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Into Alabama short and sweet

May 5, 2011 by Carl McDonald

Pensacola, FL to Gulf Shores, Alabama

Miles: 38

Total so far: 638

This was not exactly a day off, but one close to it.  We needed a little rest as we’ve been at it pretty hard without a break, so we just went a short distance today.  We will monitor ourselves closely as fatigue can be a draining issue.

We are camped on the shores of the Gulf, and from here we will head north leaving the water behind — not without a degree of sorrow for Sallie.  She is a “Salt Life” person, very much in love with the sea.

One last look at the Gulf of Mexico

I made an error in yesterday’s post about Hugh Adams and what I labeled pheasant — it was actually quail, not pheasant.  I guess you can take me out of the uplands, but the uplands remain to a certain extent.  The post has been corrected.  Speaking of corrections, thank you for tolerating my occasional typing errors as I am posting on a netbook with weird keyboard response and a power saver screen that prevents me from seeing some of my many errors.

Oh,did I mention that we cleared the Florida Alabama border?  We’ve pedaled some 620 miles in Florida, every one of them was beautiful, but we think that is quite enough and we are moving on.

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Tomorrow’s ride is dedicated to Brendan Moniz

Carl and Sallie….can you keep my nephew Brendan David Moniz in your hearts as you travel?  A drunk driver hit my brothers car head-on a few miles from their home in 1988.  The whole family was injured.  Brendan lasted five weeks paralyzed with a neck injury before dying and was buried on his mother’s birthday. When my son and my daughter do something fun or accomplish things in their life, I often imagine Brendan doing it along with them.  So, I’m sending Brendan with both of you to experience all that you do and watch over the two of you.   Be well and travel safe!!

 Mary Baker, Rhode Island

Brendan

Posted in The physical challenge | Tagged , | 4 Comments »

Cold fronts and tailwinds

May 4, 2011 by Carl McDonald

Crestview, FL to Pensacola, FL

Friendly horn taps: 1

Obnoxiously aggravating, lean on the horn till the battery is dead, and the the check engine light comes on blare: 1

Miles: 65

Total so far: 600

A great ride today into Pensacola.  A cold front came through the state yesterday dropping morning temps into the 50’s.  With that came a north wind that just happened to match our direction of travel.  By prior arrangement, we are guests of Todd and Andrea Rosenbaum in Pensacola. Todd is the Executive Director of MADD Florida, a good friend, and an awesome asset to the organization.   He was kind enough to offer us lodging a long time ago when he first heard about the trip.

Most of the day was on barely traveled county roads off of Route 90 up in the timber areas north of the busy traffic and we thoroughly enjoyed our ride in the clean air of pine forests, bright with low humidity and cool temperatures.

We met Hugh Adams today near Holt, Florida, as he caught us taking a roadside snack break. Hugh had just scored some frozen quail in a deal he made with a neighbor up the road.

Hugh Adams explains how to prepare frozen quail and other things

Hugh explained the intricacies of properly preparing quail, working until retirement with the federal government, and completting a stretch in the U.S. Navy.  Not all in that same order, of course.

An upper portion of Escambia Bay outside of Pensacola

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Tomorrow’s ride is dedicated to Gabriella Elizabeth Mantini

Gabriella Mantini was killed by a drunk driver August 29, 2006 while driving home. The driver entered the freeway on an exit and was driving the wrong way with with his lights off when he hit her head on.  She was 21.  Since that day our lives have never been close to the same.

Posted in Friends made on the road | 1 Comment »

Gutsy miles in gusty weather

May 3, 2011 by Carl McDonald

Chipley, FL to Crestview, FL

Passengers yelling encouragement (not): 2

Miles: 74

Total so far: 535

We knocked out a chunk of mileage today bearing up against some gusty winds that threatened all afternoon to turn into headwinds.  Unfortunately, all our miles today were on State Route 90, a two lane which has a nice enough shoulder, but lacks in the way of country charm and the quiet roads we’ve grown accustomed to.  One gets spoiled pretty easily when the pedaling is accompanied mostly by the songs of birds and frogs.

Today we met Jenny from San Diego.  Jenny is completing her west-to-east Southern Tier Trans-Am in a few days.  She is going to be going out to Wyoming later to join family who have a ranch in Centennial.  It just goes to show what a small world it is, Centennial has a population of about 25 people listed on their sign, yet I know the place well.

Jenny is blogging on http://www.upsidedownandbackwards.com.

Jenny - about to complete the Southern Tier

In last night’s post I failed to include mention of a little bit of recreation Sallie and I got after arriving at Falling Waters State Park and setting up our camp. We went for a swim in this spring fed lake and had the place all to ourselves. There was a nice thermocline only about 3 feetbelow the warm surface water where the colder gradient was significantly colder.  If you dive through it, it’s not unlike a Swedish sauna interrupted by a splash in a cold stream.

Yes, there are alligators in the area, but they left us alone.

