I was excited this morning about my ride to Wilmington.  Wind was forecast to be unhelpful but I felt ready for the challenge.

When I arrived at Elwell Ferry, one of the last 3-cable ferries in North Carolina, I was the only vehicle in the queue.  Vehicles must honk their horn to signal to the ferry operator on the other side.  My bell just didn’t cut it.  Fortunately, a car pulled up shortly afterwards.  I informed the two ladies about the horn protocol and it worked.  We could see someone exit a building on the opposite side of the Cape Fear River to bring the ferry over:

Because I had endured a few consecutive days of long miles, I was pushing the limits on my physical fatigue.  I took opportunities to take occasional breaks, especially at places of workshop like Trinity AME Zion Church:

I also passed a national park:

I fought winds for the final third of my trek before I arrived at home of my USCGC GLACIER shipmate, Bill Kelsey. I deeply appreciate he and Lora for putting me up (and putting up with me!).

Today’s tally: 82 miles

The morning was cool.  I expected headwinds as I began heading east towards Wilmington.

I encountered yet another closed road so I shifted to automobile mode.  While the main roads were reasonably safe, I got tired of “dancing with the big rigs” so I shifted back to the bicycle route after being satisfied that I was well past the closed road.

It was a pleasant ride through farmland and small towns.

The town of Marion had a really nice path:

And I continued to chat with animals along the way. I just wish I had packed some apples to share:

The wind was kinder than expected but gusts picked up as the day wore on.

I arrived at the motel in time to be inspired by the Artemis II launch.

Today’s tally: 82 miles

My legs felt more rested as compared to yesterday morning.  Winds were favorable.

This first picture is from my crossing of Lake Marion on a dedicated pedestrian/bicycling bridge:

I ran across a church with fascinating old-time architecture.  As I took a closer look, I discovered some rich history:

The last picture is some of the many herds of cows.  Cows and horses seem fascinated with touring cyclists.  They stop whatever they are doing and come over to the fence line to say moo or neigh.

I experienced one notable  dog chase, this time as I was climbing a hill.  Without the ability to speed away, I simply talked kindly to the two dogs and they became friendlier.  Nice dogs!

Finally, I encountered a bike trail that was no longer there due to a new industrial development.  The only option I had was to shift my e-map to the car route, which required me to bike through a cemetery.  I’m not a fan of doing this so I said a silent prayer as I passed the gravesites.

Today’s tally: 75 miles

Last night, I caught up with a Coast Guard colleague by phone: Captain Shawn Lansing, who is Commander of Sector Charleston.  Shawn and I cycled together when I was on active duty.  It was great to catch up with him.

After yesterday’s long ride, my legs were still a bit fatigued today.  Fortunately, winds were calmer today until later in the afternoon.  And traffic was very light… for much of the ride I was the only one on the road.  And most of the roads did not have bicycling lanes or medians.

My first challenge today involved unleashed dogs.  I had a trio of dogs pursue me. One large, one medium, and one small.  As I rode on, I talked very nicely to the large dog—a pit bull—and it began wagging its tail.  The medium dog followed suit.  The pocket dog—clearly the alpha of the pack—keep pursuing me but didn’t try to bite.

Later in the ride, a pack of seven or eight dogs came running at me.  Most seemed vicious by nature so I used my command voice to try to keep them off of me.  They surrounded me on both sides but I kept my cool and continued to yell.  After almost a quarter of a mile, I heard a loud pitch emanating from one of the dog’s collars and could hear their owner yelling.  Apparently that was a signal for the dogs to return home to which they reluctantly complied.

Other than dogs, I saw horses, cows, goats, and chickens.  And I snuck up on a few wild turkeys grazing near the medians.

Also, I experienced a few swarms of biting flies.  It’s amazing how they can buzz around me while I’m going along at 15 miles per hour.  I was only bitten once.  Their bite is instantly painful and the welt lasts for several days.  Guess it’s better than getting bit by a dog!

My second challenge was a 3-mile gravel road.  I am always leery on gravel because the sharp edges can puncture a tire. And smaller gravel gets spun in between the tires and the metal fenders, creating a distinctive high pitched pinging sound that so annoying.  And dust covers the bike, which isn’t helpful to the drive train.

Touring cyclists look for signs of upcoming urban development.  Water towers have become my friends:

I couldn’t figure out what these houses were used for.  They were located in the middle of nowhere.  I assume that they’re some type of worker accommodations?

Self portrait:

Today’s tally: 52 miles

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