Day 52 – the last day of the ride!

The team left Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park in the RV

as I had shirked my duties and taken off for a hike into the ravine in park and then cycled to their starting point in Putnam on 12 miles of excellent bicycle trails. The team parked the RV in Putnam and took off on the Palatka-Lake Butler State Trail, towards Palatka.

The trail ended in Carraway where they took to the road. After cycling through town and crossing over the St. John’s RIver, I managed to meet up with them for a short snack break.

They needed their sustenance for the few short miles into St. Augustine.

They also decided to take a more direct route as suggested by cyclist they had met earlier in the day on the trail, passing through Hastings where I captured them in front of the first mileage sign for St. Augustine – 18 miles to go.

After a few wrong turns the team traveled into St. Augustine

and caught up with a few of the cyclists who were traveling with an Adventure Cycling group. The Adventure Cycling group had left San Diego two weeks before our team started. I told you our group was fast!

After a quick trek in the sand towards the Atlantic Ocean,

the team cycled back to our campsite in Anastasia State Park, located right on St. Augustine beach.  Celebratory beverages were enjoyed by all.

Kim whipped up  a delicious meal of sausages, sour cabbage, and a squash medley (our produce from the TomatoMan is going a long way).

While the cycling trip has come to an end, we are spending a few more days in St. Augustine prior to sending Jeff and Kim back to Denver on Thursday, November 19th.

This has been an amazing journey and we all have great stories to share with our kids and grandkids. America IS a beautiful country and filled with unique and inspiring people including my team – thanks Jeff for providing us the opportunity to join you on this great adventure, thanks Kim for all your smiles and cooking and suggestions for different routes 🙂 and thanks, Bill, for believing that you could do this even though you think you are an “old” man. I love you all. The SAG Wagon driver signing off from the Great Grass Joint Venture!

Day 51 – Team GGJV left O’Leno State Park and had a short ride into Gainesville where the Gainesville Arts Festival was taking place. The team met the SAG Wagon driver at the beginning of the Waldo-Gainesville Greenway and we all cycled into Gainesville with a plan to meet for pizza at noon. Cycling into the center of town, we found a great Arts Festival. I checked out the displays and Bill sat and took photos.

Jeff and Kim met up with us at Big Louie’s Pizza where we enjoyed a great lunch and had plenty of leftovers for dinner and lunches. Kim ordered a stromboli to go that became the night’s dinner – scrumptious! We all had been craving pizza and we had plenty!

Jeff and Kim then took off out of Gainesville on the Gainesville-Hawthorne bike trail. Bill road back to the RV with me and we “rendezvoused” with Jeff and Kim at the end of that trail in Hawthorne. The team then cycled a few more miles to Putnam where I waited with the RV. After loading the bikes onto the RV, we traveled to Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park about 12 miles away.  “One of Florida’s first state parks, Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park was developed on a 2,000-acre site by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) during the 1930s. The extraordinary craftsmanship of the CCC is still evident today. Located on rolling sandhills in an area known as the central ridge of Florida, a deep ravine with springs issuing from its sides bisects the area and forms Gold Head Branch. Marshes, lakes and scrub provide a habitat for a wide variety of wildlife.”

Tomorrow – the excitement builds, hopefully St. Augustine

Day 50 began at the Suwannee River State Park where the team cycled off to earn some miles for Ray Spooner, whom we had met the day before. While I traveled to the motel a few miles from the town of Madison to alert Ray’s team to terrible road conditions for his next 12 miles, our GGJV team traveled on to Welborn.  They stoppped at Bill’s Butts BBQ for a great breakfast, great service, great hospitality and cheap prices.

Meanwhile I had located Ray and his team and advised them that the next 12 miles of their route was being paved and the surface of the shoulder was criss-cross corrugated and not suitable to his trike or the single riders with him. They were grateful and mapped out a different route.

The team spent the day traveling  to O’Leno State Park on back country roads with beautiful farms and not much traffic.

Kim took charge of dinner (again) and used the leftover chicken to make a scrumptious Chicken Cacciatore dish with vegetables we had purchased from the TomatoMan (a roadside produce stand) the day before. After another campfire, the team tucked in for a restful night sleep.

