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Southern US/2-2025
  • Myron Bontrager
Feb – May 2025

Southern US/2-2025

This is our post-retirement trip. We are heading to St. Augustine, Fl. and then heading west. I will be riding bike and Dana will drive our PLUM Mobile (named by our grandkids, signifying Peace/Love/Understanding/Mobile. We have no agenda, no plans. Read more
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  • Trip start
    February 26, 2025
    Myron BontragerTravelerSouthern US/2-2025

    Ready to leave

    February 26 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 4 °C

    After months of preparing, we were ready to hit the road. Late in the fall we bought a 12-passenger shuttle bus and we began to adapt it for this trip. The first thing on the list of things to do was to remove the seats. I built a bed frame in the back which fit nicely across the back of the bus. I snooped around the internet and finally purchased a battery pack and solar panel. The intention is to keep the battery charged while we are driving and using the solar panel for back up power. I installed a small work cabinet and fastened a propane camp stove on it. We already had a small fridge that can be run off the battery pack. And of course, we had our small porta potty that we can use as needed. Our preference is to do our business in someone else's business but nature does what nature wants. After installing all the hookups, new tires, and an oil change we were loaded for the road. We fired up the bus and want to the Brew for our final farewell to Jeremy, Shivy and the kids. I had noticed on the way to the Brew that the power steering was a bit tight and checked the fluid when we arrived, but it seemed to be fine. We got back in the bus and were leaving the parking lot when the bus died. I tried to start it again, but the battery was dead. i jumped it with my portable jumper pack and started up again. After half a block it died for the second time. By now I suspected that something was quite amiss. I am a slow learner at times but it finally dawned on me that the engine belt had likely broken. I limped the bus back to our place and popped to hood and indeed the belt was hanging loosely. I called the mechanic that had worked on it before and he said I should bring it right in and they would get to it right away. I called a tow truck to get it to the mechanic and then waited. At 11:30 we got the call that the repairs had been made and we were ready to hit the road.

    This time we really did leave. Our plan was to visit Dana's dad, as it was basically on the way to Florida. We hoped to eat lunch with him and then eat at a Haitian restaurant right there in Springfield, Ohio, with Dans's sister and her husband. We had to readjust our plans, which is part of the way life comes at us. We arrived at her father's place a little after 4:00 and chatted a bit before my in-laws arrived to pick up her dad, and we all headed out for a wonderful meal at one of the main Haitian restaurants in Springfield.

    After our meal, we spent the rest of the evening chatting with Lavern and Ronda before calling it a day.

    Our bit of wisdom for the day:
    We often say that "it's not about the destination, but about the journey." However, we concluded that without the journey, there would be no destination, and without the destination, we would not embark on the journey. It is about the destination AND the journey.    Read more

  • Myron BontragerTravelerSouthern US/2-2025

    Statesville, NC

    February 27 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    We rolled out of bed this morning, and after a cup of coffee, we headed to Dad's place and had breakfast with him. He ate his traditional two eggs (over medium), two pieces of toast, two pieces of bacon, yogurt, and a fruit cup. Life would possibly end if this routine was altered. We had blueberry pancakes, sausage and scrambled eggs.

    At 9:00, we were heading out for today's trip south. We had about 14 hours from Springfield to St. Augustine, Fl, and wanted to get half way and finish it off tomorrow. We decided to stay off I-75 and use other highways, just because. Sometimes decisions don't demand a lot of logic. In Google Maps, I had selected to stay away from tolls, again just because. So sometimes the route took us off the West Virginia highway and took us along winding country roads. Even though it took us longer, especially when we hit a construction site that delayed us for nearly an hour, we did see some beautiful WV streams and mountains.

    We arrived here in Statesville, NC and decided to call it a day. We are lodged at WalMart's finest parking lot in this city. This will be our first night in the bus, and it will be an awesome night's rest.

    We stopped for gas and as Dana went into the store to use the restroom the cashier called out to her “I saw you and immediately thought you looked like Jaime Lee Curtis. This was not the first time she was told that. I will include pics, you decide.

    No wisdom for today; wait, yes, there is: "When your route takes you off the busy highway, enjoy the mountain streams and try to dodge oncoming traffic."    Read more

  • Myron BontragerTravelerSouthern US/2-2025

    Jacksonville, Fl.

    February 28 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 16 °C

    We woke up too early this morning. The air was a crisp 44 degrees, but we were toasty under our covers. We slept relatively well, it was just a too short night.

    I went to bed last evening with a bit of a raw throat and this morning I felt it become a head cold. So all day, I felt this coming on and by late afternoon, I was feeling quite under the weather. The good news is that the sun is shining and the temps passed the 70 degrees mark, so maybe a fresh dose of vitamin D might be just what the doctor ordered.

    The day was rather uneventful, and we arrived in the Jacksonville area around 4:15. We pulled into a WalMart hoping to spend the night in their glorious parking lot, but we were met with "no overnight parking" signs. We shook the dust from our sandles and headed to Cracker Barrel, where we were welcomed with open arms. We ate there, and although this is not my favorite restaurant, the food was good, and we headed back to our bus for the evening/night.

    We are less than 40 miles from St. Augustine and will head there tomorrow just to see what we can see. My plan is the head west, on bike, on Sunday. I may need to delay a day if I am still not feeling well. Or maybe I just need to sweat it out of my system. Time will tell.

    Word of wisdom for the day: When someone lets you know you aren't welcome, move on; there are others happy to offer you space for you to rest. Don't rue the rejections, embrace the available parking spots.    Read more

  • Myron BontragerTravelerSouthern US/2-2025

    St. Augustine, FL (sort of) (Pop. 14,329

    March 1 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    I had a really rough night, with a splitting head most of the night, and a stuffed up head. To say the least, I didn’t sleep well. This morning, I just lay in bed listening to Dana's gentle snore and was quite envious, but what was I to do? She finally woke around 8:00, and we got up and got the coffee going. After our cup of coffee and some medicine, I felt a bit better. We were just 40 miles north of St. Augustine, and we were just heading there to see what we could see.

    On our way south, we stopped at the famous Buc-ee. It is a show for those who have never been to one. It is a supersized gas station and convenience store rolled into one giant ball of circus. This is not the place to stop for a quick fillup and potty break.

    Arriving in St. Augustine, we found a coffee shop and sat in the warmth of the sun and enjoyed our hot drinks. We left Goshen on Wednesday morning with precipitation of sleety/rainy cold and dreary day. Today the temps were in the mid-70s and sunny. It felt so good to sit in the sun and soak in the warmth. The drinks were good as well.

    We found another Cracker Barrel and parked our PLUM. I took a nap while Dana read a book. We cleaned up, and like a pair of old folks, we sat on the rocking chairs in front of Cracker Barrel.

