Last day! We started early because we needed to be at the 40 mile mark by 10:30, but we were so anxious that we arrived almost an hour early. The first part of the ride was thru farm country. Lots of fields of potato plants. I didn't know that they grow potatoes in Florida, but there was even a small town called Spuds. Then we turned north and traveled along the eastern shore of the St. John's River--beautiful views and nice homes. The river is very wide in this area and is part of the Intercoastal Waterway. Finally we turned east to the St. Johns County firehouse where lots of picture taking went on while we waited for 10:30 to arrive.
The last 7 miles from the firehouse to the beach were under police escort. A police car in front, followed by the riders 2 by 2 and the sag wagon, with another police car bringing up the rear. We were on parade. People waved and cheered as we proceeded thru the center of St. Augustine to Anastasia Island State Park and the Atlantic Ocean. At the park there was a big welcome from friends and family of some of the riders. We had to carry our bikes across a lot of sand to get to the ocean, but we got our front wheels into the surf. Again there was a lot of picture taking. Then most of us began cavorting in the surf--more pictures with the waves knocking us about as we tried to pose as a group. Great fun! Then we had a pcinic together with family and friends.
In the evening, we had our final dinner, just for the tour group. Kathy Tex read a poem she had written about the trip and each of the riders--lots of laughs and remembered moments. Goodbyes and hugs, and it was over.
I still need to do a final tally, but I think I rode roughly 2800 of the 3100 miles and did things I never thought I could do. That's what it's all about. I plan to post my photos on Picasa, but am not sure when I will be able to get that done. I have a lot of things to catch up with when I get home.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
High Springs to Palatka
We started early to avoid the heat--prediction was for 95 degrees. I don't think it got much over 90. From San Diego on we have experienced unusally warm weather--10-15 degrees above normal and in some cases new records have be set. On the other hand, I never had to wear my raingear. Who would have thought that we could bike for 2 months all the way across the US without getting rained on!
I was first out this morning but I wasn't first for long and was among the last to come in, as usual. If I would stop taking pictures, I probably wouldn't lag so much but I am also one of the slower riders. The first part of the ride was pleasant but more of the same, tho with fewer flowers. But of course there were some new flowers: a beautiful white lily with no foliage (atamasco lily, I think) and a yellow fIower that I think is some kind of mullein. I went thru Keystone Heights where my Aunt Sophie used to live, but there was no time to stop and explore the town since I was hurrying to beat the heat.
Whatever the official temperature, it is a lot hotter out on the asphalt. I could just feel the waves of heat coming at me. The headwind did help to ease the heat a bit. At the last sag stop, I took my large blue hankerchief, dumped a bunch of ice on it, rolled it up, and tied it around my neck. OOh, that was chill, and I covered about 7 miles before all the ice melted.
There was 20-25 miles of construction work in the last third of the ride where they are repaving hwy 100. Most of the road surface was in good condition, but most of the shoulder had been milled and was impossible to ride at more than 5-6 miles /hr. There were two places where they were actively working and only one lane was open. In the first case where the stretch was probably only 1/2 mile but felt like a mile, I had to bike at the end of the line but that meant that the traffic in the other direction was waiting for me. I was biking as fast as I could go but it was on an uphill into a strong headwind, so they let the oncoming traffic start before I got to the end. Made for an interesting ride. In the second case they were replacing a culvert and I was able to ride on the closed lane--that was much better. The lane closures meant that I had long stretches where there was no traffic going my direction followed by a string of 25-30 vehicles one after the other. When that happened I got off on the shoulder no matter what condition it was in.
In Palatka, our destination for the day, I stopped once again for a milkshake. As I left to continue to the motel, I saw the remains of an accident where a logging truck had lost its load. I'm not surprised. The guys who drive those trucks are maniacs. They speed. They give us no room on the roads. Most of the truck drivers are very curteous to us and go over into the other lane to minimize the impact of turbulence they create. Not so for the logging truck drivers. Glad I won't have to deal with them anymore.
Final day tomorrow--40+ miles to Anastasia State Park in St. Augustine where we will dip our front wheels in the Atlantic Ocean, then celebrate with a picnic.
I was first out this morning but I wasn't first for long and was among the last to come in, as usual. If I would stop taking pictures, I probably wouldn't lag so much but I am also one of the slower riders. The first part of the ride was pleasant but more of the same, tho with fewer flowers. But of course there were some new flowers: a beautiful white lily with no foliage (atamasco lily, I think) and a yellow fIower that I think is some kind of mullein. I went thru Keystone Heights where my Aunt Sophie used to live, but there was no time to stop and explore the town since I was hurrying to beat the heat.
Whatever the official temperature, it is a lot hotter out on the asphalt. I could just feel the waves of heat coming at me. The headwind did help to ease the heat a bit. At the last sag stop, I took my large blue hankerchief, dumped a bunch of ice on it, rolled it up, and tied it around my neck. OOh, that was chill, and I covered about 7 miles before all the ice melted.
There was 20-25 miles of construction work in the last third of the ride where they are repaving hwy 100. Most of the road surface was in good condition, but most of the shoulder had been milled and was impossible to ride at more than 5-6 miles /hr. There were two places where they were actively working and only one lane was open. In the first case where the stretch was probably only 1/2 mile but felt like a mile, I had to bike at the end of the line but that meant that the traffic in the other direction was waiting for me. I was biking as fast as I could go but it was on an uphill into a strong headwind, so they let the oncoming traffic start before I got to the end. Made for an interesting ride. In the second case they were replacing a culvert and I was able to ride on the closed lane--that was much better. The lane closures meant that I had long stretches where there was no traffic going my direction followed by a string of 25-30 vehicles one after the other. When that happened I got off on the shoulder no matter what condition it was in.
In Palatka, our destination for the day, I stopped once again for a milkshake. As I left to continue to the motel, I saw the remains of an accident where a logging truck had lost its load. I'm not surprised. The guys who drive those trucks are maniacs. They speed. They give us no room on the roads. Most of the truck drivers are very curteous to us and go over into the other lane to minimize the impact of turbulence they create. Not so for the logging truck drivers. Glad I won't have to deal with them anymore.
Final day tomorrow--40+ miles to Anastasia State Park in St. Augustine where we will dip our front wheels in the Atlantic Ocean, then celebrate with a picnic.
Perry to High Springs
What fools we mortals be, to be out biking on asphalt in the hot afternoon sun. Even the animals know to relax in the shade. I sought out and savored each possible bit of shade, but there was little of it. Having said all that, the day's 77.4 mi ride was much more varied and interesting than the previous day's ride. We started early and had some cloud cover in the morning. We passed by cattle ranches, dairy and poultry farms, tree farms and logging trucks. In the afternoon we stopped at the Ichetucknee Springs State Park, which was a nice break. I just waded up to my knees in one of the springs, but several of the riders went swimming to cool off.
The best part of the ride was the wildflower display along the roadsides, mostly a variety of pinks (sweet williams?)--pink, red, lavender, and white--and coreopsis for miles and miles. Undoubtedly they were planted by the highway department, but they had spread into nearby lawns, fields, and woods. Other flowers that I have mentioned before were sprinkled among them, including a lovely blue flower which I have tentatively identified as a wild petunia. I also saw 2 lovely flowers not seen before. One a pink frilly round (3/4 in diameter) flower (mimosa macrophyla, I think) so delicate and yet thriving in the roadside environment. The other was a white prickly poppy, the bloom 2-3 inches wide with a yellow center and the foliage was shades of green and white. I also spied a gopher turtle trying to cross the road in front of me, so I stopped and carried him (her?) across the road. There was a fair amount of traffic and I was afraid that at its slow pace it might become road kill.
A correction to the Apr 23 blog: I said there were cornflowers, which was not the case. Cornflowers are blue and these flowers, coltsfoot, are yellow. Don't know where my head was that day.
The best part of the ride was the wildflower display along the roadsides, mostly a variety of pinks (sweet williams?)--pink, red, lavender, and white--and coreopsis for miles and miles. Undoubtedly they were planted by the highway department, but they had spread into nearby lawns, fields, and woods. Other flowers that I have mentioned before were sprinkled among them, including a lovely blue flower which I have tentatively identified as a wild petunia. I also saw 2 lovely flowers not seen before. One a pink frilly round (3/4 in diameter) flower (mimosa macrophyla, I think) so delicate and yet thriving in the roadside environment. The other was a white prickly poppy, the bloom 2-3 inches wide with a yellow center and the foliage was shades of green and white. I also spied a gopher turtle trying to cross the road in front of me, so I stopped and carried him (her?) across the road. There was a fair amount of traffic and I was afraid that at its slow pace it might become road kill.
A correction to the Apr 23 blog: I said there were cornflowers, which was not the case. Cornflowers are blue and these flowers, coltsfoot, are yellow. Don't know where my head was that day.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Crawfordville to Perry
Monotonous I think best describes today's 54 mile ride. We turned left onto route 98 out of the Inn where we spent 2 nights and stayed on it for 52.4 miles before turning right and going 1.6 miles to our motel. The road was flat and mostly straight with good shoulders and not that much traffic. There were no towns, a couple intersections, and only a few houses as the route was mostly thru or along National Wildlife Preserves and National Wildlife Management Areas. Mostly what we saw were trees, including some tree farms and at least one that was harvested. We have been seeing tree farms and their harvesting ever since eastern Texas, and I know that I have mentioned the logging trucks we have had to deal with.
The trees were interspersed with swampy areas and a number of streams and rivers. We crossed the Wakulla, St. Marks, and Aucilla Rivers. When Linda was crossing the
Wakulla she stopped to look for alligators. Instead she saw 2 manatees swimming under the bridge, but that was well after I had crossed without sighting anything. There were a couple new flowers today which, unfortunately, I have been unable to identify. The computer is just not very good for this task unless you already know the name of the flowers, then you can find lots of information about them. But some of the unidentified flowers that I mentioned in Saturday's blog were yellow primroses and spiderworts but of unspecified varieties. I did see today several beautiful blue irises in the boggy areas and lots of pinks, of different varieties I think.
It rained this afternoon, but not until well after everyone was in. We have been unbelievably fortunate with the weather, except for the unusual heat.
Tomorrow is a 76 mile ride, I hope with a little more variety than today.
