Monday, May 2, 2011
Ft. Walton Beach to Bonifay, FL
15 miles in the car
62 miles by bike

Jenny and Jim drove me past the crowded beach highway with no shoulder to a better starting point this morning, on their way to the community dental van. We said goodbye, then I loaded up.

They apologized for “just leaving me by the side of the road.” But that’s pretty much where I spend all my time these days!

Today I decided to write down every time I stopped, and what I did at each stop. Perhaps this will give a better idea of what my days are like. I was on the road from 8am to 6:30pm today, but the times I recorded are riding times from my odometer, not time of day.

39 minutes; 7 miles: I’d been riding through Eglin Air Force Base and I had to pee, but I was nervous about stepping into the woods on the edge of a military base where they test artillery and on the day after Osama Bin Laden was announced dead. But finally, I had to do it. No one tried to apprehend me. In fact, no one noticed. Then I took one bite of my Payday bar, and put on sunscreen.

1 hour 28 min.; 16.8 miles: Stopped at the first gas station (the first anything) I’d seen so far. Used the bathroom. You have to take indoor plumbing when you can get it! Drank half a bottle of water. Stretched. Checked map–looks like 14 miles to DeFuniak Springs and another 27 after that to Bonifay. Changed to my sunglasses.

2 hours 20 min.; 25.6 miles: Drank half a bottle of water. Squeezed my tires. They seemed fine. Filled empty water bottle from one of the extra liters strapped on the panniers, tossed in an electrolyte tablet. I pretty much don’t drink straight water anymore during the day. Stretched. Ate a cup of yogurt. Wished there was shade and a place to lay down. Put on lip balm.

2 hours 57 min.; 31.5 miles: Stopped for lunch at picturesque and shady picnic table at noon in DeFuniak Springs for PB and J. Surfed the Internet. Apparently this lake is almost perfectly round.

So far today, the weather has been pleasant. Humid, but cool and mostly overcast. Great smooth road surface with a big shoulder, except for in the town of DeFuniak Springs. There, the shoulder disappeared and was replaced by a strange ridge right next to a curb. But with two lanes in each direction, it’s easy for cars to go around me. I haven’t spoken to anyone since I left my friends this morning, and I’ve had “We Didn’t Start the Fire” in and out of my head all morning. At 1:03, I left my lunch spot.

3 hours 1 min.; maybe 1:06 pm: Ka-thunk, Ka-thunk. Flat tire. I rolled off the street to a shady spot, finished the Payday bar, and took all the gear off the bike. I found the hole in the inner tube and patched it. It took about an hour and I called Ben three times just to double check, but I fixed it! It’s pretty great to have come this far without a flat until now.

After all this, I really had to pee, so I ducked into the (car) tire place across the street. When I came out, Joe, the owner of the local bike shop, stopped by to make sure I was OK. He wasn’t open on Mondays, but saw me out there when he passed by. Since I had already taken care of the tire myself, I asked him route questions, and we looked at my map. We talked about riding through the Air Force Base, and he told me the story of a friend who stepped too far into the woods to pee and was taken “prisoner of war” for 12 hours during training exercises!

3 hours 37 min.; 38.2 miles: Hungry. Stuck some almonds in my back pocket so I could snack while riding.

3 hours 59 min.; 42.5 miles: Still hungry. Stopped at Sally’s Restaurant in Ponce de Leon. Drank a small pitcher of sweet tea and ate a delicious BLT. Tried to remember to take Arnica to prevent muscle soreness.

The cook told me how she weighed 300 pounds a year ago and suffered from debilitating asthma. She took this job and started smoking again, and she had lost 150 pounds and the asthma was in remission. She was getting ready to exercise more and give up smoking, though.

4 hours 40 min.; 50.4 miles: Stopped to take a picture of this river’s name.

Remembered to take Arnica. A self-supported rider pulled up. Randy, retired, from Minnesota, had recently started in St. Augustine, Florida, and was heading west. It was rough going so far, and he was wondering if he was too old. He had done several similar tours over the last 20 years. I reminded him how you don’t have anything else to do all day. You might as well ride. I also recommended jumping on the train if need be, but he didn’t seem too in to that. He told me how he’d been guerilla camping. Joe had mentioned that, too. Having a tent that is not electric blue, like mine, is a good start.

We parted with the cyclist’s traditional, “May the wind be at your back,” but he said he’d take a few days of headwinds as I finished up my tour! Sweet!

5 hours 18 min.; 57.8 miles: Took a drink and checked my tire at the top of a hill, looking at the next hill going up. Looked at the map, returned a text to my dad, shook out a shoe, because it felt like there was a bug in it.

5 hours 28 min.; 59.8 miles: Stopped at a gas station for a pit stop. Filled a water bottle at their soda fountain. Bought some puffy mints. Asked for directions. The clerk said she didn’t travel, had lived there all her life, and could only tell me how to get to the freeway.

5 hours 33 min.; 60.6 miles: Stopped to take this picture of a sign advertising concealed carry weapons classes.

Thought I’d see this sort of thing more in Texas, but didn’t.

5 hours 37 min.; 61.2 miles: Forgot to buy a small milk at the last gas station for my morning cereal, so stopped at the next. Chatted with a woman getting gas. She pointed out the turn for the campground. She thought it might be nice to start riding locally.

5 hours 43 min.; 61.8 miles: Checked in at the campground office, tripped over their dog, and laughed at their cat, who looked like she was sticking her tongue out at me. Turns out it was a mystery medical problem where she was losing control of her mouth! Oops.

I feel like the amount of stops in the last part of the day is more like what I usually do, though I am riding for much longer stretches at a time compared to when I started. Also, I moved faster than usual today.

In addition to all this excitement, I had many thoughts today that are expressed far better than I could by MLK, Jr.:

‎”I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”

Thanks to the many who posted this quote on facebook today. Spread love, my friends.

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