Tomorrow’s plan is Gainesville and beyond.

Day 49 -With those nice rest days at Wakulla Springs and being spoiled with great free breakfasts, the team headed off towards Madison with a destination of camping at the Suwannee River State Park. The team traveled in the RV to a drop off point on the east side of Tallahassee. Traveling down Old St. Augustine Road was a welcome relief from the busy 6 lane highways of Tallahassee.

This was the day that we met Ray Spooner.  Ray was diagnosed with ALS over a year ago. Riding across America was on Ray’s bucket list. His doctor advised that he take it sooner rather than later. While cycling in Phoenix along a bike trail, Ray had an unplanned accident landing face down among the boulders along the path. After weeks of recuperative time and fretting over not being able to ride, he was finally able to purchase a trike and continue on his ride. His team has continued to cycle from Phoenix even though he couldn’t.

We met up with Ray several times today at various rest points. His wife, Rea, is a great support and we bonded instantly.

Ray also has a blog – rayslittleride.com, should you wish to read his story or donate to ALS. He is an amazing guy and he has an incredible support team and a very wonderful wife.

We rode for Ray the next day to support his effort.

After our chef, Kim, prepared a great dinner of BBQ chicken over the fire, we spent our evening around the  campfire at Suwannee River State Park.

Jeff and Kim have mentioned on numerous occasions how wonderful the Florida State Parks are. So tomorrow night our plan is to stay at O’Leno State Park, west of Gainesville.

While not on the glass bottom boat, we still took our boat ride around the Wakulla Springs and Wakulla River (referred to as the wildest river in Florida).  I apologize for not knowing the names of all these birds but their beauty needs posting.

Water Creatures

After the boat ride, Bill and I were able to cycle to St. Marks on the St. Marks Historical Railroad State Trail, a beautiful rails-to-trails and the first one  in Florida. It runs from Tallahassee to St. Marks and is on the railbed of the longest operating rail-line in Florida, which ceased operation in 1983 after 146 years.

When we arrived in St. Marks, we continued to cycle around the few blocks of the riverside town. We chose Cooter Stew Cafe for our lunch break, where Bill enjoyed a fish sandwich. When in Florida, eat fish!

After lunch we cycled back to the lodge and I hiked down the Wakulla Springs trail hoping not to run into any gators.

Tomorrow, it’s back to driving the Sag Wagon for the GGJV – but today it was nice to have a break.

Day 47- The cyclists put on their smiling faces this morning, clowning around on the swing set before their departure for Tallahassee.

Bill said it was a day of firsts; first morning we woke up to songbirds, first morning in the Eastern time zone (boy that Central time zone lasts a long time), and first Christmas music heard (in a Hardee’s where they stopped for a coffee break).

The cyclists had a pleasant ride with the sun out for most of the day.

With the overcast skies of the past few days, sunshine and cooler temps were greatly appreciated. The road surface wasn’t too bad either.

The team passed into the Eastern Time Zone after crossing the Apalachicola River west of the town of Chattahoochee.

As they cycled through Quincy, a Veteran’s Day celebration was taking place on the Courthouse lawn (see photo at top)- and a thanks to all our veterans and their families.

On the outskirts of Midway, the team took a short lunch break. There is nothing quite as good as fresh garden tomatoes and thick bacon for a sandwich.  Then they were off for Tallahassee and a bike shop for a few items for the last few days of the trip.

Tallahassee was the stopping point for today’s ride and tomorrow will be a rest day. We are “resting” at Wakulla Springs Lodge.

Karen and Bill plan to cycle the St. Marks  Historic Railroad State Trail tomorrow, hike the trails in Wakulla State Park, and take the glass bottom boat tour of the Wakulla Springs. Doesn’t that sound like a restful day? Karen is itching to get on her bike.

The lodge at Wakulla Springs was built in 1937 and is a combination of Spanish-Moorish and art deco design making it an architectural landmark on the National Register of Historic Places.

Time for dinner – more photos tomorrow.

Yesterday’s ride on day 45 was a little chilly, a little wet with occasional sprinkles of rain on our cyclists. Our cyclists left the wonderful hospitality of Gale and Mark Grass in Pensacola after getting the photo of the 3 brothers Bill, Mark, and Jeff.

