Up early-dropped in on mass in Spanish. Took ferry ($1)  to Bacardi rum factory-biggest rum factory in the world.  Bacardi family started in Cuba-exiled by Castro-moved to Puerto Rico. Went back to hostel for siesta-Armand watched golf.  Ate at Subway-walked around for another  2 hrs

Today is Fri-haven’t written because Armand tried to download pictures to notebook-somehow ALL pictures from PR were deleted from notebook & camera.

Up at 7 Patrick again-will miss my alarm clock-very nice visit. Traffic to air port terrible-3 lanes closed.  Armand missed turn but we still made it in time.  Take taxi to hostel-walk up 6 flights of steps-will take elevator next time-room is clean-bathroom is across hall.  Visit San Crestobal Fort & San Felipe Del Marro Fort. Spain had control of Puerto Rico for 400 yrs. Forts very impressive. Eat & go to bed early while Armand watches golf!!!

What a view!

6.044

walls on fort-up to 18 ft thick-very impressive

Up at 7 Patrick again.  Went to Best Buy-bought new camera-hopefully to have pictures on blog.  (Can’t figure it out yet). Went to Patrick’s school to watch him in a play done completely in Portuguese. Both boys go to same public school-K-8th grade, wear uniforms, 40% of classes are in Portuguese.  Plays were put on by 1st, 2nd, 3rd graders-didn’t understand it but very impressive. Went to Patrick’s soccer practice that night. Beat Armand & John in a game of H-O-R-S-E.

Patrick wakes us up at 7:00. Leave at 9:00 for Key largo-50 m.  Larry at VCenter recommends Everglades Eco  Safari-6 of us on pontoon boat w/guide. ENPark is largest national park. Pythons have eaten 90% of animals-are now after birds.  Saw manatee-related  to elephants-baby stays w/mom for life. Ate Mex food & went home.

Nathan took us to airport.  Ate chocolates Veye-90 yr old neighbor gave me-before plane took off.  Arrived at ft. Lauderdale airport-John’s in court-can’t pick us up until 7:30. Rent car. Eat & beat them home. Good to see John, Amy, Patrick (3rd grade), Phillip  (K)

Almost 7:oo pm-not packed. Yard mowed, went swimming-lunch-nails done w/good friend Mary Ruth. Bought notebook which won’t let me spell the way I want-fingers too big for keys. Don’t know how to put pictures on notebook. BIKING REUNION IN PUERTO RICO-Jane from New York is this yrs hostess for our 2002 Cross Country Women’s Tour. We are spending 10 days there, then fly to Ft. Lauderdale, pick up our bikes & start biking. Plan is to bike to Maine–or ???? I’ve done one 40 mile ride in preparation-we’ll see. Biggest challenge will be using notebook to record memories that will escape me as soon as day is done. NEED TO PACK NOW!!!

MAY 26 (MON) 63.5 MILES  11.1 mph  (mxsp 38.5) 5 hrs 42 min biking time

Up before Armand-leave room at 7:00-Whitney gone.  Go in for bkft-donut is so old & hard-need hammer to break it.  Go past J & W where we had bkft before-old people still there.  Go up hill-find Armand talking to Chuck-another old biker-wants to invite us to his house for coffee.  Go pet his dog in truck & say good bye.  30 m to Paint Bank-hilly but pretty ride-no one on rd.  Armand is waiting at store-going ahead to get car.  I eat pancakes on porch-meet couple from San Antonio-visit grist mill on property.  1:45 min later decide it’s time-slow going-wind in face-gradual uphill-10 mph for 15 m.  Now the 2 m of uphill starts-3-4 mph-stop & rest several times-few cars pass-more motorcycles.  Long downhill-can’t believe I biked this before & didn’t remember how difficult it was.  Rest stop on side of rd-then steeper uphill-walk several times-it’s much easier & faster.  Turn on busy rd to Penbroke-stop at 1st store I see-get Dr. Pepper.  A mirage-Armand is WALKING towards me–saw me from the rd.  WHERE’S THE CAR?  tried to get a ride-exhausted when I got here.  WHERE”S THE CAR & YOUR BIKE?  Blacksburg & bike is at store where we were going to meet-don’t you remember?  YOU KNOW I HAVE NO MEMORY.  Man drives up-Armand asks if he’s going to Blacksburg-said he could take us but had no room for bikes.  That’s OK-my wife will stay w/bikes.  He drives away w/Scott-a married librarian-works at VTech. No cell service here-miracle Armand saw me or I’d still be waiting on the curb-Scott is a bike angel-neither of us could have biked the 25 m-no motel in town. I walk down the street-now I remember the store-ate fried pie.  Armand is back in an hr-so happy to pack up bikes & drive-listen to Charlie Pride.  Only customers at Red Carpet Inn.  Have golf reservations tomorrow at 8:30 & then we will drive until it’s dark.  I’m not sure that we have to do every ride that Jean does-but I’m glad we came.  VA & WVA are beautiful & challenging for bikers like us-Whitney did much better-maybe because he practices.  Rds were good, people were friendly-drivers were fantastic.  We are very grateful to God that we have our health & able to see America by BIKE.  But without Jean doing it-we would still be in Austin playing bridge, tennis & golf.