil Pink Pig (last night but still best of day!)

Worst of day: Another 85 miles that took all day!

Quote of day: "Every day in this 'biking bubble' has its unique challenge!"

Day 37 Silsbee TX to Lake Charles, LA

Best of day: Kelle sent "care" package with energy snacks that were put out for group to pack for the day's ride

Worst of day: Headwinds

Quote of day ("Get & Go" store owner who donated cookies for sag car): "Oh, those piles of mud you see? The higher the mud, the deeper the crawfish have gone down for water."

Day 36 Cleveland to Silsbee, TX

Best of day: Last night in TX

Worst of day: One more night in TX

Quote of day (biking friend): "I can only go as far as I go & long as I can go, then when I start to hurt, the hell with it!"

Day 35 Navasota to Cleveland, TX

Best of day: Sam Houston National Forest for most of route

Worst of day: No more bluebonnets

Quote of day: "We've turned a corner, the hills are gone!"

Day 34 Recovery Day in Navasota, TX

This is a picture of Linda Baldwin, our chef extraordinaire who works her magic in our traveling kitchen-in-a-trailer. The night before our rest day the salad for dinner was a spinach, strawberry, mango & pecan salad that you see her putting together.

Linda was profiled in the May 2008 Bicycling Magazine as a touring chef. They featured her macaroni & cheese casserole (made in a dutch oven layered with hot coals). We call it the McDreamy casserole because Patrick Dempsey was on the magazine's cover that month!

She prepares two meals a day for our group which includes a vegan, gluten intolerant, no cheese, vegetarians, and regular carnivores.

Day 33 LaGrange to Navasota, TX

Best of day: Morning coffee & kolaches served roadside by Arza whom we met yesterday in state park. We passed her ranch on our way out of LaGrange!

Worst of day: More hills more wind

Quote of day: "I swear the pick up trucks get bigger every day." (Quote by Mike who is also looking for a Prius.)

Day 32 Bastrop to LaGrange, TX

Best of Day: Bastrop State Park, pine trees and cool trails and authentic short steep hills!

Worst of Day: Headwinds last 10 miles of route.

Quote of Day: "Today was a 'Why I ride my bike' day versus 'What was I thinking?' day!!" (additional quote from Mary "Today's ride is the route they used to take all those pictures for the catalog!")

Day 31 Blanco to Bastrop, TX

Best of day: Fields of Texas wild flowers

Worst of day: Misty rainy Easter morning, more hills, headwinds, few or no shoulders on roads for 90 miles

Quote of day: "We are starting to feel the mental fatigue."

Day 30 Kerrville to Blanco, TX

Best of day: Weather -- warm and sunshine

Worst of day: Hills (more!)

Quote of day: "Could have used one more recovery day this week!"

Day 29 Recovery day in Kerrville, TX

Today marks our half way (in days) point in the trip.





I am posting the pictures of the incredible women on the tour holding the scarves that everyone at home made for me to bring. Everyone loves them! At least one scarf goes with me on the bike (or around my neck or on my head) each day! The scarves have been designated to be made into a quilt (unanimous vote by the biking group!) These pictures seemed like a wonderful tribute to the friends and family that made this trip possible.

Another thanks goes to the people who "physically" got me on the road. Pete (Bluedog Cycles), who believes in everyone and supports whatever they want to do, Bryn ("steel is real") and Mark Brone (Fountain City) who came to my rescue while Bluedog Cycles was undergoing their big move across the street to bigger and better space.

Day 28 Vanderpool to Kerrville, TX

Best of day: Survived 13% grade hill (picture)

Worst of day: Second climb was 17% grade!!

Quote of day: "We need a better definition for 'short' steep climbs!"

Day 27 Camp Wood to Vanderpool, TX

Best of day: Sun & trees & spectacular vistas ("real spring")

Worst of day: 6-12% grades in three major climbs

Quote of day: "It's the first day I miss having my good camera" and "We don't want to be anywhere else today."

Day 26 Brackettville to Camp Wood, TX

Best of day: Nueces River (dangled feet and slept)

Worst of day: No Verizon connection

Quote of day: "You too can have a custom made mohair coat!"

Day 25 Del Rio to Brackettville, TX

Best of day: Short (relatively) and flat

Worst of day: The only thing worse than chip 'n seal roads is the chip 'n seal shoulder

Quote of day: Sign that read "Share the Road" with motorcycle symbol!