Friday October 29

Rode to Hertford - 32 mi.
Beautiful easy ride today through soybean, cotton and forest land.  Cooler weather is helping me transition to the north east coast.
The ride has been so entirely flat, it is pretty amazing and certainly not what I'm used to.

Shuttled the 60 miles back to Norfolk.  Leave for Boston in the a.m. to meet David.  Probably won't be adding any more posts to this blog until my next interesting riding adventure.
 
Better photographer's give a good idea of what we saw.
Jeanie's pics


http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v289/pondfan/Bike%20Trip%20to%20the%20Outer%20Banks/?albumview=slideshow&track=share_email_album_view_click

Bridget's pics:  Requires free registration with Snapfish
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Thursday October 28

From Ocracoke to Bath - 52 miles  with shuttle to Edenton, NC

We are staying at two large old homes in the center of Edenton North Carolina...this is the true old south.  I'm staying at Captain's Quarters Inn.

 Our day started with a ferry ride from Ocracoke to Swan Valley a 2 hour  40 minute journey, with our guides providing us with a breakfast on the ferry.

 

Our ride today was through agricultural land, cotton, sweet potatoes, corn and soy beans.  They leave the corn and soybeans in the fields to dry before harvesting.  The corn is either fuel or animal feed. 

 

 It poured rain as we approached lunch in (?) at the Chamber of Commerce.  True southern hospitality providing us with a room and bottled water advertising the town. 

View of the North Carolina waterway from the highest bridge we crossed today. 

 

It is totally straight out to the sound

The rain was like being in a shower since it was in the high 70s.  So wet, but not cold we continued the last miles in the afternoon to Bath.  There was a bridge out that forced us to do 10 more miles than planned and didn't leave any time for exploring Bath, the oldest city in North Carolina established in 1705.

Wednesday October 27

Layover day in Ocracoke Village on Silver Lake which is the only wide spot on Ocracoke Island

Tootled around the village on every rideable road and totaled 8 miles.  Started itching everywhere and realized I was being eaten by mosquitoes.  They seem to love me and it reminds me how fortunate I am to live where mosquitoes are rare.

This island is pretty isolated with supplies arriving on the  ferry's schedule.  No one seems to grow gardens. One community grocery,  like a mini-mart.,  The only natural resource I suspect is fish. Definitely a tourist destination. The weather is hot(81 degrees) and (steam bath) humid today.

Pelican on a post in Silver Lake (its really a bay off Pamlico Sound)

Tuesday October 26

From The Inn at Pamlco Shores to Ocracoke (Ocra-coke) Village:-24 miles

10 miles to the ferry.  45 minute ferry ride, then 13 more miles to our destination. We saw pelicans skimming the water and dolphins  playfully  keeping up with us on the ferry.

You would think that 24 miles would make this an easy day, but the headwind was continuous at 20 miles/hour.  at least that is what if felt like and it was a constant strain to ride only 10 mph.  I  pushed myself to do 13 mph the last 5 miles to just get it done. I was glad to get here and shower off the layer of sand I had sticking to every exposed inch.  I'm in a second rate hotel next to the very luxurious place everyone else is at.  There are 5 of us here including the guides.  Didn't have enough places at the other, Captain's Landing.
This quaint village is a destination rather than a thorough fare as so much of the outer banks seems to be.  We are here at just the right time, since from everything I'm reading it can be bumper to bumper at other times of the year.

Talked to the fishermen (and it is all men) here for a week, most of them.  Catching red fish as they call it locally.  They set up there poles on the beach in PVC pipes and carry them on their pickups in these funny contraptions on the front bumper.  Might be unique to this area.
Saw lots of Kite boarders or Wind surfers also.

Click on the picture to see the larger view.

