Our 8th and Last State, Florida!

Sunday, Dauphin Island, AL to Milton FL, Loren and Dave 85 miles

We started our morning being woken up by crashes of thunder and torrents of rain. It was so loud that I didn't hear the alarm go off at 5:30 am. We had placed all our gear in plastic bags in our luggage which turned out to be a good thing since the tent had a lake in front of it when the rain finally lessened and we emerged.
As soon as breakfast was done we packed up and went across the street to catch the ferry. And again the sky opened up again and it poured. I had my seat cushion under my rain jacket to try to keep it dry.

Dave is talking to Don who has a prosthesis and has biked this whole trip. 

Don has been a Captain in the Coast Guard and the Captain of container ships. He had an experience with Somali pirates at the same time as the Mersk Alabama. (The movie Captain Phillips described the Mersk Alabama).

One of the bike tour participants is Udi. He is raising money to help Holocaust survivors  with medications and food,  as many of them are aging in poverty. He lives in Munich but grew up in Israel. His mother was a Holocaust survivor. His website is at bike4dignity.com 

We started biking on the long peninsula and dodged numerous deep puddles. This weather system has been producing storms one after another and the landscape shows it. However, much to our surprise, the rain held off for us for the rest of the day. By the time we got to the outskirts of Pensacola the sun came out. What a change! Steamy.

Pensacola had a nice bike lane through most of the town. We rode on a scenic area of bluffs overlooking Pensacola Bay and then ended up on U.S. 90 East. What a difference from the chip seal, random shoulders and disappearing blacktop that we had in the west on 90. In Florida it is smooth with mostly great shoulders and a smooth rolled surface. Nice riding! We rolled into the KOA just before dinner. After dinner I took a fast shower, made it back in time for the route meeting and went to bed.

Monday Milton to Defuniak Springs, FL Loren and Dave 54 miles.

Dave had an amusing incident  (to me, not to him). Marla warned us to check the light timer when we went into the individual combo shower and restroom as Cecil had the lights go dark in the middle of his shower. Dave said to me that he was going to remember to check the timer as he left me. However he forgot. The timer ran out after he took off his clothes. He couldn't see anything so he felt around the wall near the door where one would usually find a light switch. When he didn't find it, he opened the door slightly and asked Dwan if he knew where the switch was. Dean opened the door and went in, and the normally un-shy Dave was quite aware of the women that were outside on the deck waiting their turns in the bathroom.They finally found the light switch hiding under his clothes that were hanging on the towel rack. Who says a supported tour doesn't have hardships!

Milton to Defuniak Springs, FL 

Loren and Dave 54 miles 

Not much to say about the route today. Another day of expecting rain but instead we had just cloudiness which kept it cool and pleasant. This was in spite of the weather forecast of 100% chance of rain. With this stormy weather we have all become compulsive readers of weather forecasts. We compare forecasts and choose the ones that sound most favorable. And then the weather does what it wishes. And mostly it has been in our favor (cross our fingers).

Our shorter day felt easy. There were some rolling hills occasionally but that kept it from being boring. The area looks mostly forested with occasional cattle ranches so not highly scenic but it feels good to be riding

We are at a nice RV park. The RVers are in shock at seeing a tent city arise in their midst. Many of them wandered over to ask about our tour.

We had time to air out the tent, dry the floor and dry out the wet clothes. We don't wear a lot of rain gear, maybe a jacket, because the air and rain are warm. The air temp has been in the 70's.  Now let's hope it stays dry so we don't have to do it all over again.

A home that we passed on the bluffs of Pensacola. Is there a story behind this?

Our 8th and last state. 

We will be finished in a week!