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.

I needed to add these women to my AMAZING GROUP along with my CROSS CONTRY FRINDS.  We finished our ride 10/23 & I’ve been on the bike twice. Unless Mary Ruth calls, my bike sits waiting for the next adventure. We met because of a common interest in TRIATHLONS & wanting to be active-THEM more than ME.

MARY RUTH COREY (70 yrs young) 1ST TRI at 53 (I was 50). Running is her 1st love!! (I’ve really never liked running) Started running at 43 w/3 kids at home & teaching school (Had 2 kids-taught also-played tennis). Did her 1st Capital of TX 10K in 1981 & competed in 34 since then-along with 4 MARATHONS & 20-25 1/2 Marathons (and placed more often than not) She has run races w/all her boys. She even ran & got to carry the OLYMPIC torch on its way to Salt Lake City. Did I mention that she has done 25 triathlons? She said that her dad still exercises at 95 & is the reason we got to bike to DeRidder. Maybe we can bike there again for his 96th.

KAREN WILCOX (64) Has scoliosis from childhood (which does not define her) & wants to make it very clear she is NOT an ATHLETE. She is a wife, mother & proud grandmother who reads, cross stitches (even on bike trips) & is a physical therapist specializing in wound care. Competed in 1st tri at 38-participated in over 50 triathlons, lots of 5 & 10K’s & 1/2 marathon. At times she is on the podium, not important-likes camaraderie & festive atmosphere on race day. Her reason to bike to DeRidder-a lifetime opportunity to make memories & be with friends. The NON-ATHELETE has competed in 7 TRI-s so far this yr-ME, NONE! She has chosen a much more active lifestyle than me.

KORY SOETAERT- (56) is a massage therapist.  Her husband is an avid racer real biker person. When her 3 boys were older, she started walking w/a neighbor who talked her into running. She liked it & at age 40 decided to run a marathon. 3 days before the race, she had a torn meniscus & had surgery on both knees. Her recovery started her on a path to competing in triathlons. We met at Decker Lake where Armand & I were training women for the DANSKIN for FREE-she could join for that price. She continued to compete in 1/2 marathons & did an Olympic distance TRI. She ran the Gusher MARATHON in 2013 & finished 2nd in her age group. Before our ride to DeRidder, her longest trip had been the 2 day 160 mile Tour De Cure.

All I can add is what an honor for me to know & be friends with them and HOPE they will continue to CALL to get me out of the house. Armand is still talking about trying to do the East Coast next year-he wants me out of the house too.

In 2002 I completed a CROSS COUNTRY ride from SAN DIEGO TO ST AUGUSTINE, FL with 12 other women from different states that completely changed my life. Things have changed- in order to write a daily blog I had to find a LIBRARY in each town.

DAY 38-(4/14/2002 SUN) 86 MILES TO DeRIDDER, LA

14.8 mph–started at 7:00 arrived at 1:15-5 hrs 45 min riding time.  Today was a better ride! I think all that standing up I did 2 days ago made my legs tired yesterday. Had a good start–still sore & sitting really becomes uncomfortable after 50 miles–rough road doesn’t help. Pleasant temperature–rode between lots of trees again–not quite as flat as yesterday–smooth road when we hit LA–took break around 64 miles–thought about Armand & Nathan doing LANCE ARMSTRONG’S RIDE for the ROSES–100 MILES–I called Armand when I got in at 1:15 knowing that they had several more hrs to ride. Glad to be in –86 miles & humid–watched tennis on tv–Armand called to say that he & Nathan had biked the 100 miles & were very tired & that there was NO way that either of them could get on the bike tomorrow or for a very long time–they appreciated even more the task we were undertaking calling us MIRACLE WOMEN ON WHEELS!        We have a 92 mile ride tomorrow–& we will all get up & ride away for another day because we are MIRACLE WOMEN!

I have the privilege to bike & be friends with 3 more MIRACLE WOMEN!

MARY RUTH CORLEY (70 yrs young)