Today’s winds were in my favor for most of the day.  The challenge was the heat. As the air temperature rose into the mid-80’s, the pavement temperature climbed ever higher.  My bike computer sensor reflects what can be interpreted as pavement temperature and I watched it climb to over 107 degrees (see the lower left hand number):

I never felt that hot but did take more frequent water breaks.

My computer also provides critical weather alerts.  During the ride, it kept flashing “gale warning” to me.  I didn’t note anything in my weather scan during the previous night, so I ignored the warning during the ride.

Today was another day of narrow median strips.  This picture provides a sense of the challenge.  Steering a narrow lane on a racing bike is a cinch.  Steering a narrow lane on a touring bike while carrying forty pounds of saddle bags is a chore:

Even so, I was able to act more like a tourist on today’s ride:

I also took note of the swamplands, and endless fields of wildflowers. I also noticed majestic oaks growing very close to major state highways. I couldn’t help but salute the highway engineers for their wise stewardship decision.

Speaking of the swamp, I avoided making water stops in these areas after experiencing a siege by thirsty mosquitoes.  And I encountered a baby snake crossing my median into open traffic. I chose not to render any assistance because the critter had a diamond-shaped head, indicating that it was most likely poisonous.

I also learned about an amazing solution to minimize the presence of roadkill, having encountered numerous flocks of vultures. They perform a gruesome service but are fascinating to watch as they jump out of the way of oncoming traffic and then immediately return to the task at hand.

As I got closer to Darian, traffic was dominated by large tractor trailer trucks characteristic of a major port city.  My route tried to take me off-road but here’s what I encountered at the beginning of an 11-mile unpaved trail:

I didn’t want to take the chance that the trail would become impassable so I decided to join the trucks.  It was a good decision and the truckers were very accommodating since my median eventually disappeared.

When I arrived at the hotel, I scanned my weather apps and found out that the gale warnings were clearly evident for the next day.  I made the difficult decision to take a rest day, knowing that those forecasted winds would serve to nearly break my spirit over the anticipated 80+ mile ride.

I made sure that I could stay another night.  Adapt and overcome!

Today’s tally: 70 miles

Today’s weather was unexpected: heavy fog.  I delayed my departure by one hour and energized front and rear flashing lights on my bike.  This picture doesn’t reflect the reality of the fog. Visibility was about 1/2 a mile:

The early portion of the ride was glorious.  But headwinds worsened as the day wore on. And I began experiencing greater elevation changes though I was surprised that I was able to “power up” the inclines without changing gears.

Here’s the entrance to a remarkably smooth bike path:

Here’s a picture of the Altamaha river crossing:

Here’s a picture as I was entering Darian, a quaint town founded in 1736:

Today’s main challenge were the skinny medians on state roads.  Medians ranged from four feet wide to six inches wide. Navigating the smaller widths required laser focus to avoid dropping off the pavement edge, or straying into passing traffic traveling at 55 mph. As an experienced cyclist, I’m accustomed to this challenge but still don’t like it.

Speaking of challenges, I’ve learned that cyclists need to look before stopping in grassy areas.  Stopping by a fire ant mound can ruin one’s day.  I’ve never had the experience but remain mindful of the danger.

And I continue to hear the occasional rustle of critters in the brush.  During one water stop, I watched a three-foot long black snake emerge from the brush, clearly hunting for a meal.  Maybe it was a wise decision not to camp during this phase!

Today’s tally: 59 miles.

I flew back to Jacksonville last night eager to begin Phase Two of my Atlantic Coast bicycle ride. This phase is from Jacksonville Beach to Washington, DC.

My wife and I enjoyed a Chinese dinner a few days earlier and I took note of my fortune: “Adventure awaits those who are brave enough to seek it.” My mind substituted the word crazy for brave!

When I began this morning’s ride, the roads were wet from the previous night’s rain.  Winds were 10 mph sustained/20 mph gusts from the North Northeast. I hurried off to catch the ferry to cross the St. John’s River.  On the way there, I passed Station Mayport, where many years ago I served as Group Deputy. I didn’t take time to take a picture for fear of missing my intended ferry.

Here’s me on that ferry:

Here’s a flock of pelicans bidding me “so long”:

The ride was picturesque and the clouds dissipated as the day wore on.

I began adjusting to my new bicycle seat.  It’ll take some getting used to.  The manufacturer states that it takes three or four days to adjust since the position relative to my old seat slightly changes my riding posture.

I made a route change on the fly since my route map tried to take me through a bike path where the gate was locked and impassable. Switching between electronic cycling maps permits rapid adjustments. The e-maps are markedly better than the paper maps I used in 2017 to ride across America.