    So nothing exciting happened today, but on trips like this, we don't always want exciting. I did receive a text from my nephew, who is in Jacksonville for "Bike Week". I am not sure what that is and will need to find out. We will meet tomorrow morning at a coffee shop and catch up.

    Word of wisdom for the day: we often see people who are quite different from us and sometimes tag them as weird; however, "we are all weird to someone!"    Read more

  • Myron BontragerTravelerSouthern US/2-2025

    St. Augustine (sort of, still)

    March 2 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 12 °C

    Yesterday, we decided to spend one more day in the area since I wasn't feeling all that well. I slept much better, but like normal, I woke too early.

    We relaxed most of the morning then headed out to Pour Mike's Coffee House. We met my nephew, Jeff, there for a several-hour catch-up. As of today, he just might be my favorite nephew, although I am open for new applications. He is in the area for the Bike Week, which is for the southeast what the Sturgis Bike Rally is to the midwest. At least that is how I understand it. It was great catching up.

    After we left the coffee house, we headed to the Historic Center of St. Augustine, walked around for a while, and finally sat down for a burger and a beer.

    We returned to Cracker Barrel for another night before we head west in the morning. The temps today were in the mid-60s, with a brisk wind. So it seemed a bit chilly, but this man is not complaining.

    Wisdom for the day: St. Augustine is the nation's first city. We walked the old historical streets. I was reminded that "history never goes away; be careful of the history we make."    Read more

  • Myron BontragerTravelerSouthern US/2-2025

    Florahome, Fl. (Pop. 1471)

    March 3 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Well, here we are, one day's ride from the coast. Having spent the past several days recuperating and being lazy, it was hard to get it into my head that I should actually get on that bike and ride. But I forced myself to get mentally prepared for this first day. We woke to a chilly morning, but the coffee got us going, and soon we were headed towards the waterfront for the grand launch. In many ways, I feel less committed to this trip as I did to the other long hauls we made the past several years. Maybe this means that I will just take it easy and enjoy this trip, or maybe I will wake one day and pull the plug. I hope it's the first option.

    I left the waterfront and headed through the streets of St. Augustine. The traffic was quite heavy but it moved slowly. Dana headed out to the day's destination. About 10 minutes later, as I was stopped at a traffic light, I saw her passing by in the world-famous PLUM.

    When I first got on the bike this morning, there was a certain sense of dread and overwhelming feeling. It happens every time, and I knew it was coming. I felt a bit certain that this was possibly the most insane thing I had ever done. I wonder if I should just throw in the towel and play shuffleboard with the Amish in Pinecraft. But I began the pedaling, and soon I felt the breeze in my face and remembered why I ride. I have often joked that my bike is the cheapest therapist I have ever used. I thanked my trusty helper and kept pedaling.

    I spent the first 10 miles navigating my way out of the city. All the streets had bike lanes, although they sometimes were a bit narrow. However, they were still greatly appreciated. I then arrived at the Palatka to St. Augustine Trail. It was a great trail and enjoyed it a lot. The trail mostly ended in Palatka but picked up the Palatka to Lake Butler Trail. They were both nicely paved and passed through mostly wooded areas. It was very pleasant riding. Dana had found our meet-up spot and, after a while, rode towards me and met me about 11 miles from the parking spot. We rode together back and were both a bit tired by the time we arrived. It was time to call it a day. We had planned to park at the trailhead, but there were signs stating that it wouldn't be allowed. We pulled out and found the fire station and asked if there was a spot we could park for the night. He pointed at an open field and said, "I would park it there; no one ever uses it, and you will be fine." So here we are hoping we won't be roused awake by angry neighbors wielding axes and shotguns. I will let you know tomorrow how all this worked. out.

    47.6 miles for my first outdoor ride of the year was enough, but I am pleased I got it done. I think tomorrow will be about the same length, but things can change quickly.

    Word of wisdom of the day: Sometimes the biggest barrier to success is what we tell ourselves before we even get started.    Read more

  • Myron BontragerTravelerSouthern US/2-2025

    Gainsville, FL. (Pop. 145,212)

    March 4 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    We woke this morning with no horror stories to tell; no crazed men wielding axes nor shot guns. The day had a great beginning.

    We were heading to Gainsville for the day, and after our morning coffee and breakfast, I prepped for the ride, and off I headed on the day's ride. We were still right off the trail, so it was an easy start. The trail ended after about 5 miles, and I found myself on a rather busy road for several miles. I had no shoulder, and the traffic was a bit heavy. I was riding along when I heard an obnoxious horn to my rear, and sure enough, Dana passed me honking her horn. Since she is a nice driver, she was way over on the other side of the road, like all drivers should do. After the busy highway, I turned onto a country road with little traffic. The road was smooth, with no shoulder, but it was still a very pleasant ride. About 22 miles into the day's ride, I was on another bike trail, and it was again very pleasant. I stopped for lunch and some rest. At one point, I stopped and lay on a bench for a while just to give my legs a break. I wasn't sore today, but I could tell my legs just didn't have the umph they had yesterday. I took more breaks and was able to finish the ride, which spells success in my book

    I finished the day with a pleasant ride through downtown Gainsville. It seemed to have some character and some interesting shops. We landed at Walmart hoping for a "sure you can park overnight" welcome, but the signs said otherwise. We left and drove to Sam's Club, and at one place there were signs indicating there was no overnight parking. I called the manager, and he said sure we can stay, "Just park out of the way, and be careful." I mean, that sounds like everything should be ok, right? We parked, and after dinner we are hunkering in for the night.

    Tomorrow looks like a zero day. There are rains on the way, with 20+ mph winds. Yeah, I am not that crazy, at least not on most days. We will just hang out and maybe hit a coffee shop or two and then hope to head out on Thursday. I mean, we are retired, and this still beats shuttleboard in Pine Craft, Fl. Just saying.

    Word of wisdom for the day: Words of wisdom are overrated. I would like to hear some wisdom from some of you. It's your turn.    Read more

  • Myron BontragerTravelerSouthern US/2-2025

    Day two in Gainsville, Fl.

    March 5 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Today was a "zero day." There was a storm heading our way, and we decided to stay put. The prediction was that there would be some heavy rains and winds from 20 to 30 mph. That is not the weather I want to be riding in. The day was a bit hot (77), humid, and actually quite pleasant for us Northerners. We did find a coffee shop first thing in the morning and enjoyed our drinks in familiar surroundings. A touch of home!

    We returned to the parking lot to wait out the storm which ended up being a bit of a dud. It rained some, a bit heavy for a short period of time, and some winds, but not as bad as I had expected. We mostly lounged around, reading, listening to music, and just chilling.

    We headed to Cracker Barrel for the evening. We were joined by quite a few other fellow vagabonds. We did frequent the restaurant for dinner; we were being good bums.

    Sharing is caring, right? Dana now has the head cold I had several days ago. I guess it was inevitable, since we are living in tight quarters.

