Day 62 - November 10, 2017 - 66.22 miles, 135 feet ascent, 128 feet descent

Sopchoppy, FL to Perry FL

Interesting night with dogs barking as if they were being tortured.  It came from many directions, so it wasn't just one dog or one house.  Later, on our ride out of town, I noticed several trash towers knocked over, so there must have been a wild animal (bear?) going through town.

The photo of the Fruit Loops and Apple Jacks is the breakfast choice for this morning, for a 60+ mile day, with no services for 40 of those miles.  I wasn't too happy, and did not indulge in these cereals.  Instead, I just had a banana, and loaded an extra one in my bag for later.  I was at the grocery store last night, and certainly they had better choices!

I got a late start leaving, and for the first time on this journey, Eileen waited for me.  Not sure why I was so late getting out.  Perhaps because I was trying to get my bike shorts to dry.  I washed them yesterday evening, but with the cold air and high humidity, they did not dry too well.  I was avoiding putting them on!  Oh well, man up and just do it!  Just as I was ready to depart, a Katydid landed on my handlebar bag.  Had to get a photo, as it was so unusual for a large insect to land on my belongings.  It also took a while to get him on his way!

So, after my late start, Eileen and I rode through Sopchoppy, a rural community, on US 98, and on to Medart, ten miles away.  At Rocky's Gas Station, we stopped in based on recommendations from riders ahead of us.  Of course, the recommendation was for donuts, so I had a glazed maple bacon donut, and a brownie.  The brownie - not so good.  But the maple bacon donut - oh, to die for!  Melted in my mouth, as it was fresh out of the oven (so it seemed).  Rocky's was a brand new gas station, but not your typical mini-mart.  It was a bait and tackle store, gigging gear, deli, and beverage stop, all with neatly stacked items, and impeccably clean.  We spent way too much time there, but on we went.  

Eileen and I agreed that each of us would take turns "pulling."  For non bicyclists, the "puller" is the person in front, giving the person directly behind a big advantage, as the wind resistance is dramatically reduced.  We each pulled for two miles at a time,for about 50 miles. It made the miles go by much quicker, as the scenery was the same boring tree-lined flat, straight highway.  We stopped at a Wildlife Management Area rest stop to grab a bite to eat out of our handlebar bags (bananas and cookies), then proceeded on our way.  Ken caught up to us on our way out of the WMA stop, and stayed with us for the rest of the day, about 30 more miles.  We fought a 20 mph headwind the whole day, so it was great to work as a team to make the day go by quicker and easier.  

Before we knew it, we were in Perry, where we soon arrived at the KOA campground.  We set up tents, showered, and went out to dinner, followed by a trip to the Winn Dixie by Ken and I, as we were the "cooks" for tonight and tomorrow's breakfat and lunch.  The Winn Dixie was two miles from camp, so we put in an extra four miles round trip, in the dark, with lights.

Day 61 - November 9, 2017 - 43.93 miles, 239 feet ascent, 276 feet descent

Apalachicola, FL to Sopchoppy, FL

This epic adventure is nearing its end, so I thought I'd book a massage for the day after I return.  No such luck!  My regular CMT is still out on maternity leave, and her substitute does not have any openings until the day before Thanksgiving.  Hmmm... I don't want to wait that long, so I looked locally, here in Apalachicola, and wouldn't you know it, a CMT across the bridge in Eastpoint has an opening at 0930.  I hurried up and packed my bags, loaded the bike, and off I went, departing at 0930.  

I stopped near downtown Apalachicola, at the Dr. John Gorrie State Historical Park.  Dr. Gorrie' medical research involved the study of tropical diseases, and the theory that bad air caused diseases.  He urged draining the swamps and the cooling of sickrooms.  He gave up his medical practice to pursue refrigeration products, and was granted a patent for a machine to make ice.  He died destitute and died in seclusion in Apalachicola, after his venture failed.  More can be learned about Dr. Gorrie on the internet.  The museum was closed when I rode by, but I did get a couple photos outside the museum.

Riding through town toward the bridge, I came across a gentleman walking his dog.  This was a residential neighborhood, with no traffic.  As I rode up from behind, all of a sudden the dog ventured from the right side of the road to the left, on his very long retractable leash.  Needless to say, I had to stop in a hurry!  No worries - there was no collision with the leash or the dog! (Or the owner!)

