What an amazing day! This was our fifth day of riding at least 77 miles, and our second to last ride of the tour. We enjoyed large segments of multiuse/bicycle paths as we passed nearby the University of Florida in Gainesville, and later approached our destination in Palatka. Even more significant is that tomorrow is our final day, which is hopefully an easy ceremonial ride to Saint Augustine Beach. Once there, we will be received by Doug’s extended family, as he has planned a major celebration for us and a family reunion including his mom, daughter, two brothers, and Carol’s sister to name of few. We are planning a ceremonial dipping of our front bicycle tires in the Atlantic and toasts of champaign. More about that tomorrow.
This morning we saw and visited the grounds of the Phat AM Pagoda Buddhist Temple near Gainesville, and had a nice coffee shop stop after 20 miles. There we were glad to meet Brady Castellano, who is a extreme cyclist (10,000 mile annual and fixed gear sans-brakes trainer), and also the University of Florida Campus Bicycling Program Coordinator. We had a nice chat with him and Gregory Webster, who lived in Williamsburg, Virginia. Brady taught us the proper cyclist’s pose. It seems we have not been taking our photographs and cycling seriously when we smile in pictures. You will see below how you should display your serious commitment to the sport. Thanks Brady.
There is a second bike path that comes withing 5 miles of Palatka, so with minor bushwhacking we were able to hop on it and avoid another congested highway. Along our rides today, we observed scenery with the quintessential Southern Live Oaks with Spanish Moss, which I photographed repeatedly. Our hotel has a view of the Saint Johns River and the bridge we will cross tomorrow. Dinner was a considerable festive occasion with great food and outdoor seating.
Thanks for sharing your ride —- in pictures and in words…what a great accomplishment. I’d be interested in how you prepared for the ride. How did you plan the route and if there were other routes you considered. Did you loose weight? What did you do to prepare of the ride.
Awesome job — thanks again for sharing!
Bill, I plan on writing some epilogue posts in the coming weeks. I will cover this and more after I reflect on the tour. Thanks again for following us on this site. See you in Fishersville.
Steve! I’ve thoroughly your photos and Day postings. It takes a lot of effort and energy to pick up the camera or phone every day when traveling by any mode – even more to write something to accompany the photos. I look forward to talking with you about your trip once you’re back home.