Monday October 25

From Manteo to Buxton, NC on the Outer Banks of North Carolina 61 miles

This ride felt more like 100.  We fought a headwind the whole ride.  And the traffic was constant.  When you take away those to things it was a beautiful day for riding.  Traveled down the Oregon Inlet, formed in a hurricane of 1846 and named for a ship that survived the storm, to Pea Island then to Hatteras.  These islands change and shift yearly with the constant battering from storms.  Manmade sand dunes have been built up on the Atlantic side of the road to protect the road and minimize erosion, but the islands continue to shift forcing the relocation of buildings and lighthouses over the years.  The coast guard station at the south end of Bodie Island has been rebuilt 3-4 times in the last 150 years.  About 10 years ago the Hatteras Light house was moved inland, an engineering feat that all the locals mention.

This trip is about lighthouses and fishermen with PVC pipe on their pickups to hold their fishing poles and Wind surfers. 

We are staying at the top of the line quaint inns on this trip and eating gourmet food.  Tonight we are at the Inn at Pamlico Sound.  The innkeeper delivered our luggage to the rooms personally, then gave a talk about the rooms and the services of the inn.  I've had a jacuzzi (apparently in each room) and am ready for dinner, etc.  The innkeeper has a 14 seat tv studio for watching movies and TV, etc, but since it is Monday night and he chooses Monday night football, so I'll skip it.  Too tired anyway.

Sunday October 24

From Corolla to Manteo -- 58 miles

 I did 18 extra miles and started by bicycling north to the lighthouse.  I wanted to get back in time to ride with the group so didn't ride to the end of the road, which may have been a couple more miles beyond where I turned around.

I'm having an extension of summer, the temp is in the 70s and expected to get hotter as the week goes on.     My summer started this year in March with my Southern Tour trip...I see why people enjoy the warmer climates.
Stopped at Kitty Hawk to pay my respects to the Wright Bros.  When a reproduction of their flying machine tried the same flight  in 2003 on Dec 17,  to celebrate the 100 year anniversary.  They were not successfull.  Seems like the Wright brothers had a lot of luck with them.

Visited Lost Colony and Fort Raleigh National Park.
Staying at the Tranquil House Inn.

This is Dare county with lots of the streets named for the colonists who came here on England's first attempt to colonize in 1587.

Did and out and back to visit the National Monument to the Lost Colony of Roanoke.  The latest theory is that the 150 colonists that England sent here and survived by assimilating into the native tribes in the area.  There was a great guide at the info center who gave us an informative impromptu lecture when I started asking her questions.

My entree at dinner.

October 23 shuttle to Corolla, NC

WomanTours shuttle from Norfolk to Corollo, NC

me...click to see a larger view if you dare!

Van picked us up at 11:30 then to the airport, (tiny airport) and to the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  Met everyone.  Put my bike (Its a Bike Friday) together.  These guides are very accommodating.  They kindly let me put my bike suitcase in the van trailer for the week.  So I only need to lug my small bag with clothes.  Had a gourmet meal at the Acqua Restaurant in Duck.  Yes that is the name of the town.  The area we are staying has rows and rows of houses, huge houses that much cost $400-600 a night.  That is my guess.  They are all rentals, not sure who the owners are, but I can guess that they are investments for people who rarely use the places themselves.  Amazing bright red sunset over the sound and the eastern shore of North Carolina.

Orientation/Map Meeting with guide Laurie

On my way to Washington DC

We are traveling through deciduous forests along a river.  The leaves are just beginning to change, its a late fall here. Everything looks old and wll established, lots of history here.  This is coal mining country.  Highest elevation is 3000 feet, its called a mountain, but its really just a hill.

On another trip

When I was assigned to seat 13 leaving Portland, I wondered if this was a sign.  Upon arrival in Seattle I began hiaring snippets of converstions about bus rides out of Seattle do to a derailment.  How they all knew and I didn't was beyond me.  So I asked about a meal on the bus and was told in typical Amtrak fashion there would be none.  Station agents are typically unhelpful and Seattle's station is a pretty grim place, not well maintained with no services nearby and vending machines that have $3 prices for drinks.
Breakfast: oatmeal with brown sugar, grapefruit and orange juice.
Shelby, MT
Engineers changed here and apparently live in this town.  Walked to refresh.

Lunch:  Spinach salad, roll and apple pie(whew didn't need that addition)  Sat and talked to a couple from Michigan or families and lack of access to the lake...compared to Oregon's public beaches.