At the edge of this small town is the US 98 bridge between Apalachicola and Eastpoint, a 5 mile bridge.   At first, the bridge crosses the Apalachicola River to an island, then a short causeway, and a long, low bridge over the wetlands and Apalachicola Bay.  At mile 7, I came to Paula's Massage.   Paula and the other ladies in the building (hair, nails, etc.) are all very proud of this area of North Florida, and they were so happy to have a bicyclist riding through town.  They claimed that residents here do not want this area to become like Panama City Beach, or even Destin.  They cherish the small town atmosphere, and want to keep it that way.  Paula's massage was very nice, although too short.  I certainly wasn't ready to get back on the bike, but I did!  Thirty-seven more miles to go.

It was a cold and blustery day, with overcast skies and a crosswind from the north.  I stopped just outside of Carrabelle for lunch at Emsy's Cafe, and had a brunch burger, complete with hamburger patty, egg, and hash browns, all in a hamburger bun, with fries.  Not the healthiest meal, but it filled me up.

Leaving Emsy's, it started to rain.  A mile or two up the road, still in Carrabelle, I pulled into a pizza place to stay dry, as I knew the rain was just passing over.  I remained indoors for about 30 minutes, then pulled out my raingear from the bottom of my pannier.   I wore the rain jacket for the next hour, although it was only misty at first, then stopped.  The road never really got wet, although it was cold due to the wind.

A little known fact about Carrabelle is that the beach was used for practice for the D-Day landing.  A placque commemorates the location, as shown in the photo below.

Another photo warns of bears.  These signs appear at the entrance to each of the small coastal towns along this part of the Gulf.  It caught me by surprise, as I did not expect such a sign.  There are plenty of bears on the west coast, especially California, even in my neighborhood, but we don't see signs like this.  Maybe we should?

At the intersection of US 98 and FL 319 was a sign stating Sopchoppy to the left, Panacea to the right.  What a dilemma - which way to go?   Our destination was Sopchoppy, so that was my Panacea.  Once I made th3e turn north on FL 319, I had a headwind for the next 14 miles.  It was still cold, but I had to remove my rain jacket, as I was more wet inside than outside, as it does not breath.  Next time, I will splurge on a breathable jacket!

Arriving at the City Park in Sopchoppy, I set up my tent on the grass, showered, relaxed on the pavilion.  Some in the group set up their tents on the pavilion, thus avoiding the morning dew.   After a hearty dinner of steak, salad, fruit salad, and garlic bread, we had ice cream for dessert.  Seems to be a recurring theme, one which will cease when I return home!

Speaking of home, during the long rides through straight, flat, tree-lined roads, one of the thoughts in my head is that I am soooo ready for this trip to be over.  Not that I don't enjoy it - I do, but after two months away from home, I am ready for the comforts that await - my own bed, my recliner, my computer (instead of the tablet I am currently using), my family, and my dog - not necessarily in that order.  

Day 60 - November 8, 2017 - 56.1 miles, 253 feet ascent, 220 feet descent

Panama City, FL to Apalachicola, FL

The Day's Inn in Panama City is right on US 98.  Departing the hotel after breakfast, I rode US 98 southward through city through the urban area, with no shoulder.  This is one of the few places throughout the entire ride that made me nervous.  After a few miles, the route turned east, and entered Tyndall AFB, where a very ice shoulder appeared.  It was a nice, straight, flat ride through the base.  I could hear the jets readying for take-off, but never saw them.  Riding past the inhabited area of the base, the road kept going, for miles and miles, straight as an arrow and flat as a Florida swamp.  This part of today's ride was truly boring.  Twenty miles into the ride, the trees opened up, and I came into the small town of Mexico Beach.  We had agreed as a group to stop in Mexico beach and regroup, and perhaps go for a swim.   Some of the other riders had messaged that they were at Beacon Hill Park, mile 23, so I rode ahead, missed the turn and rode to mile 24 before I realized it.  I turned around, found the Veterans Park, then found the two others who arrived prior to me.  The park was very nice, with showers, covered picnic area, and free open wi-fi.  

Soon Tom R and Joe arrived, and joined Tom C, Erwin, and I.  I had kept my swim trunks and sandals accessible, so I changed clothes, and four of us headed to the beach.  The water was cooler than yesterday, and the water was not as clear.  The sugary white sand beach had some organic debris and seashells, unlike yesterday's beach.  This means we are getting closer to what some call the armpit of Florida, where the north shore meets the west shore.  The locals in the area would not appreciate that term, as they are very proud of their beaches.  I lounged in the cool waters for about 30 minutes, and decided to head back.  It wasn't the water, but rather the sun that doesn't agree with me.  Wow, was it bright!

Moving on, we departed Beacon Hill.  I rode ahead of everyone else to the small town of Port St. Joe, where the five of us stopped at McDonalds for lunch (not many choices).  After lunch, I again rode ahead alone, with Joe and Tom R taking a longer route to Apalachicola. My route took me through more pulp tree forests, along the straight and flat US 98 (what else is new?), miles and miles of straight flat tree-lined road....

