We left Austin this morning and were almost immediately met with the start of Texas Hill Country.   We've known this day has been coming for a long time, but finally met the reality of it.

A few days ago in Burton TX,  while I was busy trying to patch a tire, Barb and our fellow-cyclist Jake were trying to find out what had happened to the B&B that was closed for business.  They happened onto a few 60-something women antiquers.  When Barb explained that she was riding her loaded bike across country,  one of these woman gave her a very dubious visual inspection.  Not just once over, but twice I'm told.   I only relate this so that you can appreciate how proud I am of how well Barb rode the hills today.  She was simply marvelous.

We did 48 miles of hills today that you have to go to the mountains to duplicate.   We weren't particularly fast, and we stopped several times during a few ascents and even walked a quarter mile of a particularly steep section.  But we made it in good spirits and with some legs left tonight.

I was so thankful that I was able to get my new front derailleur.   It preformed flawlessly as we moved in and out of our granny gears all day.

We're heading into Fredericksburg TX tomorrow with more climbs ahead of us, but nothing quite as steep as we rode today.   It's a bit of a short day, but Barb chipped part of a tooth today on a particularly chewy piece of beef jerky and she has a 4 pm appointment with a dentist tomorrow.  We feel like we're being watched and cared for from on High.

We're in a hotel tonight in Johnson City.   We walked a half mile down the road to a fine Mexican restaurant and will probably ride there tomorrow for breakfast.  Three breakfast tacos for $3.49 and they open at 6:30.

Feel fine and satisfied tonight.

Today was our rest day in Austin.  Well, not really rest, but we didn't ride much.   We slept in until the now-seemingly-decadent hour of 7 am.

After a cup of coffee,  Barb threw a load of laundry in the washer and hung it out to dry.  I started working on my bike.  The front derailleur was an easy change, and I got the saddle switched and coarsely adjusted.  Then replaced the twice patched inner tube and rapidly wearing rear tire with new ones purchased yesterday.

About 11, we headed on bikes to the nearest Verizon store to see about replacing my phone.  I'm pretty sure Verizon employees are diligent and efficient, but it always seems to take longer to get a new phone than you expect.   Still Johnson, the guy helping me, was able to retrieve contacts and data from my old phone (RIP).

Then we headed to a local restaurant recommended by the guys at Verizon, a place called Kerbey Lane.  Barb started us with an order of green fried tomatoes served with a tomato chili sauce, then had a chimichurri steak sandwich,  while I chose the torta Ahogada, a sandwich of pork carnitas served in a bowl of a spicy lime tomato sauce.   Everything was delicious.

We returned to our warmshowers home to find our host just about ready to head to work at a local emergency room.  We said our farewells and he left for work.  I finished up adjusting my new bike saddle and Barb pulled the dry laundry from the line.

Then we both napped for about 90 minutes.  It was a rest day,  afterall.

About 5 pm, we walked down to the Congress Street Bridge to watch the bats of Austin take flight.  Austin is the home to one of the largest urban bat colonies in the US.   About a million bats take refuge in the bridge every day, and take flight foraging for food every evening.  It's difficult to know exactly when the bats will take flight, sometimes a bit before dusk, sometimes a bit after.  Tonight they left rather late and while an impressive spectacle, not much of a photo opportunity.   We watched for about 30 minutes while a flurry of bats could be seen flying near the under-structure of the bridge and then vanishing into the night skies.

Then hunger called and we left the bridge for BBQ at Terry Black's Texas BBQ.   We each had creamed corn that would have left Paula Deen in awe, some BBQ brisket, and smoked sausage.   Again food was delicious.   We need to get back on our bikes.

We're now getting ready to sleep.  An alarm has been set for 6 am, and Texas hill country waits for us tomorrow.

We arrived safely in Austin TX about noon today.  The day started well as the new patch I applied to my rear inner tube was holding air this morning.   We packed bags and ate the complimentary breakfast at the hotel and were on the road before 8.

We were back on TX 71 with its wide shoulders and traffic and a few miles into the ride passed a sign  AUSTIN 24 MILES.  It was hard to believe it was so close.  We rode the first 14 or so, before stopping to get a snack and soda at a McDonald's where we ran into an older gentleman who know quite a lot of the roads in west TX.   He gave us several insights to the various towns we'll soon be passing through, and then left us with a bit of trivia.  The road we'll be riding to the McDonald Observatory is the highest altitude paved road in TX.  Then he wished us well, smiled and was on his way.

The final 10 miles into Austin were pretty uneventful until a we had to make our way through the intersection of TX 71 and US 183. Let's just leave it that we were cautious, very happy it was Sunday and not a weekday, and totally relieved when we exited onto city streets shortly thereafter.  We found a convenience store that had an amazing taco corner and relaxed for a few minutes while we looked at our route to downtown Austin and the REI store.

Bikes are everywhere in Austin and the ride to REI was no more stressful than riding in downtown Sioux City Iowa.  We missed the REI store by a block, but a quick sidewalk consultation with a   couple guys, and we were soon inside REI.

My derailleur had arrived, and I picked up 3 new inner tubes,   a new bike saddle, a new back tire, and a new pair of sandals.   Barb got 2 new inner tubes.  Trust me I needed everything I purchased.  This wasn't just a spree.  I think Barb was most amazed that I got it all packed or strapped on my bike and was able to still ride comfortably.

While we were at REI, a warmshowers host whom we had contacted the night before called to say he would be happy to let us stay, and that he was only a 10 minute ride from the store.

So we packed up, grabbed a quick soda at the nearby Whole Foods while we double checked directions and arrived at Evan Minard's home.

Evan's home is filled with several nice bikes.  One for every purpose,  and a spare.  He's an ER doctor at a local hospital and seems to be living a full life.  So he's given us a key for the front door and has left us with everything we need and has gone on with his life.

We surfed the Internet and found a well-reviewed sports bar, the Black Sheep Lodge, not too far from Evan's home.  A 15 minute walk through a pleasant neighborhood brought us to a busy place with fans watching Sunday football.  We each had a  burger and fries, and I indulged in a piece of blackberry pie with ice cream for dessert.

We're back at our host's home and ready to sleep, knowing that no alarm has been set for the morning.  Sweet.

Bike repairs, laundry, phones, BBQ,  and bats on the agenda for tmw.

Starting my post later than normal tonight.  We're in a hotel room in Bastrop TX,  about 30 miles east of Austin.