The trees were interspersed with swampy areas and a number of streams and rivers. We crossed the Wakulla, St. Marks, and Aucilla Rivers. When Linda was crossing the
Wakulla she stopped to look for alligators. Instead she saw 2 manatees swimming under the bridge, but that was well after I had crossed without sighting anything. There were a couple new flowers today which, unfortunately, I have been unable to identify. The computer is just not very good for this task unless you already know the name of the flowers, then you can find lots of information about them. But some of the unidentified flowers that I mentioned in Saturday's blog were yellow primroses and spiderworts but of unspecified varieties. I did see today several beautiful blue irises in the boggy areas and lots of pinks, of different varieties I think.
It rained this afternoon, but not until well after everyone was in. We have been unbelievably fortunate with the weather, except for the unusual heat.
Tomorrow is a 76 mile ride, I hope with a little more variety than today.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Crawfordville - rest day
Nancy, Victoria, and I went kayaking on the Wakulla River and had a terrific time. Four hours for $25--wish I could bring those prices back to the DC area. When we first went out we were the only ones and it was very peaceful. We saw osprey building a nest and two different owls. As the morning wore on more people joined us on the river, including a number in boats with motors as the river is lined with private docks and houses/cottages. I saw a manatee come up for air, but just then a boat went by and there was no further sighting of manatee until much later in the trip. When we were just about back to the place to take out, a couple fellows who spotted a manatee swimming around waved us over. We got to see it swimming right by our kayaks and watched it come up for air before swimming around some more. I got some photos which I hope will look good on my computer screen. We also saw a number of herons, several great white egrets, another owl, moorhens, alligators (small ones), turtles, and lots of fish, some of which jumped more than a foot in the air pursuing bugs, I presume. The sun was hot, but there was a nice breeze and some shade. While my shoulders are a bit sore, not having had much exercise for the last 2 months, it really was quite relaxing to be out there on the river and exploring nature.
The afternoon was spent eating, reading, and eating.
The afternoon was spent eating, reading, and eating.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Quincy to Crawfordville
A great day today! We started out around 7:45 in a misty fog but with sufficient visibility that we felt safe. Damp enough that I had to remove my glasses so I could see, and water was dripping from my helmet. The misty weather remained with us for the first 25 miles or so. It not only kept us cool, but it gave a special effect to the woods and the rivers and streams. There were a variety of wildflowers along the way--coreopsis, cornflowers, black-eyed susans, lady lupine, crimson clover, purple verbena, and a number of others I haven't been able to identify. There was not a vast sweep of them as there was in Texas, but rather a continuous scattered mix wherever the roadside had not been mowed.
At mile 34 of what was supposed to be a 47 mile ride, I along with Lise, Nancy, and Kathy M. took a side trip to Edward Ball Wakula Springs State Park, which is an area of a massive spring that spawns a river and of the 4th largest underwater cave system in the world. It is a lovely place and usually the Womans Tour stays there but this year the place was already booked. The 4 of us went on the guided boat tour and saw a lot of wildlife--alligators, moorhens, yellow-crowned night herons, little blue herons, wood ducks, a barred owl, turtles, a great white egret (heron), some unidentified ducks, and fish. There was also a lot of pickerel weed in bloom and a small patch of spider lilies.
After lunch at the lodge we meet 4 men (all in their 70s) who are biking across country to raise money to fight childhood cancer. They call themselves grandparents to support grandchildrens health. They started March 2 in New Mexico (I think) and will end in Sun City, FL, just south of Tampa. So far they have raised $180,000 for the cause.
Then I took a short (2 mile) hike into the woods and marsh around the springs and saw another alligator and read about various trees along the way. Finally, I had to head towards the motel and got in around 4:30, having clocked 60 miles.
Tomorrow is a rest day. I'm going kayaking.
At mile 34 of what was supposed to be a 47 mile ride, I along with Lise, Nancy, and Kathy M. took a side trip to Edward Ball Wakula Springs State Park, which is an area of a massive spring that spawns a river and of the 4th largest underwater cave system in the world. It is a lovely place and usually the Womans Tour stays there but this year the place was already booked. The 4 of us went on the guided boat tour and saw a lot of wildlife--alligators, moorhens, yellow-crowned night herons, little blue herons, wood ducks, a barred owl, turtles, a great white egret (heron), some unidentified ducks, and fish. There was also a lot of pickerel weed in bloom and a small patch of spider lilies.
After lunch at the lodge we meet 4 men (all in their 70s) who are biking across country to raise money to fight childhood cancer. They call themselves grandparents to support grandchildrens health. They started March 2 in New Mexico (I think) and will end in Sun City, FL, just south of Tampa. So far they have raised $180,000 for the cause.
Then I took a short (2 mile) hike into the woods and marsh around the springs and saw another alligator and read about various trees along the way. Finally, I had to head towards the motel and got in around 4:30, having clocked 60 miles.
Tomorrow is a rest day. I'm going kayaking.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Crestview - Marianna - Quincy
The ride from Crestview to Marianna was 94 miles. Ninety on 90 the guide called it--90 miles on Hwy 90. Well, there was a smooth shoulder and trees (but not shade), houses, open land, and medium amount of traffic, but it was hot (low 90s by afternoon), humid (in the 80+% range when we started), and boring and a headwind was picking up. Consequently, I couldn't see any reason to be out there riding and sagged in from the 32 mile point. My second no-photo day. I spent the afternoon sitting in the shade with a nice breeze and reading a book.
Today's ride was only 54 miles, some of it on very pleasant country roads with lots of rollers and a significant climb after crossing the Appalachiola (sp?) River. Crossing the river also put us finally into the Eastern time zone. While it was humid (87%) when we left and hot (upper 80s by noon), it was a more interesting (farmland, pasture with horses and cattle, woods, and small towns) and shorter ride with frequent shade. I left around 7:30 and was at the motel by noon ( 1pm EDT). I took a few pictures, but I really didn't see anything new or different. But I am surprised at how hilly Florida is--not what I usually think about the state. If I may mention honeysuckle once again, the fragance in the early morning under foggy, then cloudy conditions was intoxicating.
If it sounds like I'm getting a bit tired of this, you're right. I was discussing this with a few of the other riders this morning, and we all agreed that 8 weeks was a bit too much and the sense of that set in somewhere around the 6 week mark. We're getting anxious to go back to riding where and when we want, having a room of our own, and eating what and when we want to. But we're all hanging in there with less than a week to go now before we dip our wheels in the Atlantic Ocean.
Today's ride was only 54 miles, some of it on very pleasant country roads with lots of rollers and a significant climb after crossing the Appalachiola (sp?) River. Crossing the river also put us finally into the Eastern time zone. While it was humid (87%) when we left and hot (upper 80s by noon), it was a more interesting (farmland, pasture with horses and cattle, woods, and small towns) and shorter ride with frequent shade. I left around 7:30 and was at the motel by noon ( 1pm EDT). I took a few pictures, but I really didn't see anything new or different. But I am surprised at how hilly Florida is--not what I usually think about the state. If I may mention honeysuckle once again, the fragance in the early morning under foggy, then cloudy conditions was intoxicating.
If it sounds like I'm getting a bit tired of this, you're right. I was discussing this with a few of the other riders this morning, and we all agreed that 8 weeks was a bit too much and the sense of that set in somewhere around the 6 week mark. We're getting anxious to go back to riding where and when we want, having a room of our own, and eating what and when we want to. But we're all hanging in there with less than a week to go now before we dip our wheels in the Atlantic Ocean.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Pensacola to Crestview
68 miles today, first on busy highway (with nice bike path/shoulder) along the coast crossing over various waterways, then on the Blackwater bike trail headed north away from the coast, then rolling country roads, and finally back to busy highway riding with shoulders. Except for the very high humidity (it was like a sauna when we started out this morning) and the traffic it was a very pleasant ride, but there really isn't that much to say about it because it is so much like home. When we were out West there were always new things to see, but generally that is not the case here.
The big find today was an area of Whitetop Pitcher plants in swampy area along the bike trail. These plants, which are 1-2 ft high, are gorgeous! The top part is white with bright red veins and the stalk red then fading to green. The flower is a bright red bell about 2 inches across--beautiful! We also passed a watery area of swamp covered with hundreds of water lilies. We're still enjoying the fragrance of honeysuckle and another shrub with racemes of white flowers which I can't identify. And have I mentioned that the Southern Magnolia is starting to bloom?
The big find today was an area of Whitetop Pitcher plants in swampy area along the bike trail. These plants, which are 1-2 ft high, are gorgeous! The top part is white with bright red veins and the stalk red then fading to green. The flower is a bright red bell about 2 inches across--beautiful! We also passed a watery area of swamp covered with hundreds of water lilies. We're still enjoying the fragrance of honeysuckle and another shrub with racemes of white flowers which I can't identify. And have I mentioned that the Southern Magnolia is starting to bloom?
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Dauphin Island, AL to Pensacola, FL
We made it to our final state and only 9 more days to go!
Yesterday was a rest day on Dauphin Island, but I didn't do much resting. I started early in the morning with a hike thru the Audobon Society bird sanctuary. I'm not a good birder--by the time I locate the bird and get the binoculars focused on the spot the bird has moved to another spot. But it was fun just listening to all the bird calls. At one point I thought I heard a rufus-sided towhee, but when I stopped to listen I realized that I was actually hearing a mockingbird. I think I heard the songs of all the birds in the area during the few minutes that I listened to the mockingbird--a virtuoso performance. I also saw 2 green herons flying back and forth at the lake in the sanctuary and lots of brown thrashers plus other birds I couldn't identify.
Then it was on to Fort Gaines, which is one of the two major forts protecting the entrance to Mobile Bay during the Civil War. I had lots of fun climbing around on the fort and reading the accounts written by those who were defending the fort and the Union soldiers who captured it. There was also extensive material on the naval battle of Mobile Bay and Admiral Farragut who may or may not have said "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead."
On the way back to the condo, I stopped at the Indian Oyster Shell Mound Park. These mounds of oyster shells reflect repeated Indian encampments from 1100 AD to the early 1800s. Nice hike thru stands of old oaks and lots of wildflowers.
