The Final Blog for Coast to Coast

TOTAL MILES BIKED: 3,014 in 60 biking days.

From the Stoker:

If you didn't read our last blog, we arrived in St. Augustine on Sunday, 4/25/2010. We woke early to dark skies and a threat of thunderstorms arriving in St. Augustine by noon. We were determined to arrive and dip our front tire in the Atlantic before the rain came. We biked 46 miles in less than 3 hours.

We arrived at the beach with our nephew, Brad (Carol's son) taking pictures and directing us to the boardwalk that leads to the beach. When we couldn't bike on the sand anymore, we stopped, hugged each other and shared some emotional words and tears, before we began to carry our bike to the ocean. It was difficult in the lose sand and as I looked up to see how much farther we had to the ocean, I saw our daughter and granddaughter running to us from the waters edge. The next few moments are a blank until I was hugging them, crying, and nearly fainting. Behind them stood my sister and 3 nieces, all traveling 21 hours by car. To complete this journey of ours was amazing, but the joy we felt sharing it with family can't be described in words. As we were looking at posters and banners signed by the family members that couldn't be with us, another daughter came running down the beach (a late air flight or Mom & Dad biking too fast for her to get there before we did). I was afraid I couldn't take any more surprises and they assured me no more were coming.

When we are very old and reliving this trip and the day of completion, there will be many moments of the biking that we will probably forget, but the day we arrived on that beach in FL, the picture I see so clearly now, I will see just as clearly then. Thank you family, whether you could be with us or not, for your love and your support. We felt it every day we lived this dream. My sister asked me what was the best part of the trip. I think seeing this great country of ours up close and personal was the highlight for me. The towns, beautiful and not so beautiful, the barren dessert, the lush green country side, how the poor lived, how the wealthy lived. The smells, how I loved the smells of the fallen pine needles and the rivers and the flowers. Thank you Lord, for giving us this amazing opportunity.

We have so much to be thankful for, good weather, health, and arriving safe and sound. We need to thank so many, Mom Sadie and Nancy for making their home ours during some much needed R&R, the biker (Dave) that came to our rescue after our first 20 miles and a broken chain. He directed Carol to us, found a bike shop, called later to make sure we were OK, and then donated to MS. We need to thank bike shops (3 of them) for taking care of our problem immediately and charging half the amount. Thanks to the campgrounds that gave us discounts when we told them we were raising money for MS. We will never forget Jackie and Jim, owners of the Silver City KOA and avid bikers, for their help and support and for getting the newspaper out to interview us. We met so many strangers that offered their blessings for a safe ride and handed us $5.00 to $20.00 for our cause. It was wonderful meeting all the other bikers (15-20) with the same dream, sharing stories and motivating each other to pedal on. Thank you to those that have donated to MS. It is wonderful to know so many care and support our cause. We have raised close to $5,000 for research and will pray every day for some success in finding a cure.

How do we begin to thank Carol, our support driver. She gave up 3 months of her life to be waiting on the side of the road every 15-20 miles to make sure we were safe, had enough water, food, supply Dick with apple fritters, me with oatmeal cookies(she convinced me they were good for me and gave me energy). She made all the campground reservations and bought all the groceries. She made it possible to sleep in a comfortable bed, have a warm or cool dry place to recover and spend the night making it easy to get back on the bike each day. I am not sure I could do the same for anyone. Unless, of course, it was for her. You helped us live our dream and we will never forget that. We love you and thank you so much.

Last but by no means least, I need to thank the Captain (my husband). He steered, braked, dodged, maneuvered, and avoided pot holes, rough roads, no shoulders, rude drivers, and attacking dogs. I know some days were very stressful with the responsibility of keeping us unharmed. Thank you, Honey, for living this dream and being with me on this incredible ride. I love you.

From the Captain:

She pretty much summarized the thoughts and feelings of the last day. It was almost anti-climatic to be done after two months of riding. Our main focus everyday was to get on the bike and get to the next destination and enjoy what was presented to us. It will be difficult to switch gears and get on to the next part of our lives. Almost felt like Forrest Gump like we should just keep on biking!

I also have to thank my wonderful wife who was willing to share an adventure like this. After a hard day of riding she would cook dinner, make up the beds, fix our bike meals, do laundry and many other chores without complaining.

I also want to thank all the contributors. It is a very warm feeling to see so many share our cause and contribute so generously. My colleagues from Ford especially meant a lot to me with their generosity. It is good to belong to such a giving organization.

To summarize the trip I present the following:

1) We biked over 3000 miles.