    I am heading out this morning for a shorter ride. It should be under 40 miles, but it is 54 degrees with a 15-mph wind in my face. So it will be worth at least 50 miles, all things considered.

    Word of wisdom for today was passed on to us from Zane Gillan. It is a line from one of Jim Croce songs. "Don't spit in the wind!" I will take that to heart, as I ride into the wind. What an appropriate bit of wisdom for today.    Read more

  • Myron BontragerTravelerSouthern US/2-2025

    Ft. White, Fl. (Pop. 618)

    March 6 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    I did not spit in the wind, although I had plenty of opportunity to experiment. I didn't pull out until around 9:30, as it was barely 50 degrees by then and the wind speed was supposedly dropping a bit around 10:00. I was somewhat willing to take any edge I could get.

    We were on the northeast part of Gainsville, and I needed to head west and then north and west to get to the day's destination. I wove through some city streets and a short trail, and finally I was heading north. The wind was quite brisk, and I had an extra layer of clothing on, so I was warm enough, but there was no way to ease the pain of the wind.

    About 15 miles in, I decided to take a break and grab something to eat. I pulled into a gas station, used the restroom, sat on the curb like the lowly vagabond that I am and pulled out my sack lunch. I decided to eat a few snacks and let the sandwiches for lunch. It was like the carrot dangling in front of me to encourage my legs. I pulled out and kept churning along.

    Most of the day was along rather busy roads, but almost all of the time there were bike lanes, although a bit narrow for my liking.

    Finally, around 12:15, I found a small church located on the main street of Alachua. I pushed my bike over the small curb, leaned my bike against a post, and proceeded to unpack my lunch on an outside table. I was grateful for the moments in the sun and out of the biting wind. Two sandwiches later, several drinks, and some snacks, I was ready to tackle the last 17 miles.

    From Alachua, I continued north with the wind on my front left part of my forehead. The good news was that quite a bit of the time there was a good line of trees to the west that shielded some of the strength of the wind. I kept grinding away and applied some good self-talk. Finally, I turned the corner and headed west, directly into the wind. Fortunately, this was only about 7 miles, and I finally pulled into our night's parking spot.

    Yesterday, I contacted a church here in the town of Ft. White and asked if we could park in their parking lot for the night. They gave us permission, and we were grateful for the hospitality. So here we are parked behind the church, enjoying the cool evening. I was unsure if they would grant permission, as churches can be a bit stingy with their space, but this one was very generous.

    I rested and cleaned up this afternoon, and then we headed to a food truck pavillion. It was funky and really cool. We had some super delicious Mexican food and watched some kids playing on trikes and having a good time. I would never have expected something like this in a small town of this size. We were pleasantly surprised.

    I hauled my butt for these long, grueling 38.9 miles. I was glad to finish it off.

    Wisdom? I don't know if I have much to offer today. Anyone have some tidbit to share?    Read more

  • Myron BontragerTravelerSouthern US/2-2025

    Mayo, Fl. (Pop. 1055)

    March 7 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    We woke to a crispy 34 degrees outside. We lay in bed longer than usual as it was hard to get motivated to get up and start the day. We both slept quite well. Dana is still fighting congestion, so that complicates sleeping for her.

    I was ready to leave around 9:30 and headed out for the day. The route out of town took me through several streets in this little town of about 650. There was an asphalt road, and then on to several dirt roads. I had several flashbacks from some of our previous adventures. However, before too long, I turned left onto a paved road and then followed that quiet and peaceful road for 8 more miles. The traffic was very light, and I passed pastures dotted with cows and horses. It was certainly a peaceful route.

    Dana and I had spotted a coffee shop about the halfway spot for the day. It was about half a mile out of the way, but coffee was calling. On the final 8-mile stretch, I had a beautiful bike path, freshly made and smooth as silk. Well, almost. The coffee shop was cute, but the drinks were less than stellar. But my engines were primed for the final 20-mile stretch. This was on Highway 27, and it was busy at times, but I had a nice shoulder, and the road was nice and also flat. I made good time, and before too long I was getting to Mayo, Fl., our destination.

    We arranged to meet at Veterans Memorial Park and then would decide where we would spend the night. I got there and called City Hall to see if we could park overnight. The answer was no. Dana checked at Dollar General but received the same answer. However, the lady said the motel across the street sometimes lets people park for the night. I gave them a call and was promptly greeted with a "sure, you can park here for the night. All our rooms are filled, but you can park here." I offered to pay something for the parking, but she declined the offer. We ate at a local restaurant next door and had a pretty decent seafood buffet. We are stuffed and starting to wind down for the night.

    Tomorrow is another short day, but with a bit of rain forecast for midmorning, I will head out as soon as possible and hope I can get to Perry before the rain hits. If not, don't think I'll melt any time soon. 30 miles will need to be completed before 10:00 am. It might be close, but should be doable.

    38.9 miles with a lot of beautiful sunshine. Sorry about the snow back home. Not sorry!

    Peace out    Read more

  • Myron BontragerTravelerSouthern US/2-2025

    Perry, Fl. (Pop. 6898)

    March 8 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    We went to bed last night expecting rain this morning around 10:00. However, when we got up, the time had been pushed back an hour. So we gave ourselves permission to dawdle a bit. We went to the restaurant next door and ordered coffee. I ordered an order of cheesy grits and a biscuit. You just have to love this southern cooking.

    After eating, I got the bike ready for the day's ride and realized the back tire was flat. I had some problems with it earlier, and it seemed to be fine after refilling it (I think it is a valve problem). I quickly changed the tube and was ready to roll.

    I was barely on my way when it started to sprinkle and thought it must have been a mistake. It sprinkled for about 5 miles and then stopped. I started breathing more easily. I figured if I could keep my pace at about 12 mph, I should be able to beat the rain. Before too long, I heard a horn blowing behind me, and then Dana whizzed by, as was the plan.

    I kept my pace as expected, and about 12 to go, the rain began to fall. I thought, "Wait, it can't rain until 11:00," and yet here I am riding in the rain. I stopped and changed my coat (for warmth) for my rain gear. While I was stopped, I slammed a peanut butter sandwich and about half a bottle of water. Then I set out to finish the day. The rain was steady, and after a while I couldn't see through my rain speckled sunglasses. I took them off, and then the rain ran into my eyes, and I still couldn't see very well. I did the best I could, wiping my eyes and trying to ignore my burning eyes. I was approaching Perry (population 6898) when an e-bike flew past me. I had several mean thoughts go through my mind but kept my legs churning. Finally, I arrived at the bus where Dana was waiting for me, all dry and warm. I was cold and soaked to the gills. I threw my bike on the rack and covered it, got in the bus, and swapped my wet clothes for some dry ones. I ate some snacks and then crawled on the bed, trying to get warm.