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Tomorrow’s ride is dedicated to Kellie Wheatley

This is a tough one for me.  Many years ago when I was still in the Wyoming State Patrol, I was invited to give s keynote address at a function for the Jackson, Illinois MADD group.  The invitation came from George and Marylin Murphy who not only opened their home to me, but their hearts as well.  They sent me this dedication this week:

An Illinois Tragedy

Twenty four year old Kellie Wheatley, along with her husband and 14 month old son we riding bikes on a beautiful July 4 day in 1984.  Unfortunately, a drunk driver was also on the same city street in South Jacksonville, Illinois.  At 5:28pm, the driver struck and killed Kellie.  Only a miracle spared her husband and child.  We mourn her loss and our hearts remain shattered from the most preventable crime in America.

George, Marilyn, and Patrick Murphy — Dad, Mom and Brother

Orville and Christopher Wheatley — Husband and Son


Posted in Friends made on the road, Living the life | 3 Comments »

Experience speaks

May 2, 2011 by Carl McDonald

Quincy, FL to Falling Waters State Park (Chipley, FL)

Friendly horn taps: 1

Miles: 71

Total so far: 461

Deb and Hob McConville of Vernon, CT

“Something happens to you when touring and the days blend into weeks and the weeks blend into months.  It changes your thinking.” says Hob McConville.  He should know.  He and his wife have logged nearly 80,000 miles on their 1980 Santana tandem (the proverbial bicycle built for two).  They’ve been from the arctic circle to the southern tip of Africa.  They say with great fondness that we are in for a treat once we get on the Trans America Route (we’ll pick that up in Kentucky).

Deb and Hob were encountered at a convenience store this morning as we were in Chattahoochee, FL getting ready to bomb down the hill and cross the Apalachicola River into the Central Time Zone.  They were on the last legs of their east bound Southern Tier Trans Am ride.  They will grab a plane home in Jacksonville after finishing in St. Augustine.  “Not for long though, then we are touring in Newfoundland.”

(For the bike savvy folks — Interesting note on their classic Santana — theirs is serial number 28.  There are Santana fiends all over the country that think they are divinely appointed for riding this one-owner dream)

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Tomorrow’s ride is dedicated to Jenilyn and Brandon Franklin.

Our beautiful newlywed daughter, Jenilyn Addis Franklin (18) and her husband of 6 1/2 weeks, Brandon (21) were both killed by an impaired driver in Sevierville, TN.  A choice  made which devastated two families and many friends.  We miss her each and every day of our waking life.  Good luck on your journey!

Posted in Friends made on the road |

I Commit a Parking Violation

May 1, 2011 by Carl McDonald

South of Monticello, FL to Quincy, FL

Friendly horn taps: 3

Rude self-important people 1

Miles: 65

Total so far: 390

We charge out this morning looking to put some miles down before the heat of the day, finding early morning riding our distinct preference.  The air is cool and moisture hangs giving a distinctive light to the emerald landscape as we roll out on a seldom used two lane county road.  It’s Sunday and we have the countryside to ourselves with nothing but bird songs to break the silence.

We skim along for about five miles on the smooth pavement, and at an approaching junction empty of traffic, Sallie pulls over for a look at the map and a discussion about loading our Camel Bak hydration rigs with ice for the morning.  I came along side of her so we could share the map, and talk it over.  We are standing next to our bikes like that when a dark blue Ford extended cab deisels up next to me approaching the stop sign.

The driver begins hollering something at me and I look over through the open passenger side window getting a whiff of the foul smelling interior of the truck.  The driver is leaning toward the passenger window wearing a sweat stained straw cowboy hat, has a large bushy handlebar mustache mixed in grey to match his too long untended hair, and he gives the appearance of Sam Elliott if he were to have an out of control methamphetamine habit.

“Get that bicycle off the damn road son, you can’t be that stupid just to be standing there in the traffic lane!  Put that thing off the road into a driveway or something!”

Thinking he was kidding around, I lean toward him to get a good look and see he is as serious as can be.  In the crowded cab of his truck I see the stained and weathered walnut stock of a well used Winchester .30 .30 lever action carbine, barrel down, buttstock up on the middle of the bench seat.

I turn and look down at my bicycle and my feet, and sure enough, I am in the traffic lane to the left of the white line about 2 feet.

Now Sam Elliott’s not-so-handsome twin’s truck is about 6 1/2 feet wide, and the traffic lane there at the stop sign is about 13 feet wide, so I guess it’s a miracle that he even got by.

Knowing I was in the lane, all I could say is “yes sir” to his commands.  On down the road he went…probably off to church, because after all, it is Sunday.

This takes place five miles into our ride.  We have about sixty more to go today, and more than a few thousand overall.  I am not about to let this person or anyone else interfere with what I’ve got going on.   How could I?  This is a journey forward.

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Tomorrow’s ride is dedicated to Donald N. Savage

Donald was only 14 when he was killed by a drunk driver. He was my only son and I miss him so very much. He was a really sweet boy and never met a stranger. He was also a fantastic artist and writer. He won many contests and even wrote a play when he was in the 8th grade and then the seniors performed in the play. His writing earned him the right to meet an author of children’s books. He brought so much happiness to us and all his friends. He will always live in our hearts.

Posted in Thoughts on moving forward | 5 Comments »

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