After lunch, further exploration of the island, and a brief rest, I took a 2 1/2 hour walk along the beach and watched the sun set over the water. All the foam from the surf reflected the colors of the rainbow. I don't know if that has to do with the oil spill or not. I've never seen it before. I also learned that what I thought were oil rigs on the horizon are actually natural gas rigs. Whatever they are they certainly ruin the view looking out to sea.
Today we took the ferry across Mobile Bay. I left the group on the other side to visit Fort , the other major fort protecting access to Mobile Bay. This fort was not in as good repair nor as well explained. And it was much larger than Ft. Gaines because the government expanded it greatly in the 1890s before abandoning it in 1923.
To catch up with the group after the fort visit, I sagged for about 20 miles with the van so I only rode about 41 miles today instead of 60. Most of our route was along the coast with lots of views of the Gulf and the white sands of the shore. After arriving in Pensacola, I spent a few hours touring the historic part of the city and visiting art galleries. Pensacola was settled in the mid 1500s which makes it one of the oldest cities in the US.
Yesterday was a rest day on Dauphin Island, but I didn't do much resting. I started early in the morning with a hike thru the Audobon Society bird sanctuary. I'm not a good birder--by the time I locate the bird and get the binoculars focused on the spot the bird has moved to another spot. But it was fun just listening to all the bird calls. At one point I thought I heard a rufus-sided towhee, but when I stopped to listen I realized that I was actually hearing a mockingbird. I think I heard the songs of all the birds in the area during the few minutes that I listened to the mockingbird--a virtuoso performance. I also saw 2 green herons flying back and forth at the lake in the sanctuary and lots of brown thrashers plus other birds I couldn't identify.
Then it was on to Fort Gaines, which is one of the two major forts protecting the entrance to Mobile Bay during the Civil War. I had lots of fun climbing around on the fort and reading the accounts written by those who were defending the fort and the Union soldiers who captured it. There was also extensive material on the naval battle of Mobile Bay and Admiral Farragut who may or may not have said "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead."
On the way back to the condo, I stopped at the Indian Oyster Shell Mound Park. These mounds of oyster shells reflect repeated Indian encampments from 1100 AD to the early 1800s. Nice hike thru stands of old oaks and lots of wildflowers.
After lunch, further exploration of the island, and a brief rest, I took a 2 1/2 hour walk along the beach and watched the sun set over the water. All the foam from the surf reflected the colors of the rainbow. I don't know if that has to do with the oil spill or not. I've never seen it before. I also learned that what I thought were oil rigs on the horizon are actually natural gas rigs. Whatever they are they certainly ruin the view looking out to sea.
Today we took the ferry across Mobile Bay. I left the group on the other side to visit Fort , the other major fort protecting access to Mobile Bay. This fort was not in as good repair nor as well explained. And it was much larger than Ft. Gaines because the government expanded it greatly in the 1890s before abandoning it in 1923.
To catch up with the group after the fort visit, I sagged for about 20 miles with the van so I only rode about 41 miles today instead of 60. Most of our route was along the coast with lots of views of the Gulf and the white sands of the shore. After arriving in Pensacola, I spent a few hours touring the historic part of the city and visiting art galleries. Pensacola was settled in the mid 1500s which makes it one of the oldest cities in the US.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Pascagoula, MS - Dauphin Island AL.
We are one state closer to the end. We have a rest day tomorrow here on dauphin Island which is a barrier island outside Mobile Bay. We're staying in a condo complex with direct access to the beach and 2 swimming pools. On the horizon are a number of oil rigs and tonigght they are lit up like Christmas trees. I counted 8 of them, some close some farther away.
Today's ride was a short 41.3 mi. We had a headwind or crosswind for the first 25-0 miles, then a tailwind. I liked that part better. I did spot an alligator along the bank of a creek? bayou? shortly before leaving Mississippi. I stopped at the spot where the ranger at the wildlife refuge (where I stopped yesterday) told me I could a number of pitcher plants but i couldnIt see any. Much of the area was fenced off and inaccessible.
The last part of the ride was near the coast with lots of salt water marshes and a number of sea birds including egrets, a great blue heron, brown pelicans, and white pelicans. Finally. to get to the island we rode across a 3.5 mi bridge which was mostly low level but one very high section which provided great views of the island and out over the water. However, there were aa lot of broken beer bottles on the shoulder and I'm really surprised that I didn't get a flat tire.
Wehad a bit of a party tonight to celebrate the birthday of our guide, Carol.
Today's ride was a short 41.3 mi. We had a headwind or crosswind for the first 25-0 miles, then a tailwind. I liked that part better. I did spot an alligator along the bank of a creek? bayou? shortly before leaving Mississippi. I stopped at the spot where the ranger at the wildlife refuge (where I stopped yesterday) told me I could a number of pitcher plants but i couldnIt see any. Much of the area was fenced off and inaccessible.
The last part of the ride was near the coast with lots of salt water marshes and a number of sea birds including egrets, a great blue heron, brown pelicans, and white pelicans. Finally. to get to the island we rode across a 3.5 mi bridge which was mostly low level but one very high section which provided great views of the island and out over the water. However, there were aa lot of broken beer bottles on the shoulder and I'm really surprised that I didn't get a flat tire.
Wehad a bit of a party tonight to celebrate the birthday of our guide, Carol.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Wiggins to Pascagoula, MS
Great ride today--cooler, less humid, good roads, and pleasant countryside (71 mi). Early in the ride we had a rather bizarre incident--one of the riders had the bolt holding her seat in place snap in two, her seat fell apart, and she went down. I never heard of such a thing happening.
We rode a long stretch thru the DeSoto National Forest, which was largely pine forest. Coreopsis, crimson clover, and purple verbena again, and occasionally the yellow and the blue irises which grow along water. In one case, someone had planted water lilies inthe ditch next to their drive. In the afternoon, I stopped at the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Preserve, but didn't get to see any of the approximately 120 cranes. It is nesting season and they are pretty much out of sight. These cranes do not migrate, and the ones living hete are the only ones living in the wild anywhere in the world.
One of the great things about biking is the sensory perceptions as you ride, which you don't get driving along in an air-conditioned car--the sound of birds calling back and forth, of cows mooing, and dogs barking; and the fragrances of honeysuckle and other flowers, of pine trees and the smell of fresh cut pine when the logging trucks go by, of water and damp earth, of horses and, of course, less pleasant smells--exhaust, dead animals, skunks, etc.
We rode a long stretch thru the DeSoto National Forest, which was largely pine forest. Coreopsis, crimson clover, and purple verbena again, and occasionally the yellow and the blue irises which grow along water. In one case, someone had planted water lilies inthe ditch next to their drive. In the afternoon, I stopped at the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Preserve, but didn't get to see any of the approximately 120 cranes. It is nesting season and they are pretty much out of sight. These cranes do not migrate, and the ones living hete are the only ones living in the wild anywhere in the world.
One of the great things about biking is the sensory perceptions as you ride, which you don't get driving along in an air-conditioned car--the sound of birds calling back and forth, of cows mooing, and dogs barking; and the fragrances of honeysuckle and other flowers, of pine trees and the smell of fresh cut pine when the logging trucks go by, of water and damp earth, of horses and, of course, less pleasant smells--exhaust, dead animals, skunks, etc.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Hammond - Bogalusa, LA - Wiggins, MS
The ride from Hammond to Bogalusa (55.2 mi) was mostly over quiet roads with rolling landscape with pine woods, cattle farms, and occasional towns and houses. Weather was good with only light winds. We continue to see lots of honeysuckle, purple verbena, and crimson clover to which were added some form of mint with a light blue flower and a black-eyed susan with foliage somewhat different from that in the DC area but the flowers look the same.
Today's ride started out fine and we quickly crossed the state line into Mississippi. We were all anxious to move quickly because the forcast was for strong winds, thunderstorms, and possibly hail in the afternoon. We were not far into Mississippi when we encountered the first road closed signs, but when we checked it out we were able to get thru by walking our bikes a short distance thru the construction area. But we hadn't much more than cleared that problem, when we encountered another "road closed" sign. This time we couldn't get thru and had to wait about 1/2 hour until our guide could find a suitable detour. By the time we had completed the detour (which really didn't take us out of our way), the wind had kicked up considerably and I decided to sag rather than fight the wind. Only did 27 of the 60 miles. In terms of terrain, etc. I can't see any difference from Louisiana.
Everyone made it to the hotel without more than a few drops of rain.
Today's ride started out fine and we quickly crossed the state line into Mississippi. We were all anxious to move quickly because the forcast was for strong winds, thunderstorms, and possibly hail in the afternoon. We were not far into Mississippi when we encountered the first road closed signs, but when we checked it out we were able to get thru by walking our bikes a short distance thru the construction area. But we hadn't much more than cleared that problem, when we encountered another "road closed" sign. This time we couldn't get thru and had to wait about 1/2 hour until our guide could find a suitable detour. By the time we had completed the detour (which really didn't take us out of our way), the wind had kicked up considerably and I decided to sag rather than fight the wind. Only did 27 of the 60 miles. In terms of terrain, etc. I can't see any difference from Louisiana.
Everyone made it to the hotel without more than a few drops of rain.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
St. Francisville to Hammond, LA
What a day! First, let me say that it was a beautiful, warm, sunny day, the roads were mostly good, and the scenery pleasant. But...it was supposed to be an 87 mi day until we encountered a detour which made it a 95 mile day. Then I was cruising along with my head on another planet and missed a turn, adding 4 more miles. As I neared the end, I saw a Sonic drivein where I could get a milkshake, and with my attention thus diverted I missed a turn and added another mile to the total. So, I rode a century (100 miles) today, the 2nd time on this trip, and I did get the milkshake.
Just a note about the Sonic chain: it is a drivein fast food place like they used to have when I was a teenager. There is no inside seating, but there is outdoor seating with a place to order, which works very well for us cyclists. I thought driveins had disappeared completely, but not here in Louisiana and eastern Texas.
While it was a pleasant ride today, there wasn't anything particularly notable about the area we were passing thru--it could have been anywhere in the eastern US south of New England. For the first time on this trip, I did not take any photos, which gives you some idea.
Just a note about the Sonic chain: it is a drivein fast food place like they used to have when I was a teenager. There is no inside seating, but there is outdoor seating with a place to order, which works very well for us cyclists. I thought driveins had disappeared completely, but not here in Louisiana and eastern Texas.
