99 BIKE FLORIDA

April 2 -11, 1999

April 2, 1999   Friday   Drive Columbia to Wilson, NC

Got up at 5:51 and walked Herbie. Ran 5.1 miles. Joe Wisniewski arrived about 8:00 so we packed the car and loaded our bikes. Drove to Mt Vernon arriving at 9:15. Had over 60 bikers. Biked along the Potomac River past the airport on the bike path and across the 14th Street Bridge to the Jefferson Memorial for a bag lunch. Cherry blossoms were just beginning to bud. Returned the same way stopping at Ben & Jerry’s in Alexandria for a root beer float for $2.75 then on to Mt Vernon for a total of 32.5 miles. Anne rode home with Pat Huelskamp. Joe Wisniewski, Jimmy Huelskamp and I left about 2:30 and headed south on I95. Traffic was very heavy. Stopped at the Cracker Barrel on the North Carolina line for supper of chicken and dumplings, ice tea and chocolate peanuts for $9.30 plus $2 tip. Arrived at the Quality Inn at Exit 121 near Wilson, NC about 8:18. Walked out and bought a six pack of Michalob for $6.40. Showered and to bed at 10:30.

April 3, 1999   Saturday   Drive Wilson, NC to Gainesville, FL

Got up at 6:00 and shaved. Breakfast of orange juice, milk, bagel with cream cheese and a sweet roll. Drove out at 7:02. Stopped for gas and a fish filet sandwich and vanilla milk shake for $3.40 at McDonalds in South Carolina. Stopped at Florida welcome center for maps and orange juice. Turned down A1A to US301 to FL24 to Gainesville arriving about 4:15 at the Holiday Inn University. Met Jack Bateman and Joe Dumin. Walked to the Swamp for a Red Stripe and a Guinness for $8. Drove to Harry’s Seafood Grill for a Sam Adams, gumbo, salad and crawfish etoufee for $25. Back to room at 7:45.

April 4, 1999   Sunday   Bus Gainesville to Daytona Beach, FL

Got up at 6:45 and ran past the University of Florida stadium, field house and baseball field in 44:51. First day of daylight savings time. Showered and went to the 6th floor hospitality suite for breakfast of orange juice, milk, bagel and 2 sweet rolls.Loaded up and headed to Alachua County Fairgrounds arriving about 9:50. Unloaded car and parked. Registered for ride. Loaded bikes on truck. Met Bill Lang, Joe Wisniewski’s nephew by marriage. Rode in Bill’s Ford Explorer to Hogan’s Heros for a sub and lemonade for $4.90. Got back and boarded bus at 12:50 which left about 1:15. We arrived at Seabreeze High School in Daytona Beach about 3:15. Unloaded and set up tents. Bikes finally arrived about 5:00 so we unloaded them and set them up with pedals, bags and straightened the handle bars. Walked to the Olive Garden with Jack Bateman, Joe Dumin, Jimmie Huelskamp, Joe Wisniewski, Bill Lang and Charlie from Atlanta. Had 2 Sam Adams beers, salad, bread, and seafood alfredo for $20. Walked back to 7:00 meeting. Went to bed about 9:00.

April 5, 1999   Monday   Bike Daytona Beach to Deland, FL

Got up at 5:00. Packed up and went to 5:30 breakfast of Chris Cakes 5 pancakes, 3 sausage links and orange juice. Put water in bottle and air in tires. Waited until 7:02 and biked out in semi dark with Jack Bateman, Joe Dumin, Jimmy Huelskamp, Bill Lang and Joe Wisniewski. Biked south through Daytona Beach and then west over the intracoastal. Took a side trip through Lake Helen and then to Stetson University in Deland at 10:50. Set up. Biked to lunch of cod, mashed potatoes, green beans, salad and ice tea for $5.24 plus $2 tip. Biked back to camp after 49.6 miles and showered. Ran into Bob and Marie Hertzler. Walked to the Blind Pig for 5 16 ounce beers of Tuppers ESB and Belhaven Scottish Ales for $17. Walked back with Jimmy for supper of chicken, pasta, rice, green beans and brownies. 7:00 meeting until 7:45. Talked to Jack Bateman and then to bed at 9:00. Joe Dumin came back and then Wiz and Bill Lang came back from the bar. No breeze and warm. Fraternity boys caused disturbances at 11:15 and 1:30 am so the police came both times and quieted them down.