The day started normally enough.  We were up at 6, and by 7 had packed bags and rolled our bikes over to the Burton Cafe.  We'd heard reports of a fine breakfast to be had.  The German owners didn't disappoint. We each had 2 eggs, homemade sausage, real potato pancakes, and homemade applesauce.   Well, actually I had 3 eggs, but who's counting.  We only regretted not having room for apple strudel, that had been prepared sometime while we were slumbering at the depot.

That's when the day got interesting.  On the way out of town, my bike felt odd, and I looked down to see a sadly low back tire.  One of the patches that I had applied the day before clearly was slowly leaking.   So I pulled the pump out of my panniers,  and topped off the tire, trying to assure myself that the extra pressure might help seal the patch. False hope that I've never seen work before, but that I repeat each time this situation arises.

It didn't work this time either, but by the time that was clear we had other issues.  Semi-annually 10,000 avid shoppers and antique dealers descend on the small Texas town of Round Top (pop 90) for just over two weeks to buy and sell, and look.  Our route took us through the thick of the ensuing traffic snarl on fifteen miles of essentially shoulderless two lane roads.   We stopped momentarily in Round Top to again pump up my tire, and then plugged onot through the traffic.

We finally got past then traffic and reached La Grange where we stopped for a break and to again attend to my tire.  While we were sitting looking at maps, our late-rising, but faster riding companion Jake overtook us again and joined us at our table.

Barb went to look for the ladies room, and was stopped by a local cyclist who wondered where we were heading.  He strongly discouraged us following the twisting back country road Adventure Cycling had routed, and instead suggested we stay on the wide shoulders of Texas SR 71 all the way into Austin.

After the traffic of the morning we decided to heed his advice and were soon back on our way.  Jake was hoping to catch a relative in Austin for a few days and after a few miles together he said farewell and sped off down the road ahead of us.

Barb and I arrived in Bastrop midafternoon, after several more stops to refill my tire and to refuel ourselves.

We took the recommendation of the woman at the hotel desk and had a wonderful dinner at a Mexican restaurant. We've since retired to our room and I repatched my leaking tire.

We'll be heading to Austin tomorrow and will probably spend Monday there as well to rest and take care of bikes.

We never really know what to expect around the next corner of our tour route.

Yesterday,  a few miles from Susan Butler's home we spotted a dead corally snake along the road, and ten miles later nearly ran over a rather large, dead rattlesnake.   I tend to try to ignore these sightings, but today we saw another dead rattlesnake on the roadside.  So it's getting to be difficult to deny the existence of such creatures in the ditches we're riding along.

But today after a rather tense crossing of the Brazos River, Barb chanced onto a find that may be of some comfort.  The bridge over the Brazos is quite long, perhaps a half mile or so, and the otherwise wide shoulders of the road disappear entirely, leaving us sharing the road with 70 mph traffic. We try to watch for breaks in the traffic behind us, but at our 12-13 mph pace, gaps close in no time.  Today we were caught by a pair of 20-something young ladies who Barb tried to hold back from passing us into oncoming traffic, but what resulted was lots of honking and gesticulations for us to get off the bridge.  Exactly where wasn't at all clear, and the underdeveloped prefrontal lobes of the drivers wasn't helping the situation.  Lord, deliver me safe across the Jordan.

Not a half a mile up the road Barb spotted a discarded horseshoe in the shoulder and decided that picking it up for good luck couldn't hurt.   So it's now tucked neatly under a bungy strap on her rear rack.  Normally I don't take much stock in such things, but since she's picked it up,  I've had two flats and she's been riding hills with grace and confidence.  And there are those nasty surprises still lurking in the ditches.

Since leaving the Checkpoint Lodging,  we have left the forested hillsides and have now been rolling through pastures of grazing cattle and horses, and occasionally even some exotic games on specially fence preserves.  The cattle in particular have been called out to at almost every available opportunity,  so when we passed this restaurant sign a photo opp was mandatory.

Shortly after fixing my first post-horseshoe flat, we heard a call behind us, and Jake the young man from Pensacola who's riding cross-country rejoined us.  He'd spent a few days in Louisiana with his folks, and has been slowly gaining on us.

We rode the last of our 61 miles into Burton together, and had expected to lodge at a B&B in town.  We stopped at the first restaurant we came to, and asked if the B&B was open.  Assured it was, we sat down and ate supper.  When we finished,  we came out to find my tire slowly going flat,  so we pedaled the few blocks to the B&B to get a room for the night and fix a flat.   To our chagrin, there was a for sale sign on the property and all lights were off.  A few ladies at the antique shop next door said they knew it had recently changed hands and was not open. We were directed to a nearby florist shop and told that Heidi,  the owner knew everything in Burton and could probably help up.  The shop was closed, but a call to a cell phone listing put us through to Heidi.

As a result,  we're camped under the roof of an old train depot the serves as the town park.  We have restrooms, electricity,  and running water. 

Barb's already asleep,  and I soon will be.  It's been a day of unexpected surprises that has ended with us comfortably situated through the kindness and hospitality of strangers.  Touring is amazing. 

A few days ago, the hard peddling Danish cyclist Soren had told us that if we stayed in Richards TX, we should stop at the Checkpoint.  So that is where we are tonight, and it's another recommendation that was right on target.

The Checkpoint is a wonderful camping spot owned and operated by Erie and Doris Bazan.  He's retired military who met and married Doris during his twenty year stay in Germany.  She's German but had a strong desire to come to the US and live on a ranch and work with animals.  So they began working on a piece of land outside Richards TX and over the past twenty years have forged it into The Mexican Hill Ranch.  They both are really hard working folks, who enjoy friends and family and the cyclists who have become a regular part of their lives.

We are camped on the covered porch of one of several outbuildings they've built or modified in the past five years, since a couple of touring cyclists were directed to their place looking for a night's lodging.   They really just had a guest house that they used for friends and family, but could hardly turn the cyclists away.  And so began a relationship that has blossomed to include a few commercial tours each year, Adventure Cycling's tour leader training each spring, and many  visits from cyclists on the Southern Tiers route each year.

The facilities are spotless and the hosts have enchanted us with wonderful stories about how the started, built, modified, and entertained family and friends here.

We left Susan Butler's home this morning about 7, and almost immediately started getting Texas geography lessons.  "Texas is not flat."  Fortunately the worst hills of the day were in the first five miles, but rolling terrain was the theme of the days route.

We ate a scant breakfast in Coldspring and then made our way to New Waverly, where Susan had recommended the Taco Corner for breakfast tacos, if we could wait that long.  Barb and I pushed the first 30 miles pretty steadily and reached New Waverly about 10:30.  Our efforts were rewarded with soft shell tacos piled full of eggs and chorizo,  shredded cheese, pico de gallo, and topped with red or green salsa at $1.59 each.  Fantastic!