The cyclists stopped for lunch in Crestview where Kim located a Thai restaurant and got some hot soup (a crazy name) but good soup. Hot tea, hot soda, and sandwiches fed the other two cyclists. Once they were warmed up and fed, they were off for the last 22 miles to the pick up spot for the campground. We all headed into the town of DeFuniak Springs to locate a restaurant for dinner and to get propane for the RV so we could have heat during the night.

We ended up at a restaurant suggested by the salesman at the Ace Hardware, McClain’s Buffet – typical buffet food. The interesting decor can be seen in the photos below. Never take the advice of a propane sales clerk at an Ace Hardware in reference to restaurants. In fairness to him, the first restaurant he recommended (an Italian one) was closed on Mondays. Drat it, I was ready for a pizza.

We traveled west of Defuniak Springs to reach the Sunset King Lake RV park, very nice campground, nice showers, laundry, site, and located on the shores of King Lake.

Day 46 – folks were ready to head to the stopping point for the start of their trip today and yes they were happy – just a little frustrated with a few flat tires.

The cycle route took them into DeFuniak Springs which has an interesting natural, spring-fed lake in the center of town which used to be the site of Chautauqua Movement Winter Retreats back in the early 1900’s.  See information in the photos below.

The cyclists stopped today in Chipley for a quick lunch, then on to the Arrowhead Campground outside of Marianna, Fl where we are set up for the evening.

Tomorrow’s ride will take the cyclists into Tallahassee and the crazy photographer will try to capture their smiles.

Yesterday’s ride (Day 43)began after taking the ferry from right

outside our campground on Dauphin Island over to Fort Morgan, AL.

The ride yesterday was mainly along the “outer banks” of Alabama and Florida with many miles on lovely bicycle trails. The locals refer to the Alabama section as Gulf Shores and the Florida section as Perdido Key.

While I waited patiently for them at The Florabama, they had made a pastry stop at Cafe Beignet in Gulf Shores (where they met Ray).

Finally arriving at the Florabama, we were treated to an early lunch by Jeff. (a side note – my daughter, Kristi, and some of her friends celebrated a military achievement by one of the friends at The Florabama almost 20 years ago. When I posted the photo yesterday, she was amazed at the changes to the area. She said when she went it was out in the middle of nowhere. Not so, today.)

The highlight of the day was arriving at the Pensacola home of the third Grass brother, Mark.  We all were so thankful to be welcomed into his and Gale’s home with nice showers, no mosquitoes, a great steak dinner and comfortable beds (ones you don’t have to climb up into). The evening was spent listening to  many family stories and recounting experiences from our trip so far.

Additional birthday gifts had arrived for Karen and Bill – Bill’s BumperQ – a grill that attaches to the RV bumper – and will allow us to have steaks, burgers, and fish  cooked on the grill for the last 10 days of our trip across country. Karen also received another Gypsy Runner cycling skirt – Thanks, Jeff and Kim. And thanks Amy Lambert for the extra decals!; will be putting those decals on the RV!

Today is a day of rest and it is also raining. These weekend storms have become a pattern.  Time for a movie and a trip to a Barnes and Noble – it’s been a while!

Here’s what laid-back looks like on a rest day. Thanks, Mark, for the great internet connection. Thanks to the both of you for welcoming us into your comfortable, wonderful home

Tomorrow – day 45 – headed to Defuniak Springs, FL –

The team left yesterday (Day 41) from the Haas-Cienda Ranch (Poplarville)

with a few stops along the way; lunch in the churchyard,

then a few water stops (when folks change their jerseys because they are already soaking wet from the humidity). Last night’s campsite was the White Sands campground in Van Cleave. This campground could use a little updating, but it had what we needed, water, electric, and showers. (No internet though).

Once camp was set up, Bill and I took off for the laundromat just down the road from the campground. We settled in with our books and then were surprised by a loud explosion. When we went to look what had happened, a Chrysler 300 was on fire on the road next to the laundromat.