Arriving in Apalachicola, I found the Rancho Inn, our accommodations for the evening.  I promptly took out my tent, rain fly, and footprint, and hung them over the railing at the pool.  The tent was still wet from two days ago at Henderson Beach State Park.  I hate to let it go overnight, but I got in to yesterday's hotel after dark, and there was nowhere to dry it out.  When I went back out to take it in, after it was dry, a solo rider came up and introduced himself.  Jon Eggert Gudmudsson, from Iceland, is riding from Mobile, Alabama, to Miami, where he lives and works.  It was fun talking to Jon and learning about his trip.

Dinner found us at the Seafood Grill in downtown Apalachicola.  After dinner, a few of our group went to a raw oyster bar, while I went with a couple others to the Bowery Station, where they had live music.  It all ended at 2030, so time to ride back to the motel and rest up for tomorrow.

The signs below are from the Seafood Grill.

 

Day 59 - November 7, 2017 - 82.46 miles, 528 feet ascent, 502 feet descent

Destin, FL to Panama City FL

Breakfast at 0600, and one of our neighbors, Priscilla, brought over a pot of coffee, and creamer for those who indulge in such.  Priscilla is a full time RVer, and was very intrigued about our journey.  She is a self-described wanderer, and was so inspired from talking to a few members of our group last night that she wanted to do something special for us.   This is how it has been through much of our journey - bike trail angels taking care of us!   Prescilla engaged in conversation with each of us, and I was happy that others in our group acknowledged that RVers are very nice people!  (I know, because Dianne and I experience the same thing!)

We followed US 90 and County Road 30 for most of the day.  I departed the State Park with Eileen, after we rode our bikes to the boardwalk and took a walk down to the beach. Wow, the water is so clear!  We rode through the resort areas of Destin, Sandestin, Water Color, Seaside, Seagrove Beach, and on to Panama City Beach and Panama City (two different cities).

While on Route 30A, we came across some bridge construction, which detoured us back to US 90, and then back to the beaches, about five miles added to our day.  No worries, we are up for it.  Unbeknownst to us, some of our group muscled their way through the construction zone, while we asked permission and were denied.  This detour allowed for Ken to catch up with Eileen and I, as we rode toward Watercolor, where all the buildings were pastel colors, just like watercolors.  Just beyond was a row of Airstream trailer food trucks, where we stopped for a brief lunch.  After lunch, I dropped Ken and Eileen (they were to slow), and pushed on toward Panama City Beach.  Lots of empty high rise hotels and condos along the way - empty because this is the off season.  There are also a lot of roadside businesses closed for the season.  Many were open, however.  Panama City Beach is trying to become a destination resort, but they have a lot of work to do.  So many run down areas, and then there are the tourist shops that have jumped the shark.  (You will have to Google that phrase, if you are not familiar with it!)

While in Panama City Beach, I pulled out my swim trunks and went for a dip in the Gulf waters.  I couldn't believe how warm the water was - about 80 degree, and crystal clear.   I misjudged the time and distance to our destination in Panama City, another 16 miles away.  I also did not account for my Garmin misdirecting me, and taking me way off track.  So, for a ride that should have been 65 miles, I rode 82.  I arrived at the Day's Inn at 1700 exactly, just before dark.  I should have had a headlight, but it was in the bottom of one of my panniers.  My rear light was on, so at least I was visible to drivers coming from behind.  The last several miles were the toughest, as I was low on water.  Yes, I could have stopped any time, as there were plenty of businesses along the way, but I was pressed for time, and needed to finish today's ride quickly.

I showered quickly upon arrival, and we departed as a group for Sonny's BBQ restaurant across the street.  I tried to commence getting back into a healthy eating mode by ordering a salad, but ruined it with the apple cobbler.  Darn, I will have to ride more miles to work it off!

Day 58 - November 6, 2017 - 65.88 miles, 587 feet ascent, 568 feet descent

Pensacola NAS, FL to Henderson Beach State Park, Destin, FL

Departed Oak Grove Campground at 0630, and eight of us headed to the golf course clubhouse for breakfast, then departed for Destin.  We will be off the official route for the next five days, taking a route along the gulf coast, rather than the northern Florida panhandle.  This means no official map, so routefinding will be challenging!

I departed from the new route to go to a bike shop in Pensacola, waiting 90 minutes for the shop to open.  As it turns out, I had not one, but two broken spokes.  I doubt that I would have made it to Destin without breaking a third, because once one goes, the adjacent ones start to go.  I truly avoided a more serious mechanical breakdown!