Leaving New Waverly,  we soon spent much of the remaining day riding through the beauty of the Sam Houston National Forest.  The hills had lessened to be long slopes across ridges bordered by pine forest.  The riding seemed easy as we rolled through close to 20 miles of forest with light traffic.

Outside the western border of the forest, the portico of another Baptist church provided us with a shady place to rest for 15 minutes before riding the last 7 miles into Richards.  We grabbed a quick early supper of a generously made deli sandwich, and purchased a few snacks for this evening,  and then made our way to the Checkpoint.

Tonight as we ready ourselves for bed we're being serenaded by the lowing of cattle, the yips of coyotes protesting a passing train, and just a few muffled cries of a one year old baby who's visiting the ranch for the first time with his German parents, good friends of our hosts.

On a bicycle tour you can never be sure of what's around the next corner.

Sunrise at Checkpoint Lodging

Warmshowers.org is a wonderful organization.  Tonight we are outside Coldspring TX,  being hosted by Susan Butter on her wooded 17 acres, in a home that she and her husband built.

Warmshowers.org is an online service that connects touring cyclists with hosts throughout the world who are willing to provide a range of accommodations.  Barb and I are both hosts and users of the service.  When we knew this trip was likely, we scouted for hosts in small towns on our route and have a list that we check daily to see if we'll be in range of these always interesting hospitable people.  It's been a treat each time we've stayed with someone.

It was another beautiful day for riding.   Temperatures were hovering around 60 degrees when we hit the road about 7:15, and never climbed above 85.  The roadside ditches were full of blossoming wildflowers and a wide variety of butterflies they attracted. Most of the day we rode through mixtures of fragrant pine and hardwood forests.   I've never been in southeastern Texas before,  and the landscape far exceeded my expectations of flooded lowlands.

Our route maps warned of narrow roads and busy traffic, b u t it seems to have been a matter of perception.   Most of the major roads in Texas seem to have 8 foot or wider shoulders,  so by that standard the 2 foot shoulders we rode on most of the day were narrow.  But there was always room for the logging trucks and semi-trailers that were with us much of the day to get by without being too threatening.

We took a morning break at a convenience store in Honey Island, and a second morning stop at Rye where the women clerks related some of their families' history in the Big Thicket.

Lunch was an unexpected treat as we happened on a newly opened Texas BBQ diner, where we both enjoyed beef brisket sandwiches.

 When we reached Sheperd, we were running ahead of schedule for our 4:30 arrival at Susan's home.  So after grabbing a soda at a local store, we sought out a park and relaxed in the shade of tall pines on a couple of picnic tables for an hour before starting the last 10 miles of the day.

Those last miles were perhaps the best of the day.  The lightly traveled road took us through rolling countryside south of Lake Livingston.  We even spotted a pair of bald eagles soaring through the pines.

A glorious day for riding, then basking in Susan's hospitality. Life is fine.

Sunrise at Checkpoint Lodging

As in golf, some days on tour you need to lay up short to make the easiest and safest play.  That's pretty much what today was.

From Kirbyville,  Kountze TX was only 40 miles.  Beyond Kountze,  however, it's another 45 or 50 miles with no listed lodging, camping, or towns of any size.  So today we rode only 40 miles, aided by a very pleasant tailwind and cool temperatures.   When we got on the road this morning, it was only 61 degrees outside, perhaps a bit cool for simply sitting around, but nearly ideal for cycling.

The only thing that delayed our departure, was the discovery that my front derailleur wasn't just sticky from being outside in the dew.  The spring which causes the derailleur to move the chain onto smaller chain rings as tension on the cable is released has broken.  It hasn't really mattered to much, while we're in gentle terrain, but will be a real aggravation when we get west of Austin TX.  Fortunately, a few emails and phone calls have assured me of a new derailleur waiting in Austin.

We dallied through our rest stop in Buna, talking football, local roads, and drivers with a few folks at a convenience store,  and Barb picked up a Texas road map.  There was no welcome center on our route into Texas and it's been helpful to have a map so we can see a bigger picture of where we are, besides the snippets that the Adventure Cycling maplets show.

From our rest stop we rode straight to Silsbee TX for lunch, not even bothering to stop at the small town of Evadale -- something that would have been unthinkable had the temperatures been in the 90's.   We did some additional shopping for toiletries after lunch and then leisurely rode the last 10 miles into Kountze.   We were checked into our hotel room before 1 pm.

A load of bathtub laundry is drying on the hotel pool deck, we've arranged to stay with a warmshower.org host tomorrow in Coldspring TX, and Barb is snoozing before supper.

All in all,  we're well, safe, and happy.  Sometimes laying up is the right thing to do.

Staying at churches turns out to be a very fine experience.  Tonight we have been hosted by the Kirbyville Methodist Church here in Kirbyville TX.

We slept well at the Back Bow RV park, so much so that it was almost 6:45 this morning when we stirred.  There was heavy dew on everything this morning as the skies had remained clear and we were not under a canopy.  So the tent's were packed dripping wet and by about 7:45 we were back out on the road for the 5 mile ride into Deridder.   We rode into the town center, seeking a local restaurant for breakfast.   Initially we rode by Daylight Donuts, hoping for something more that a sugary treat, but a woman trimming hedges nearby assured us that they served breakfast sandwiches, so in we went.  I was in line first and got a breakfast biscuit, but noticed that the donuts did look good.  So I treated myself to a simple glazed cake donut, hoping that Barb would let my simple indulgence slide with out comment.  When she joined me at the table she, too, had gotten a biscuit, but there in that second sack was an apple fritter the size of my fist.  Shoulda, coulda, woulda.

We were about 5 miles west of Deridder when the first west-bound touring cyclist appeared as we both crested a long rise.  Soren, a Danish cyclist,  crossed the road to greet us.  Soren started in San Diego shortly after we left St. Augustine,  but has been tearing across the country in huge chunks.  His original plan was to ride coast-to-coast in 25 days, and meet his Danish girlfriend who was flying into Orlando.  But his bike was delayed a day in airline baggage so he only has 24 days to complete his ride.   He'd ridden 150 miles yesterday and was trying to do another 150 today,  but was facing a pretty brisk headwind.  He didn't have much time to exchange anything but pleasantries and a quick photo and he was back on the road, head down and cranking.

We, on the other hand, continued a pleasant tailwind-aided ride with a quick break at the next convenience store, and then stopped at Stu's Grill in Merryville LA for a lunch of burgers and chatting with the locals.  We even ran into a North Carolina State grad in forestry who had just relocated to LA in the last three weeks.

