Day 34 - Tuesday April 21: Milton, FL to Chipley, FL

Miles Today: 102. Total Miles: 2,592. Miles Remaining: 425

Conditions: Dry, sunny, favorable wind. Terrain: Flat

Time on the Road: 7 hrs

Another excellent day for biking. The scenery was mostly forests and green fields. But it was the signs along the road that caught our attention.

No Need for a "Do Not Swim in Creek" Sign

How Do You Fiddle Worms?

Is This Conducted Like a Blood Pressure Clinic?

Our lunch break was spent in the town of DeFuniak Springs where Don joined the Old Men of the city at "The Opinion Place". Apparently this is the place for the senior men to meet to sort out the world's problems.

Opinions - Everyone Has One

The weather report was favorable and it seemed a good night to pitch our tent. We located Falling Springs State Park near Chipley. Penny found a roadside oyster bar and decided our appetizer that night would be raw oysters.

You Expect me to eat Raw Oysters? Not done in Minnesota!

We had barely completed dinner when a rumble of thunder warned us that the weather forecasts was inaccurate. We dived into the tent at 6PM and sat out the rain and lightning for the remainder of the night.

Yours on the Road,

Don and Penny

Day 33 - Monday April 20: Gulf Shores AL to Milton, FL

Miles Today: 59. Total Miles: 2,490. Miles Remaining: 527

Conditions: Sunny, favorable wind, warm. Terrain: Flat

Time on the Road: 4hrs 20 min.

We had decided to relax and enjoy the area for a few hours this morning before hitting the roads. After a delicious breakfast, we spent a short time walking on the beach, enjoying the wind, waves, and silver sand.

View from our Hotel of the Seafood Restaurant We Visited

Now back to work and just 10 miles down the road, we enter the eighth and final state of this journey!

Seven States Down, Only Florida to Complete

For the geographically challenged, we must explain that the beach we walked on was on the Gulf of Mexico in the far west corner of Florida. To complete our journey, we now must traverse the width of Florida to the Atlantic coast, a distance of 576 miles.

Today's ride was the shortest of the trip. Most of the ride was along the coast with great views of the Gulf. A large portion of the ride was getting through Pensacola, which wasn't much fun, with numerous turns and traffic congestion. But the short day was appreciated and we checked into a small motel in a rather mundane town of Milton, FL.

How amazing to think that it took us only six days and nights to get through three states (Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama) and into Florida, compared with 13 days to ride through Texas!

Yours on the Road,

Don and Penny

Delay in Updating Blog

Experiencing difficulty in gaining internet access. Sorry for the delay in sending updates. Hopefully more to follow Saturday. All is well. We have landed in Tallahassee safely and in good health and spirits.

Yours on the Road,
Don and Penny

Day 32 - Sunday April 19: Vancleave MS to Gulf Shores, Alabama (AL)

Miles Today: 90. Total Miles: 2431. Approx Miles Remaining: 586

Conditions: Overcast and rainy, changed to sunshine

Time on the Road: 7hrs. 45min (including 35 minute ferry trip)

We awoke to a thick humid morning and gray skies. Our hosts of the previous evening, Jeff and Sheila DeLuke, had invited all of us to their home for a large breakfast of pancakes, eggs, bacon, juice, and coffee. Again, we were overwhelmed by southern hospitality. In addition, we met their two sons, Levi and Logan; Levi is a hobby bee keeper and we were given honey comb to take on the journey with us. What a great family (not forgetting Mardi the boxer)!

The LeDuke Family Serving Breakfast

Well Fed and Ready to Hit the Road. Thanks Jeff and Sheila

Back to the cabins for final preparations for the riding day ahead. Sadly it was time to say farewell to the biking guys: Nathan and Joel from Canada, who were riding as "Athletes for Africa", Mark from California, Carl from Alaska, and David from North Carolina. They enriched our journey and we enjoyed their company.

On the Road Again

Within a few minutes of leaving our camp, we crossed into Alabama.

Six States Down and Two States to Go!

Once in Alabama, we saw more and more marshland and inland waterways, some with quite large boats.

As we approached the town of Alabama Port, we at last saw the Gulf of Mexico, and were treated to the sight of pelicans flying in formation over the gray/brown ocean. We were to ride/drive over the causeway and bridge, a distance of 4-5 miles before arriving on Dauphin Island prior to boarding a ferry to cross Mobile Bay to Gulf Shores, Alabama.

Distant View of Bridge and Causeway

Shoeless on Ferry!

Most of the magnolia trees had finished blooming, as had the azaleas. However, Penny captured one of the surviving blossoms.