    After a while, Dana suggested we head to a nearby coffee shop. I remarked that it is probably a drive-through. It was only a block down the road, so we donned our hoodies and headed out. We sloshed through the parking lot, and by the time we arrived, our feet and pants legs were wet. Sure enough, it was a drive-through. We walked up to the window and asked if we could walk through instead of drive through. The barista replied, (imagine a southern accent), "Yes, sir, you sure can." We ordered our drinks, and I ordered a grits bowl. We took our order back to the bus and enjoyed them.

    We have been on the road for eleven days and have slept in the bus every night. Because of the rain system coming through the area, we decided to spend the night in a hotel. We also wanted to do some laundry because it is possible that some of our clothes could use a good washing. I will thank you ahead of time for not judging our lifestyle!

    After some hot showers and two loads of laundry, we were ready for dinner. We left our hotel and headed to our right for some southern-style cooking and BBQ. We arrived (we walked in a slight drizzle) to discover the restaurant is closed on Saturdays. Go figure! We walked back past the hotel to an Italian restaurant and enjoyed a delicious meal.

    We are now back in our hotel for the evening, enjoying the warmth and climate-controlled room.

    Thanks for reading and vicariously living this retirement adventure. Or whatever this is.    Read more

  • Myron BontragerTravelerSouthern US/2-2025

    Perry, Fl. Day 2

    March 9 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 22 °C

    Zero day, and that basically expains our day.

    We spent the night at a hotel and had a lovely dinner at a less than impressive Italian restaurant. The food was delicious, but the facilities were several notches south of impressive. However, we were glad we chose that for our dinner.

    We woke this morning, grabbed some semi-decent coffee, and lounged until we could think about eating breakfast. Then we headed back to our room and lounged some more until it was time to check out.

    We thought we would drive through the downtown, and one quick look we knew there wouldn't be much to see. There were a number of empty storefronts, decaying buildings, and all in all, rather depressing.

    After the exclusive tour of Downtown Perry, we headed to Walmart for some real action. We napped, lay around, read books, and got really lazy. For excitement, we used the restrooms at Walmart and walked around just to get our blood pumping again. After some burgers at Sonic, we are winding down and chilling the rest of the evening.

    Tomorrow, I will head out again. We are entering the panhandle of Florida. We will head basically west for tomorrow and then follow US 98 south along the coast until Pensacola and then following more of the coastline until New Orleans.

    Thanks for following this adventure, and I hope you all are enjoying the northern weather. It seems like you all might be in for some warmer weather in the near future.    Read more

  • Myron BontragerTravelerSouthern US/2-2025

    Crawfordsville, Fl. (Pop. 4853)

    March 10 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    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.    Read more

  • Myron BontragerTravelerSouthern US/2-2025

    Carrebelle, Fl. (Pop. 2606)

    March 11 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Yesterday afternoon, I asked at the Exxon Gasoline if we could park our PLUM in their lot over night. The cashier said, "Sure, that's fine." I assumed she was the final decision-maker, and we returned and parked out of the way and spent the night. I was a little nervous about the time we went to bed, but no one beat on our door, and we were undisturbed for the night. The station closed at 10:00, so things settled down for the night.

    We got up this morning and headed to a local park since the station offered parking but their restrooms were out of order. Since we all know what coffee makes you do, we thought we should head to the park for our morning business.

    I headed out around 9:00 this morning, feeling the chilly 50-degree breeze on my face. The sun was shining, so it wasn't too bad, after my blood got pumping really well. The first 20 miles were on bike lanes. They were awesome and so peaceful. However, that party ended, and I was back on the US 98. The road had a nice shoulder, so the riding was still pretty peaceful, as long as you ignored the dump trucks flying by, nearly blasting me off the road sometimes. The last 8 miles were on a shoulderless road, and even though the traffic wasn't heavy, it was still more nerve-racking. I was constantly watching for traffic in my mirror. I was ready to call it a day by the time I arrived in Carrebelle around 1:30. Dana had found a park on the beach and spent most of her day there, walking and doing some painting. I arrived, cleaned up, rested, and then we headed out to find a place to stay and something to eat. This morning, I had called a church and asked if we could park in their lot for the night. I was pretty sure they had a large parking lot, thanks to Google Maps street view. I didn't receive a call back and assumed that might be the yes I was looking for. On our way to The Fisherman's Wife (a local restaurant), we stopped by the church. There were several cars by the front entrance, and Dana said I should ask if we could park for the night. I approached them and explained the situation, saying we would park in the farthest corner and be out of their way. The gentleman said, "I can show you something that would probably be more comfortable for you." He took me to the side of the church and showed me a large asphalt pad and said that I should just pull up and make ourselves at home. He pointed out the water spigot and the electrical hookup. He made sure I felt free to use the water and electric. We were happy and pleased at their hospitality. We are currently parked and getting juiced. Happy campers!

    During the first part of the trip today, I met this young woman fully geared up for a long haul. As we passed, I asked if she was headed to St. Augustine; she replied that she was. I stopped, but she kept going. I would have loved to hear her story, but she seemed to want to keep rolling.

    About half way through the day, there was a young man riding on the other side of the road and yelled across to see if I had some chain lube. I said that I did, and we chatted a bit as he lubed his chain. Daniel was a college student on spring break. He doesn't have a car, but he has a bike, so he decided to spend the week doing a 4-5 day bike tour. He got caught in the rain on Sunday, the same one we experienced in Perry. Unlike us, he was camping and probably slept worse than we did. After several minutes of chatting, we both head in opposite directions.

    I stopped about 15 miles out for lunch and had just finished when a Jeep pulled in with a 30-something driver. There was a bike on a rack on the back of the Jeep. He asked if I was ok, to which I replied that I was just finishing lunch. He asked where I was headed, and we chatted for a while. He has done quite a bit of riding in the area. He told me he loves to ride his e-bike. More heartfelt emotions were immediately identified. :-) He seemed like a nice guy, and soon he sped off, and I started the last leg of my day.

    The day started off quite chilly, but at my lunch break, I took off another layer and enjoyed the rest of the day in short sleeves.

    This trip is certainly different than any of our others. It just has a different feel, knowing that we always have the bus to sleep in. At the same time, we are enjoying the trip, and Dana has time to find unique spots to visit. At the end of the day, I crash. We make it work. :-)    Read more

  • Myron BontragerTravelerSouthern US/2-2025

    Port St. Joe, Fl. (Pop. 3,357)

    March 12 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    What a horrible day! Now that I have your attention, let me say that it was nearly perfect riding weather. I left this morning to a crisp 52 degrees and when I arrived, it is a very pleasant 72 degrees. The skys were clear and there was only a slight breeze in my face. When I say slight, I mean like 3 mph; very slight. I followed US 98 all day so it was rather boring in that sense, but as you will see from the pictures, a lot of the day was along the coast, not yet technically the Gulf of Mexico, but it is for all I know. I guess these are a lot of bays and sounds, but sure looks like the Gulf to me. I pealed off my coat at about 10 miles and then took off my undershirt around 25 miles. I rode the last 15 miles in short sleeves. We are parked in a local water front park and the air is cool, and very pleasant outside.

