STATESBORO to SAVANNAH  100 MILES IN A CAR

1st  didn’t sleep well again last night-Armand never has problem. 2nd had no idea how difficult to rent car. 2 places have no cars. Nissan dealership has car. UT calls taxi ($8 for 2 miles)   3rd need proof of ins-UT doesn’t remember name-guy drives him back-Hartford-takes guy back-now 11:30.   4th drive to Savannah-take hop on & off tour. Stop for lunch downtown. Take picture of huge bridge Whitney went over into SC when he left us last yr-crazy. Walk-visit St. John the Baptist Catholic Church-beautiful & the most impressive thing we see. 12 million renovation-ask for $2 donation-say prayers & take pictutes. End tour 5:30  Go to Best Buy.   5th BB-can’t find camera-look everywhere-so upset. UT says go buy another camera. Buy camera again-get help w/camera & notebook. He’s not upset w/me. Home at 9:30-work on blog until 1:30-it works-BUT HAVE NO PICTURES. Not sure going to Savannah was worth it.

Reidsville to Statesboro, GA 35 m  12.9 mph 2:45 bt  9:30 1:30   No need to start early-short day. Absolutely beautiful ride. Take picture of haystack-2 m later stop- take off jacket & leg warmers. Good rds, very little traffic-yellow flowers, trees, country-trees being cut down. On Country Club Rd-must be golf course-stop-private club but will let us play after 2:00. Go 3 m-check into Quality Inn for 2 nights. Go back to beautiful golf course-$100 for both-give us lots of balls & clubs. Match play-Armand owes me $3 @ .25 a hole. Tomorrow we rent a car & visit Savannah. My animals TIGER & SPARKY (new dog) love our room. Had to leave Sugar & Snickers home because Dominic ate their ears. Still haven’t found way to edit other days-maybe it’s this notebook.

Folkston to Reidsville, GA  104 m  13 mph  8 hrs BT  7:15 AM to 7:15 PM        Friendship City Inn $48 Last nonsmoking room in only motel in town. Glad to be here. The rest of the story. Both sat up @ 6:40-need to get out early-leader says 80 m day. 50 & chilly-get to bike rt-sun in eyes. My choice sun or rd w/traffic @ bumper strips. Can’t look into sun for 8 m. Right choice again-after few m rd turns smoothe & trucks take another rd. Trees on both sides-wind not a factor-listen to music. BORN TO BE WILD-going down the hyw looking for adventure-that’s us😊 UT tells me when he saw the movie-Easy Rider-song was played-he decided to become a HIPPIE. Moved to Austin & fullfilled his dream. Had no idea that song was so important. Eat buffet in Patterson-place was packed. Couple next to us drive 20 m 3 times a week to eat here. Another man retired from RR for 23 yrs.Told us about getting turpintine from trees. No motel in town w/motel is 54 m in Reidsville. Get plenty of advice from about 10 guys in ft of rest. Now 85, no shade-stop every 5 m to rest. See gas station-stop for sweet tea & chips. Meet Varie-retired mental health specialist-walks 10,000 steps a day-take pictute. See trucker-thank him & other truckers who have been so curteous to us on bikes-says that’s what he’s suppose to do. See lots of logging trucks. Last 15 m-good rds-shade-speeds up to 18-20 mph. Finally here-all motels closed except for Friendship Inn-$48-what a deal. Restaurant next door-$14 for my delicious cheeseburger & fries-UT gets another buffet. Glad leader didn’t tell me it was going to be 100 mile day. We are truly blessed.