The ride into Gulf Shores was smooth and bicycle friendly. We checked into a beach side hotel with a glorious view of the ocean. We plan to spend half a day tomorrow resting and enjoying the sandy beach. Seafood is definitely on the menu tonight, in a quaint beach side restaurant across the street from the hotel.

Yours a bit Wearily on the Road,

Don and Penny

Day 31 - Saturday April 18: Bogalusa, LA to Vancleave, MS

Miles Today: 100. Total Miles: 2341. Approx. Miles Remaining: 676

Conditions: Cool, threatening skies. Time on the road: 9hrs. 15min.

Thankfully the car was still intact this morning. No missing wheels! The expected bad weather turned out to be just a minor rain shower. For breakfast we retraced our steps to the "Big Easy Grill", where we had enjoyed dining with the very friendly locals the previous night. We figured Don needed as many carbs as he could hold, so this was the right breakfast stop. Fellow customers were warm and welcoming, including the deputy sheriff at the adjoining table, from whom we learned quite a bit about the town. Apparently there are areas of the town where the deputies will only go with a fellow officer, and Penny had been happily cruising through this area the previous afternoon while trying to locate Don! The hotel where we had spent the night was also considered a problem area, but we had encountered only friendliness and courtesy when chatting with folk there.

When we came to pay our breakfast bill, we found that a couple with whom Don had been talking had paid it for us. Oh yes, the sheriff's deputy turned out to be a deacon of the local Baptist church!

Good Fattening Food, but Not Much to Look At!

By the time we were on road, the sky was overcast, but the forecast storm was heading north, while we were heading southeast. The terrain through which we passed remained agricultural, but gradually the milky chocolate colored rivers and swamps gave way to more lush meadows in which cattle were grazing. In a matter of a few miles, we had reached Mississippi, the sixth state since our departure.

Five States Down, Three States to Go

Once again, Don met up with the same group of cyclists and we found we were headed for the same campsite in Vancleave, MS. Approaching Vancleave, we met and talked with two local cyclists, who invited us to join them that evening at the local outdoor family barbecue joint for some real Mississippi B-B-Q and live Blues music. They even volunteered to chauffeur us all there from our campsite. What an evening we had!! The food was great, both in flavor and quantity, and live music was performed from a rustic wooden stage.

Cyclists Anticipating Dinner

Live Mississippi Blues!

The whole evening seemed like a celebration. Penny couldn't resist dancing! Only thing is, we have about 700 more miles to go. Thank you Vancleave cyclists (Jeff and Doug) for treating us to a grand evening!

The campground was rather basic and badly neglected and overcrowded with what turned out to be permanent residents. Entire families were living in small RVs, also badly neglected. The little cabin we occupied was very basic, with only an overhead light bulb the only convenience apart from a thin mattress on a bunk. But it provided shelter against the anticipated rain.

Tomorrow we are to enter Alabama, where we will see the ocean and much of Mobile Bay.

Yours on the Road,

Don and Penny

Day 30 - April 17: Jackson, LA to Bogalusa, LA

Miles Today: 103. Total Miles: 2,241. Approx. Miles Remaining: 776
Temp: 69 f. & overcast. Time on the Road: 8 hrs 30 min.


After our rest day in St. Francisville and sustained by a wonderful buffet breakfast, Don set off. Headwinds buffeted him most of the day, but we were thankful the rain held off despite threatening skies. Penny meanwhile had a very frustrating day, having not only lost Don for
2 1/2 hours, but managed to lose herself in the process as well! In fact she found herself in Mississippi by mistake! Consequently there are no photos to publish today, as she spent much of her day studying the map. Eventually we both arrived in Bogalusa at more or less the same time. This city seems to be a somewhat deprived area of the country, added to which there is a paper mill that casts a thoroughly unpleasant smell throughout the town.


Tomorrow we cross into Mississippi (again for Penny) if the weather holds. However severe weather is forecast and we are currently ensconced in a brick built motel, again not wanting to chance tenting in this unsettled weather.


Yours on the Road,
Don and Penny

Day 29 - April 16: Rest Day

As we headed out of St. Francisville this morning to rejoin the route, we again met the bikers at a breakfast diner. After much discussion and hearing input on things to see in St. Francisville, we decided to not ride today, but to take a rest day and spend some time sightseeing. Besides which, we were beginning to feel a bit weary. Good choice!

We settled into this old B&B, and enjoyed a restful day, seeing some of the sights and relaxing.

Quaint old Bath (with bike!!)

Tomorrow we expect a long ride to the eastern border of Louisiana, spending the night in either Bogalusa, LA or Poplarville, Mississippi.

Yours on the Road,

Don and Penny