Havre, MT
As we travel through the big sky country of Montana the sky is partly cloudy and the temperature is unseasonably warm.  Was able to get out and walk along the train at this stop.  "you can have her" is the quote that named this agricultural town in the Montana plains.

Attendant Patrick provided me with some complimentary hand lotion that is badly needed since everything is so dry in here.

Winona MI
4 hours late, but it isn't Amtrak's fault.  We are traveling on tracks owned by the freight companies so they get priority. In this case the derailment causes a huge mess for the whole system.  Hopefully my connecting train will wait, since there are 40 of us on this train making the connection and then all the others going in other directions.  They are just announcing that they are making accommodations for all of us, bus, or overnight.  Hopefully bus or the real connection for me, since I stupidly guaranteed the hotel in DC and will pay for it regardless.

Where am I headed?  Just have to check back to see, huh!

How can I tell I'm no longer on the tour...

• I'll have to fix my own dinner
• I won't get an after dinner cue sheet
• Chamois and butter will not be used in the same sentence
• "SAGing" will be considered an offensive remark
• Won't have to stand in line to do my wash
• I won't have to eat another peanut butter and jam sandwich or tofu
• Won't eat dinner with the plate on my lap sitting in a plastic chair
• Won't have pockets in the back of my shirt to put stuff
• There won't be a suitcase on my bed
• I'll have to think about what to wear everyday
• It will be considered strange if I pee in the bushes
• No one around me will be drinking "low-class redneck pink shit" ( the cheap wine some drank on this trip and was nick named by the rider from Florida )
• I won't wake up at 6 a.m everyday regardless of the time zone
• I'll sleep in my own bed at night with the person I love

April 29

From Palatka to St. Augustine Florida  (more pictures, soon)
 43.6 miles

We reached St. Augustine escorted by 3 police cars and a motorcycle with their sirens blaring.  Such fun.  We rode 2 by two going through red lights protected by the police escort as we arrived in St. Augustine.  Traffic was our primary audience for this parade.  We waved and cheered.  What a special fun way to arrive.  We were greeted by various friends and some surprises.  Three of Sue's children were there to greet her.

I had the honor of being greeted by Nonny a friend of my long-time friend Eileen. 

Even though I didn't know her, she took the day off from work, to come by to greet me.  She was so generous and it was a special treat to meet her.  We dipped our bikes in the Atlantic, took pictures and had a picnic lunch. 

We have packed up our bikes or readied them for transport. We are now settled into our hotel for the last night.  This evening we will have a private banquet to say our final good-byes.  In the morning we will be transported to the airport and in my case to the Amtrak station.  I'll have a chance to walk around Washington DC and Chicago on my trip home.  I'll have some "decompression" time and I'll be home on Tuesday morning at 10ish...depending on the train's schedule, of course.

I haven't really had a chance to absorb what this trip has meant to me.  It is all a bit of a haze at the moment. 

I appreciate everyone's notes of support and comments.  It made my trip even more special.

April 28

From High Springs to Palatka, Florida
74 miles

Easy ride today since it was in the 70s and there was a bit of a tailwind.  Rode with Mike, Rita and Alayne.  Whoever arrives first gets to unload the luggage from the trailer.  Mike is often the one who does that. 

Bridge into Palatka

Since we arrived by 1:00 pm it almost seems like a day off.  The road was good until Hwy 100 when has a terrible shoulder with rumble strips intermittently placed and pavement all over the place, so riding in the lane is the only option for some of the ride and Hwy 100 is a busy highway.  The women I ride with are safe riders that move over when needed and are always aware of the traffic coming. They don't antagonize the drivers.  They all have rearview mirrors. They have a bell system to warn of big trucks coming from behind and I have a big mirror so I often call out "truck back" when attention is needed.  We ride in single file and debris is hard to see so the front riders warn the back riders of large pieces of debris on the right or left so that they can be avoided. Typical signals for group rides.  None of them has had a flat tire on the road during this entire trip.

