55.5 MILES  12.6 MPH  4 HRS 23 MIN BIKING TIME (6:15-11:30)

Breakfast at 6:00-then on 17. Same as yesterday for 40 m-cool, trees, not much traffic-listen to music. Slow 12 mph-more head wind today-still enjoyable. Pass through historic towns & sites-don’t have time to stop. Stop at PO & mail back clothes for rain & cold weather. Now very hot-10:30, no shade, lots of traffic, bumper strips again. Really have to concentrate not to go over bumps. Stop at McDonalds in Richmond Hill. OR still not feeling well-have another 15 m to Savanna. Says he’s finished-IT’S OVER! When you don’t feel well-it’s not fun. MAINE IS A LONG WAY. Rest of the story later.

END OF THE ROAD
at McDONALDS in GA

61 MILES  12.5 MPH  4:50 BTIME   5:45 to 1:00 PM

Dark-OR & wg decide to go off bike rt-dangerous because of traffic & construction-12 m on 17-now in GA-take picture-wg is gone. Stop at 1st store-7:00-for ch milk & little debbie. No bike lanes in GA, small shoulder, shaded by tall trees on each side, peaceful except for empty logging trucks going other way. OR  suggest I try music-stop & get out ipod & speaker-sister Martha downloaded over 1,000 songs for me. Like it-Abilene &  All that Jazz are favorites. 10:30 stop at Waffle House-order 2 waffles & sweet tea-waffles are too big-share w/OR. Call wg-about to cross bridge into  Brunswick-suppose to stay here but too early. Now on busy rd, BUMPS cover shoulder-forced to ride white stripe for 8 m to bridge. Long high bridge-OR stops on top-looks tired again. Find wg at Subway-order another sw tea. Next town is too far-decide to stay here-most motels are back across bridge-no way. Budget is 1/4 m-go on sidewalk-see motel-NO WAY when I see it-couldn’t stay if free. Still on sidewalk-don’t see anything-OR goes into blind/shade shop-doesn’t come out. Go in-Shelly is from here & trying to help us. I want to hire her & van to drive us to Savannah. Have to bike 4 m to hwy-Comfort Inn-$120-4th floor-elevator works-5 pillows. Love our room!😊😊😊 PS-still off rt-not sure about rds tomorrow. Dinner at steakhouse-OR not sure how far we can go-wg said he could have easily done 100 m today-still together.

OR waiting on bridge for me-not feeling well-need to stop.

69 MILES  13 MPH  5:20 BTIME  6:00-2:00 GOOD & BAD

Left at 6:00-A1A-pass several  beaches-wg setting good pace-15-16 mph. Scenic w/good bike lane-easy  biking. Donuts & ch milk again at Jacksonville Beach-40 m. Took ferry at Mayport-like boats. Leave wg to take nice bike trail w/trees-met guy out doing a century-told us about construction ahead. Now very hot-OR’s speedometer shows temp-100.  Very little shade-pull over several times-call wg-found motel. Now at fruit stand eating peaches. 18 wheeler full of watermelons shows up-overweight-tries to sell her some. Now we hit massive construction-OR goes off to sand-almost fall off bike-have to walk. Saw more big trucks today than on whole trip-back on road. Several miles of feeling like we could be run over anytime. So glad to see Nassau Holiday Motel-$50-clean. Clean up & go to family buffet-eat a lot for $9.00. Hour later thunder, lightning-massive rain storm-go out on porch to watch. I HAVE WASTED HRS & HRS TRYING TO PUT PICTURES ON BLOG😢😢😢😢

I LIKE FERRYS.
OR, SI SI & me

Construction was terrible.
Had to walk my bike-sand

WG changing my tire at 6:00 AM

61 MILES  12.8 MPH   4:48 BT   6:15-12:00 Alarm goes off 5:30-put bags on bike-OH-OH-I have FLAT TIRE!😕 WG flips bike &  starts changing tire-knows I’ll take too long. Mary Pat has snacks for us-then finds us 4 m down rd-forgot my only pair of shoes! Good ride on A1A-hot by 8:30-stop-wg goes on-see him at end again. Ride by ocean & beach-never think about walking on beach. Come into St Augustine-13 yrs later. 2002-had a police escort-dipped our tires in ocean-make life long friends. Armand & my sister Martha & Jim were there to greet me. Glad to still be on the bike. Eat lunch & check into Anastasia Inn ($60)-room is clean-take bath & rest-OR does wash & gets me tube at bike store. Go out to dinner-eat big mushroom-OR orders chocolate brownie for dessert. GOOD DAY!☺☺

2002-made it back 2015

68 MILES  13 MPH     5 HRS BIKING TIME   6-1:00

Waiting in gazebo at 5:45 for OR & wg (Whitney Gonsoulin)-did not want to be called La. Dark, leave on river rd-then on 1 all day-not much to look at-overcast & cloudy until 10:30. At 15 m, wg leaves us behind-don’t see him until the end. Very little traffic early Sun morning-stop at 30  m-more breaks in shade. Find wg eating lunch-we eat fries. Security guard at Mary Pats gated community takes job seriously-show id & have to know address. Bar goes up-wg goes 1st, bar comes down on OR in front of me. MPat lives on golf course-played yesterday after having hip replaced-knee also replaced before’-her handicap same as OR. So glad to be here-she agrees to DRIVE me to BBUY. Takes 45 min for him to explain how to put pictures on blog-puts baby horse & Fran on. Hope I can do it. Go out to eat-pass by DAYTONA speedway.