    After I left this morning, Dana stayed behind for a while. She noticed several older men looking at the PLUM and finally one of them approached her and said that we have a very cool bus. I am truely believing we are trendsetters of the newly retired crowd. Until someone proves me different, I will believe.

    As you notice on the map, we have hit the bottom of the panhandle and will be heading to Panama City tomorrow. It will be a shorter ride, but it just makes sense to land there tomorrow. After tomorrow we should have two more days in Florida and then on to Alabama for several days. I have officially now ridden over 10% of the way to the west coast. I am eating the elephant, one small bite at a time.

    I was a bit hungry this evening, so we found a BBQ place and way too much to eat. I had smoked baby back ribs, some smoked brisket, and smoked pulled chicken. For sides, I had collard greens, and smoked mac and cheese, with a cold IPA to complete the meal. We waddled back to the PLUM.

    I called a church this morning to see if we could snag a spot to park for the night. I was told he would need to check with the deacons since there was a liability issue with us parking on their grounds, but he would call me back. So far no call; I gave up on waiting for an answer. As I was entering the town, I saw a Dollar General with a nice parking lot. I stopped in and explained what we were doing and if we could park in the lot for the night. The manager said she couldn't see why not. We will take a shot at it and hope we don't get chased off. If we do, I spotted a church with a huge parking lot and we will go there if we have to. If that fails, we will just keep driving around taking turns sleeping in the back. Just kidding!

    One more day in the southern crawl. This trip is a lot like the brisket I had tonight; low and slow. We have seen some interesting small Florida towns. That in itself is an experience in itself. At one point in today's ride someone coming from the other direction beeped their horn a number of times and stuck their hand out the window with a thumbs up. They were pulling a camper with bikes on the back. My kind of friends. Other than them, the only person to honk at me has been Dana as she passes me on the road.

    Be well friends.    Read more

  • Myron BontragerTravelerSouthern US/2-2025

    Panama City, Fl (Pop. 34,690)

    March 13 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    We made it through the night, tucked away in a Family Dollar parking lot. I mean why not?

    We got up before dawn and headed down to the beach front, hoping to get a glimpse of the sunrise. Of course, we knew it wouldn't come up over the water but thought we might get a good glimpse anyways. After a while, we saw it coming up over the city, cluttered with buildings, light posts, and other city-ish sort of things. We (this interprets to mean Dana) took some semi decent pics and then headed off to get some coffee at a local coffee shop; mediocre at best.

    We got back to the PLUM and I prepped for the day. I shoved off just before 9:00. I knew I would have just under 40 miles, so I figured it would be an easy day. I followed US 98 all day. It was a rather boring ride, but I had a slight breeze on my back and I made excellent headways. I almost felt good about my bike legs, but had to remind myself to give some credit to the breeze. I finished the day in just over 3 hours. I should have tacked another 20 miles to the day, but Panama City seemed like the logical place to stay.

    Dana had found a park then proceeded to head downtown and looked at a number of murals and other art exhibits. She was still gone when I arrived. I tried to nap, but sleep, much like last night, alluded me.

    We stopped in at Lowes and Walmart to get somethings before heading to Cracker Barrel for the evening. Here we are, bellies full, legs tired, and beginning to chill for the evening.

    We passed a time zone today. We are now in Central Time Zone for a while.

    Here's to sharing peace, love and understanding to everyone we meet. Be kind! It seldom costs anything and changes the world, one act of kindness at a time.    Read more

  • Myron BontragerTravelerSouthern US/2-2025

    Destin, Fl. (Pop. 13,931)

    March 14 in the United States ⋅ 🌬 19 °C

    We are in the Central Time Zone, so the sun is rising an hour earlier. The good news is that I can get started earlier than before. Normally, I wasn’t hitting the road until 8:30 or even 9:00. I knew today was going to be a bit longer than other days, so the extra hour really helped. I’ve been trying to keep the mileage to around 40 miles per day since I haven’t had the chance to train for this ride. Today’s ride was 55.6 miles. I left right at 7:30 and was soon heading west.

    My route followed US 98 most of the day, with several cutoffs. County Road 30A is a road that parallels US 98 but runs closer to the beach. The challenge was getting off US 98 and onto 30A. I pulled off to the side of the road, waited for a slight gap in traffic, signaled with my hand so drivers could see, and crossed three lanes of traffic. It wasn’t as bad as it seemed, but I was glad Dana wasn’t along—it’s always harder to look out for a second rider.

    Once on 30A, I cycled through a lot of silly touristy stuff—you know, shops all selling the same T-shirts, food, hotels, and bars. Some of the food looked interesting, but overall, I had no desire to linger. The ride was relatively peaceful, as it was still early in the morning, and I suspected most people were still sleeping off their hangovers. After a while, I was routed onto a path alongside US 98, then back onto CR 30A. This time, the route catered to wealthier tourists. The houses were “fine,” the buildings were beautiful, and the shops were designed for serious spending. The ride was quite hectic, too. There was a path alongside the road, but it was bumpy, and for some reason, tourists thought it was a good idea to walk their dogs, jog, or meander with their bikes. The miles didn’t tick by quickly, but it was a nice change of pace. Before long, I was back on US 98.

    Along the final stretch, I had a lovely path off the road, which was a welcome relief. For the last 8 miles, I had a bike lane on the road, with all the traffic. A slight breeze at my back helped me make up for the crowded tourist traps. I arrived at our meeting place around 12:30. I was pleased with the day’s progress—55+ miles in the books!

    Tomorrow we’ll head toward Pensacola. I’m not sure if we’ll quite make it, due to timing and other factors, but I’m hopeful. There’s some interesting weather on the way, with southeast winds (helpful, since I’ll mostly be heading west) of 13–19 mph. Hopefully, that’ll make for easier riding. Wind is always unpredictable, though, so we’ll play it by ear regarding how far I’ll go. Later in the night, stronger winds are expected. We might try to find a hotel and hunker down.

    Let’s keep spreading kindness and making the world a better place. A little kindness costs so little, but it can mean so much.    Read more

  • Myron BontragerTravelerSouthern US/2-2025

    Gulf Breeze, Fl. (Pop. 6,340)

    March 15 in the United States ⋅ 🌬 21 °C

    The 6:30 alarm sounded, and even though I was awake, I didn’t feel much like moving to get ready to leave. We headed to Walmart, as that was where I had stopped my ride yesterday. I started getting dressed for the day while Dana prepared some food for me to eat for breakfast and to take along for the ride. After several weeks on the road, we’re starting to sync our rhythms for smoother transitions from sleep to spinning wheels. We knew the wind was going to pick up during the day, so I wanted to get rolling as early as possible.