Back on the road, I crossed the Pensacola Bay Bridge (3 Mile Bridge) to Gulf Breeze, and rode east on US 98, shortly connecting up with Eileen, who had stayed back at the NAS so that she could visit the museum.  We rode together for several miles, then I could no longer see her in my mirror. I waited for a while, but she was taking a rest break.  Along came Tom C, Erwin, and Eric, so I jumped on their wheel, and joined their paceline.  When it came my turn to pull,  I accidentally accelerated to 22 mph, and Eric shouted out "He Ed, your turn is over, and we are going to slow down the pace by 4 mph!"  We still did 18 mph down US 098, with a slight tailwind.

It was my night to shop and cook, so I was pushing it to get to Destin so that I could shop with Joe.  The four of us realized that we were not going to get there in a timely manner, so I forged ahead when Erwin and Tom stopped to refuel (food and drink).  The sun was setting when I arrived at the entrance to the state park, so I called Joe, who was still at the Walmart across the street.  I hightailed it to Walmart, parked the bike, and found Joe.  He had the cart filled with tomorrow's breakfast and lunch, and he asked me if I would call and order pizza delivered to campsite #36. I obliged, and looked up a non-corporate pizza delivery, and selected the #1 rated on TripAdvisor.  Later, when the others were dining, they commented on how good the pizza was, better than Dominos, Round Table, and all the others.

By the time we left Walmart, around 1700, it was dark, and neither of us had our headlights on.  I did have a blinking red light on the back of my bike, but no headlight.  The state park was right across the street, so once we went in, it was easy riding, as there was no other traffic.  The campground was about a mile into the park.  

We unloaded the groceries, and I set up my tent, in the dark.  Pizza was delivered, and everyone was happy.

Day 57 - November 5, 2017 - Rest Day

Pensacola, FL

Woke up at 0600, and to my surprise, it was light out!  We not only got an extra hour of sleep, but woke up to daylight.  Darkness at 0700 was getting old!

I took Joe and Tom R to the food court at the other end of the base - they are not military retirees, so they required an escort to get through the checkpoint.  No worries - very nice 3 mile ride each way.  We purchased some adult beverages to go with dinner, and brought it back to camp, then Tom and I headed out to the Naval Aviation Museum.  Upon arrival, I noticed that I had a broken spoke on my rear wheel.  Darn it - I was having such good luck.  We will make a temporary repair before we leave the museum, so that it doesn't rub on the fender, and will tape the broken spoke to an adjacent one so that it will not flop around.  Still ridable.

Had some fun with photos at the museum, in a Blue Angels trainer and aboard Marine Corps One.  The museum was very well done, and it is impossible to see the whole thing in the short amount of time that we had.

Back to camp for a BBQ steak dinner, then time to get rested up for tomorrow's ride.

Day 56 - November 4, 2017 - 51.76 miles, 364 feet ascent, 420 feet descent

Dauphin Island, AL to Pensacola NAS, FL

The day started with a 6 mile ferry ride from Dauphin Island to Fort Morgan, across the entrance to Mobile Bay.  Many oil rigs dotted the bay and the Gulf, some with flares burning bright.  For the second time this trip, we all started at the same time, riding down the causeway at Fort Morgan, to the parking lot, where we parted ways for the day.  Five of us (half the group) stayed back to take a tour of Fort Morgan, built after the war of 1812 to strengthen coastal defenses.  Construction was completed in 1834.  

Leaving Fort Morgan, we rode on the peninsula to Gulf Shores, where the five of us had lunch at Lulu's.   The five included Tom R, Joe, Eric, Eileen and me.  Very expensive lunch, but what a wonderful place, with the largest sandbox I have ever seen for the kids.  The restaurant was all open air (which could be closed in the event of inclimate weather (and when the restaurant is closed).

With 30 miles still to go, we ended our nice stay at Lulu's, and headed back out on the road.  Very nice ride along the Alabama beach road from Gulf Shores to Floribama, the Florida border.  We stopped for the obligatory photos, then continued for the last 15 miles to the Pensacola Naval Air Station, where we set up camp for the night at Oak Grove Campground.  The campground is very nice, so nice that I want to come back with Dianne.  Unfortunately, the four of us with retired military ID cards have to escort the other five civilians wherever they go on base.  Not to much of an inconvenience, but because we are remote and away from all restaurants and shops, it is logistically challenging.

Since we have a layover day in Pensacola, we are on our own for meals. Three of us took a cab off base to Ruby Tuesdays, as we were desparate for dinner, yet we did not want to go downtown, which would have been a 25 minute cab ride.  All was good, and we got back to the base around 2200.   The full moon tonight was awesome, bright, big, and yellow, coming over the horizon.  It remained bright all night, and we were able to see our way into the campsite by the light of the moon.