Greenville to Palatka

Now within 40 miles of St Augustine and the Atlantic Ocean. Did 60 miles on we'd
one of the best campsites we've ever stayed in near White Springs. Immaculately clean and everything we required from Wi-fi to laundryd V long day on Thursday to Gainesville - 73 miles and a motel near Univ of Florida. 57 miles today to Palatka on St John's River. Spoiling ourselves with another motel, but no campsites. Will have rest day in St A seeing the historic town and spending 2 nights at Anastasia State Park right on Ocean we hope.

1st blog entry from ITouch and got bit carried away. Can't do pics and can' t even download from my camera yet. Pathetic. Kids - we need you!

Pics added
1 Down , down by the Suwannee .......
2 picnic lunch at state park near same spot.
3 Meeting Ruth and Mary Jo on their unsupported trans am trip from San Diego.
4 the annual ` Mud Race ` starting besided the bridge over the St John's river at Palatka.

Destin , FL to Greenville, FL

First an apology to Tina and Chris at Perkinston. The photos I had hoped to attach with last entry did not get printed. I'll do so when next downloading pics.

Now in Greenville , FL having completed 5 good biking days since leaving Stu and Yie Mae in Destin.

The 1st day was tough after getting a tail wind 30 odd miles up to join the AC route at Mossy Head on SR90. Have been on SR90 more than we would have wished and when moderately heavy traffic is combined with a head ( or neutral ) wind for long stretches at a time , fatigue kicks in ! Got to Ponce De Leon ( Kellys please note ) where we clocked in to the only motel at $29 for a room. Rained during night and following morning departure delayed till after 8. As storm warnings forecast ( same storms that produced tornadoes that wiped out towns in Louisiana and Mississippi ) we were keen though to get going. Minor disagreement on strategy to avoid getting wet ! Amicably resolved .

63 miles later we got to Mariana, FL , checked in to motel & splashed out at $40 for room and had time to get guided tour into Florida State Park Caverns 3 miles away . 40 million years of cave evolution - remarkable. Superb Mexican meal and into motel room before the heavens opened . Quite a storm .

Woke up to clear blue skies and with a short day only to Chatahoochee ( 35 miles ) we were leisurely - spoke to kids on Skype and breakfast at Waffle House . At $6 for a full works sausage and eggs breakfast including trademark blueberry waffles, no complaints on bang for buck . Can prices go lower ? Can't help still but compare with similar fare in any eating establishment in UK . Waffle House not everyone's cup of tea but it fitted the bill that morning and tasted pretty good to me.

Lovely day biking with quiet roads, sun and perfect temp. Got to Lake Seminole COE ( Corps of Engineers ) campground just out of Chattahoochee. Campsite right on lake. Sunday night though and only place to eat was Hardees mile and half away . No alternative - grinned and beared and all that. We 've been lucky by and large and have mostly managed to avoid to date.

V early start next morning and covered the 52 miles to Tallahassee by mid afternoon. Got great assistance from Scot Benton ( the Bike House )with my bike gears and 2 of his mates guided us to the the bike trail ( for early following morning departure ) and got us to another cheapie motel nearby . Adequate , but after returning from an `all you can eat` pizza , salad and desert place ( $6 each ! ) , we were mildly alarmed that fron desk asked a security guy to accompany us to our room .

Another early start today and now in Greenville , FL - 63 miles on . A B & B tonight as no campsites close . V comfortable though .

Will attach pics at next public library I hope.

Pics added belatedly
1 & 2. M putting up clothes line after pitching tent on a very hot evening at a COE Lake Seminole campsite and sunset at same spot.
3. Scot at Bike Shop , Tallahassee who was so good to us.
4 Leaving Tallassee on bike trail.
5 Coffee stop at Ponticello , FL at Starducks - M showing a leg with `Mrs Starduck `. A hugely enjoyable interludeon a hard morning's riding into a stiff east wind.
6 & 7. Grace Manor a real refuge from rain for us at Greenville , FL and the v.hospitable Brenda, owner of this lovely B & B .

St Francisville, LS to Destin , FL

A memorable first week covering over 36o miles at an average speed of around 10.5 mph - much of it against an east wind. 4 nights in our tent at combination of state parks and private RV sites . All of them more than adequate. One v comfortable night on the floor of Tina & Chris Roberts house at Silver Run Lake outside Perkinston, MS. We were looking for a marked campsite there and met Tina & Chris ( see top pic above ) by chance. They told us it had ceased to be a campsite many years ago and offered ( nay insisted ) that we stay in their house half a mile away. Southern hospitality personified . The house they live in is next door and we had this one to ourselves . They also gave us a wonderful barbecue dinner with neighbours.