While it was a pleasant ride today, there wasn't anything particularly notable about the area we were passing thru--it could have been anywhere in the eastern US south of New England. For the first time on this trip, I did not take any photos, which gives you some idea.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Lake Charles - Lafayette - St. Francisville
Yesterday we crossed the Mississippi River by ferry. We are now in the eastern US, which is good because we only have 16 more days to make our way to St. Augustine.
These are long riding days--88.5 mi. into Lafayette (I took a couple side trips.) and 86 mi. to St. Francisville. Today is a rest day to be followed tomorrow by an 88 mi. day. The good news is that it is quite flat in Louisiana, although less so here on the eastern side of the Mississippi River. The bad news is that on the ride to Lafayette we were dealing with a 20 mph wind--mostly a crosswind, and only occasionally a headwind or tailwind, and who knows what tomorrow will bring. The other good news is that with 70% of the ride behind us, we still have not been rained on. It rained last evening, but not until well after all of us had reached the Butler-Greenwood Plantation where we are staying, in the outbuildings--the old kitchen, cook's cottage, gazebo, dove cote, treehouse, etc. This plantation has been in the same family since 1796. Unfortunately, it is way out of town, with no WiFi, no place to eat, and a long way to walk to get to anything.
So, this morning I rode my bike into town to visit the Rosedown Plantation which has 28 acres of gardens. The house with its two-story columns and porches was impressive, just what one imagines of a southern plantation. The rose garden has lots of heirloom varieties which have such wonderful fragrance. And the live oak trees, which are nearly 200 years old, are just magnificent. What I really wanted to see were the azaleas in bloom (hundreds of them, most well over my head), but I'm too late. They've already been here and gone, hastened no doubt by the record setting heat wave in this part of the country. In Lafayette the temperature was 89 degrees the day we rode in, and the record for that day is 89 degrees.
On the ride to Lafayette, we passed thru Crowley, which claims to be the rice capital of the world, and we did see a number of rice paddies around there as well as a number of crawfish farms, which I suspect were once rice paddies. Lots of water and lots of water birds. I was riding along a deep ditch when a great white heron flew up and flew alongside me for awhile--that was great! Road kill has changed--we now see lots of armadillos, skunks, and possums as well as snakes, frogs, and other little things that live around water. I'm still waiting to see a live armadillo.
Honeysuckle is everywhere--we ride to the fragrance. Also hundreds of spider lilies along yesterday's ride. As we headed towards the ferry, we rode along the levee for miles, and I was surprised to see that they graze cattle on the levee, and bail hay, and who knows what else. The last few days have reminded me how much earlier things mature here than back home in DC. Mulberries are ripe, strawbery festivals are happening, roses and Southern Magnolia are in bloom, corn is already 12-15 inches high in the fields.
I'm writing this on the computer in the St. Francisville public library and am about to take a walking tour of the historic part of town. St. Francisville was once the capital of the West Florida Republic, a short-lived declaration of independence from Spain which led to the US taking over this area.
These are long riding days--88.5 mi. into Lafayette (I took a couple side trips.) and 86 mi. to St. Francisville. Today is a rest day to be followed tomorrow by an 88 mi. day. The good news is that it is quite flat in Louisiana, although less so here on the eastern side of the Mississippi River. The bad news is that on the ride to Lafayette we were dealing with a 20 mph wind--mostly a crosswind, and only occasionally a headwind or tailwind, and who knows what tomorrow will bring. The other good news is that with 70% of the ride behind us, we still have not been rained on. It rained last evening, but not until well after all of us had reached the Butler-Greenwood Plantation where we are staying, in the outbuildings--the old kitchen, cook's cottage, gazebo, dove cote, treehouse, etc. This plantation has been in the same family since 1796. Unfortunately, it is way out of town, with no WiFi, no place to eat, and a long way to walk to get to anything.
So, this morning I rode my bike into town to visit the Rosedown Plantation which has 28 acres of gardens. The house with its two-story columns and porches was impressive, just what one imagines of a southern plantation. The rose garden has lots of heirloom varieties which have such wonderful fragrance. And the live oak trees, which are nearly 200 years old, are just magnificent. What I really wanted to see were the azaleas in bloom (hundreds of them, most well over my head), but I'm too late. They've already been here and gone, hastened no doubt by the record setting heat wave in this part of the country. In Lafayette the temperature was 89 degrees the day we rode in, and the record for that day is 89 degrees.
On the ride to Lafayette, we passed thru Crowley, which claims to be the rice capital of the world, and we did see a number of rice paddies around there as well as a number of crawfish farms, which I suspect were once rice paddies. Lots of water and lots of water birds. I was riding along a deep ditch when a great white heron flew up and flew alongside me for awhile--that was great! Road kill has changed--we now see lots of armadillos, skunks, and possums as well as snakes, frogs, and other little things that live around water. I'm still waiting to see a live armadillo.
Honeysuckle is everywhere--we ride to the fragrance. Also hundreds of spider lilies along yesterday's ride. As we headed towards the ferry, we rode along the levee for miles, and I was surprised to see that they graze cattle on the levee, and bail hay, and who knows what else. The last few days have reminded me how much earlier things mature here than back home in DC. Mulberries are ripe, strawbery festivals are happening, roses and Southern Magnolia are in bloom, corn is already 12-15 inches high in the fields.
I'm writing this on the computer in the St. Francisville public library and am about to take a walking tour of the historic part of town. St. Francisville was once the capital of the West Florida Republic, a short-lived declaration of independence from Spain which led to the US taking over this area.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Cleveland - Silsbee, TX - Lake Charles, LA
The big news is that we finally are out of Texas! Twenty days was about 15 too many.
For the last 2 days there has been nothing particularly notable in the landscape or the locations. It was mostly pine woods in Texas and lots of logging trucks, but getting wetter as we approached Louisiana. No longer a burn ban--I think that may be a first for our entire time in Texas. Once we crossed into Louisiana, there were lots of bridges and more farmland, fewer trees. Both days there was a headwind or crosswind most of the day, more today than yesterday. Yesterday was a 63.5 mile day and today was supposed to be a 76 mile day, but with the heat and humidity and a persistent head wind I called it a day at 62 miles. I think if this combination of heat, humidity, and headwind continue, I may get in the sag wagon everyday by 1 pm--it's just too hot for me in the middle of the afternoon.
Wildflowers have been fewer, but a new one which has made infrequent appearances over the last two days is the spider lily, which I have never before seen growing wild. There have been perhaps 100-150 of them along the way compared with the thousands of crimson clover (the clover I described in the previous post) and the millions of pink primroses, but they are quite a delight to see. Also notable is a pinkish thistle with a flower head 1 1/2 to 2 inches across, which the butterflies really love especially the swallowtails, both yellow ones and black ones. Yesterday just when my spirits were really flagging, a great blue heron carrying a few sticks, presumably for its nest, flew across the road right in front of me. It gave me a lift that kept me going for quite a few miles.
For the last 2 days there has been nothing particularly notable in the landscape or the locations. It was mostly pine woods in Texas and lots of logging trucks, but getting wetter as we approached Louisiana. No longer a burn ban--I think that may be a first for our entire time in Texas. Once we crossed into Louisiana, there were lots of bridges and more farmland, fewer trees. Both days there was a headwind or crosswind most of the day, more today than yesterday. Yesterday was a 63.5 mile day and today was supposed to be a 76 mile day, but with the heat and humidity and a persistent head wind I called it a day at 62 miles. I think if this combination of heat, humidity, and headwind continue, I may get in the sag wagon everyday by 1 pm--it's just too hot for me in the middle of the afternoon.
Wildflowers have been fewer, but a new one which has made infrequent appearances over the last two days is the spider lily, which I have never before seen growing wild. There have been perhaps 100-150 of them along the way compared with the thousands of crimson clover (the clover I described in the previous post) and the millions of pink primroses, but they are quite a delight to see. Also notable is a pinkish thistle with a flower head 1 1/2 to 2 inches across, which the butterflies really love especially the swallowtails, both yellow ones and black ones. Yesterday just when my spirits were really flagging, a great blue heron carrying a few sticks, presumably for its nest, flew across the road right in front of me. It gave me a lift that kept me going for quite a few miles.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Navasota to Cleveland (Texas, that is)
Another good ride--75 miles today much of it thru wooded areas. We had about 15-20 miles thru Sam Houston National Forest, a lovely ride, but there were also many other miles of wooded areas, mostly pines but oaks and other varieties as well. We had gentle rolling hills in the morning, but by afternoon the landscape had largely flattened out. I didn't mind the change--my thighs are a bit tired of hills and there was a headwind the last 20 miles. We passed a large lake while in the National Forest, and I saw egrets and great blue herons for the first time since we left San Diego.
My ride was brightened by the wildflowers along the roads. The dominant flower today was a bright yellow coreopsis--miles and miles of them. New today was a red clover that is unlike what I know as red clover back east, which is actually rather purplish. This clover has a cylindrical flower head and is definitely red. I have no idea what it is called. There was also a deep reddish purple vetch as well as all the other flowers I've written about over the last week. If they have this many wildflowers when it has been so dry, I can't imagine what it would be like if they had had rain.
Yesterday was a rest day in Navasota. A group of us walked into town for lunch, then I continued exploring on my own. Lots of antique shops, but not much else. One of the town's claims to fame is being the Blues capital of Texas. They have a Blues jam every Friday night, unfortunately, I was there on Wednesday. There were a number of big Victorian era houses in town--the money came from lumbering and growing cotton. The town is, it seemed to me, less prosperous now, although several of those houses have been turned into inns or B&Bs, so maybe the money now is in tourists.
I also visited the studio of a local artist whose work I really liked--very simple lines and vivid colors making a powerful impression. Didn't buy one, but I do have his card and his web address.
My ride was brightened by the wildflowers along the roads. The dominant flower today was a bright yellow coreopsis--miles and miles of them. New today was a red clover that is unlike what I know as red clover back east, which is actually rather purplish. This clover has a cylindrical flower head and is definitely red. I have no idea what it is called. There was also a deep reddish purple vetch as well as all the other flowers I've written about over the last week. If they have this many wildflowers when it has been so dry, I can't imagine what it would be like if they had had rain.