The wind freshened as the day progressed.  When I crossed over Nassau Sound, I had zero protection from the wind.  The sound was choppy enough.  But the distant ocean looked like it was boiling.  And I was in the direct path of those winds coming off the ocean.  Strengthened by Phase One riding, my legs simply pressed on.

I made it to my lodging early. Lincoln, the innkeeper, was kind enough to check me in early.

Tally for the day: 51 miles.

It’s been 2 weeks since I completed phase one.  I’m well rested and getting ready for phase two from Jacksonville Beach, FL, to Washington, DC.

• During phase one, I rode a total of 562 miles in 9 days. Average 62 miles per day.
• I dropped about one pound per day in body weight, which is a good thing.
• My resting heart rate is much lower–also a good thing.
• My energy level has remained very high.
• Muscle flexibility is much better than when I began the ride.

Observations from phase one:

• My heart is warmed by the amazing generosity and outreach of donors to my fundraiser for Coast Guard Mutual Assistance. I’ve steadily raised my goal from $3,000 to the current $10.000.  Thank you, donors!
• The kindness of strangers is alive and well in this country.  Most drivers were courteous; some even waved or gave a polite honk.  Virtually everyone I encountered, whether in motels or shops, was very helpful. I received unsolicited offers of water and snacks when checking out of a few motels.
• Florida is extremely bike friendly with good bike lanes and paths.

Lessons learned:

• I was too aggressive setting daily riding goals for the first three days of phase one. The wind was the main factor in my actual riding distances.
• Except in the Florida Keys, making just-in-time lodging arrangements was a good practice.
• For the longer distances of phases two and three, I plan to take one day a week off from riding (I was close to “hitting the wall” physically during day 8 of phase one).
• Blogging on the road is hard. Limited Wifi and cell coverage made my initial attempts painfully slow. And my mental stamina was diminished after every day’s ride because of the intense focus that riding required.

Preparations for phase two:

• New bike tires (they generally last for 2500 miles).
• New bike seat (per Mick’s recommendation).
• More in-depth route planning by checking intended routes with RideWithGPS (per Jodie’s recommendation).

As spring begins to bloom in the middle part of America, I plan to begin phase 2.  Stay tuned!

I slept in for a couple of extra hours. I still felt tired but not nearly as fatigued as yesterday.

After lots of coffee and a hearty Jimmy Dean microwaved breakfast, which was quite good, I headed off to Jacksonville Beach.

The route was a familiar one: my Florida training ride along the beach through the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve (GTM for short).

The homes lining the beach before and after GTM are prime real estate.  They vary in architectural style and are interesting to see.  Many of them have mailboxes framed by a large dolphin, manatee, or other sea creature. Some are occupied full-time; others are available for rent.

I made my usual stop at Mickler Beach Landing in Ponte Vedra Beach and then headed off to Jacksonville Beach.

As I entered Jacksonville Beach, I was met by Donnie Brzuska, the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for Coast Guard Mutual Assistance. Donnie reached out to me after I decided to ride in fundraising support of CGMA. Donnie did a fabulous job of crafting daily synopses of my ride, and interacting with the media.

Donnie trailed me in a golf cart, taking video of my ride.

When we arrived at the Jacksonville Beach Fishing Pier, I was met by Herminia, our youngest son William, and my Academy classmate Dave Cannon. After our reunion and an exchange of hugs, Donnie took pictures, including this one:

Donnie interviewed me, intending to provide clips to local media.  On the next day, I had two neighbors say that they saw coverage of my ride on the local news.

As we wrapped up this stop, my family invited me to load my bike on our truck so they could drive me home.  I told them that I always intended to bike the rest of the way (about 2 miles).  They acknowledged my stubbornness and off we went.

We all arrived home at about the same time.  Mission complete for Phase One!

Tally for the day: 32 miles
Total for phase one: 562 miles

I woke up feeling pretty fatigued today. My legs felt like they didn’t like me anymore!

When I cycled across America, I took a day off every week to give my body time to recover.  I thought about taking today off and confirmed with the hotel that I could stay another night.  But that would have required me to deal with another weather front headed for Florida.  So I decided to take advantage of a good weather window. And I felt good enough to press on.

I hit the road and was pleased that I biked the first 10 miles without much effort.  Winds were very calm as indicated by the still waters in this picture:

Thanks to a posting to my Coast Guard Academy Class of 1978 classmates about my ride by our class correspondent Bryon Ing, I was contacted by a classmate who lived along my intended route for the day. I rode to the Ormand Beach area and rendezvoused with Mick Butler and his wife Sue.  We took a moment to catch up and Sue snapped this picture of Mick and me before we headed north.