Shortly after leaving Merryville,  we crossed the Sabine River and were at last in Texas.  We stopped shortly for photos, but fire ants were there to greet us and soon we were back on our bikes.

During lunch, Barb made contact with the Kirbyville Methodist Church, who have announced lodging for touring cyclists in the Adventure Cycling maps.  "Yes, they would be happy to host us. What time would we be arriving?"  We suggested about 2, but with an abundance of lunch at Stu's, and a later afternoon stop to cool off in the shade on a bench in an old school, we didn't make it to Kirbyville until 2:30.

We were greeted at the church by the minister Bart, who showed us the church facilities which included a beautiful shower, towels, and a room to sleep in.  We assured him that cots were not necessary and that we'd be fine on our sleeping mats and the floor.   Bart left us to attend to his duties and we turned our attention to hanging wet tent's out to dry, showering and doing a load of laundry in the sink.

About  5:00, Jim Strickland arrived to greet us and see how we were doing.  Jim initiated the church's contact with Adventure Cycling, and as a touring cyclist himself appreciates the needs of the road.  He graciously invited us to supper at a nearby café,  and we had a wonderful few hours to talk about previous tours, local Texas history, and what lies ahead of us.

We've returned to the church and are settling down for the evening, grateful for the kindness and hospitality we've been extended.

Tomorrow will probably be another shorter day into Kountze, with a longer day following.

Tonight we're just outside Deridder LA,  camping at the Back Bow RV park. We rode 71 miles today from our hotel room in Ville Platte.

We had intended to leave at the crack of dawn this morning,  but when the 5:30 alarm sounded it was pretty clear that we'd be traveling with wet laundry on  our bikes.  Washing clothes in the tub worked well enough, but we tend to underestimate how effective the spin cycle of modern washing machines are.  We can't come close with our hand wringing or wrapping clothes in a once used bath towel and stepping on them.

Fortunately,  the sympathetic woman working the front desk this morning let us throw things in the dryer of the hotel laundry, so by 7:30 we had eaten the complimentary breakfast, had dry clothes and were on our way.

Leaving Ville Platte,  the roads were good and the air was cool and there wasn't much traffic so we made good time and the 12 miles into Mamou passed quickly.  It looked like the good roads
would continue into Oberlin, but about 4 miles out of town they abruptly changed to some of the worst we've ridden on.  Lots of deep horizontal cracks left our hands numb, our butts sore, and wasn't doing good things for the bikes either.  Then 5 miles latter we crossed into a new parish and the good roads returned for the rest of the day.

In Oberlin, we stopped at Lanendreau's grocery and deli and were treated to some wonderful cured meats, including boudin a Cajun stuffed sausage with rice, spices, and parts of a chicken I normally avoid.   It was delicious.

Leaving Oberlin, we still had more than 30 miles to ride and it wasn't clear how many services would be available in that span.  Many of the services are associated with canoeing on the local rivers and we were told that they were open seasonally. About 14 miles into the stretch we were happy to hear a voice calling for us to get out of the heat and come sit in the shade for a spell.

Danny, the owner of the White Oak canoeing venue had seen us riding up the road and wanted to be sure we felt real Cajun hospitality.  He brought out a few cans of Coke and had us sit down and enchanted us for half an hour of quickly shifting conversation. Danny's business has been canoes for the past several weeks, but hunting season is about to begin and he's set up spots for several RVs in hopes that the visiting hunters will spent weekends. He left us with admonitions of several ' humps ' in the remaining road to Deridder.   We were a bit worried what that would mean, but the humps were no more than gently rolling terrain and didn't hinder our progress.

We next stopped a further 10 miles down the road at the Y convenience store where we seriously started to consider our options for the night. Barb called a few of the local hotels. The Skipper Inn had rooms available for $59.  The Stagecoach Hotel had no vacancies.  Before we booked a room,  we decided to check with the locals.  Good choice.   The clerk at the store said she wouldn't recommend it, and a young customer indicated that they housed a rough crowd. Not wanting to repeat our Bogalusa experience, we asked for suggestions. We were directed to the Back Bow RV park and told that the showers were great. A few phone calls later, we were on our way to the park.

A few miles from the park, we were able to pick up food for supper.   The showers were as promised, and laundry facilities were available for no extra cost.  We're relaxing under the stars and about to sleep.

Tomorrow we'll be in Texas.

We feel pampered tonight in a Best Western hotel in Ville Platte LA.  That is to say if pampered means you've done laundry in the bathtub and your cycling jerseys and shorts are hung on a makeshift clothes line that you need to duck under when you need to use the toilet.

Still we are indoors in the are conditioning, feeling fine after a meal at the Mexican restaurant next door.

We were up this morning at 6 and were mostly packed when we headed inside Maddie's truck stop for breakfast.   There were a trio of ladies inside that the gathered patrons dubbed 'the golden girls'.  They were delightfully interested in our trip and we spent more time than intended chatting with them as we ate fried burritos and sipped coffee.  When we finished eating we returned to the back of the truck stop to complete packing and said goodbye to David Leroy, the Frenchman, who was heading south to complete his loop back to New Orleans. Then we rolled out to a day of riding in sunshine and generally favorable tailwinds.

Our route followed the curves of several rivers and oxbows in the area,  though generally level terrain.

We stopped for lunch in Bunkie where the girls basketball team were collecting donations for their upcoming season.  We donated a few dollars and then posed for photos with several of the girls who couldn't believe what we were doing.

Then the route lead us along the boundary of Chicot State park on a road that twisted under a canopy of trees and finally back to delta farmland as we rolled into Ville Platte.

Ville Platte is a city whose town center has essentially closed as businesses have gradually migrated to the suburban edges of the area.  It's a bit strange to ride through and left me wondering what the future holds for such a town.

We plan to get up early tomorrow and try to make the 74 miles into Deridder LA.  There aren't many options in the 50-60 mile distance so we'll be trying to make time.

Feeling pampered and fine.

Today was the kind of bicycling day that makes cyclists smile.

We started the day with Perry and Lep Templeton,  having coffee and biscuits for breakfast as we continued talking bicycle tours, past and future.  Then Barb, the Frenchman David Leroy and I bid Perry adieu and pushed off into a cool sunshine-filled morning.

The first pleasant surprise of the day was that we didn't need to climb a rather long hill that we coasted down to finish our ride yesterday.   Yeah!  Instead we continued downhill towards the Mississippi River and the James Audubon Bridge.  The bridge was completed in 2010 and replaced the ferry that had previously crossed the river at  St Francisville.   It was an easy climb up the bridge on a roadway with wide shoulders.   The view at the top was spectacular and we were excited to be crossing a kind of geographical landmark.