Yesterday was a rest day in Navasota. A group of us walked into town for lunch, then I continued exploring on my own. Lots of antique shops, but not much else. One of the town's claims to fame is being the Blues capital of Texas. They have a Blues jam every Friday night, unfortunately, I was there on Wednesday. There were a number of big Victorian era houses in town--the money came from lumbering and growing cotton. The town is, it seemed to me, less prosperous now, although several of those houses have been turned into inns or B&Bs, so maybe the money now is in tourists.
I also visited the studio of a local artist whose work I really liked--very simple lines and vivid colors making a powerful impression. Didn't buy one, but I do have his card and his web address.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
La Grange to Navasota
Today was just a delightful, delightful ride! There were gentle rolling hills, good road surface, blue skies, beautiful scenery--farmland and pasture, cattle grazing, beautiful oak trees (live oaks, I think), wildflowers-- and cool weather. What more can one ask.
The front that came thru yesterday changed the weather tremenduously. Yesterday morning when we left it was around 77 degrees, and I wore my shorts, a sleeveless bike jersey, and sandals with no socks. This morning it was almost 40 degrees colder and I wore my shorts, a short-sleeved jersey, a jacket, leg warmers, full gloves, and shoes with socks and was still cold until the sun was high enough to warm us. But once it warmed, it was a perfect day for riding.
Today was bluebonnet day--they were everywhere, along the roadside and whole fields of them in many places. In addition to all the other flowers we've been seeing, today there were in a few white poppies with yellow centers. I got some great photos but have not found any way to get them from my camera to the computer.
It was such a lovely day that I was in no hurry to get to the motel, so I stopped to explore along the way. One stop was at the original site of Baylor University founded in 1845 as a coed institution, later separated into a men's college and a women's college. The same site also had several historic houses on display tho not open for viewing.
Then I stopped in Independence, one of the original settlements in the area, for lunch and a chat with the owner of the General Store, who looks forward every year to the bikers coming thru and had many stories to tell.
Finally, I stopped at Washington-on-the-Brazos State Park, which is dedicated to the history of the independence of Texas from Mexico and the 10 years of the Republic of Texas. The convention of delegates that drew up the Texas Declaration of Independence and declared the republic met in the town of Independence, which they refer to as the Philadelphia of Texas.
Then it was 10 more miles to Navasota, another strawberry milkshake, a shower, and dinner. A special treat tonight because we were celebrating the 50th birthday of one member of the tour.
The front that came thru yesterday changed the weather tremenduously. Yesterday morning when we left it was around 77 degrees, and I wore my shorts, a sleeveless bike jersey, and sandals with no socks. This morning it was almost 40 degrees colder and I wore my shorts, a short-sleeved jersey, a jacket, leg warmers, full gloves, and shoes with socks and was still cold until the sun was high enough to warm us. But once it warmed, it was a perfect day for riding.
Today was bluebonnet day--they were everywhere, along the roadside and whole fields of them in many places. In addition to all the other flowers we've been seeing, today there were in a few white poppies with yellow centers. I got some great photos but have not found any way to get them from my camera to the computer.
It was such a lovely day that I was in no hurry to get to the motel, so I stopped to explore along the way. One stop was at the original site of Baylor University founded in 1845 as a coed institution, later separated into a men's college and a women's college. The same site also had several historic houses on display tho not open for viewing.
Then I stopped in Independence, one of the original settlements in the area, for lunch and a chat with the owner of the General Store, who looks forward every year to the bikers coming thru and had many stories to tell.
Finally, I stopped at Washington-on-the-Brazos State Park, which is dedicated to the history of the independence of Texas from Mexico and the 10 years of the Republic of Texas. The convention of delegates that drew up the Texas Declaration of Independence and declared the republic met in the town of Independence, which they refer to as the Philadelphia of Texas.
Then it was 10 more miles to Navasota, another strawberry milkshake, a shower, and dinner. A special treat tonight because we were celebrating the 50th birthday of one member of the tour.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Bastrop to La Grange
Only 41 miles today, but what a day! We started witth a ride thru Bastrop and Buescher State Parks with lots of ups and downs, some quite steep (17% - I walked). It was largely pine forest with the wonderful fragrance of pine. About 2/3s of the way thru the parks a big storm blew thru, which was part of a front moving thru the area. The temperature dropped 10-15 degrees almost instantaneously and the wind was howling thru the treetops. One of the members of the groupwho was already out in the open took refuge in a big trash can that had been overturned by the wind.
When the rest of us got out of the park we had a 2+ mi ride in a crosswind that was blowing about 25 mph across open fields and gusting. There were a couple times when I thought I was going to be blown over. Then we turned a corner and it became a tailwind. Terrific! From there it was an easy ride with only occasional cross and headwinds as the road turned one way or another.
I think we are truly in the South now as I saw Spanish moss today for the first time on this trip. Also saw more oil wells today--spotted the first ones yesterdayy, which I forgot to mention in my blog. Again lots of flowers along the roadside. More bluebonnets than we've seen before. But the most beautiful were the winecups, which are a rich magenta with a white center. Unfortunately, I still have not found any way to add photos to this blog.
When the rest of us got out of the park we had a 2+ mi ride in a crosswind that was blowing about 25 mph across open fields and gusting. There were a couple times when I thought I was going to be blown over. Then we turned a corner and it became a tailwind. Terrific! From there it was an easy ride with only occasional cross and headwinds as the road turned one way or another.
I think we are truly in the South now as I saw Spanish moss today for the first time on this trip. Also saw more oil wells today--spotted the first ones yesterdayy, which I forgot to mention in my blog. Again lots of flowers along the roadside. More bluebonnets than we've seen before. But the most beautiful were the winecups, which are a rich magenta with a white center. Unfortunately, I still have not found any way to add photos to this blog.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Blanco to Bastrop
The word for today is windy--15-20 mph, mostly crosswind and headwind until we left Lockhart.The ride out of Blanco was again ups and downs for the first 25 miles or so, then it leveled off considerably with open farm fields. That's when I began to struggle with the wind. I finally gave in at Lockhart about 62 miles into the ride because I was struggling to go even 8mph and I figured at that rate I would not get into Bastrop until after dinner. Of course, shortly thereafter the route turned and what had been a headwind/crosswind became a tailwind/crosswind, so at the next sag stop I got back on my bike and pedaled the last 13 miles into town for a total of 72.5 miles for the day.
Wind aside, it was a lovely ride--good road surface, cloudy til mid afternoon, rolling hills and ranches and farms, and wildflowers almost continuously along the way. I rode by myself almost the entire way because I got a late start and then stopped to take photos. Many of the roads we have been riding on are designated as "ranch" roads and "farm" roads, but I haven't been able to figure out the difference since there seem to be farms along the ranch roads and ranches along the farm roads.
In yesterday's post I neglected to mention the purple verbena and the pink primrose which have brightened the roadside for the last 4-5 days. Today I added some new sightings--blue-eyed grass, wild mustard, blanketflower, and some unidentified.
Tomorrow's a shorter ride but they are promising more wind and a 50% chance of rain--further proof that we have left the arid regions behind.
Wind aside, it was a lovely ride--good road surface, cloudy til mid afternoon, rolling hills and ranches and farms, and wildflowers almost continuously along the way. I rode by myself almost the entire way because I got a late start and then stopped to take photos. Many of the roads we have been riding on are designated as "ranch" roads and "farm" roads, but I haven't been able to figure out the difference since there seem to be farms along the ranch roads and ranches along the farm roads.
In yesterday's post I neglected to mention the purple verbena and the pink primrose which have brightened the roadside for the last 4-5 days. Today I added some new sightings--blue-eyed grass, wild mustard, blanketflower, and some unidentified.
Tomorrow's a shorter ride but they are promising more wind and a 50% chance of rain--further proof that we have left the arid regions behind.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Kerrville to Blanco
Today was 64.8 miles of up and down--some ups pretty steep, but in most cases the momentum from the downs carried me most of the way up the next. We had about 10 miles of really bad road, but the rest was not too bad, some was almost smooth, especially the last 9 miles into town. Really lifted my spirits, which had been flagging badly.
We were also fortunate that today was cloudy until late afternoon. Although it is very dry and there is a burn ban thruout the Hill Country, it is much more humid here than earlier and the sweat does not evaporate as easily. With temperature in the high *0s full sun would have been quite uuncomfortaable.
There were more flowers along the roadside than on any previous day. As we paralleled I-10 there were bluebonnets and Indian paintbrush. Elsewhere there were lots of white and yellow daisies, rain lilies (which are pink when in bud and white with pink tinge when open--quite delicate and lovely), pinks, and many others which I couldn't identify.
On the way into Blanco I stopped at the Dairy Queen for a strawberry milkshake--really refreshing on a hot day and oh so yummy! It should read temps in the high 80s, but I can't get this to let me go bake and make the change.
We were also fortunate that today was cloudy until late afternoon. Although it is very dry and there is a burn ban thruout the Hill Country, it is much more humid here than earlier and the sweat does not evaporate as easily. With temperature in the high *0s full sun would have been quite uuncomfortaable.
There were more flowers along the roadside than on any previous day. As we paralleled I-10 there were bluebonnets and Indian paintbrush. Elsewhere there were lots of white and yellow daisies, rain lilies (which are pink when in bud and white with pink tinge when open--quite delicate and lovely), pinks, and many others which I couldn't identify.
On the way into Blanco I stopped at the Dairy Queen for a strawberry milkshake--really refreshing on a hot day and oh so yummy! It should read temps in the high 80s, but I can't get this to let me go bake and make the change.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Camp Wood--Vanderpool--Kerrville
The ride from Camp Wood to Vanderpool was only 39 miles, but with 3 major climbs it was a real challenge for me. But enjoyable! We are definitely in the Texas hill country now. It reminds me a lot of last year's ride across northern PA, except for the chip seal road surface here. We stayed at a place with rather rustic but comfortable cabins along the Sabinal River, with a dam to provide a nice swimming area. They also had a number of bird feeders, and some of us spent a good part of the afternoon sitting on the office porch, sipping beverages, and watching the hummingbirds dart for the feeder then back to the trees. They are amazing in their speed and their ability to stop almost instantaneously.