    I left the parking lot around 7:30 and headed west. I was hoping to reach Pensacola today, but cities can get a bit complicated. Our preference is to stop just short of a city, ride through it the next day, and end up on the other side. With the wind at my back, I gained 3–4 mph, which at times made me feel superhuman (most days, it doesn’t take much to make me feel that way). When the bar is low, I’m easily impressed.

    My route followed US 98 all day. For most of the day, I had a bike lane, which helped a lot. The closer I got to Gulf Breeze, the more road construction I encountered. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m constantly looking in my helmet mirror, watching the traffic as it approaches from behind. At one point, I was stuck between construction cones and traffic. I had enough, but not plenty, of space. It was a bit hectic, and I kept watching the traffic in my mirror. I saw a massive motor coach approaching, with its wheel on the white line—meaning the actual coach was another six inches into my space. I kept watching and saw the driver wasn’t budging from that line. As he approached, I ducked between several cones, and he whizzed by. Had I stayed put, he would’ve probably been no more than 18 inches to my left. I don’t think he would’ve hit me, but I was pretty pissed. He had space to his left, but you know how it goes. Here’s my theory: some grandpa told grandma, “Hey, let’s get a massive motor coach and go see the world. I know, I’ve never driven one before, but how hard can it be?” I have no idea if he saw me or not, but that joker shouldn’t be driving that beast. Just saying.

    However, I did arrive safely, and for that, I’m grateful. Some of you might be questioning my sanity. Well, join the crowd. Here’s how I ride: I’m constantly conscious of the lines to my left—always! I’m also constantly aware of where traffic is—always! I watch closely to see if vehicles start moving to the left. Only then do I begin to relax. I agree bad things can happen, but I’m doing my part to mitigate the risk. My dad once told me he wished—or at least wondered—what would have happened if he had made different decisions in his life. He told me to live in a way that I wouldn’t look back and ask, “What if?” I’ve always remembered that and have kept pushing the envelope. Call me stupid, but that’s the way I’ve tried to live my life.

    As you all may know, there’s a pretty nasty storm marching eastward through most of the Midwest, stretching north and south across much of the nation. Because of that, we decided to book a hotel to ride out what little will hit here. There will likely be some winds and rain, but not much else.

    Be well, do good, and be kind!    Read more

  • Myron BontragerTravelerSouthern US/2-2025

    Gulf Shores, Alabama (Pop. 15,218)

    March 16 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Last night's storm passed by with just a little thunder and rain. Sorry for all those north of us in its path.

    I headed out this morning just before 7:30. I really enjoy leaving earlier, as I have more energy, and mentally, it just feels better. I crossed the bridge that took me into Pensacola and then turned west for the rest of the day. Getting through the city was fine, though I had to cross several three-lane highways. Luckily, it was early Sunday morning, and the traffic was very light. Before long, I was out of the city and passing through small towns and villages. In reality, I never hit the countryside, as this section is mostly beach, both to the north and the south. We are fully immersed in the Gulf of Mexico region. As you can imagine, there is waterfront construction everywhere—though on the Gulf side, less so, because much of it is public beach access. Some areas were a bit run down, but others were quite swanky.

    This morning, before leaving, I noticed my tire was flat. I had been having some issues with the valve and assumed it might be the same problem. So, I pumped up the tire and headed out. About 15 miles in, I felt the back tire getting squishy, so I stopped to check it out. Sure enough, it was going flat. I pumped it up again and figured it would be easier to refill it every 15 miles than to change the tube. However, about 5 miles later, it was squishy again, so I stopped to fix the problem. I pulled off the tire and found a small staple sticking through it. I pulled out my handy dandy multi-tool, removed the staple, patched the tube, and ate lunch. I was on a bike path off the road, so I had all the room I needed.

    By now, I was halfway through the day, but the wind was picking up, turning it into more of a grind as the miles clicked by. These are the times when I set short-term goals—like making it 5 more miles before stopping for a drink. I need those little milestones to push through the tougher stretches.

    I was about 8 miles out when I was directed off the main road and onto a paved trail through some wooded sections. It was peaceful and winding. It certainly wasn’t the shortest route to my destination, but I enjoyed the ride and was glad for the break from the wind.

    I arrived at our PLUM, and Dana was waiting for me. She quickly informed me that there was an ice cream shop and a beignet shop nearby. I cleaned up, and she headed out with her bike to ride the trail. She returned 22 miles later. After she cleaned up, we went to get ice cream, promising ourselves that tomorrow morning we’d start the day with some beignets. Sometimes waking up is not hard to do.

    After a dinner of chicken and mashed potatoes, we are settling down and hoping for a peaceful night.

    Tomorrow, we have about 21 miles to a ferry that will take us from the tip of this strip of land to Dauphin Island. From there, we will cross onto the mainland via another quite lengthy bridge. The ferry leaves every hour and a half, so we’ll see when we disembark and how much farther we can get for the day.

    I crossed the 500 mile mark today.

    "Peace, love, and understanding" is our motto—and hopefully our way of life. Be well and keep doing good.    Read more

  • Myron BontragerTravelerSouthern US/2-2025

    Bayou Le Batre (Pop. 2,558)

    March 17 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    From Beignets to Ben-Gay!

    We woke up this morning anticipating some fresh beignets, and we were not disappointed. We got ready, and I rode the few blocks to Café Beignet. Dana got there before I did, but as I walked in, Stephanie greeted me with, "Look at you, all dressed up and ready to go!" I guessed Dana had told them she was waiting for me and that I was riding a bike. Cory, the dude behind the counter and the food prep extraordinaire, said we had two options: day-old beignets ready in a minute or fresh ones if we could wait four minutes. We chose to wait. They were served piping hot, and we were not disappointed. The first bite almost sent me to heaven. The blessed morsel was soft, covered with powdered sugar, and went straight to my soul. That might be a bit of an overstatement, but I’m not kidding—they were awesome. We also ordered chicory coffee because we were doing all things "N’awlins."

    We struck up a conversation, and they found out I was attempting to ride cross-country. Cory seemed a bit shocked and then asked if he could ask how old I was. I always find it interesting when someone asks if they can ask because, in reality, they already have. I told him I would be 69 in a few months, and he replied that he would have guessed a lot younger. Good answer! Then he posed the question to Dana. She replied that she was 67, and I interjected that she was Jamie Lee Curtis’s younger sister. Cory said he thought of Jamie when Dana walked in, then added he wouldn’t have guessed a day over 55. Best answer ever! It was time to head out.