The second delight of the day was that west of the Mississippi the land is essentially flat.  The rest of the day the largest hills we were climbing were levees and bridges.

And finally, we were blessed with favorable tails winds.  :)

In spite of a rather late departure, we had done 30 miles by 11:00 when we stopped at the Not Your Momma's Cafe in Morganza.  Unfortunately,  the restaurant is being remodeled and quite a few menu items weren't available, but my crawfish pie was delicious as was the Cajun fried chicken.  Barb's club salad with chicken and bacon was great too and she had plenty to share.

We continued the afternoon following small country roads along the levee of the Atchafalaya River.   We stopped briefly to rest at the Royal Oaks Baptist church and ran into Howard, a 68 year old member of the church who was working on a new addition on the back of the church.   He said the church was built over 140 years ago and had been moved several times out of harm's way of the flooding river, the last time in 1939 when only half the church could be saved.  The women of the church thought it high time to update the kitchen and bathrooms.

Not even Barb's second flat tire of the ruined our high spirits and we were back speeding towards supper and camping at Simmesport.

After supper we headed to the New City Park, only to find the promised bathrooms and water supply weren't available.  So we came back to Maddie's, a local truck stop to seek directions.  The owner spotted Barb and I in our bike clothes and guessed immediately what we needed.  Camping behind the truck stopped is free, and showers are $6.  We have availed ourselves of both.

We set up camp under beautiful cloudless skies, so I decided to forgo my rain fly and come into the air conditioning to work on my blog.  It was an error in judgement as 10 minutes  ago a small thunderstorm popped up and I had to run out and get the tent's f fly put on.  Live and learn.

Tomorrow,  we will part ways with David as he continues his loop tour back towards New Orleans and we head west towards Bunker and another warmshower.org host.

We're close to 900 miles into our trip and having a great time.

It was a short day on the road for us today.  After several days of pretty hilly riding, our legs needed a break.  So at breakfast this morning we called Perry and Lep Templeton who offer shelter, food, rest, and unbelievable hospitality to traveling cyclists at their Jackson, LA home.   Perry answered the phone to tell us that we were very welcome to spend the night, and gave us specific directions on roads to take.  It's the first time we've been 'off route', but Perry was very firm in her directions.

Her route put us on LA Hwy 10,  a route with a bit more traffic,  but spacious shoulders.  What a change from the day before!

We still were struggling through some steep short climbs when we stopped at the Red Boots Deli in Clinton for lunch.  The restaurant was staffed by three charming ladies and full of patrons who were friendly and talkative.  Our lunch was delicious and we tarried for a bit over coffee to continue conversing.  By the time we left, we were totally refreshed and seemed to have new legs.

The next 15 miles into our destination in Jackson flew by and soon we arrived to find a cyclist's haven.  The Templetons have built a special area for cyclists that includes a deck under a canopy,  an enclosed outdoor shower, and our own private bathroom.   Perry is a gregarious and amazing woman who up holsters furniture professionally, built and repairs bikes for fun, cooks a mean meal and with her husband Lep have built a beautiful home from lumber salvaged from old buildings.

From the moment we met she's been a flurry of activity, dispensing advice and wisdom ranging from vintage bicycles to the proper way to inflate high end sleeping pads.

Perry and Lep have hosted thousands of touring cyclists over the years, lending a helping hand to those in need and gracious hospitality to all who stop to spend the night here.  It's been a wonderful evening.

We've met another touring cyclist today.  David Leroy is a young Frenchman who is just starting to tour by bike.  He left New Orleans three days ago with the intention of learning to tour so he and his girlfriend can tour Central America later this year.  She already tours, this is his first time. He'll be riding out with us in the morning as we cross the Mississippi River at New Roads.

Not sure where we'll be staying tomorrow,  but we'll be finishing the second of the seven mapsets and starting the third.

We both feel great and any self doubts we may have been carrying are easing as the miles go rolling by.

Hi.  Tonight we're staying in the Hyde Park campgrounds, a step up from last night's lodging, but not a giant step.

Leaving Bogalusa this morning took us on some narrow twisting roads where the hills tended to sneak up on us.  That was compounded by pretty heavy traffic, including numerous logging trucks for the first few miles.  But soon we were directed onto a less busy road that wound through beautiful farms and meadows.

We stopped briefly for snacks at the small town of Springhill where the owner of the convenience store was offering very reasonable prices on everything with an amazing assortment of goods.   He's semi-retired and runs the store as a service to the community and cyclists passing through.

Then we continued our way along mostly pleasant roads into Franklinton for lunch.

Leaving Franklinton,  we returned to roads with no shoulders and heavy traffic.  At one point I was forced off the road by a semi and took a wild ride through the ditch for 50 yards.  Fortunately,  there were no large obstacles in my way and I was able to bring my bike under control without going down.

A mile later we were again diverted onto less used roads for several miles.  We were taking a bit of a break in the shaded lawn of a kind couple, when another rider happened upon us.  Jake is a 21 year old Agronomy student who's been working in western North Carolina and decided to take the fall off to r on the Southern Tiers route.  He's rode with us the rest of the afternoon, or shall I say we followed a half mile in his wake.  Ah the vigor of youth.

We weren't to far from our supper stop when we had an incident with Louisiana's notorious dogs.  A pack of 5 of them came out from a farmhouse and charged across the road at us.  In the confusion that followed Barb and I clipped bikes, but again neither of us went down.  The dogs mostly lost interest as we stopped and we rode away relieved that nothing more serious happened.

Maybe Kekory and Calvin knew something when they so fervently prayed for our safety.  God please watch over us as we travel.

We're camping out tonight and Jake has joined us.  Nothing luxurious, to be sure but comfortable enough for the evening.

We'll be up and continuing in the morning, either to Jackson LA or New Roads where we cross the Mississippi River and finish the 2nd of the seven mapsets.

Good evening.   Tonight finds us in the working class town of Bogalusa LA.

We were greeted this morning to real Mississippi hospitality as the grounds keeper of the Mill Creek RV park came over bearing steaming hot coffee as we were packing bags.  We drank that and a second cup he offered with otherwise pretty meager fare as we were limited to what we had picked up at the convenience store the afternoon before.

Bags packed we wished him well and headed off for a morning of pleasant country back roads with only a few steep short climbs.  The roads weren't particularly wide, but there was very little traffic and clouds leftover from the previous night's storm blocked the sun and helped to keep the temperature down.

About the only accompanying sound was a veritable roar of cicadas in the surrounding trees.  I don't know if the previous night's rain brought them out, but the buzz of mating cicadas was everywhere.

