2005 BIKE FLORIDA

Pete Flaton, Ron Cully and Dan McQueen drove to Monticello, Florida for a seven day bike ride in the Florida panhandle. The ride started and ended in Monticello circling Tallahassee the state capital. There were a surprising number of hills north of the capital. The 380 mile circuit took us to the Gulf of Mexico at Appalachicola the oyster capital of the world. The rest stops were well stocked with sandwiches, fruit, csndy, cookies, Gatorade and water. Most meals were professionally catered and were good. The 1000+ riders enjoyed the nightly entertainment at each host town. I tent camped but there were indoor camping and motel options. We had some strong winds and were evacuated to a high school gym because of the possibility of 70 mile per hour winds and tornados. The average low was 56 and the high 76 degrees. We averaged 54 miles per day.

March 18, 2005 Friday Drive to Monticello, Florida

Got up and ran 5.1 miles. Came in and ate oatmeal, toast banana, glass of milk and orange juice. At 6:15 I drove down MD-32 to Veterans Highway to Pete and Sylvia Flaton’s house arriving about 6:50. Ron Cully’s van was loaded with bikes and gear when I arrived. I loaded my bike on the back rack and my hockey bag and bike rack bag with helmet inside. Pete and Ron came out and we were off about 7:00.

We drove down MD-3 to US-301 to I-95 south. We drove through Richmond, Virginia into North Carolina. We stopped in Dunn, NC for lunch of chicken, dumplings, mashed potatoes with gravy, green beans and ice tea at Cracker Barrel for $21.75 including tip. Pete and I are sharing the gas so I filled up the van for $34.01. I took over driving through North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia to the Florida welcome center. The center was closed so Ron drove from there to I-295 around Jacksonville. We headed west on I-10 for an exit or two stopping in Whitehouse, Florida at 7:00 pm.

The Hampton Inn was full so the clerk made reservations for two rooms back in Jacksonville. He had a cancellation before we left so we took it. I had camping gear so I slept on the floor. We had room #217 which had plenty of room with my third costing $28.47. We unloaded our bags and bikes into the room.

We backtracked to I-295 to an Applebee’s restaurant. I bought three 23 ounce draft Yuengling Lagers for $16.00 including tip for the tired thirsty crew. Relaxed I enjoyed an orange chicken entree with rice, salad and stir fried vegetables for $16.89 including tip. The lights went out quickly and early.

March 19, 2005 Saturday Bike Around Monticello

Ron sounded the alarm at 4:42 and we were up and at them. With one bathroom it took time to cleanup one at a time. We loaded our bikes and bags into the van snd returned for a buffet breakfast with hot food, cereals, fruit, juices, pastries, etc.

About 7:00 we drove west on I-10 for 120-130 miles to Monticello, Florida. We arrived at 9:00 and headed to the high school gym to register. We picked up our wrist bands, meal cards, T-shirts, cue sheets and goodie bags. We unloaded our bags and bikes setting up our tents in front of the goal posts on the football field.

We changed into biking clothes, set up our bikes and applied sun lotion which my dry very white skin instantly soaked up. Allan Segree is camped near by so he joined us on the ride. We cycled into town and bought a beef sandwich, chips and root beer from a street vendor for $4. At 11:30 we bicycled a 34.71 mile circuit northeast of Monticello. It is surprisingly hilly, nothing very steep or long but many of them. We were on the road 3:24 hours while biking 2:31:45 hours averaging 13.7 miles per hour (mph) reaching a maximum speed of 27.0 mph climbing and descending 1110’ with no significant hills.

We showered in the shower truck and put on shorts with short sleeved shirts in the warm 720 degrees. We walked about 3 blocks to the center of town to a formal garden. Some Catholic sisters were serving beer so we had a draft Killians for $3.

Bell’s catering is providing most of the evening meals for 7-800 people at 5:00. We had beef stew, chicken Piccata, sweet and sour pork, rice pilaf, Caesar salad, rolls, corn, green beans, cake and ice tea. I met Lew and Kathleen Frain, Kim Myers, Dan and Jenita Porfilio, Bob and Marie Hertzler and Dave Lewis and his wife from Canada all people I know from other rides.

I forgot my sleeping bag so I was in bed at 8:25 under Ron Cully’s old blanket from the floor of his van. It was frosty this morning and it would dip to 420 by morning. I was a little chilly when I woke up but would instantly go back to sleep so I slept well.