Other two nights at Campsites at Vancleave,MS, Dauphin Is, AL and Big lagoon State Park , Gulf beach , FL

Food stops often a major issue , but we were lucky I think. M's home made granola ( started off with 11 pounds of it in front panniers - fast disappearing ) helps us greatly with first 20 or so miles of the day especially when we usually hope to be cycling by 7 am !Good fish restauraunts all along the way. As pic shows, carbo loading also an essential and hugely enjoyable part of the process.

Now with Stu and Yie Mei ( our friends from Colorado from whom we bought 270 Meadow Ranch ) and who live half year here in Destin , FL - just south of Pensacola. The 20 odd mile stretch along Pensacola beach with tail wind was epic - stopping for a picnic lunch on beach on the way. The pic before shows us crossing over to P Beach.

The 4th and 5th pic from bottom show the approach to Dauphin Is , AL from the west ( bridge just visible in distance ) and the departure by ferry from east end of the island over to Fort Morgan, Orange Beach , Pensacola , etc. Fort Gaines at eastern end of island and where we camped was arguably where the Civil war was decided with the capture of the Confederacy Fleet - " damn the torpedoes - full steam ahead "

Top pic shows Tina ( of Chris & Tina who were so hospitable to total strangers at Silver Run Lake outside Perkinston) . 2nd top pic - M and Yie Mei .

On tomorrow ( and back on Adventure Cycling route ) to start crossing of FL Panhandle and to St Augustine FL where we hope to join up with Dick and Martha Stobbs from Atlanta and before heading north to Savannah , GA

South to Louisiana and beyond

3 days driving and about 1400 miles took us to start of our annual cycling trip at St Francisville , LS. Had a delightful overnight stay with M's cousin Gail in Tulsa , OK. M and Gail `entertaining ` me with violin duets. (Gail is in 3rd month of studying Suzuki violin method.) Photos to follow. Gail's sister Shirley joined us for a delicious dinner. (Gail, we passed an Audubon center shortly after leaving St. Francisville - thought of you and all the good work you do for that organisation ).

Spent night in motel in St F , left car in self storage and were on our way by 8.30 on Thursday morning . Real elation to be on our way - just the clicking of toe clips into pedals is symbolic of the excitement of the whole cycle touring experience. The anticipation (no idea what the day is going to produce , who you 're going to meet, where you're going to eat/ sleep / rest etc ) is a large part of the thrill. And then, the tranquility of these back roads ( always hard surface though ), seeing plantation houses with live oaks festooned with hanging moss,and azaleas and magnolia etc in full bloom , the smells, the small farms, and ubiquitous dogs that ` greet ` you a long the way . We always stop - safer that way in our experience.

A pretty hard first 2 days against an east wind covering about 62 days on each of them . 1st night in our tent in quiet RV campground ( virtually to ourselves) outside Easleyville and 2nd night in comfort in motel in Bogalusa. Left at 7 this am and now 20 miles on in Poplarville ( crossed from LS into Mississippi ). An early lunch and on to campground 30 or so miles in the middle of very little! Hit civilisation again in a couple of days .

Bikes and bodies holding up do far. Long way to go.

Pics - Will try to attach at next library stop. Itouch - reception good at restauraunts , but my eye sight not good enough . Need specs for that one . Will persevere though . Great for email and Skype - bless you Meghan .-

Last day of season

Last driving shift completed - evening of Sun April 11. Hallelujah. Also last day of season and lifts now closed. M & I had our last runs this morning , but before doing so , hiked up from the top of the Cirque tow ( 12,510 feet ) and entered into magnificent wilderness country - not far and perfectly safe . 4th pic from bottom shows, just , a back country skier as a tiny dot right in middle of pic. Then the traverse across to High Alpine, and Green Cabin to ourselves as final run . 43rd day using ski pass for M and 73rd for mine. My 3 work night shifts making the difference.

Off tomorrow to Kansas , Oklahoma , Texas and Louisiana from where we start cycling on Thursday . Will have an Itouch with us and will try to write short narrative ( without pics initially ) to record progress en route to Savannah , GA

Season draws to close

.... but going out with a flourish. A foot of new snow today April 1 and still dumping. Great powder day tomorrow and I don't start driving till 2. Brilliant.

M & I went out on our boards today, M with a new powder board she was demo - ing. She stayed on top of snow v much better than I did . I had a good few plough jobs - tip just dived . You need to keep weight on back foot rather like water skiing on mono board. Always blame the equipment where possible I say !

Just had a lovely visit from the Richards family from Surrey. Managed to lay on a powder day for them at Snowmass on Saturday. I think they slept well that night. With their friends Jimmy and Joyce from Pennsylvania , we got Jamie and Katie to top of Highlands Bowl. No trouble for them either up or down. Great conditions as pics demonstrate.
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A couple of pics above too of Owl Creek trail to Buttermilk on X-country skis - bought in Scotland years ago . Still do the trick though . Fishscale soles and metal edges - unheard of here.

Off to Baton Rouge, Louisiana in just over a week and start cycling 2 weeks today April 15 en route to Savannah , GA