As we approached Poplarville for lunch, we left the woods behind and the hushed quiet was as impressive as the roar we'd been riding through. Lunch was shrimp poboys, fried okra, and coleslaw.

After lunch we returned to even more remote back roads,  as Adventure Cycling says that the direct route from Poplarville to Bogalusa carries heavy traffic and a high percentage of inebriated drivers.  The back roads were great.

We did have to travel the shoulderless main road for 3 miles and both of us were relieved to pass unscathed into Louisiana and their roads with generous, if trash-cluttered, shoulders.

Thunder rolled and rain started falling as we arrived in Bogalusa,  so we ducked into the closest available shelter, a Taco Bell.  The staff was a gregarious bunch who could hardly believe we were riding cross-country and related that there were a couple of guys riding bikes to Boulder CO who had stopped in yesterday.  Indeed, Neil and Pete who we shared the ferry ride and a night below the Dauphin Island beach house are just a day ahead of us.

We grabbed a bite to eat and left to find the local hotel.  As we were heading out, the two guys behind the counter,  Kekory and Calvin, came out to say a prayer for our safety.  Kekory lead an inspired,  heartfelt few moments of asking God's grace for our safe travels and both of us felt truly welcomed into Louisiana.

Of course, the guys could have known what hotel we were heading to, the Budget Inn of Bogalusa.  Mother always said you shouldn't say anything if you couldn't say something nice.  OK, the air conditioner works, most of the lights do, and fortunately the door locks.  Nuff said.

We'll be up and out early tomorrow morning, hoping not to have any six-legged stowaways with us.

Remember,  it's all an adventure.

We are camping tonight in the Mill Creek RV park outside Perkinston, MS.  It's hot and humid and there's thunder rolling in the background, but I think the storms will stay north of us.

We've been allowed the relative luxury of setting up tents under an overhang attached to the main office building, so at least we won't need our rain fly's tonight and we'll get a bit more ventilation.   Sleep will come, but not for a while.

We rode 60 miles today with a stretch of 44 miles without any services.  About 15 miles into the ride, we stopped at a convenience store in Vancleave where they were selling fried food to go.  But the cook put together a couple of breakfast ham slices and cheese on croissants for us and we bought a few extra drinks and proceeded into our relative unknown.

18 miles later, the front porch of the LaRue Baptist church provided us with shade for lunch and a brief rest.

The roads all afternoon wandered through sections of the DeSoto national forest with very little traffic and generally pleasant riding.

"Mississippi is not flat." "Mississippi is not flat."  We're being schooled in geographic reality again.  Especially noticeable were the last few hills as we approached US  Hwy 49 and our last turn into Perkinston, which left our legs dragging.

The only service at Perkinston was the convenience store attached to the gas station.   We had a choice of riding 5 miles of Mississippi geography lessons and traffic into Wiggins for restaurants and a hotel, or grabbing what we could forage for supper where we were and returning to the route and an evening at the RV park.  For us it wasn't even a choice.

We've showered, done a load of laundry, and eaten our less-than-fast food supper and are writing while we wait for the rain or some cooling off.

Folks in Mississippi have been fantastic to us.  They've gone out of their way to help us and wish us well as we head down the road.

We'll be off again tomorrow morning.

Tonight we are in Wade MS, after a ride of more than 60 miles.  The weather was cooler today and after a 10 mile ride into a pretty substantial headwind as we crossed Mobile Bay, the winds were mostly favorable.

We had a brief stop in Bayou Le Batre at the fire station where a crew was out polishing a fire truck.  They were great and let us us their restrooms and fill our water packs with ice and water.

Made good time into Grand Bay AL, and enjoyed a quick lunch at a truck stop off I-10 then were off heading towards Mississippi.  We got delayed slightly when we needed to backtrack to retrieve Barb's water pack that had unintentionally been left on her rear rack.  It was lying by the side of the road when we returned and we were soon on our way again.

When we reached Hurley MS, we stopped for supper and began asking for known camping sites.  We were directed to a local sheriff's substation, but no one was there and we got no response at the listed phone number.  So Barb went into the CVS pharmacy next door to check other possibilities. When Nathan Wells a clerk on duty there heard of our plight, she offered to let us stay in their home.

Fortunately,  their home is located almost on our route in Wade MS.   We've just spent the better part of three hours chatting with Nathan and her husband Billy.  We got a surprise visit from their grandson A J Davis who is a local hero this week after rushing for 323 yards in 34 carries in his first start at running back for the local football team.  It's been quite a weekend here.

We'll be off again in the morning, continuing across Mississippi and heading for Louisiana.

OK, have some catching up to do.   We're relaxing at our hostless warmshower.org beach house today.

Yesterday was quite a day.  We joined Jeb, our warmshowers host in Pensacola,  for breakfast at a local eatery.   There were so many good cycling stories to tell that we got away from downtown Pensacola rather late.  Fortunately,  we had run out of the Florida hills and the only climbs of the day were bridges over the intercoastal waterway, and the flags were flying in a favorable direction.  (We never like to actually say anything about a fortuitous tailwind,  for fear of jinxing in it.)

By 10:30 or so, we had made good progress, and stopped at Big Lagoon state park for what was to be a quick water stop.  That was when Larry showed up pedaling out of the park on an old Bianchi road bike equipped (doubtless at Bianchi's chagrin) with a pair of twenty year old Ortlieb panniers.  We had several unsighted crossings with Larry for the few previous days, but had yet to meet in person.  Larry is quite a person.  We never mentioned ages, but Barb and I estimated upper 60's.  Formally,  Larry lives in Chattanooga,  but spends much of his time riding or hiking around the world.  There weren't many places Larry hadn't been.   He apparently often rides his bike to races, where he competes, then rides home for a respite before riding somewhere new.  Needless to say our brief stop turned into an hour of entertainment.

We finally remounted our bikes but only traveled a few miles when we approached the second bridge of the day.  It had now been several hours since lunch and I needed to eat.  So we sat down in a local fast food restaurant for a hamburger and fries.  Another half hour passed.

Just over the bridge was the WELCOME TO ALABAMA sign and we'd both agreed it was a can't miss photo opportunity.  There we were joined by an older couple from Missouri who were celebrating a week at the beach, all expenses paid by Pepsi-Cola.   We exchanged cameras for photos and then listened to their vacation stories and answered their amazed questions of what we are doing.  30 more minutes.

That was when the heat of the day really started kicking in.  Still,  it seemed there was plenty of time to ride the 20 miles to catch the Mobile Bay ferry and make Dauphin Island for supper.  So we took the opportunity to grab lunch at a local Mexican restaurant in Gulf Shores AL.  Finilly we were on our last stretch to the ferry landing.