2)Thru 8 states

3)60 days

4)over 1.9 million rotations of the pedals

5)Lost 15 pounds, Annette 11 pounds

6)my blood pressure dropped so much that I got off my meds

7)Prettiest spots-the hill country of Texas w/the wild flowers and clear rivers

8)Ugliest spot-West Texas between El Paso and Ft. Davis

9)Best Roads- California

10) Worst roads-Mississippi

11)Most dog attacks-Cajun country (E. Texas & W. Louisiana)

12)Biggest adversity-the head winds (it is like continually riding uphill and the constant noise is mentally draining; we probably would have finished a week earlier if we would have had 50% tail winds or none)

13)Most unexpected event-the final day with our family showing up

14)Most discouraging-the jammed chains

15)Most exciting-the people who opened their hearts and handed us money for the cause

16)What amazed us-making it over Emory Pass at 8200+feet

17)Closest call-almost getting "sucked" into the tour bus on the causeway to Dauphin Island

18)Best part of the day-a) getting off the bike, b) the shower, c) the glass of wine!

Thanks for sharing this adventure with us!

Day 60 - April 25, 2010 - Coast to Coast

WE DID IT!!!!!!!!! 60 biking days and over 3,000 miles.....we are in St. Augustine!

And arrived to an unbelievable surprise. As we walked our bike over the sandy beach to the ocean, there stood two of our daughters, a granddaughter, three nieces, my sister, and Carol's son to surprise and greet us. We were in shock and so full of emotion. To end this incredible journey was overwhelming in itself, but to share it with family, there are no words to express the joy. We celebrated all afternoon on the beach, celebrated more at dinner, and then some more celebrating in their hotel room through the evening.

I am posting this Monday morning and we have so much more to share but we are on our way to spend time with the family until they have to leave for home. Please check back to our blog in a day or so for our final thoughts and many pictures.

Day 59 - April 24, 2010 - Coast to Coast

TOTAL MILES BIKED: 2,968.5

From the Support staff: My bikers talk about the scenery, the miles, the winds and the mountains but what has amazed me is the Captains planning and organization and the Stokers boundless energy and endurance. One would think that it was simply a feat of endurance...but in fact, from duplicate copies of our route, to the nightly planning for miles to attempt and where to find a convenient campground, the Captain has missed nothing to make this trip go smoothly. The stoker gets breakfast each morning, packs a lunch, rides all day, vacuums when she comes in the trailer at night, makes recovery drinks, appetizers, wine and dinner does dishes, loads pictures and blogs and gets a shower in there somewhere. No matter how sore their bums or legs or how hot, neither complains or whines. In their own ways--they are truly amazing. Also amazing is that 3 people and two canines can live in 6 square feet of floor space for almost three months and survive the experience. The support teams contribution has been the opportunity to help someones dream come true...a rare opportunity for anyone...and one I know will someday be "payed forward".

From the Captain:

Something we forgot from last night was the birds. Seems the fellow that owns the campground also collects macaws. It was the first time I had ever seen them.....what beautiful birds. I understand they are worth quite a bit of money and he must have had14 to 20 pairs.

Knowing we had to put in over 70 miles today, and that there was a chance of rain, we got up at 6:00am. The first part of the ride, entering Gainsville (home to U. of Florida) was surprisingly hilly. The city, like Gainsville (home to Florida St.) is a very bike friendly city. It was Sat. morning and things were rolling along nicely. At about 20 miles we picked up a beautiful bike path from Gainsville to Hawthorn (16 miles). It was curvy, hilly, passed over streams and supplied a canopy of shade for a hot day. It also blocked the wind which was starting to build.

There were many times while we were riding thru the southeast that I thought about what I would do if a snake was in the grass next to the route and we had seen many dead ones on the road. Well we were riding down this nice trail and a biker passed us and startled a snake right in the middle of the trail. By the time I saw it we were on top of it and it was raised in the strike position! I don't know who was more startled, him or me. I couldn't react and it never did anything. Annette never saw it. The afternoon brought heat and a head wind and the last 20 miles became very gruelling. We did the last 8 miles in 45 minutes and were particularly glad to load the bike up after doing 72.5 miles.

From the Stoker: Hip, Hip, Hooray!!! Tomorrow is almost here.

Day 57 & Day 58 - April 22,23, 2010 - Coast to Coast

TOTAL MILES BIKED: 2,896

From the Stoker: Not sure why I didn't post a blog yesterday, maybe just too late and too tired. We biked a new record of 78 miles yesterday from Waukeenah to White Springs (little towns you probably won't find on the map). We enjoyed some more country roads with many old oak trees with spanish moss hanging from them. When you see these trees, you know you are in Florida. I can remember when our kids were young, they thought a dark country road lined with those trees, was spooky. We also took a picture of the famous Suwannee River when we biked over it. That river is the main attraction in this part of Florida with lots of fishing and canoeing.