March 20, 2005 Sunday Bike Monticello to Quincy

It is a chilly 42o with heavy dew. Got up at 5:25 which is the approximate time I got up the entire week. Packed up everything in my tent into the hockey bag. I walked to breakfast in the dark. Ran into Buckeye Bob Rousculp and talked for some time. I have biked with Bob on the 1997 Best of the West ride and several other rides. Bob is from Ohio but winters in Texas. Chris Cakes served pancakes, sausage, cereals, fruit, milk and orange juice. We packed up sopping wet tents and loaded them with our bags onto the Blue Heron truck.

Allan, Pete, Ron and I biked south out of town on US-19 on a good shoulder. We soon turned west on country roads. Again it is hilly as we went gradually up or down all day. Pete riding behind me said my rear wheel was out of alignment. I had noticed it but didn’t think anything about it except that it seemed to be getting worse as we continued on. We cycled through the edge of Tallahassee and the town of Havana. We stopped briefly for an equipment adjustment shortly before rest stop #3. I looked down and noticed a broken spoke on the left side (non drive side) of my rear wheel. I wrapped the spoke to keep it from fouling anything in the rear wheel and continued on to the rest stop at 44.9 miles into the ride. A young mechanic was there working on bikes so I gave him 297 mm spoke and left it with him. The rest stops all week were well stocked with Gatorade and water, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, chips, cookies, candy bars and fruit. It is important to eat and drink salty items to replenish electrolites in your body and eat bananas for the potassium to prevent cramps. My bike was done and the wheel trued. There was no charge so I tipped the mechanic $6. The wheel performed great for the remainder of the ride. We rolled into Quincy, a big town, along a street lined with restored and well maintained 100 year old plus mansions on large plots beautifully landscaped. It was very impressive.

We biked into the high school after 66.94 miles. We were on the road for 6:06 hours biking 4:37:07 hours averaging 14.4 mph reaching a maximum 31.0 mph climbing 2000’ while descending 1950’ with no major climbs. It is 82o and we are at 180’ elevation with the barometer at 29.70”. We set up our 5 tents in the usual compound with the Frains and showered. Allan and I each had a peach smoothie for $4 each.

Five o’clock supper was put on by the local boosters club featuring 3 pastas and sauces, spring salad, garlic bread, sausage and meatballs, bread pudding and drinks. Not bad but I heard that they ran out of some things for the late arrivals. John and Ann Stratman from Indiana came to me and we talked briefly. They biked the California coast from San Francisco to San Diego with me in 2001. Again it was early to bed after some reading.

March 21, 2005 Monday Bike Quincy to Blountstown

I woke up to a pleasant 53o with heavy dew soaking the tent. Walked to a buffet breakfast of eggs, sausage, gravy, biscuits, hash browns, grits, cereals, orange juice and milk. Very good gettting the day off to a good start.

The four of us biked into a headwind which lasted most of the day. Half the ride was hilly with two good downhills that were fairly steep. Our maximum speed reflects this. We had a rest stop in the Greensboro Community Center and the Torreya Pines State Park. The Gregory Mansion was near here located on a high bluff above the Apalachicola River. It was very scenic and we took a house tour that was very interesting. We also encountered two or three stretches of very rough road, the worst of the entire trip.

We biked into Blountstown High School and set up next to the locker rooms in the football stadium. We were virtually by ourselves with large uncrowded bathrooms. We biked 48.78 miles while on the road 4:21 hours biking 3:17:46 hours averaging 14.8 mph reaching a maximum 39.5 mph climbing 950’ and descending 1090’ with 1 major hill. It is 78o as we walk ¼ mile to buy a six pack of Red Hook and potato chips for $1.25 each. I talked to the Hertzlers for over an hour about their trip to Tanzania, Zanzibar and Kenya last fall. They also told me about their self supported bike trip from Lands End in England to Edinburgh, Scotland. I told them about my plans to bike Sardinia, Corsica, across France and Italy this year.

Ate supper at five of chicken and dumplings, tossed salad, steamed vegetables, rolls, pie/cake and drinks.

March 22, 2005 Tuesday Bike Blountstown to Apalachicola

There was a slight breeze most of the night so I woke up with a dry tent the only time the entire trip and 66o . Walked to another Chris Cakes breakfast of pancakes, sausage, cereals, fruit, milk and orange juice.

We biked south into a strong headwind gusting up to 30 mph all day. The rest stops were always welcome after pedaling against the wind non stop for over an hour. We stopped for lunch at 40.1 miles. The lunch was incredible with six large pieces of chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, salad, cookies and ice tea. None of us could finish the chicken so we packed up two pieces each and carried it to camp.