We stopped briefly at a park service office where they checked the ferry schedule.   13 miles to go and three hours to the last ferry of the day.  We would make it easily.  We were coasting into the last two miles, when my bike gave a small shudder.   I looked down and sure enough I had a tire going flat.  So we sat down along the side of the road and proceeded to fix the flat. This isn't really that much of a surprise or repair, and we still had plenty of time to catch a ferry.

The repair made, I remounted my bike and started down the road.  Then I turned to check on Barb and she still hadn't moved.  When she had moved her bike off the road to help with my repair,  she'd picked up a fish hook in her front tire.   The tire hadn't flatted,  so we decided to see how far we could get without removing the hook.  Two miles later we arrived at the ferry landing, hot and tired, but with the fish hook benignly taking a ride.  Let sleeping dogs lie.  So we sat and sipped sodas for the next 30 minutes.

While we waited, another pair of cyclists showed up in orange U of Florida bicycling jerseys and shorts, riding carbon fiber framed racing bikes and pulling bike trailers loaded with gear. Neil and Pete are heading for Boulder CO to pursue aspirations of becoming professional bike riders.  Our paths crossed for just last night as they were heading to the same beach house to spend the night.

The ferry crossing was uneventful as we passed time talking with Neil and Pete and watching the seabirds.

When we got off the ferry, dusk was approaching so we intended heading straight for the beach house before finding supper.  As we rode across the island on the main road, it soon was clear that the island cross streets were listed in alphabetical order. This would be easy.  "P" for Ponce de Leon  Court.  So when we reached the P street, I was taken aback that it was Periwinkle?!?!?  Rather than ride miles out of our way, in the fading light,  it was time to double back and ask directions.  We found the help we needed at a local BBQ restaurant,  and were soon on our way.  Who knew that after fifteen streets, one street per letter, the city fathers included ten streets starting with P all in alphabetical order.

This is when Barb's trouble began.  She was still riding with the imbedded fish hook.  While I sought directions, she struck up a conversation with another local.  As soon as she started following me down the street she recognized she'd left her $200 prescription glasses on her back pannier and they'd fallen in the parking lot as she went to leave.  She called for me to stop, but I didn't hear and she had no choice but to try to retrieve her glasses before they were backed over by a car leaving the lot.

She made it back to find her glasses unscathed, while I rode off on my renewed mission to find Ponce.  By the time I realized she wasn't with me, I'd found Ponce and the beach house and was circling back to find what'd happened to Barb.

It turns out embedded fish hooks will lie benignly for 6 miles, but no more.  Our circuitous path had unfortunately left Barb with 6.25 miles to safely reach the beach house, so humbled and tired the two of us walked our bikes the last short way to our destination.

It was dark when I ordered pizza at a place we'd passed coming in.  Neil and Pete rode back to eat their pizza at the restaurant,  and I strapped ours to-go on my back rack and came back to eat  with Barb.

All's well that ends well.

This morning we extracted the fish hook and replaced the inner tube and rode in for a breakfast of cinnamon rolls and coffee before returning to the breezy shade under the beach house to relax.

Tomorrow we return to the road in earnest.

Tonight Barb and I are on Dauphin Island AL, camping on the decking of a beach house with two aspiring professional cyclists from the U of Florida who are cycling to Boulder CO to train.

We are well and safe and I'll be back tomorrow to tell of today's adventures.

Hello from the youth annex of the 1st United Methodist Church of Pensacola.

We're staying indoors tonight for free courtesy of the church and their association with warmshowers.org.  

Today was a day full of the incredible diversity of touring. Our day started with quick breakfast slice of pumpkin bread that Barb had picked up at the the farmers market in Chipley two days ago.  It was just the thing to provide us with enough energy for the first climb of the day, a few hundred feet out of the River's Edge campgrounds.   Then we headed for Holt to grab breakfast. The sign near the cook said "Don't stand behind her.  She bites. "   And though her make up was a bit heavy, it was clear that she was there for her culinary ability.   We each had a ham, egg,  and cheese biscuit that fast food venues can only dream about.   The slice of real ham was a quarter inch thick on a biscuit that had been prepared earlier this morning.   Delicious!

Roads leaving Holt were quiet backcountry lanes with little traffic and natural scenes of water lilies blooming and birds everywhere.  Then we rolled into Milton on a state bike path before rejoining FL 90.  Lots of traffic, and little shade, made tolerable by a usually wide shoulder.

Coming in to Pensacola,  there were signs that it might get hilly--scenic highway, bluff road, etc.-- and Florida did not disappoint.

Still accommodations for tonight are making our load and legs light.

Dauphin Island tomorrow and leaving Florida behind.

This evening finds us at the River's Edge campgrounds 3 miles south of Holt, Fl.

We rode 55 miles today, punctuated by a bike repair in downtown Crestview.   A bolt in the cleat on the bottom of my sandal broke and made it impossible for me to remove my sandal from the pedal.  Fortunately,  Barb had included a new set of cleats in her pack and so after visiting a local hardware store for the correct Allen wrench, we were able to make a speedy repair on a sidewalk bench and were soon on our way.

The Florida landscape has taught us one thing very well.  "Florida is not flat."  I knew there would be hills, of course.  But I feel like a recalcitrant schoolboy being asked to write over and over again "Florida is not flat."  "Florida is not flat. "  I can't remember when I've been in my granny gears so much.  Enough already!

We hope to be in Pensacola tomorrow and have already been told what a joy Dauphin Island is.

We're well and in good spirits.

Tonight Barb and I are in Ponce de Leon, Fl after a good day's ride.  We did 70 miles with a start in overcast skies and great roads.   Had a second breakfast in Marianna at a local diner, and then pushed on down the road.  Ate lunch at Chipley and only  stopped briefly for drinks and a moment's respite until we reached Ponce.   We sat down for supper at a the local eatery, staffed remarkably by one waiter and one efficient cook serving about 15 customers with a charming aplomb. Then we made our way to the only hotel in town to clean up and settle in.

We're generally in great condition, but riding in the rain and heat has left us both with a few tender spots on our feet.  It's nothing serious, but we both spent extra time tonight cleaning and pampering them as much as possible.

Tomorrow we'll finish riding the first of the seven sets of maps and will begin on the second one.  More than 400 miles behind us and 2700 still to go.