JACKSONVILLE, FL to FOLKSTON, GA 46 M 12.2 MPH 3:45 BT 8:30 to 2:30 It is now 10:00. I have spent 3hrs trying to finish yesterday & lost everything-maybe tomorrow. Eat waffles-look outside-no wind😀 By airport-confusing-UT asks person w/real phone for help. LOVE today-very little wind-NO BEACH-country rds-animals-lots of trees. Tell UT (Armand has UT jersey) want music. Stop-takes 15 min to find speaker & ipod-very patient w/me. Loaded biker comes up-never thought I’d catch you. Matt from Utah is biking East Coast-can I ride w /you? Sure as we ride away to ALL THAT JAZZ-love the music. Stop at store-meet Johnny (retired fireman)-take our picture w/his red truck. MATT arrives-tells us how fast we are-right-not carrying tents. Now on 301-bumper strips on shoulder-forced to bike on white line-have big trucks passing. 4 m stop at Subway-Amanda says our rd is closed ahead. Have her call motel in next town-no answer in Nahunta-call city hall. Only motel in town closed- death in family. Decide to stay here-Western Motel-$70-good thing take nap-still tired from yesterday. Walk around town-visit sheriffs office-tells us rd ok. Eat Thai food-only customers-excellent.

ST. AUGUSTINE to JACKSONVILLE, FL  68 M, 10.5 MPH,                                6:25 min biking time   9:00 AM to 7:30 PM  A  VERY LONG DAY

RAIN in morning-eat breakfast. 64 degrees-Late start-stop at same St Augustine sign for 3rd & last time.    CASTILLO DE SAN MARCOS National Monument-FREE. Visited Ft. in 2002 w/my sister Martha, Jim & Armand-hasn’t changed! Extremely difficult day. Wind is 25-30 mph going along coast-can only go 7-10 mph. Want to call Pat to come get us. Reminds me of when we did Bike Tour CO & had to call Anne (another cross country biker) who drove 100 m to rescue us-had 30+mph. Go through park-only shade today-30 m,stop @ same store as last yr. 40 m-Mayport Ferry-free-give everyone key rings-music. Take picture-happen to be in same clothes. Now have 2 choices-right like last yr into more WIND or left. I choose left-construction-really tired-stop at bait store-tell us Holiday Inn 2 m-can make it. HI looks expensive-will pay $200. FULL-will call shuttle to take us to airport-$30+20 for bikes. Hungry-Wendys next door-eat chicken sandwich-12 more miles-ok. Don’t know how Armand does it-no food & never complains. 7:30 PM arrive at Quality Inn-$71-love our room. Complained a lot to myself today-am very grateful to GOD-know how fortunate we are to be able to do this. Tomorrow is another that we are further away from our car.

GIVING EAST COAST ANOTHER TRY                                                                   4/16  APRIL 16 (SAT) DAYTONA BEACH to ST. AUGUSTINE, FL

57.5 MILES   12.2 mph   4 hrs 40 min biking time   7:45 to 2:30

Had a wonderful day of golf & visiting w/Mary Pat yesterday. She hasn’t played golf in 6 months-drs orders-irregular heart beat & dizziness. Still did great. Leave car & Pat bikes us to gate-wants to make sure we leave.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YR & A MONTH MAKE! Last yr w/Whitney left in the dark. This yr Whitney is biking transamerican rt in May-camping-90 days-4,300 miles. This yr temperature is 80 instead of 100 by 8:30. Lots of wind until we get on A1A-now at side. See mega mansions again-but w/Trump signs. Lots of white butterflies-ocean on right. 30 m-time for chocolate milk. See Ft Matanzas National Monument-can we go? Good decision-boat to Ft is just leaving-FREE. All national parks are free this week-100 yr anniversary. Spanish ft built in 1740-42 to protect St Augustine-glad we took time to smell the roses. Get to St Augustine @ 2:30-pay $110 Super 8-last yr it was too much $$. Armand goes to buy new tire-I spend 30 min in tub. Eat next door, listen to music. Want to go to beach. See motorcycle w/side cart-2 big dogs are in it. Ask to take picture-Sandy & Bill from MI-now live here & dogs love to ride. Go to beach-lots of people playing volleyball & surfing. Walk on beach for 1st time-even get feet wet-water is freezing. GOOD DAY-SO HAPPY TO BE BACK ON ROAD WITH ARMAND. He’s already sleeping. Maybe tomorrow he can help me post pictures.