Fire engines arrived and put out the fire, but the car was destroyed.  Exciting times in Van Cleave…

We headed back to the RV with clean laundry and left in the RV for The Shed – a great BBQ place 7 miles south of the campground. I think Kim captured the essence of the place in her photos last night.

Day 42 began with fog and the team evidently lost their bicycles – NOT – just took their picture next to the fish/duck pond at the campground for a different backdrop.

It has been a hot and humid ride today and even though they left a little earlier today, once the fog cleared the humidity rose and the team wilted but cycled on.

 In Dees, Alabama, Kim found a great little shop that sold everything you could think of made with pecans. She bought our dessert for the night, pecan pie – and some other delicacies. They even had a pecan flavored coffee.

Cycling down through the bayous and crossing over the BIG bridge to Dauphin Island, the team made it to the Dauphin Island campground before the mosquitoes carried them away. I would have been intimidated to have cycled over that BIG bridge but not this team – up and over they went taking photos along the way.

Tonight we are taking advantage of being on the Gulf of Mexico and enjoying some seafood at JT’s Bar and Grill – and hopefully watching the sunset from the deck. Ferry departure tomorrow at 8:30 and Pensacola by late lunch! and we get a day off Sunday for the 3 brothers to have a good time. Mark, get the grill ready!

Day 39 and 40 combined – Not many photos were taken yesterday as the team traveled from Eunice to Franklinton, LA – a distance of 84+ miles.

While they tell me they were cycling, evidently Kim was busy in the garden! This garden had all the ingredients that Kim loves, creative, seasonal decor and wine bottle trees.

Once the team reached Franklinton, (and Jeff got over those 5 extra miles I made him cycle because I found a great campground), we rendezvous -ed in the Winn-Dixie parking lot. Had to do a grocery run for the essentials, beer, Thin golden Oreo cookies, salad fixins, potato chips, Tortilla chips, and cilantro. Winn Dixie had everything on the list but the cilantro. Darn! Bikes were attached to the RV and we traveled the 5 miles off route to Bogue Chitto State Park, one of the nicest parks we have stayed in. The laundry was FREE – imagine that! The site was nice, restrooms mostly clean, and all for $16.00. That Senior Pass for National Parks and Forests gave us a 50% discount.

My turn to cook and leftovers it was. We still had those German sausages from our stay in Fredericksburg, Texas – add a little salad, some applesauce and yes, we still had some of Kim’s greens leftover and you’ve got a decent meal. Not chef level like Kim’s have been but it fills the stomach.

Day 40 started out with a 5 mile RV trip into Franklinton to the local donut shop,

The Sugar Shack. What a great place for breakfast and pastries, they even had a drive-thru window. We tried the bacon, egg and cheese biscuits, sausage rolls, cinnamon rolls, etc. Kim bought out the rest of the pastry items in the shelf I think. She wanted to be sure that she had enough for the next few days.

The owner sat with us and shared his story and that of his partner who has worked with him for many years. These guys have a great business and also an additional restaurant called the Caddy Shack where they serve dinner meals on the weekend. If you are ever in Franklinton, be sure to check them out. As one reviewer stated, their food is “like Momma used to make it”.

The cyclists left after this grand breakfast and headed towards Bogulusa with a final destination of Poplarville, MS.  It was just a short ride today, 42+ miles – as I said on FB – it was “a walk in the park”. The roads were straight and the cyclists stuck to the main highway, Route 10 and 26(number changes once they crossed into Mississippi).

This route was suggested by the locals; however, there wasn’t much of a shoulder and lots of heavy truck traffic. They crossed the Pearl River

and then stopped at the first sign for the state of Mississippi (two signs with photos)

and headed on to Poplarville, arriving by noon. Like I said, it was a short ride.

We are camping for the evening at the Haas-Cienda Ranch RV park, a small, family-run park out in the country. The owner’s horse is right behind our campsite.

Dinner will most likely be at Perry’s Seafood Restaurant in Poplarville – cooks’ night out! (I checked the menu and they have some Kickin Chicken – those who know me know that I don’t like seafood.)

Tomorrow’s destination is hopefully Van Cleave, MS. Three more days with good weather and we should be in Pensacola – wow, hard to believe we have come this far.