Today was a classic example of the need to be flexible while touring.  Barb and I started the day with the intent of making it to Mariana Fl and camping at Florida Caverns state park.  Instead we're at the Lake Seminole Inn in Sneads.  How did that happen?  Well,  first there were the Western Highlands.   We left Midway this morning at 7:30 and we're almost immediately met with rolling hills that had us constantly shifting into our granny gears.   11 miles later when we reached the outskirts of Quincy,  it was clear we weren't making the progress we'd hoped to.  Locals at the Hardee's where we stopped to regroup  indicated that we were heading towards the highest point in Florida.   The hills lessened a few miles outside Quincy and it seemed like we might actually be on track to make Mariana.   But coming into Chattahoochee the hills returned.  Trust us when we say that while 300 ft elevation doesn't seem impressive,  when you climb hills repeatedly it takes a toll.

Light rain started falling as we approached downtown Chattahoochee and at the advice of a local at a gas station we pulled into the combination florist/sandwich shop, 'Around the Corner'. Rain started in earnest as we entered a store decorated in Coca-Cola memorabilia and sat down for lunch.  That's when the thunder and lightning commenced.  We spent the next three hours conversing with the owner, her daughter, and several customers as they came by to order floral arrangements or lunch and learning something about the history of the area.  When it was clear we weren't going to make it much further, they provided us with recommendations for lodging and a place to eat supper.

Finally we made our way into the continuing rain fall and to Sneads.   After checking in to the hotel,  we headed on bikes to the restaurant that had been recommended to find that it had closed at 2 pm.   So we changed course to a Pizza Hut, expecting to sit and eat, to find it was carryout.   So we ordered our pizza, strapped it onto our bike racks, and headed back to our room to shower and eat.  We're now full, clean, and relaxed as we get ready for sleep to overtake us.

And that's how today has gone, hardly as planned but rich in experience.  It's one of the joys of touring to take things as they come and enjoy what presents itself.

We expect to be back on the road in the morning, but who knows?

Hello from a Howard Johnson motel outside Midway, Fl.   Today was a much better day of riding.  We left Monticello this morning and headed south through dairy country.  For those of you who have never ridden with me, you probably don't recognize my long developed past time of mooing at cattle I pass while bicycling.   There's no exact scoring system, but you get points for cattle lifting their heads to watch, additional bonus points for cattle returning calls, and very occasionally the supreme satisfaction of cattle actually following me.  That is precisely the pleasure I had this morning.   In Florida, the grazing cattle are often accompanied by cattle egrets which makes for a very pastoral scene.

We approached Tallahassee from the south, following roads that lead us to Woodville.  A few miles outside Woodville, we were again blessed with light rain that made for much cooler riding.  We ate lunch at a locally recommended seafood restaurant, The Seine Yard.   Great fresh seafood at reasonable prices and an especially friendly staff.

We continued riding in light rain from Woodville to Tallahassee along a Florida state bike path.  Rain finally stopped as we passed through Florida State student housing and out the western edge of town toward Midway.

Both Barb and I are in good spirits and health, happy for the family and friends who are supporting us, even from a far.

Hello from the Brahman Hotel on the outskirts of Monticello, Fl.  We had a long hot ride yesterday from White Springs and then ran into some steep short climbs coming into Madison, so we threw ourselves at the kindness of the Madison police.  They graciously allowed us to set up camp under a gazebo in the city park.  No rain fly's were needed with impending rain so we slept comfortably with just the open netting of our tent.  Bathrooms were a block away in a local convenience store where the spacious handicapped stalls with their own sinks afforded us  chance for a quick wiping off of the day's grit.

After the tough day yesterday,  we decided to do a short 30 miles into Monticello today.  Left breakfast at 8 am -- odd looks when I ordered 4 breakfast burritos --  and walked out into a passing thunderstorm.   We waited another 15 minutes until the heaviest rain passed and then rode all morning in a glorious cool rain.

We grabbed lunch at the Brick House Eatery where Barb got to eat her first fried green tomatoes.   They were delicious.

Now we are at the Braham Hotel, a very reasonably price hotel.  $45 a night,  cash only please. You may use the photos to judge.  The proprietor offered to do a load of wash for us and wouldn't accept payment for his service.  Typical of previous bike trips laundry is drying on a makeshift line.

We're doing well and will get back to a longer mileage day tmw.

Sending love and best wishes to you all.

Good morning.  I'm writing the entry from yesterday this morning as it was too hot and muggy last evening to do anything but lie in the tent and try to keep sweating to a minimun. It finally cooled off about midnight.  Yesterday was a bit of a struggle for me.  Hot and humid so I was really sweating.  Thank God for the Barb's patience.   She kindly waited for me too cool down, but suspect photos of me spread out roadside and picnic tables will show up in next year's calendar.   She pointed out that I am not replacing electrolytes with the soda I've been consuming and a switch to Gatorade and V8 have me feeling better.

We're in White Springs FL at the Stephen Foster state park,  along the banks of the Suwannee river.  Yes, that Stephen Foster.  Rode 55 miles yesterday and had to be flexible when our original campground choices were unavailable.

It's just past 6 am and time to be getting up soon.

This evening finds us in High Springs,  Fl.   We're staying in a hotel tonight as our potential Warmshowers hosts are off touring themselves.  We ended up doing 61 miles today thru some hot sultry weather.  We were really helped this morning by the shaded Hawthorne-Gainesville state cycling trail, but then spent the better part of the early afternoon navigating through the traffic of Gainesville.   Finally got to the edge of town about 2:30 pm and rode through some spectacular rolling countryside before stopping to refuel at the Conestoga in Alachua.  Barb ordered a stuffed baked potato that turned out to be a 3 pounder, while I made do with their junior hamburger,  a mere half pounder and an order of sweet potato fries -- the kind that you can't find in any freezer section.   While we say eating for an hour,  the food made the final 7 miles fly.

Still need to be drinking more fluids as both of us have suffered some cramping late in the day.  So I'm about to finish here and drink a quart or two of water before bed.

We'll be back camping again tomorrow and then trying another Warmshowers host on Friday in Monticello.

I'm typing today's entry from my tent, setup under the overhang of an abandoned office building in Melrose FL.  We rode 74 miles today in fairly warm and muggy conditions. Stopped often to rest, eat, and cool down. Both Barb and I drank over 2 gallons of fluids and still had some dehydration issues, but we're both feeling fine tonight.  We arrived in Melrose not knowing where we'd be camping, and relied on the kindness of strangers.  The proprietor of the restaurant we ate at said we could camp on her yard, but strongly suggested this overhang since they expect rain tonight.  There's a 24 hr gas station a block away for a restroom and we're quite comfortable as the temperature is dropping.   We'll be back on the road about 7 am with intentions of staying at High Springs tomorrow.