I should have mentioned earlier that the days of transition also brought a change in weather. We had 3 days of overcast skies from Del Rio to Vanderpool--such a change from the unending sun we had experienced all the way from San Diego. We even had a thunderstorm in Camp Wood in the evening after dinner and all the dishes washed. Great timing. Lise and I opened the door to our room and enjoyed the sound of the rain. We even had dew on the grass this morning, and now when we cross streams and rivers there is actually water flowing
Unfortunately, I have not been sleeping well the last 2 nights, so this morning I was really tired. The ride into Kerrville was 49 miles with 2 big climbs. I made it over the first one (walking my bike on the steepest parts) with a great downhill, but I just didn't have enough energy to continue. I caught up with the van at the "apple place" in a smalltown that claims to be the apple capital of Texas some 24 miles from our starting point. The shop is known for its apple pie and other things apple.
We have a rest day here in Kerrville so by Saturday I should be ready to go again. And my bike should be ready to go also. It's in the local bike shop at present to replace a bolt shaken lose by all the rough road and tighten others, as well as replace the chain. I feel like I am abusing my bike riding it on these roads. The road this morning was especially bad as the surface was relatively new and had not yet been worn down in the tire tracks, plus it was poorly laid so that not only were we dealing with the vibration from riding on this stone but also the jolting from the spaces where the stones were missing. Ugh! Might not have seemed quite so bad if I hadn't been so tired.
Spring is definitely underway here--it was wonderful to see all the various shades of green on the mountainsides as we rode and occasional wildflowers as well. The redbud are in bloom. We also saw a herd of buffalo today. One group of riders was startled by 3 deer dashing across the road in front of them.
We are now halfway on our trip to Florida, and all the big climbs are behind us!
I should have mentioned earlier that the days of transition also brought a change in weather. We had 3 days of overcast skies from Del Rio to Vanderpool--such a change from the unending sun we had experienced all the way from San Diego. We even had a thunderstorm in Camp Wood in the evening after dinner and all the dishes washed. Great timing. Lise and I opened the door to our room and enjoyed the sound of the rain. We even had dew on the grass this morning, and now when we cross streams and rivers there is actually water flowing
Unfortunately, I have not been sleeping well the last 2 nights, so this morning I was really tired. The ride into Kerrville was 49 miles with 2 big climbs. I made it over the first one (walking my bike on the steepest parts) with a great downhill, but I just didn't have enough energy to continue. I caught up with the van at the "apple place" in a smalltown that claims to be the apple capital of Texas some 24 miles from our starting point. The shop is known for its apple pie and other things apple.
We have a rest day here in Kerrville so by Saturday I should be ready to go again. And my bike should be ready to go also. It's in the local bike shop at present to replace a bolt shaken lose by all the rough road and tighten others, as well as replace the chain. I feel like I am abusing my bike riding it on these roads. The road this morning was especially bad as the surface was relatively new and had not yet been worn down in the tire tracks, plus it was poorly laid so that not only were we dealing with the vibration from riding on this stone but also the jolting from the spaces where the stones were missing. Ugh! Might not have seemed quite so bad if I hadn't been so tired.
Spring is definitely underway here--it was wonderful to see all the various shades of green on the mountainsides as we rode and occasional wildflowers as well. The redbud are in bloom. We also saw a herd of buffalo today. One group of riders was startled by 3 deer dashing across the road in front of them.
We are now halfway on our trip to Florida, and all the big climbs are behind us!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Del Rio--Bracketville--Camp Wood
Just one more comment about the ride into Del Rio--although we descended from roughly 3,000 ft. to 1,000 ft., we actually climbed 3,200 ft. that day. The last part of the ride was thru the Amistad National Recreation Area and we continued to ride thru this area as we left Del Rio the next morning. This is a huge reservoir formed by daming the Rio Grande, which has flooded all the nearby canyons and river valleys, and shared by the US and Mexico.
The two days after Del Rio represented a transition from the desert along the Rio Grande to the Texas Hill Country (looks more like mountains to me) with a noticeable change in topography and vegetation. On the way to Camp Wood we saw plowed farm land for the first time in a week. We rarely see wild life but we know that it must be abundant because we see so much roadkill--mostly deer and skunks, but also oppossum, javelinas, a snake, and an armadillo. On the road to Camp Wood there was at least one deer carcass every mile and buzzards circling overhead continuously. I did see a flock of wild turkeys and several scissor-tails. The ranches appear to be getting smaller as the land gets more productive. In Sanderson the average ranch is 25,000 acres.
I have to get off the computer. I'll write more from Kerrville.
The two days after Del Rio represented a transition from the desert along the Rio Grande to the Texas Hill Country (looks more like mountains to me) with a noticeable change in topography and vegetation. On the way to Camp Wood we saw plowed farm land for the first time in a week. We rarely see wild life but we know that it must be abundant because we see so much roadkill--mostly deer and skunks, but also oppossum, javelinas, a snake, and an armadillo. On the road to Camp Wood there was at least one deer carcass every mile and buzzards circling overhead continuously. I did see a flock of wild turkeys and several scissor-tails. The ranches appear to be getting smaller as the land gets more productive. In Sanderson the average ranch is 25,000 acres.
I have to get off the computer. I'll write more from Kerrville.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Ft. Davis--Marathon--Sanderson--Del Rio
TThe ride to Marathon was great--good weather, no big hills, downhill rollers, and varied scenery. Still some cacti and yucca, but grassier than earlier and the desert shrubs shrubs and trees are turning green. I saw several monarch butterflies and wondered if they were on their northern migration out of Mexico. 60 mi this day. We stayed in the historic and rather fancy Gage hotel.
the ride from Marathon to Sanderson (54 mi) was uneventful. We were on US 90 the whole way--no towns, about one vehicle/hr. We have begun to see some flowers along the roadside--the first in a number of days. There are only 2 towns in Terrell Co., the 10th largest county in Texas, and Sanderson is the county seat. The nearest stoplight is 65 mi away. The student population preK thru 12 is 170. The motel where we stayed is run by a couple and the man is very interested in snakes and other desert creatures and has a snake collection in a room next to the office. I never realized there were so maThe ride from Sanderrrny varities of rattlesnakes. He also had acouple tarantulas. I liked the snakes better.
The ride fromm Sanderson to Del Rio is 111 mi all on US 90 and I DID IT! I didn't think ' would be able to do it, but I just kept plugging along. It was really hot out there with temperatures in the low 90s and unrelenting sun. We are again very close to the border, and we saw a lot of Border Patrol activity. There was a dirt road on either side of the highway and paralleling it. The BP were partolling these dirt roads very slowly looking for any signs of human presence. Each day after this check they drag acollection of big tires along these roads which makes a pattern which they can check for disturbance the next morning. The things one learns riding cross country! That's all for today. I'm tired and am going to bed.
the ride from Marathon to Sanderson (54 mi) was uneventful. We were on US 90 the whole way--no towns, about one vehicle/hr. We have begun to see some flowers along the roadside--the first in a number of days. There are only 2 towns in Terrell Co., the 10th largest county in Texas, and Sanderson is the county seat. The nearest stoplight is 65 mi away. The student population preK thru 12 is 170. The motel where we stayed is run by a couple and the man is very interested in snakes and other desert creatures and has a snake collection in a room next to the office. I never realized there were so maThe ride from Sanderrrny varities of rattlesnakes. He also had acouple tarantulas. I liked the snakes better.
The ride fromm Sanderson to Del Rio is 111 mi all on US 90 and I DID IT! I didn't think ' would be able to do it, but I just kept plugging along. It was really hot out there with temperatures in the low 90s and unrelenting sun. We are again very close to the border, and we saw a lot of Border Patrol activity. There was a dirt road on either side of the highway and paralleling it. The BP were partolling these dirt roads very slowly looking for any signs of human presence. Each day after this check they drag acollection of big tires along these roads which makes a pattern which they can check for disturbance the next morning. The things one learns riding cross country! That's all for today. I'm tired and am going to bed.
Ft. Hancock--Van Horn--Ft. Davis
I've been without connectivity for nearly a week, so I have some catching up to do. The ride out of Ft.Hancock was greatN We had a 13-15 mph tailwind, and on the second of the 2 mountain ranges we went over I could actually feel the wind pushing me up the hill. I was actually upshifting on the climb--what a way to ride!
The next day's ride was just the opposite. -e started out before the sun was over the horizon, riding on I-10 into a headwind and on a chip seal road surface. ' only made it to the first sag stop (21 mi) before quitting for the day. t his day was one of the most difficult riding days because of the amount of climbing to get to Ft. Davis.
We had a rest day here and stayed in the lodge at Ft. Davis State Park about 4 mi west of town. We had a shuttle into town and I got to visit the old fort. While there I hiked the nature trail up Sleeping Lion Mountain. Great views and Ilearned tthe identity of a number of the plants I've seen along the road. i also visited the Overland Trail Museum which had little about the trail, but the dirt road in front of the museum was part of the original trail.
To give you an idea of the ares we are riding thru, Jefferson Davis Co. is the size of Rhode Island and has a population of 1200, 800 of whom live in the town of Ft. Davis which is the county seat. No rain in the area since last September. Humidity around 5%.
The next day's ride was just the opposite. -e started out before the sun was over the horizon, riding on I-10 into a headwind and on a chip seal road surface. ' only made it to the first sag stop (21 mi) before quitting for the day. t his day was one of the most difficult riding days because of the amount of climbing to get to Ft. Davis.
We had a rest day here and stayed in the lodge at Ft. Davis State Park about 4 mi west of town. We had a shuttle into town and I got to visit the old fort. While there I hiked the nature trail up Sleeping Lion Mountain. Great views and Ilearned tthe identity of a number of the plants I've seen along the road. i also visited the Overland Trail Museum which had little about the trail, but the dirt road in front of the museum was part of the original trail.
To give you an idea of the ares we are riding thru, Jefferson Davis Co. is the size of Rhode Island and has a population of 1200, 800 of whom live in the town of Ft. Davis which is the county seat. No rain in the area since last September. Humidity around 5%.
Monday, March 21, 2011
El Paso to Ft. Hancock
Well there have been some changes in this part of the world since the tour was here last year. Ft. Hancock now has cell phone and internet service!