Now that I'm almost done this whole thing is seeming a bit unreal.  I've been thinking about what it will be like to return home and whether my riding abilities have changed.  Am I stronger? Have I learned more about bicycling.   It is good that I've kept this record since it all is a bit of a blur. 

April 27

From Perry to High Springs, Florida
76.5 miles
Avg: 15 mph

2 more rides and we will reach the Atlantic Ocean.  Riding is Florida is a pleasant experience.  The roads are good with wide shoulders and bike lanes. Florida is very green...they don't lack for water, especially in this part of the state.  Rita noticed very few irrigation systems in place...either because they don't need water or because it is Spring.   High Springs is known for cave diving...people love coming here to search through the underground cave system.

:"Way down upon the Suwanee River"...

I ate lunch at a retro restaurant called Fleetwood.  Had Hippy hash (hashbrowns with veggies and tempeh).


Since I'm riding the train, I'll be home next Tuesday at 10:00 (depending on if the train is on time, of course).  I'll be very happy to be home.

April 26

From Wakulla Springs near Crawfordville to Perry Florida
51.2 miles
15.7 avg.
 Roadkill: Armadillo and birds (looked like hawks) 

I'm not really obsessed with roadkill...it is just what I see when we are riding along.  We also saw an alligator by  a stream that we crossed over.  It was just sitting there sunning him/herself by the edge of the murky stream.  We didn't stop.  When riding with Rita, Mike and Alayne, it is all about getting there.  Today we stopped every 20 miles at the SAG and at the end at an Italian Restaurant.  Several women came up and talked to us about what we were doing.  Most are impressed, but we always encourage those who ask, to consider riding for themselves.  Riding a bicycle is very do-able for most women. Having a properly fitted bicycle makes all the difference, I can attest to that, since having mine refit in that Phoenix bike shop made everything possible.  I would have been pretty miserable had it not been fitted correctly.

Today's ride was (I get to use the "F" word) flat, flat, flat and the road was perfect with a shoulder the whole way.  There was even a tailwind, so I can't give myself much credit for the increased average.  I was also drafting behind Rita the whole time, too.  Felt just like Lance...with his support team!!!

April 25

Wakulla Springs State Park - Florida
Rest Day
Where they filmed "The Creature from the Black Lagoon" and several Tarzan movies and Airplane '77
Looks exactly like it did when it was opened as a resort in 1934.

April 24

From Quincy to Wakulla Springs Florida
40 miles

Our half page cue cheet was a delight.  Get onto SR 267 and stay there.

Short ride today.  We all came in a hurry to avoid threatened thunder and rain storm...which hasn't happened yet.  We got a few sprinkles as we rode, which actually felt very good on this 80 degree, over 70% humidity day. Thankfully there was a headwind that kept us cool. The pine forest we rode through added some oxygen to the air.

Ochlockonee River

At home a 40 mile ride was a big day...not anymore.  That is a short day leaving lots of time for other activities.

We are staying at Wakulla Springs State Park Lodge.  It looks like we hanve gone back to the 1940s.  I can just picture women walking around the grounds of this estate with their parasols.  Our room is huge with a big bathroom and closet for trunks to be stored for week long stays (I would guess).
This property sits on an archeological dig and a series of limestone caves multi-stories deep.  I'll find out more over our rest day here.

I may go for a walk and look for the birds listed in a brochure I found at the desk or ride the glass bottom boat tour of the lake.

Tomorrow is a rest day and then 4 more days of riding, the Amtrak to Washington DC and Chicago then home.

April 23

Marianna to Quincy Florida
 54  mi

The rides through Florida and becoming pretty routine.  We ride occasionally on US 90 (which parallels I10) but mostly on side roads the criss-cross it.  The roads are good with no shoulder, but very little traffic.  Florida has the 3-foot rule that means cars need to leave 3 feet when they pass a bike.  So far the drivers in Florida have been very polite and have given us that 3 feet.  They do drive past us at top speed, but usually only when there isn't anyone in the oncoming lane.
The heat gets to me sometimes.  This 80 plus degree weather with high humidity zaps all the energy, like August in Portland.