MARY PAT-AMAZING 2002 CROSS COUNTRY WOMAN-Retired from Civil Service 2001. Worked at VA hospital, then did nutritional research in MD, including leadership training in ALASKA in preparation for MT EVEREST. She also got hit by car on our ride, tire was ruined-she was back on bike next day. She’s really nice too!

This is today-forgot my shoes-Mary Pat had to bring them to me.

Baby taking 1st steps-VIEQUES

Stayed in bed till 7:30-Armand was outside at gazebo reading. Whitney comes in at 9:30-go to breakfast at ice cream restaurant-have omelette. Whitney decides to stay or never see us again. Let him check in at 10:30.
Find out Terry owns motel-inherited it from Mom-promised her to fix it up. Called my friend Linda whose staying in our house. She was looking for cleaning supplies-DOMINIC had POOPED IN OUR PLAYROOM. I think he misses me. Armand is finally hungry-eats Thai food. I swim & eat another steak sandwich. Need more Calories when preparing to bike again. Call Mary Pat in Daytona-will try to get to her house tomorrow-65 miles-I hope. Armand had calculated 1,700 miles to MAINE-WHITNEY TOLD US IT IS 2,500-can’t do that & be home June 15.
Need JEAN as leader-she never made mistake in distance. Today is GOOD DAY.

47 MILES 12 MPH 3:52 BIKE TIME (6:30 to 12:30) RAIN-BETTER THAN SUN
OR/TX-Feeling little better (lost 4lbs yesterday) only had a little soup last night. Up @ 5:30 to sound of neighbor vomiting & coughing attack-thank goodness OR can bike-room was dark & depressing. Stay on Hwy 1-don’t need to see castles-just do miles. OR starts at 15mph-taking more breaks for water-dark cloud gives cover. Stop at Dunkin Donuts in Melbourne-eat chicken thing & tea-must still be sick. Going to stay-only 9:00-decide to bike to Cocoa-want nice motel. Map says to get off 1-construction-ask biker-says take A1A. Decide to get back on 1-finally get through town & have bike lane. Black cloud drops buckets of rain-Park bikes under palm trees. House has nice covered porch w/2 chairs-house is closed up. OW OW OW-OR just got stung by wasps living in chair. Smash their house-enjoy rain. Lets up-15 min-another downpour-find duplex-stay under overhang. Lets up-cars splash water on us-not again-see Baptist building-porch-no on there. On rd again-SOAKED! Get to COCOA-almost out of town-don’t see motels. Stop at EASY LOAN-no credit checks. Tell OR Dixie Motel is close-name sounds like our kind of place-cheap-don’t care at this pt. Larry says they have room-can wash clothes for $2.50-have internet-$61-perfect! Get room by large pool-OR washes clothes while I soak in large tub. Rest & go to pool-it’s spotless, beautiful clear blue water. Read interesting POOL RULES-max #16, max temp 104 (now maybe 80), don’t drink water-it is recirculated? DO NOT USE POOL IF SICK WITH DIARRHEA. Ask Larry about places to eat-go down to water-streets w/shops & restaurants. Compliment him about pool-says the person who does it all just walked out door. TERRY-TERRY, Just wanted to tell you how nice everything looks. Thanks, we try. Ask about motel, some of it was built 50s, 60s, 70s & 80s’-Remodeling 1 room at a time. Mention about our biking trip-50 m yesterday. Didn’t seem impressed. Ask him how he got here-born here, went to hs here. In the NAVY for 20 yrs, worked at BOEING on designing SPACE STATION, Started biking when some guys kidded him about his weight. Got into long distances-did several centuries. Then 2 yrs ago (age 60) biked the famous race in PARIS TO BRIE? BIKED 750 MILES IN 79 HOURS-CUT OFF IS 80 HRS. TERRY REALLY IMPRESSES ME-very modest person!!☺☺ Went downtown, cute shops, Cocoa Village Playhouse-FIDDLER ON ROOF is playing-tickets $24 for seniors-sold out except for 3 seats in last row of balcony. Take them-over at 10:30-decide to spend another night. Have steak sandwich at ice cream shop-best sandwich ever-steak is so tender on pizza bread-OR had salad.
Larry told us cast for FIDDLER could be on BROADWAY-EVERYONE IS A VOLUNTEER-all from this area. He was right-lead is a local minister-played part 12 yrs earlier. Both agree this is the BEST musical or play we’ve ever seen. The theater has completely been renovated-again by all volunteers-including stringing the chandeliers. TURNED OUT TO BE A WONDERFUL DAY. GOAL HAS CHANGED-MAYBE DON’T NEED TO BIKE TO MAINE-MORE IMPORTANT TO TAKE ONE DAY AT A TIME & ENJOY WHAT YOU FIND ALONG THE WAY.