Mick rode north with me for about 25 miles. He and Sue are fitness enthusiasts and exemplars for aging well. Mick was gracious in slowing the pace of his ride to match my fatigued state. On the trails, we were able to ride side-by-side and converse more about our lives and how blessed we are.

Mick turned back when I reached the 30 miles to go point. I appreciate him for his outreach and support, our longstanding kinship as classmates, his inspiring character, and the fitness mentoring tips he shared.  Go ’78!

The rest of today’s ride was uneventful. I crossed into St. Augustine over the Bridge of Lions.  I noted that the lion statues have been temporarily removed for renovation.  I took a moment to take in the beauty of this historic city.

When I arrived at my hotel in Vilano Beach, I was given permission to take my bike to my room since there was no bicycle rack.  I gave the bike a good cleaning before doing that.

Tomorrow is the last day of Phase One. I planned this stop near St. Augustine so that I’ll have less than 35 miles to get to my final destination. I plan to sleep late to alleviate some fatigue.

Tally for the day: 75 miles

Today’s wind chill is in the low 30’s!  I triple-layered on top but remained in shorts since my legs were still “feeling the burn” from the previous day’s ride.  My jacket has a hood, which provided additional protection for my head.

I began the ride early because I know it would be a long day in the saddle.  I fought the wind for most of the day, although winds tapered towards the end of my ride.

After 10 miles, I was biking through a rural setting, passing cattle farms. Those cows looked cold.  I was sufficiently comfortable, even sweating a little under my layers.

Google maps tried to route me to paths that paralleled a railroad, and through a neighborhood that eventually led me to a dead end. The railroad path was a sand road, pictured below.  I watched a couple of cars drive over it so I thought that it was compacted.  No such luck!  I felt like I was bicycling in a sandbox and quickly turned around.

G-map failures probably added an additional five miles to my trip today.  But I’ll continue to use it because it’s easier than following the turn-by-turn instructions on my paper map. And it’s generally better at getting me from point A to B in a more direct route.

I had the chance to bike through the parking area of the Brevard Zoo.  There were scores of kids with their parents heading towards the entrance.  I was uplifted by the excitement evident on the faces of many of these children.  I stopped to snap a picture with one of the zoo’s displays:

For today’s pleasant surprise, I cycled through about 50 miles of Florida’s rails-to-trails routes.  These trails are outstanding!  They’re quiet and lined on each side with foliage, which today provided a partial wind block.  Some of the trails are on raised platforms to minimize the impact on the animals:

Some of the trails took me in a northwest direction.  My wife, who tracks me on a GPS device, called to ask if I was lost.  I told her that I was enjoying trail riding and expected to head northeast soon. There were few bikers and walkers on the trail so I saw lots of animals, including deer, snapping turtles, and an armadillo digging on the side of the trail.

When I arrived in New Smyrna Beach, I entered a very picturesque town.  The hotel attendant mentioned that it’s a “drinking town.” No drinks for me!  But I did enjoy another Italian meal.

Tally for the day: 89 miles

I enjoyed a good night’s sleep… up at 0500 (5 am)!

My phone received an alert that a small craft advisory had been posted for the day. I could hear the wind whirring outside my window. I stepped outside the door and it was COLD!  I decided to add a long sleeve layer to my top but stay in shorts.

As I began cycling, I noticed how clean the bike lanes medians were thanks to the previous night’s rain.

The wind was brutal.  On one occasion, I was buffeted by a side gust and had to stop for a moment.  I normally cruise at about 12-13 miles per hour.  Today, I was lucky to hit 6-7 mph.  While today was as punishing as expected with the wind and the cold, my legs continued to perform well.

On typical sunny days, I prefer to ride in the shade because it’s cooler.  Not today!  Riding in the shade was frigid!  My legs were numb from successive days of riding so they never felt cold. I felt the cold mainly on my fingers (I wear short-finger cycling gloves) and face.

Today’s added challenge was the relative lack of available rest stops.  On a particular 20-mile stretch, I passed an unbroken string of posh gated communities. No stores, no gas stations, no public beach access, no wooded areas appropriate for an unauthorized stop! Such circumstances sometimes compel cyclists to do rash things. I chose to respect the neighborhood and waited until I saw a public beach park with public restrooms.  Here’s a picture of Golden Sands Beach Park.  Note the red flag warning:

Today’s ride was very safe with one exception: This picture shows a sign warning drivers about cyclists.  What it told me is that my bike lane disappeared on the upcoming overpass.  I waited until traffic was clear before heading up the overpass.