Tomorrow we ride to Wakulla Springs for our last day of rest.  Then 4 days into St. Augustine. I'm getting very anxious to be done and yet I'm also enjoying these last few days of riding, even though they have no significant "geographic features".

BTW:  when we crossed the bridge into Chattahoochee we entered the eastern time zone.  Last state, last time zone.

April 22

From Crestview to Marianna, Florida
91.8 mi
14.1 avg

90 miles on the 90 in 90 degrees.
temp wasn't really that bad, but was 85 when I arrived. Stayed on US 90 the whole way.  I 10 has pretty much taken all the truck traffic, so its a less used route.   It has a wide shouder and so far Florida is a bike friendly state.  Saw several "share the road" signs which is a refreshing change.  Alabama was the first state where we started seeing those signs...none in the entire trip across Texas, Arizona or New Mexico.

No pictures today.  Just wanted to be sure that I could finish the ride before it got too hot. Felt good and energetic the whole ride.  Really amazed myself.  I ate my almond butter and jam sandwich by 10:00 a.m.  Instant oatmeal and banana breakfast doesn't last me very long.  As a treat I bought some Almond butter to share with everyone.  I'm pretty sick of peanut butter and I never eat  peanut butter sandwiches anyway.  The tour company usually provides  only Skippy peanut butter so I begged for just plain peanut butter (just peanuts) and fortunately Linda the cook bought some at Trader Joe's before we left California, so I've been stretching that out.  Most the others don't care, but I certainly don't need the extra stuff they put into Skippy's especially when exercising.

I rode with Rita, Alayne and Mike for 50 miles.  When they stopped for lunch I kept going and did the best average I've ever done for that length a ride.  I just can't eat a big meal in the middle of the ride, like some of the rider's do.  1 or 2 sandwiches and a bag of nuts and raisins and a couple of Lara Bars are as much as I can eat.  Today, I had one sandwich, 3 GU chomps and a couple of Cliff Spots and that was enough calories to keep me going.  I drink water and Gatorade.  Probably too much detail...words in lieu of pictures today.

waiting for dinner (click to see enlarged view)

We saw this roadkill on our way into Wiggins, Mississippi. Karen, my riding companion that day, took these pictures and wonders if any of you know what kind of snake it is?  I told her how good you all are at identifying "creatures".  Comments appreciated...as always.

April 21 Wednesday

From Pensacola to Crestview, Florida
69.1 mi
13.1 avg

More hills today as we left the urban Pensacola with views from the bluff overlooking the gulf.  Part of the ride was on US 90 then on other roads that paralleled it, including a 8 mile bike path similar to Springwater Corridor in Portland. Went through Pace, Milton, Holt, Milligan and finally Crestview.  Ended with the last 14 miles on US 90 with lots of traffic, but a wide shoulder.  It started getting very hot at about 10:00.  Not the most pleasant riding temperature.

Grateful for a comfortable stay at the Hampton Inn with an outside jacuzzi waiting for me...

April 20

From Dauphin Island, Alabama to Pensacola, Florida
71 miles
14.2 avg.

We got here by 1:30 so there is time to relax.

JoAnn Bary and Alyne enjoying the ferry

Caught the 8:00 ferry that crosses Mobile Bay.  What fun!  Went by some natural gas rigs and heard about how they are using the caverns to store compressed gas that is shipped there from China or wherever.  They will store it until the price goes up.  It is the same kind of gas they want to distribute by running a pipe across Oregon that so far has been stopped because of the environmental damage it will cause.

Anyway, the ride was flat after that great roads with bike lanes and little traffic.  We traveled many of our miles next the the white sand of the gulf.  Fort Morgan, Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, past the Naval Air Station and then to Pensacola.  The coast is lined with 20 story condominiums and beach dunes that are no longer available for foot traffic.  They are trying to restore the natural plant life that stabilizes the sand.

We are now in our last state, Florida. We have our last Margarita party tonight before dinner.

The sky is overcast today and we started to feel some raindrops as we finished.  The temperature was in the 70s so it was perfect for riding.

Our hotel is in downtown Pensacola.