POOL at DIXIE MOTEL
We needed a rest day so
Whitney could catch us

Armand & Terry-most impressive person we met on our short trip.

73 miles 6 hrs 12mph 6:45-4:30 LONG HOT DAY
Up before Armand (now known as TX-wears Longhorn jersey). Hwy 1-5m,8m to get on A1A. Traffic is bad, scenery is ugly-something is wrong. TX rides back, I ask for directions-man says go back 3 m, cross bridge. Now see castles & water. FL is bike friendly-bike lanes & 3 ft cement sidewalks most of the time. Have shade in morning-now it gets very hot. Stop & visit NAVY SEAL MUSEUM-impressive & cool inside. TX starts to have trouble w/heat-he throws up-my neck hurts-heat effects me too. Think part of trouble is hydrating & food. Yesterday we ate NO dinner-just a 6″ sub & chips. Stop at store-get fruit-ch mk & donuts no good in heat. Go over 3 bridges-TX vomits again. Ask for nearest motel-Pink Flamingo. I see Pennwood Lodge-need to stop NOW. $75-Have 2 little beds-both shower & have to lay down. Couple hrs later walk 1/4 m to eat Chinese food. TX calls brother Whitney-he flew in & started biking today. Will catch us tomorrow.
TX had heat exhaustion today-already sleeping. Need to be careful.

COOLEST PLACE!
NAVY SEAL MUSEUM

JUPITER, FL 67 miles, 11.5 mph, 5 hrs 50 min biking time
He wakes me up @ 6-out @ 6:45-have to take bikes down 3 flights of stairs.
1st day for new mascot-large PINK MONKEY-SiSi (yes, yes in Sp)RIDES on top of my bag. Left SUGAR, TIGER, SNICKERS home-DOMINIC (my dog) chewed their ears off. Flat ride today, except for 2 not so hi bridges on A1A & HWY 1. Never saw so many $5,000,000+ mansions-perfect landscaping! 30m-stop for ch milk & ch muffin. Stop to take 1st picture-try to lift leg up over Si Sì-leg cramps-20 yrs last time leg went so hi. OW OW-Come take picture fast. Cant lift leg to get back on bike. Now we go up bridge-cramps again-have to walk. Stop for gatorade. Still feel cramps are close. Stop at Su bway-feel better. Armand is ready to stop. Can’t find laQuinta-see JUPITER WATERFRONT INN-anything w/water in name going to be expensive. Try anýway. Standing under tree-very hot now 3:00-He yells $109-YES, before price goes up-price in room says up to $400. Best room we’ve stayed in on bike trip-swimming pool, hot tub, bay rt outside rm. Swim, lay in sun-not hot now-listen to music-thought I could listen to it on bike. 1st time we’ve swam-TODAY HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL 1ST DAY!

5/8 (Fri) VIEQUES 9:30 Aerobics in pool-10 women & Armand-class is free & 70 yr old leader looks great. Then Armand & I walk to ferry-get tickets for 5 tomorrow-buý $5 best & prettiest smoothie ever. Find way down rocks to beach, back to hotel. Go to Jane’s for lunch-left overs still delicious. Armand plays tennis w/John & his group-we go shopping w/Jane. Buy zebra spoon & fork-just what I need for bike trip. Saw 10 iguanas at restaurant. Armand gets back-saw baby horse being born at courts. Another dinner out-had root beer float.

Will fill in days I missed later. Mario picked up Lynn & Donna at 9:15-looked happy. We took Chloe to Las Americas Museum-didn’t charge us the $2-she remembered us. Enjoyed it again-were the only ones there. Ate lunch @ Ben & Jerrys-20 high school kids came in after us. Mario picked us up-going to miss my Spanish teacher. We were right next to Chloe & Anne-got to listen to Chloe’s unbelievable life so far-will share later. Picked up our bikes at Performance $700-shipping & putting bikes together. Rode to Travel Lodge-1m-didn’t have nonsmoking room-lose deposit if left. Gave us spray-elevator didn’t work-had to carry bikes up 3 flights of steps. Went to grocery store for dinner. Ready for an early start tomorrow.
Really grateful to Jane for bringing us to San Juan & Vieques.