April 6, 1999   Tuesday   Bike Deland to Mt Dora, FL

Got birthday cards from Anne and Kara.for my 60th. The gang sang happy birthday to me. Got up at 5:20. Ate Chris Cakes pancakes with sausage and orange juice. Packed up and loaded gear on truck. We biked out at 7:38. Joe Wisniewski went to the bathroom and came out and left while we waited about 15 minutes. Joe Dumin and I took the Deleon Springs State Park loop $1 and Joe went swimming. The out and back was about 20 miles. We trucked along on the regular route past the first rest stop which was closed. We arrived at the second rest stop as it was closing. We passed several riders before the third rest stop. We got into Mt Dora about 12:40 and stopped at the Terrace Restaurant for lunch of grilled chicken sandwich, potato salad and ice tea for $11. Biked down to the park on the water where we ran into the rest of the gang and waited until 3:00 to get into Mt Dora High School after 58.7 miles. Set up on the lush practice field and showered. Drank Jimmie Huelskamp’s red wine for my birthday. 5:00 supper of vegetable lasagna, fruit salad, roll, butter, salad and cookies. Walked to Jeremiah’s Restaurant for a draft Dickleboch and a bottle of Becks which the gang treated me. Called Anne. To bed at 9:00.

April 7, 1999   Wednesday   Bike Mt Dora to Inverness, FL

Slept soundly. Joe Dumin woke me at 5:00. Chris Cakes breakfast of 4 pancakes, sausage and orange juice. Packed up gear and loaded it on the truck. Biked out at 6:40 in the dark. Fine rest stops. Some rolling hills but not too bad. On one fairly long one I wanted to see what I could do so I accelerated from 17 mph to 21.5 mph at the crest.The last 15 miles was on a bike path. Arrived in Inverness about 12:45 and rode to the Stumpknockers Restaurant for lunch of blackened grouper, potato salad, cole slaw and ice tea for $9. The best lunch of the trip. Biked into Citrus High School about 2:00 after 76.5 miles. Set up on a corner next to the football stadium and took a cold shower. Walked to Joe’s Restaurant for onion rings and beer for $11. Walked back to dinner of spaghetti, salad, ice tea, garlic bread, sugar cookie and carrot cake. Talked to Bob and Marie Hertzler. Went to bed about 9:00 as I was saranaded by several bands and singers until 9:30.

April 8, 1999   Thursday   Bike Inverness to Crystal River, FL

Got up at 5:26 and went to Chris Cakes breakfast of 4 pancakes with butter and syrup, 4 sausage links and orange juice. Packed up and loaded gear on a truck. Biked out at 7:00. Got on a bike path for 12 miles to the first rest stop. 2nd rest stop at 22 miles was in Crystal River. Biked out to beach for 3rd rest stop and back to Crystal River. Biked to Crackers for lunch of black bean soup with chives and sour cream, blackened salmon sandwich with fries and cole slaw and ice tea for $11. Biked into Crystal River High School about 1:00 after 50 miles. Set up and showered. Talked to Bob Hertzler in the air conditioned gym until 2:20. Jimmy Huelskamp, Bill Lang and Joe Wisniewski got a ride with Kevin Camp to town. Went to Pizza Hut for 4 Budweisers and ¼ of a small pizza for $11. Called a taxi to St Annes Episcopal Church for $5 arriving at 4:40. Ate supper of salad, chicken and rice, mellons, cake and ice tea. Bused back to school. Went to bed about 9:15.