I crossed into Melbourne by taking a large bridge over the Indian River. This was into the teeth of the wind. I stopped a couple of times on the incline and was graced with the sight of cormorants diving for fish. And then a pod of dolphins swam by. It was a nice end to a punishing day.

When I arrived at the hotel, I got cleaned up and headed to dinner with my Coast Guard Academy Class of 1978 classmate, Carl Priddy. Carl and I enjoyed a fabulous dinner at Pane E Vino Italian Restaurant. We recounted the good times we had at the academy. I appreciate Carl for his fellowship and for giving me the opportunity to decompress in the company of a good friend.

Tally for the day: 56 miles

Today began as another good day for me physically. I was excited to get out on the road this morning. This is the point where cycling becomes a joy even with all of the challenges.

Speaking of challenges, winds were forecast to kick up at 10 am and rain at 6 pm.

I dashed off to Fort Pierce. Winds began to get fierce as 10 am approached.  I just kept peddling, shifting to lower gears as necessary.

Cyclists tend to notice all sorts of clues about what the wind is doing such as the direction that flags and landscaping flags are blowing or the way debris is blowing across the freeway (or into my face!). This American flag told me what I already knew: I was cycling directly against the wind:

For the first time on this trip, I observed that my heart rate was trending much lower while cycling. And my cadence (pedal revolutions per minute) was trending higher. This means that I was getting fitter: able to go faster and farther with less exertion. My bike computer displays a recovery time at the end of each day’s ride.  That time was also trending much lower.

Cycling into the wind, I didn’t experience what is referred to as a second wind. That’s where I achieve an unexpected burst of energy and power and associated emotional high well into a ride. But today I had plenty of strength and power to spare.

Google maps tried to route me through Dickinson State Park. As I approached the entrance gate, two rangers asked me about my destination. They informed me that I was headed to a dead end after about five miles.  I thanked them profusely for saving me from needlessly cycling 10 miles.

As I entered Monroe County, I experienced miles of low rolling hills. I was able to power through them with relative ease.

While remaining vigilant, I couldn’t help but chronicle the debris I saw in the road medians: cooler tops, shredded tires, road kill, nails and bolts of all sizes, and lots of sand and rocks. I dodged as much as I could.

I continued to enjoy the wildlife: cranes, turtles, cranes, and a few iguanas.

As I passed through one town, I observed a gentleman on a 3-wheeled adult bicycle. He must have been in his mid-80s. He peddled steadily and had a look of resolve on his face.  I wondered whether that could be me in 10-15 years time. Hope so!

When I crossed the Loxahatchee River in Jupiter, FL, I saw Jupiter Lighthouse in the distance:

I also noticed the line of dark clouds well to the north of me, an indication of changing weather.  I arrived in Fort Pierce in advance of the expected rain.  My hotel was nice enough but it was located in what can best be described as a city dead zone–everything around it was shuttered except for a Mexican restaurant next door.  That place served great food at a great price!

I spent time reviewing the weather forecast, especially the expected cold front.  And I booked a hotel in Melbourne for the following day.

Tally for the day: 48 miles

Today I woke up feeling like a million bucks! As expected, my body is adjusting to bicycle touring again.

I booked a room in North Palm Beach. I checked the weather, noting a very cold and blustery forecast in the coming days.

I departed before the hotel became active. I reversed the process of getting my bike and panniers down to the hotel entrance–this time with no challenges.

As I rode through the city, I passed through Hialeah and Little Haiti.  The vibe of these neighborhoods reminded me of my own while growing up in Washington, DC.  Customs are similar where passersby are expected to acknowledge others. I frequently smiled, waved, or said “Hey, how’s it going?” and received similar responses.

Google maps routed me on a more direct journey on state roads with decent bike lanes. My legs were very strong and virtually pain free. The winds were not a big factor.

I didn’t stop much during my 80+ mile journey.  But I did take note of this prominent feature on the horizon as I got close to Hollywood, Florida.  It’s the guitar-shaped Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.  I had seen it advertised on television.  But seeing it in person is a sight to behold.

When I arrived at my hotel, I had plenty of energy. I did laundry and ordered Chicken Parmesan with spaghetti for delivery. This meal from Viva Italian Pizza was superb! And I had leftovers (I ate them for breakfast the next morning).  I mapped out the remainder of my Phase One stops, making adjustments for anticipated weather.

Tally for the day: 87 miles