    We were heading to the ferry that would take us off this skinny strip of land to Dauphin Island and then across a bridge to the mainland. I had about 20 miles to the ferry, then a break, and another 20 miles to our day’s landing pad. It was 48 degrees when I left this morning, but I was dressed for it and soon warmed up as I clicked off the miles. I was about 4 miles from the ferry when Dana messaged me that it wasn’t running because of the wind, but they were hoping to restart once the winds settled. Oh well, now what? I finished the 4 miles, and we consulted, deciding to wait and see if we could still get to the island today and figure it out from there. I was hoping to reach Bayou La Batre today to make it to Biloxi tomorrow. You know, there are lots of casinos—we hope to hit the slots and pay for this trip. :-)

    We waited in the PLUM for a while, and the attendant came over and said they planned to run the 11:45 ferry. Yippee! We pulled into line and finished our wait there.

    The ferry ride was as expected—calm and successful. We disembarked, and I unloaded my bike, ready to finish the trip. I had about 23 miles to go and figured I’d be there in under two hours. All according to plan. As I started, I noticed a bike path to the left of the road and heard Dana’s voice in my head saying, "Take the path! Take the path! Take the path!" So I took the path. What I didn’t realize was that the road to the bridge veered to the right, and I missed the sign from the path. Four miles later, I reached a dead end.

    The app I use for directions, Ride with GPS, is great for many reasons—one being that it alerts me when I’m off course. At the ferry, I had paused the ride, and when I resumed, the alerts didn’t re-engage. My only option was to turn around, ride the 4 miles back, and head to the bridge. The bridge was several miles long with a pretty steep incline just before reaching the mainland. At that point, it was all about self-talk—getting my head in the right place and grinding it out.

    After the bridge, I followed the route onto several country roads littered with angry dogs. Honestly, there were only about four, but they seemed to be everywhere. I have an air horn in a bottle holder handy for these situations. The first dog retreated after a warning blast, but several others kept barking and chasing me. I stopped the bike, waited for them, and blasted the 120-decibel horn. They soon lost interest.

    Just as I finished with the dogs, the pavement ended, and I was "blessed" with bumpy gravel roads for several miles. Eventually, I had the choice of turning right onto a crappy dirt road or staying on the paved road and adding 1.7 miles. I chose the road less taken—at least for those who dislike dirt roads.

    I finally arrived at the parking lot and saw the van waiting for me. Dana had bought some Pringles. I cleaned up and then opened the container, taking a few and handing it back, knowing I wouldn’t stop once I started. There’s nothing like salt and carbs at the end of the day. I washed them down with a cold beer and then took a nap.

    I’m sure there are many metaphors and lessons to be learned from a day like this, but I’ll let you figure them out. If you feel like it, you can shower us with your staggering wisdom.

    On west tomorrow.

    Be well, and do much good to all you meet.    Read more

  • Myron BontragerTravelerSouthern US/2-2025

    Biloxi, MS. (Pop. 47,445)

    March 18 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Our night at the Dollar Tree parking lot was splendid. We asked if we could sleep overnight, and they thought it shouldn’t be a problem—and it wasn’t.

    It was a cold, crisp morning. The thermometer dropped to 45 degrees, and we waited as long as we could before rolling out of bed. I got the stove started, just to get some heat in our space. Soon, we were dressed and warming up. We left around 6:40 for McDonald’s. It was about a mile on the way, so I dressed for the day and rode through the semi-darkness to the restaurant. By the time I arrived, Dana had already ordered, and the coffee and sandwich were waiting for me. We sat there for about an hour before I finally worked up the courage to brave the cold. By then, the temp was a blistering 47 degrees. I headed out, and soon my fingers and chest were getting cold. After several miles, I stopped, added another layer of warmth, and continued on. I wished for my full-fingered riding gloves, but I made do with what I had. Before too long, I warmed up, and my fingers thawed. Around the 10-mile mark, I took off my outer coat and kept riding. The day had warmed up nicely, and I was quite comfortable.

    We had pre-arranged to meet at a coffee shop about 17 miles from our day’s destination. I was on US 90 for most of the day. It was a busy road with a nice shoulder. Aside from the noise of traffic and a few hectic city moments, it was a decent day to ride. With a slight breeze at my back, I was making pretty good time. I arrived at Garden House Brew Co., a small family-owned coffee shop. They seemed to be doing well, and the drinks were delicious. The odd thing, though, was that Dena (the owner) mentioned they sell four cases of Red Bull every week. Go figure! After we drank our coffees, we chatted with her for a while, but eventually, we had to pull ourselves away and get on with our day.

    Dana, as usual, headed to our destination and found a place to park for the night. We are staying at a casino parking lot. I mean, how do they know we aren’t gambling our savings away? Actually, casinos allow overnight parking, assuming there will be some gambling during the stay. Who said we’re normal? So there!

    We crossed into Mississippi today. Hopefully, every state goes that quickly. Just kidding—these were the easy ones. I passed the 600-mile mark today, which feels great. Hitting these milestones makes it feel like I’m making progress.

    For dinner, we walked down the boardwalk to Shaggy’s Biloxi Beach and had a good meal to top off the day. I’m done for the day!

    Peace to all, and to all a good night!    Read more

  • Myron BontragerTravelerSouthern US/2-2025
    1

    Waveland, MS

    March 19 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 21 °C

    We are at a place in our journey where I needed to figure out the best way to get to and through New Orleans. The problem was that the ideal spot to stop for the night would have been Pearlington, but it is a community that was devastated by Hurricane Katrina and has never fully recovered. So, it seemed better to divide the distance in half, breeze through the Big Easy in one day, and get to the other side. That’s what we decided to do. Another factor was that I’d face some headwind today and even more tomorrow. It seemed like the perfect time to take a break. We decided to stop in Waveland tonight, take a day off, ride to the northeast corner of New Orleans on Friday, and then pass through the city on Saturday.

    I wheeled out of the casino parking lot around 7:30 AM, heading along the Gulf of Mexico. After today, we’d see very little of it as we move further inland. I rode along the beach for about 7 miles on a nice concrete pathway before turning off and continuing on less busy streets through Gulfport and then into Long Beach. I received a text from Dana saying she had found a coffee shop called Bankhouse Coffee and thought it was really nice. She invited me to join her, and of course, I did! The coffee shop, located in an old bank that had been converted into a café, was absolutely delightful. We enjoyed our drinks, and I had a sandwich before heading out for the last 18 miles of the day.

    I continued through more residential streets, which were peaceful and enjoyable. I then crossed a bay on a relatively long bridge. As I started up the bridge, I noticed there was a bike path on the other side. Unfortunately, it was too late to turn around and use it, so I just powered through on the wide shoulder. At the end of the bridge, I turned south, riding directly into a 16 mph headwind. Thankfully, it was only about 5 miles before I turned off and headed north to the parking lot where Dana was waiting for me.