We started out from El Paso this morning along the Mission Trail. I stopped at all 3 and was able to go into 2. Rather disappointing for altho the mission sites were old, the buildings were from the 1800s and not particularly interesting. They were, however, the most interesting part of the ride. The rest of the was thru farmland and occasional desert with strong wind--mostly crosswind, sometimes headwind, and rarely tailwind. Plumes of dust blew across our path and sometimes dust devils whirled thru the fields. The sil here is very fine and appears to me to be overworked and therefore blows easily.
There is almost nothing in Ft. Hancock.We stopped here because there is a motel here and it would have been to faar to our next destination. Thedaily mileage breakdownin Texaaaaaaaaaaas varies considerably and seems to be determined by motel availability.
We started out from El Paso this morning along the Mission Trail. I stopped at all 3 and was able to go into 2. Rather disappointing for altho the mission sites were old, the buildings were from the 1800s and not particularly interesting. They were, however, the most interesting part of the ride. The rest of the was thru farmland and occasional desert with strong wind--mostly crosswind, sometimes headwind, and rarely tailwind. Plumes of dust blew across our path and sometimes dust devils whirled thru the fields. The sil here is very fine and appears to me to be overworked and therefore blows easily.
There is almost nothing in Ft. Hancock.We stopped here because there is a motel here and it would have been to faar to our next destination. Thedaily mileage breakdownin Texaaaaaaaaaaas varies considerably and seems to be determined by motel availability.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Las Cruces, New Mexico, to El Paso, Texas
We started the day continuing down the same valley as yesterday, passing miles of pecan groves including the largest family-owned pecan farm in the US. After about 10 miles, we began seeing more farm fields--grass for hay, alfalfa (I think), a field of onions or something in that family, and lots of cotton fields not currently planted but remnants of cotton everywhere. I have been amazed at how much cotton is left behind after the automated pickers have gone thru. It dots the fields and blows along the roadways.
Lots of local bike riders out for a Sunday ride along the route and a few others traveling across country.
It was only 47 degrees when we started out and most of us had not dressed for it, thinking that it would quickly warm up on such a sunny day. Not so! My hands and feet were painfully cold and I didn't take my jacket off until 2 hrs into the ride. But when it warmed up it was immediately hot, and by afternoon the temperature was in the low 80s.
As we got closer to El Paso, the farms gave way to suburbs and all the fast food and other strip mall stores seen everywhere in the US. Of course, the traffic also picked up, but because it is Sunday it wasn't too bad. I stopped at the bike shop to get my handlebars rewrapped and had lunch while I waited. After riding thru downtown El Paso, we got onto loop highway 375E (also known as the border highway) and rode along the border with its fences and border patrols for 8+ miles.
Just before getting to the hotel, I spotted a Dairy Queen and, of course, had to stop for a refreshing strawberry milkshake.
We now have 3 states--California, Arizona, and New Mexico--behind us, but it will take us nearly as long to cross Texas as to cross those 3 states or to cross the 4 states east of Texas. We're out in the middle of nothing tomorrow with no cell phone and no computer service. I'll write again when we are back in civilization.
Lots of local bike riders out for a Sunday ride along the route and a few others traveling across country.
It was only 47 degrees when we started out and most of us had not dressed for it, thinking that it would quickly warm up on such a sunny day. Not so! My hands and feet were painfully cold and I didn't take my jacket off until 2 hrs into the ride. But when it warmed up it was immediately hot, and by afternoon the temperature was in the low 80s.
As we got closer to El Paso, the farms gave way to suburbs and all the fast food and other strip mall stores seen everywhere in the US. Of course, the traffic also picked up, but because it is Sunday it wasn't too bad. I stopped at the bike shop to get my handlebars rewrapped and had lunch while I waited. After riding thru downtown El Paso, we got onto loop highway 375E (also known as the border highway) and rode along the border with its fences and border patrols for 8+ miles.
Just before getting to the hotel, I spotted a Dairy Queen and, of course, had to stop for a refreshing strawberry milkshake.
We now have 3 states--California, Arizona, and New Mexico--behind us, but it will take us nearly as long to cross Texas as to cross those 3 states or to cross the 4 states east of Texas. We're out in the middle of nothing tomorrow with no cell phone and no computer service. I'll write again when we are back in civilization.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Kingston to Las Cruces
We started today where we left off yesterday--9 more miles of downhill from the pass, followed by some beautiful rollers, the kind where you can get up enough speed on the downhill to carry you up or almost up the next hill. And, we had a tailwind as we headed east. But then we turned south and the strong tailwind became a strong crosswind or headwind depending on the turn of the road. At this point we were back in irrigated agricultural territory between 2 mountain ranges and the wind had a clean sweep across miles of flat land. I'm riding along at 7-10 miles an hour and figuring that the 62 miles remaining would take 6-8 hours more of riding. Not good! Occasionally, the road would turn and I again had a tailwind, and I would think "Oh, this is not so bad," until the road turned again. Finally, at a little over 60 miles, I called it a day and sagged in for the last 20+ miles. However, Greta (with whom I was riding) and I had a bit of a wait for the sag wagon because the sag had a flat tire.
Redbud trees in bloom here. We passed lots of chile processing and packing plants and grove after grove of pecan trees. Who knew that they grow pecans in New Mexico.
Redbud trees in bloom here. We passed lots of chile processing and packing plants and grove after grove of pecan trees. Who knew that they grow pecans in New Mexico.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Silver City to Kingston
Only 48 miles today but oh what a 48 miles! We started the day with long, steeper-than-I-like rollers, then climbed up over a mountain range followed by a long downhill (got up to 39 mph) with which we lost most of the elevation that we had gained. Next came the climb up to Emery Pass at 8,000+ ft. I thought I wasn't going to be able to do it because I was having such difficulty breathing at that elevation. But I did it! Four of us--Marge, Eva, Greta, and me--were more or less riding together and encouraging each other along. Total elevation gain today was 4,735 ft.
Although it was a tough ride and I'm exhausted, it was also a great ride--the weather was perfect, the scenery beautiful. We were up high enough that there were lots of trees and not much desert. It was lovely riding with the scent of pine in the air, and the views as we rode thru a canyon area were just spectacular as was the view from Emery Pass lookout. Then there was the 8-mile downhill from Emery Pass with the roadside dropping off steeply into a deep canyon. You better believe that I did not hug the side of the road as it twisted and turned going down. I was out there in the middle of the lane and the cars could just wait if they couldn't get by. Great fun!
Tonight we are staying at the Black Range Lodge, which is a rather funky, environmentally friendly place.
Although it was a tough ride and I'm exhausted, it was also a great ride--the weather was perfect, the scenery beautiful. We were up high enough that there were lots of trees and not much desert. It was lovely riding with the scent of pine in the air, and the views as we rode thru a canyon area were just spectacular as was the view from Emery Pass lookout. Then there was the 8-mile downhill from Emery Pass with the roadside dropping off steeply into a deep canyon. You better believe that I did not hug the side of the road as it twisted and turned going down. I was out there in the middle of the lane and the cars could just wait if they couldn't get by. Great fun!
Tonight we are staying at the Black Range Lodge, which is a rather funky, environmentally friendly place.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Silver City, NM
The forsythia and Bradford pear are blooming in Silver City! I spent much of the day wandering around the historic oldtown which is now filled with art galleries, antique shops, cute cafes (I had lunch at The Curious Kumquat), and other things to attract tourists. Diane, Alice, and I were quite surprised by the height of the curbs on the streets (15-18 inches or more in places). An older man explained that they are so high because the streets flood after heavy rains and the water is channeled along the streets and into the Big Ditch.
Having learned that the local museum has an exhibit on the Big Ditch and having seen the Big Ditch, I decided that it was worth learning more about it. Turns out this area bordering Old Town was once Main Street with all the major businesses located there. Floods in 1895 and again in 1902 following what were described as monsoon rains washed away Main Street and most of the buildings on it, digging a channel some 55 ft below grade at places. Now the streets that are perpendicular to the ditch end with spillways to drain any flood waters into the ditch. The earlier serious floods were the result of over grazing and clearing of timber. In the 30s the Civilian Conservation Corps planted lots of trees and grazing was brought under control, so flooding is not as severe now.
Silver City as its name implies, was once a center of silver mining, but now the major mining activity in the area is copper--the third largest open pit mine in the US. That's it for my tales of Silver City. Tomorrow's post will be tales of a 40 mile climb.
Having learned that the local museum has an exhibit on the Big Ditch and having seen the Big Ditch, I decided that it was worth learning more about it. Turns out this area bordering Old Town was once Main Street with all the major businesses located there. Floods in 1895 and again in 1902 following what were described as monsoon rains washed away Main Street and most of the buildings on it, digging a channel some 55 ft below grade at places. Now the streets that are perpendicular to the ditch end with spillways to drain any flood waters into the ditch. The earlier serious floods were the result of over grazing and clearing of timber. In the 30s the Civilian Conservation Corps planted lots of trees and grazing was brought under control, so flooding is not as severe now.
Silver City as its name implies, was once a center of silver mining, but now the major mining activity in the area is copper--the third largest open pit mine in the US. That's it for my tales of Silver City. Tomorrow's post will be tales of a 40 mile climb.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Lordsburg to Silver City
Wow what a day! We were at about 4000 ft in Lordsburg and climbed over the continental divide at 6355 ft then went down and up and down and up and down and up--you get the idea--into Silver City which is at about 6000 ft. Total elevation gain of 3900 ft. Some really great downhills, but we paid for everyone with a commensurate climb. Good roads and good shoulders and little glass--wonderful. Weather was good with a tail wind on the initial climb and an afternoon temperature of only 68 degrees.
For once I wasn't the last one in because my camera battery went dead so I wasn't stopping all the time to take photos. Such a shame because there was some beautiful scenery, and because we are up so high there are lots of trees. We passed the Tyrone copper mine with huge, huge piles of tailings and materials shunted aside in the strip mining, which are now in the process of reclamation. I took a photo with my cell phone but not as good as with a camera.
Tomorrow is a rest day before we resume climbing up to an 8300 ft pass then its downhill (ha!ha!) to Florida.
