Crawfordsville, Fl. (Pop. 4853)

Well, we had a night. In the evening, it began to rain, and some of it was rather heavy. We hit the sack around 9:30, and sometime later it began to rain, accompanied by thunder and lightning. Neither of us slept very well, as we kept getting disturbed by the not so soothing rain on the roof of our bus. I kept thinking that I probably wouldn't ride because of all the rain, but sometime around 4:00 the rain seemed to settle down for the rest of the night.

We got up in the morning and made some coffee. We spent the night in a Walmart parking lot, and I peeked out the window expecting to see huge puddles in the lot, but it was already beginning to dry up. I was on the road by 9:00

I had half a mile before I got on my route for the day. I will be on US 98 until Pensacola and then continue along the coast until New Orleans. The road is a decent road, with some traffic and a 30ish-inch shoulder. The good news was that, for the most part, there was a rumble strip on the white line. This always feels good because it warns the driver and me if someone hits the white line. I am always watching the vehicle approaching from behind. I feel a sense of relief when I see them moving to the left. If they don't move left, I move a bit farther to the right and watch them in the mirror to make sure they don't wander in my direction.

When I left this morning, it started to spit a bit. No, it was not me spitting in the wind; it was the clouds spitting with the wind. It never got worse than a spit, but I will admit, it made me a bit anxious, remembering the rain as I entered Perry several days prior. It continued like this for about the first 15 miles. The day was overcast, dreary, and had a 7+ mph breeze in my face. The forecast was for increased sunshine and increased wind as the day progressed. I wanted to get in as many miles as possible before the wind picked up.

There really isn't much to say about the days ride, as it was all the same: ride the shoulder, watch and listen for approaching traffic, and stop periodically for drinks and food.

About 12:00, the sun finally broke through the clouds and the wind picked up. I pushed through the last 12 miles with a stiff breeze/wind in my face. As I was finishing up my ride, I turned on to a bike path, and just before the destination, I saw Dana in the path recording my completing the day, as if I were completing the greatest achievement of my life. Well, maybe this is the apex. Time will tell! It was good to finish and get out of the wind and the chilly air.

I cleaned up and rested a bit before we headed out to check out a local lighthouse. It was right on the water (duh!), and the wind was whipping off the bay. It was cold and verging on miserable, but it was still fun to see it and the coastal beauty.

For dinner, we ate at a local restaurant, and we both chose a black and bleu chicken sandwich. It was one of the best chicken sandwiches we have ever had. We might need to try to replicate it when we get back. Better yet, our grandson Josiah would do a much better version of it. Of that, I am sure.

Another day in the life of the Nomading Bontragers.Okumaya devam et