We arrived at the Apalachicola Community Center at the end of the bay bridge after 6:42 hours on the road. We biked 73.11 miles against the wind in 5:10:50 hours averaging 14.1 mph reaching a maximum 29.0 mph climbing 450’ and descending 500’ with no hills. We set up along the water in a strong wind. I staked my tent down and it blew up like a balloon. Talked to Lynn Snowden formerly from Louisville, Kentucky who rode with me on Wandering Wheels Fall Breakaway in Ontario, Canada. We walked to the Dock Inn and had two draft Amber Bocks for $1.75 each to wash down our left over chicken.

We ate supper at 5:00 of fresh fish, tossed salad, red rice, hush puppies, chicken, roll, mashed potatoes, green beans, cookies and ice tea. Back in our tents the wind got really strong and it started raining hard with almost continuous lightening. There is a major storm to our west and we are getting a good shot from it. After a brief letup it started up again. Ron came by and said tenters were being evacuated to a high school gym because there were two more pods passing through with winds up to 70 mph possible and the threat of a tornado. We were bussed to a gym and the Red Cross from Tallahassee arrived with food and water and the crew spent the night with us.

March 23, 2005 Wednesday Bike Around Apalachicola

Got up a 6:00 and got 6:30 shuttle bus in 68o back to my tent. Everything was in good shape with the tent still standing. Ate breakfast of eggs, sausage, gravy, biscuits, hash browns, grits, cereals and orange juice and milk.

At 9:05 Lew Frain joined Allan, Pete, Ron and I as we biked back across the 5 mile bridge and causeway across Apalachicola Bay to East Point with a strong tailwind. We turned right on 98E and crossed over another 5 mile bridge and causeway to St George Island with the wind almost behind us. We stopped at the rest stop at 12 miles in St George City Park. We continued with the wind at our back for four miles to the state park where Allan turned around to visit some relatives in East Point. The four of us continued another five miles to the end of the road. We took a break enjoying the warm sun and surf. Lew led us back 9 miles to the rest stop against a stiff headwind. A woman walked into the rest stop carrying a beautiful $6000 titanium bike with a flat. Lew barrowed my patch kit and fixed the flat for the lady. When the patch leaked Ron and Pete took off for Apalachicola and some oysters. Lew put a new tube in the tire and we took off 15 – 20 minutes later still into a stiff headwind. On the causeway between East Point and Apalachicola Lew’s rear tire went flat with some glass. We got back to our tents at 2:00 in 78o. We were out 4:55 hours biking 41.36 miles in 3:15:24 hours averaging 12.7 mph reaching a maximum 29.0 mph climbing and descending 510’ with no hills.

After a quick shower I ran into Allan and we walked to the Boss Oyster House on the water. I had a grouper sandwich and Grolsch beer for $18.09 including tip.

At 5:00 we ate supper of barbeque chicken, pork, baked beans, baked potatoes, cole slaw, rolls, dessert and drinks. I carried an ice tea to the beer garden on the lawn next to the armory where the indoor campers were staying. I again talked to the Hertzlers. The two piece band/vocalists were talented but I didn’t care for their type of music so I left early.

March 24, 2005 Thursday Bike Apalachicola to Sopchoppy

Got up about 5:30 and packed up. The tents are wet with a heavy dew. For the last time it is Chris Cakes for breakfast of pancakes, sausage, cereals, fruit, milk and orange juice. Packed up the wet tent and with my hockey bag loaded it on the oyster truck.

We four biked away at 7:00. It is warm and yesterday’s nice tailwind has shifted about 100o so that it is on our right shoulder and slightly in front. Too bad because yesterday we would have had a tailwind for 40 miles along the gulf shoreline. We kept moving stopping twice at rest stops. We biked into the Sopchoppy City Park at 10:45 and left our bikes on a spot near the water for our tents. We were on the road 3:45 hours biking 45:32 miles in 3:04:59 hours averaging 14.7 mph reaching a maximum 22.0 mph climbing 290’ and descending 310’ with no hills.

The oyster truck was the last to arrive and we had to help unloading it. We set up our tents and showered. Biked about 1.25 miles into town. Went to a gas station and bought 2 Guinness beers, a ham sub and chips for $7.25. We ate under a canopy under a huge tree in front of an outfitters store. Bought an ice tea $1.00 and a huge blueberry muffin $1.50 from street vendors nearby. It is sunny and very warm at 87o. Biked back to camp and had another peach smoothie for $4.

