From the Bayous to the Big Blue

Well I done it! It's big and blue and if ya taste the water it will probably be salty. On Friday I reached St. Augustine, Florida and the Pacific, which completes my roundabout cross-country bicycle tour. This is my first West-East crossing. Although this is a great landmark my emotions are tempered by the thoughts that this is simply the end of phase 2 of my journey.

I had a grand time in New Orleans. My wonderful hosts even baked me some chocolate chip M & M cookies, plus some wondrous split pea soup. Soon they will start their journey East from San Francisco. I wish ya'll the very best! From New Orleans I road along the Gulf of Mexico thru Mississippi and Alabama. I can't recall if I've ever been in these states before, maybe just a touch of the Natchez Trace a few years back. Although the coast had it's beautiful, very beautiful spots there was also the common high rise resorts that blocked my views and access to the Gulf. Traffic was also a bit busy, but the bridges finally have shoulders! There was also obvious hurricane damage in some areas. The coast certainly has a different feel from the rest of the state, I can only assume.

Crossing into Florida I had the wonderful stroke of luck to discover free primitive camping at the Perido Keys unit of the Gulf Islands National Seashore. I ended up spending two nights along the white sandy beaches. As I was a half-mile from the parking lot I had relative solitude. I swam in the temperate water of the Gulf, read my book along the shore, and enjoyed some good food and libations. It was a wonderful experience full of glee and serenity! The rest of my journey across Florida was also not lacking in adventure. I cycled along Hwy 90 for a good potion of the way along the Southern Tier route. Although the towns were historic and beautiful and traffic was pretty light, every town seemed to have a correctional facility and some of the locals seemed to be recently released. I would have liked to have stayed along the coast, but was warned by some that traffic was too heavy. I do wonder.

As for the adventure... I spent a night in the woods with a unknown murder suspect on the loose (which explained all the cop cars and search helicopter). I also passed thru Tallahassee, which has the ugliest capital building because it was built in the 70's (the old beautiful capital is now a wonderful museum). Near Monticello I got permission to camp on private land next to a peaceful pond, which one man casually mentioned had alligators ("these ones are afraid of humans". I saw a 9 foot one the next morning from a safe distance). East of Lee Hwy 90 was flooded due to heavy rains and I had to head South sooner than planned. West of Gainsville two women stopped on the side of the road and asked if I needed anything. I ended up staying in their spare trailer. It was wonderful doing laundry, getting a shower, and watching some movies. The next day they gave me a wonderful tour of the property and we drove to a natural spring (which was flooded out) all the while talking constantly about Jesus and God. They were certainly believers and headed me out grandly. Then I met up with Diana and David in Gainsville and spent the next two days cycling to the Coast. The last day was a wee bit windy.

So that's about enough adventure for two weeks. That afternoon David and I walked along the beach of the Atlantic. The next day we toured the historic Spanish town of St. Augustine and had two excellent celebratory meals. It did feel a bit odd to pitch my tent amidst the mobile homes of the "RV park" at St. Augustine Beach.

So ends my cross-country tour. Thanks so much to all the folks who gave me place to stay, answered my questions, filled my water bottles, or simply talked to me. Ya'll made the journey all that much more special.

Since I can't go any further East (without a bit of planning and more money) I figure I'll just head North aways. So if ya ain't tired of my babbling stay tuned... and I'd love to hear from ya'll as the journey continues (like a comment or email, or something).