    Later, Dana texted to say she was shopping and would return after a while. I cleaned up, got something to eat, and lay down to rest. She came back about half an hour later with an odd look on her face. She had been shopping at Goodwill when she saw a really tall woman. After some time, Dana approached her and asked if she could ask how tall she was. (My first thought was, You did? That’s not something she usually does!). That question sparked a conversation, and the woman invited us to park our bus at their place for the night so we could talk more. It turns out that Heidi, the woman Dana met, is 6'7" but used to be 6'8" (before having six kids). She was listed as 6'10" when wearing tennis shoes. Dana asked her if she played basketball, and indeed she had—for Vanderbilt University! Heidi went to the Final Four, won the Naismith Award, and still holds records at the university.

    We headed over to spend the evening with Heidi and her family. I’m the tallest person in my family, which isn’t saying much, but I’ve never felt so small! You’ll just have to see the photo to believe it. Their tallest son is 7'0", and at least two of them are 6'10". Even the 14-year-old is almost 6'8". I brought my recording equipment to do a podcast conversation with Heidi tomorrow, which should be really interesting. That episode should drop in the next several weeks. They live on a fairly large property with horses, cattle, and chickens, oh my!

    What a day! In our conversations this evening, we discovered many differences, but also so many things in common. How many of these opportunities for connection do we miss because we’re too busy or too afraid to start a conversation about something as simple as height?

    Thanks for being part of our community and network of relationships.    Read more

  • Myron BontragerTravelerSouthern US/2-2025
    1

    Waveland, Ms. (Pop. 6,990)

    March 20 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Sometimes, life throws you surprises, leaving you reeling in shock or disbelief. Other times, you find yourself thinking that the most random event was so extremely special, you’re left wondering if it really happened.

    I mentioned that Dana met Heidi Jackson, and we were then invited to her place for dinner with her family. We had such a great time chatting and meeting their boys—rather more like giants than boys.

    I asked Heidi if I could record a conversation with her so she could share her story with us. We met at a wonderful coffee shop/bookstore (Cat Island Coffee) for some coffee and breakfast. We were graciously offered a table, where I pulled out all the equipment and set up for the conversation. She brought along her 16-year-old son for the chat. As we started, I noticed several other customers in the background watching us. I could tell they were curious. It was a delightful conversation, and I am eager to share it with all of you.

    As we were wrapping up, the computer suddenly stopped recording. For a moment, I was afraid I had lost everything. After some serious panic, I was relieved to confirm that it had all been saved—except for the last few minutes. There was so much more to discuss, but we ended it there. As I was packing up the equipment, several of the baristas asked what we were doing and were fascinated by the project. Hopefully, they were inspired to do something creative themselves.

    Sometimes, you meet people, and you think, "That was good." This time, I felt like we met lifelong friends for the first time. We are both so grateful for this random encounter.

    Tomorrow morning, I’ll be heading out again and hope to reach the northeastern edge of New Orleans. That should be around 55 miles, but my legs have had a day off, so they should be up for it. It was very windy and chilly today, and several times, I found myself glad I took the day off. Tomorrow, the temperature will still be cool, but the wind should be mild, making it great riding weather.

    Be well, my friends, and keep doing good.    Read more

  • Myron BontragerTravelerSouthern US/2-2025

    Chalmette, LA (Pop. 21,562)

    March 21 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 17 °C

    We felt rested after a day off and a wonderful time with the Jackson family. I was hoping to get an early start this morning, but we woke up to 38 degrees, and my bones protested. I decided to wait a bit, hoping for a few more degrees of warmth. Finally, around 8:30, the temperature had risen to a blistering 46 degrees, and I thought I could endure that. The sun was shining, and there was almost no wind. I donned my skull cap that covered my ears and my long-fingered biking gloves. However, I couldn't activate my phone with my fingers covered. After several miles, I took them off and exchanged them for my trusty open-finger gloves. Life was good. At 5 miles, I stopped and took off my second jacket and kept wheeling toward the Big Easy. US 90 was not all that busy and had a nice shoulder, so I felt good about the route.

    After about 8 miles, US 90 turned to the left and headed to Pearlington. This small community was where the bridge had been damaged for quite a few years and had been blocked to vehicle traffic. However, cyclists consistently reported that bicycles could still pass with no problem. I believed them. After another 8 miles, I arrived at a barrier at the bridge, but I calmly threaded my bike past the barriers and continued into no man's land. For the next 4 miles, it truly was "no man's land." The road had not been maintained well but was still not too bad. On either side of the road, there were bayous, swampy water, and I suppose thousands of gators, although I have no way of proving that. I arrived at a second bridge with more barriers, but I calmly lifted my bike past them and continued on the road. Soon, I began to see buildings and some traffic. I was now at about 20 miles for the day. I stopped for something to drink and a quick bite to eat.

    The next 10 miles were routine and not very exciting until I felt my front tire speaking to me. I stopped, and it was only partially inflated. I got off my bike and proceeded to change the tire. I took advantage of the moment to get my lunch for the day. After changing the tire and reloading with calories, I was ready to keep going.

    US 90 got a bit busy as I approached the city, but before too long, I was directed to an off-road that seemed much better. After about half a mile, I was stopped by a blocked railroad crossing. The train seemed quite content to go nowhere for a while. I looked down the tracks and saw there were only about 15 cars from the crossing to the end of the train. I was tempted to throw my bike under one of the cars and pull it to the other side. I resisted and pushed instead down the tracks on very rough rocks to the last car and across the tracks. I then pushed my bike back along the second track toward the crossing. I was about two cars from the crossing when my right foot got stuck in a crack for only a brief second, but it tore a hole in my shoe and made me realize that it was a good thing I wasn't trying to dodge a train. I got back up and kept heading on. I did see a single light in the very far distance. I suspect a train was on its way. I did not stick around to confirm that theory. I was back on the road and headed to the day's destination.

    I had one more hurdle before calling it a day. In the distance, I saw a very large bridge crossing a body of water and thought, well, that looks interesting. The right lane was blocked off due to construction, but this was the only way I was getting across the water. I ascended slowly until I got to one of the workers, and I asked him if it was okay if I stayed to the right of the cones. I didn't want to back up the traffic. He said it was fine, but I should be careful about the holes in the bridge up ahead. Cool, just how I wanted to end my day. I kept going, and before too long, there indeed was a section of about 6 feet where the concrete was missing, but there was all the rebar and metal in place to pour concrete in the near future. That happened twice, and I was on my way back down. All is well that ends well, right?

    I arrived all safe and sound. It was a good day of riding, and I was glad to call it a day.

    For dinner, we ate at Beignets & More. It sounds like a pastry place, but it is a Vietnamese-themed restaurant that also serves beignets. We ate dinner and headed back to chill for the night.

    Tomorrow will be a ride through New Orleans and on a bike path on the levees of the Mississippi River.

    Cheers, all—continue to be kind and make our world a better place.    Read more

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