For once I wasn't the last one in because my camera battery went dead so I wasn't stopping all the time to take photos. Such a shame because there was some beautiful scenery, and because we are up so high there are lots of trees. We passed the Tyrone copper mine with huge, huge piles of tailings and materials shunted aside in the strip mining, which are now in the process of reclamation. I took a photo with my cell phone but not as good as with a camera.
Tomorrow is a rest day before we resume climbing up to an 8300 ft pass then its downhill (ha!ha!) to Florida.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Safford, AZ, to Lordsberg, NM
I had my first flat today about 24 miles into a 74 mi ride and decided to bag it for the day. As it turned out, I had already ridden the most difficult part, but my head wasn't into it today. It was a bad flat day with 5 riders having flat tires, one close enough to our motel that she was able to walk in.
We were all glad to leave Arizona largely because of all the debris on the road shoulders and the rumble strips, but it remains to be seen whether New Mexico will be any better.
The thing I have been most surprised by riding across the desert from California to New Mexico is the large portion of the desert that is fenced for cattle grazing. We look at it and wonder how the cattle can get enough to sustain life let alone get big enough to send off to the feed lots. And while earlier there were a number of flowers in bloom, the last two days there has been virtually nothing and almost no cacti, but lots of shrubs which I think may be mesquite or maybe creosote bush.
On to Silver City and the continental divide tomorrow.
We were all glad to leave Arizona largely because of all the debris on the road shoulders and the rumble strips, but it remains to be seen whether New Mexico will be any better.
The thing I have been most surprised by riding across the desert from California to New Mexico is the large portion of the desert that is fenced for cattle grazing. We look at it and wonder how the cattle can get enough to sustain life let alone get big enough to send off to the feed lots. And while earlier there were a number of flowers in bloom, the last two days there has been virtually nothing and almost no cacti, but lots of shrubs which I think may be mesquite or maybe creosote bush.
On to Silver City and the continental divide tomorrow.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Globe to Safford, AZ
Well, tonight I am 78 miles closer to St. Augustine. Today was a relatively easy if long ride thru mountains and desert and then back into irrigated farm country in the Gila River Valley. We crossed an Apache Indian reserveration for some 40 miles. So sad! There was trash everywhere, mostly plastic bags and glass bottles, many smashed on the road shoulder, which forced me to ride on the road much of the time. It reminded me of Jordan, tho there was much less glass there.
We had snow topped mountains on the south for almost the entire day and can see Mt. Graham with its snowy summit from our motel. But Spring is definitely coming to southern Arizona--fields are being prepared for planting and trees are leafing out in that delicate green of spring. A good day! We cross into New Mexico tomorrow.
We had snow topped mountains on the south for almost the entire day and can see Mt. Graham with its snowy summit from our motel. But Spring is definitely coming to southern Arizona--fields are being prepared for planting and trees are leafing out in that delicate green of spring. A good day! We cross into New Mexico tomorrow.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Apache Junction to Globe
I sagged again today. That climb up above the 4000 ft mark was too much and the grade was more challenging. Of course, I had already climbed up over 2000 ft before we descended so we could start to climb all over again. I have no idea what the total elevation gain was today but I would guess it was close to six thousand ft. The scenery as we went thru the mountains was just incredible. I took so many photos that I filled my memory card and then was disappointed to find that my camera did not accept the back up card I had with me, so I had to switch to using my cell phone as camera.
While I was in the sag wagon we passed an enormous copper mine operation. A local with whom we chatted said that his well had been polluted by the mining operation and now he has to haul water from town in a one hundred and twentyfive (the five doesn't work on the motel computer I am using) gallon tank. He also noted that all the local mines are now owned by foreign corporations.
We switch roommates every night which is a great way to get to know everybody. It's an incredible group of women.
While I was in the sag wagon we passed an enormous copper mine operation. A local with whom we chatted said that his well had been polluted by the mining operation and now he has to haul water from town in a one hundred and twentyfive (the five doesn't work on the motel computer I am using) gallon tank. He also noted that all the local mines are now owned by foreign corporations.
We switch roommates every night which is a great way to get to know everybody. It's an incredible group of women.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Phoenix to Apache Junction
Not much to report on today. We just made our way around the eastern edge of the greater Phoenix area. We are now staying near the Superstion Mountains, and tomorrow we have a 4000 ft climb up to Globe,AZ.
We haad a lovely few miles today on a bike path thru a lovely park with lakes and ball fields, etc. The most surprising thing spotted today was a multiplex outdoor movie theater with 5 screens.
We,re back on route 60 tomorrow which is the route that was so unpleasant on Friday and again today for 6 miles. I'm hoping that on Sunday there will be less traffic.
Not to be too negative, let me note that I am sitting out on our balcony in lovely 70 degree weather while writing this.
We haad a lovely few miles today on a bike path thru a lovely park with lakes and ball fields, etc. The most surprising thing spotted today was a multiplex outdoor movie theater with 5 screens.
We,re back on route 60 tomorrow which is the route that was so unpleasant on Friday and again today for 6 miles. I'm hoping that on Sunday there will be less traffic.
Not to be too negative, let me note that I am sitting out on our balcony in lovely 70 degree weather while writing this.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Wickenberg to Phoenix
We started the day with news of the earthquakes and tsuamiin Japan and ended it with TV news reporting on the disaster. So difficult to imagine and so different from our day.
For me this was not one of our better days. We rode with heavy traffic the entire 67 mi day, much of it on rough shoulders. But there was lots to look at--a group of road runners, large stands of saguaro, flowers along the roadside, and mountains.
We started the day with sunrise and my hands were numb for the first half hour. But once the sun got up in the sky it warmed quickly. This unremitting sunshine with 80+ temperatures is getting to me!
Wish I could show you the photo of the doggie school bus.
For me this was not one of our better days. We rode with heavy traffic the entire 67 mi day, much of it on rough shoulders. But there was lots to look at--a group of road runners, large stands of saguaro, flowers along the roadside, and mountains.
We started the day with sunrise and my hands were numb for the first half hour. But once the sun got up in the sky it warmed quickly. This unremitting sunshine with 80+ temperatures is getting to me!
Wish I could show you the photo of the doggie school bus.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
March 10
I seem to be having trouble with this blog. The one I posted for the 4th and 5th days seems to have disappeared into the ether. The key event for the 4th day was a 7 mile ride thru a sand dunes area with a 30 mi cross wind driving sand at us. It was great and the dunes were lovely.
The 5th day was a rest day in Blythe, CA, near the border with Arizona.
The last 2 days we have been riding across the Arizona desert. Visually wonderful--mountains surrounding us and the desert surprisingly varied. Lots of saguaro and other cacti. And unexpected things along the way like the stack of 8 dinner plates along the roadside today. There are also ranches with cattle grazing in the desrt where it seems impossible to me that they could find enough to sustain life.
The 5th day was a rest day in Blythe, CA, near the border with Arizona.
The last 2 days we have been riding across the Arizona desert. Visually wonderful--mountains surrounding us and the desert surprisingly varied. Lots of saguaro and other cacti. And unexpected things along the way like the stack of 8 dinner plates along the roadside today. There are also ranches with cattle grazing in the desrt where it seems impossible to me that they could find enough to sustain life.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Days 4/5
Another great experience! We rode 7 miles thru the Imperial Sand Dunes rec area with a 30 mph crosswind, sand stinging our arms and legs and getting into our eyes and mouths. But it was great! I would have loved to stop and explore but it didn't seem like a good idea with the wind.
I rode 83 miles which isa new one-day record for me but i'm not sure it should count since we had strong tailwind and flat terrain most of the way.
we spent today in Blythe, CA, resting and cleaning the sand off every part of our bikes. Visited the historical museum here in Blythe asnd learned a bit about the agricultural history of area. They have been raising large amounts of cotton here since the early 1900s.
Tomorrow we cross the Colorado river into Arizona.
I rode 83 miles which isa new one-day record for me but i'm not sure it should count since we had strong tailwind and flat terrain most of the way.
we spent today in Blythe, CA, resting and cleaning the sand off every part of our bikes. Visited the historical museum here in Blythe asnd learned a bit about the agricultural history of area. They have been raising large amounts of cotton here since the early 1900s.
Tomorrow we cross the Colorado river into Arizona.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Day 3 D
What a ride today! We started with a few miles of uphill to around 4000 ft. Then we had 10 mile downhill on the shoulder of I-8. Wetwisted and turned thru mountains that were basically piles of boulders with sand and with winds buffeting us from different directions. Really exilerating. In constrast we then had a 20+ mile nearly flat ride across the Yuha desert below sea level. Got to see the Border Guard patrolling by pickup and helicopter but didn' spot any illegals. In fact almost nothing was moving in that heat except us silly cyclists. We finished the day riding thru the Imperial Valley where they are using scarce water resources to grow hhay in the desert. i'm beat and dubious about the 89 mile ride tommorrow. maybe I'll ride the sag wagon part way.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Day 2
Whew what a day! We climbed up over 4000 ft then had a screaming downhill just so we could climb back up to 3890 ft. But I did it! We're spending the night at Jacumba, CA, which is right down on the border with Mexico. As we rode into townn we had a good view of the bbbbbbborder fence which has been erected over the past decade. I had hoped to add some pictures but that will have to wait until i have access to a computer.
Having a great time--friendly people, good food, comfortable beds--what more could one ask? And tommorrow it's mostly downhill or flat. Woohee!
Having a great time--friendly people, good food, comfortable beds--what more could one ask? And tommorrow it's mostly downhill or flat. Woohee!
Friday, March 4, 2011
Day 1 D
We started this morning from Dog Beach on the Pacific and headed up to Alpine at an elevation of 2000 ft. A surprisingly easy ride because the grades were gentle tho the hills were long. Once out of San Diego. the scenry was rugged but not very attractive. There a lot of flowers in bloom. and was nice after so much winter back home. Tommorrow is more uphill. then on Sunday we drop down to below sea level and begin our desert experience.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Going on the grand adventure
I'm off on a cross country bike ride from San Diego, CA, to St. Augustine, FL, starting March 1. I hope you will enjoy following my journey. If the desert is in bloom, as I am anticipating, I will add pictures to share with you. Also the bluebonnets in Texas and anything else I find interesting.
Ruth biking
Ruth biking
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