April 9, 1999   Friday   Crystal River to Belleview, FL

Got up at 5:30. Chris Cakes breakfast of 4 pancakes with butter and syrup, 3 sausage links and orange juice. Packed up and loaded gear on a truck. Very wet from dew and it was foggy. Biked out at 7:20. Had some traffic and bad roads. Stopped in Rainbow Falls State Park and walked around. Biked through horse country which was pretty.Very warm. Biked with Fay from Atlanta from the last rest stop. She is a very good biker and we rolled along at 22 mph. Waited for Jimmy Huelskamp and Joe Wisniewski at the last turn to the school. Bill Lang missed a turn and got lost. We biked down to Hartz Hideaway for blackened chicken sandwich, fries, cole slaw, potato soup and ice tea for $10. Biked into Belleview High School at 3:00. Set up in trees, weeds and wind next to stadium and showered. 5:00 supper of roast beef, salad, mashed potatoes, pasta salad, roll, cookies and ice tea. Biked about ¾ mile to a convenience store for 18 beers after 64.5 miles. Drank 3 beers. Called Anne and left a message. Went to bed at 9:20.

April 10, 1999   Saturday   Bike Belleview to Gainesville & Drive to Port Wentworth, GA

Got up at 5:25. Chris Cakes breakfast of 4 pancakes, 3 sausage links and orange juice. Packed up and loaded gear on truck. Jack Bateman and Joe Dumin were sagging it to catch their 12:48 flight. Bill Lang, Jimmy Huelskamp, Joe Wisniewski, Charlie from Atlanta and I biked out at 7:00. We went back the way we came yesterday for about 14 miles through horse country. At one crossroads the police had traffic stopped in all directions because of a gas leak. They let us ride through and we could hear it hissing loudly. Rode for miles through horse country passing one beautiful horse farm after another. Got on a bike path for about 8 miles. At the rest stop in Micanopy I took off for the car to get it set up and retrieve Jimmy, Joe and my luggage. Despite a headwind all the way, I got in at 12:15after 65.7 miles. Put the bike rack on the car and drove next to the luggage and found some as Jimmy arrived at 12:35. Showered and ate a hot dog, cheeseburger, chips and ice tea. Drove out of the Alachua County Fairgrounds at 1:33 north on FL24 to US301 to A1A to I95 to Exit 20 in Georgia by Savannah to the Holiday Inn in Port Wentworth room 225 at 5:00 for $78.93. Drank 2 Bud Lites. Drove to supper of BBQ ribs, mashed potatoes, salad and ice tea at Applebee’s for $18.55. Back to room and to bed in my sleeping bag about 8:20.

April 11, 1999   Sunday   Drive Port Wentworth, GA to Columbia, MD

Got up at 5:45 and showered. Packed up and ate breakfast of orange juice, bagel with cream cheese and jelly and milk. Drove out at 6:51. Got off I95 at the NC/VA line for gas and lunch of chicken sandwich, fries, ice tea and peanut M&Ms at Wendy’s for $4.52. Hit some heavy rain from northern NC to north across the James River. Took I495 beltway west to Georgia Avenue north to Jennings Chappel Road to MD94 to drop Jimmy off about 5:00. On to Joe’s to drop him off about 5:40 and then home about 6:15.

Trip Costs

Bike Florida		$100.00
Bus to Daytona Beach		$ 40.00
Meals		$ 90.00
Cash		$ 20.00
Charges	(Cash, food & lodging)	$231.78
Total		$451.78
	DATA
Monday	Daytona Beach => Deland	49.6
Tuesday	Deland => Mt Dora	58.7
Wednesday	Mt Dora => Inverness	76.5
Thursday	Inverness => Crystal River	50.0
Friday	Crystal River => Belleview	64.5
Saturday	Belleview => Gainesville	65.7
Total		365.0

Biked 6 days covering 365.0 miles averaging 60.75 miles per day.