About 4:15 we biked back to our lunch spot for supper. Bell’s Caterers served jambalaya, corn bread, tossed salad, bread pudding and ice tea. They were shucking oyster, all you could eat, and worm gruntin, drawing worms out of the ground. There was a six piece band plus two guest vocalists playing. The music was better than last night but still not my favorite kind of music. Biked back to camp and early to bed.

March 25, 2005 Friday Bike Sopchoppy to Monticello

A storm rolled in about 4:00 am dumping heavy rain and lots of lightning. Some were so close that the ground shook. It lasted 30-40 minutes before subsiding. I got up before 5:00 in the dark with my tent in an inch of water. I loaded some things on my bike when I felt what I thought were mosquito bites. I shined my light on my left foot which was standing in an ant hill. My foot was black with ants and I kept brushing them off with multitudes continuing to come out of my shoe. We loaded our soaking tents and bags on the worm truck and biking into town in the dark. Ate breakfast eggs, sausage, gravy, biscuits, hash browns, grits, orange juice and milk.

We started biking at 7:00 in a misty rain and headwind that would rise and fall so it wasn’t bad. It was pretty flat as we stopped at three rest stops in the first 42.8 miles. We crossed into Jefferson County and got back into some hills. With about 15 miles to go Ron passed me setting a good pace mostly over 20 mph. Pete and I pursued and we were soon in Monticello pulling up to Ron’s van at 11:45. We were on the road 4:43 hours biking 64.29 miles in 4:12:12 averaging 15.3 mph rewaching a maximum 27.0 mph climbing 730’ and descending 620’ with no significant hills.

We loaded our bikes on the van then found our bags and put them in the van. We showered then walked to lunch. We had barbeque sandwiches, baked beans, black beans, potato salad, green salad, chips, blueberry pie and lemonade.

We drove off about 1:00 to I-10 east to I-295 north around Jacksonville to I-95 north. We crossed into Georgia and stopped in the Welcome Center to make hotel reservations. We continued north on I-95 about 110 miles to Port Wentworth, Georgia near the South Carolina border.

I checked into the Super 8 motel room #108 for $78.45 at 5:30. We unloaded our bikes into our rooms and walked next door to the Sea Grill Restaurant. I had an Amber Bock and a seafood platter which included a large piece of flounder, scallops, shrimp and clams with a baked potato, salad and hushpuppies for $24.09 including tip.

March 26, 2005 Saturday Drive to Columbia, MD

We were up at 4:42 and on the road north at 5:00. We passed into South Carolina where we stopped at a Cracker Barrel in Florence for breakfast. I had two eggs, sausage, home fries, grits, biscuits and gravy, orange juice and milk for $11.82 including tip. We crossed into North Carolina and stopped for gas. I drove into Virginia on I-95 north through Richmond before turning on US-301 across the Patomic into Maryland and on to Pete’s house at 3:25. I unloaded my bike and gear into my car and headed up MD-32 to Columbia arriving home at 4:00 

DAILY STATISTICS

				Hours	Hours	MPH	MPH	Feet	Feet		Degrees	Degrees
April	Day		Miles	Road	Bike	Avg	Max	Up	Down	Climbs	Low	High	From	To
18	Fri	Drive		12.00									Columbia	Jacksonville
19	Sat	Drive		2.00									Jacksonville	Monticello
		Bike	34.71	3.40	2.53	13.7	27.0	1140	1140	0	36	68	Monticello	Monticello
20	Sun	Bike	66.94	6.10	4.62	14.4	31.0	2000	1950	0	42	82	Monticello	Quincy
21	Mon	Bike	48.78	4.35	3.30	14.8	39.5	950	1090	1	53	78	Quincy	Blountstown
22	Tue	Bike	73.11	6.70	5.18	14.1	29.0	480	500	0	66	72	Blountstown	Apalachicola
23	Wed	Bike	41.36	4.92	3.26	12.7	29.0	510	510	0	68	76	Apalachicola	Apalachicola
24	Thu	Bike	51.15	3.87	3.08	14.7	22.0	310	290	0	65	87	Apalachicola	Sopchoppy
25	Fri	Bike	64.29	4.72	4.20	15.3	27.0	710	620	0	62	70	Sopchoppy	Monticello
		Drive		4.50									Monticello	Port Wentworth
26	Sat	Drive		11.00									Port Wentworth	Columbia
		Total	380.34	34.05	26.17	99.70	204.50	6100	6100	1	392	533
		Average	54.33	4.86	3.74	14.24	29.21	871.43	871.43	0.14	56.00	76.14