We camped at a great campground called White Springs Suwannee Valley Campground and they were generous in their support for our MS cause (White Springs, Florida 386-397-1667). They had a cold pool that we enjoyed after a hot day of biking (actually warmer then Lake Michigan).

Day 58 - We biked 63 miles today from White Springs to Gainesville on nice roads, hot weather, and a headwind. The most interesting thing on the ride was a mobile home with there own observatory. The route was great with low traffic roads and most of them with shoulders. We can't ask for more. We are camping at another nice campground with a warmer pool that we couldn't wait to get in to, very hot day today. Normally we are cool while biking making our own windchill, but not today. With just 2 more days, we can handle anything.

Day 56 - April 21, 2010 - Coast to Coast

TOTAL MILES BIKED: 2,755

From the Captain:
After the rain last night, we had to drive back to pick up the route where we exited yesterday. The temperature had cooled, sun was warm and the winds light. We had to head into Tallahassee, which we had been warned was really difficult and unsafe. We found just the opposite. The city is very bike friendly and we had bike lanes almost all the way. The only negative was that I couldn't find a doughnut shop. Half way thru the city we picked up a super bike path that we were able to ride for almost 12 miles. It was one of those rails-to-trails path and was great to ride....quiet and no traffic. We could really look around and enjoy the ride.
The ride was thru the country side with winding roads and a few hills. We got into the campground early, putting in 58 miles, so we were able to rest, do laundry, etc.
Tomorrow, our campsite that we planned on is full, so we are going to be doing another long day.

From the Stoker: The Captain forgot to mention that our support driver found a donut shop and had a big apple fritter waiting for him when we met her along the route.

Day 55 - April 20, 2010 - Coast to Coast

TOTAL MILES BIKED: 2697

From the Captain:

I've learned a lot of things on this trip but one thing I knew before the trip was Never Trust the Weatherman! Leaving Pensacola the prediction was for a week of clear weather which we were really excited about. When we finished riding last night the skies opened up and we had to set up in the rain. We stayed in Florida Caverns State Park and couldn't look around till this morning. We were camping near a natural spring which has formed a beautiful blue hole and clear river running out. Also in the park was a swamp with a caution about alligators.

We left with partly cloudy skies, no wind and rode thru some beautiful back country roads. Another thing we learned was that Florida is not flat. We ran into some hills with over 200ft. climbs and we really felt it in the quads after doing 150 miles in the last two days. We rode thru a little town called Quincy which had a lot of big homes in it, contrary to what you would normally expect. We found out that their are more millionaires in this area than any where in the US. Reason being, a local banker told the citizens to buy Coca Cola stock right after it was initially issued.

As we drove thru town, which had the old time court house in the center of town, we found a coffee shop (which meant sweets). We stopped and as we were enjoying our break, a local started conversation with us. He was totally blown away by what we were doing and said we needed to be on the news. We told him that we were disappointed that the MS society did so little to draw attention to the cause. We didn't need it for us, but we thought any attention they could get would increase the donations. This fellow immediately called public radio in Tallahassee. Annette talked to them and they said they would be out in a minute to interview us but were tied up with the happenings in the Florida congress which was making a lot of important decisions. Oh well. Got on the bike and rode off noticing the sky getting dark. We located Carol who was several miles down the road and told her to get the trailer unlocked. We got there just as the sky opened up! Close call. Although we were disappointed we didn't get to our destination, we were happy to be done early. We got in 54 miles.

We want to thank Big Oak RV park in Tallahassee for their generous help. They have a really nice park with helpful staff. They are located at 4024 N. Monroe ST. 850-562-4660.

Day 54 - April 19, 2010 - Coast too Coast

TOTAL MILES BIKE: 2,643 (370 left)

From the Stoker: We headed out this morning about 8:30 with cloudy skies, cool, and a threat of rain. By noon it was partly sunny but still in the low 70's and no rain until we had arrived at the campground. The Good Lord has not been too helpful in the headwind category but has blessed us with very good weather for the past 54 days of biking. I think we mentioned before how we have had only 4 days of bad weather that prevented us from biking.

We biked on US 90 for 72 miles from Mossey Head to Mariana. Occasional rolling hills and, of course, a headwind that we try very hard to ignore.

I sent a picture yesterday of Carol and her roommate Nancy and forgot to mention what a great 2 days rest we had at Nancy's house in Milton. They fed us like kings and treated us to some great wine. We really needed the time off from biking and that was a great place to rest. Thank you both.

Day 53 - April 18, 2010 - Coast to Coast

TOTAL MILES BIKED: 2,571

From the Captain: After two days rest, we left Pensacola with fresh legs and a beautiful sunny day. The route ran along Scenic Hwy. which is a high bluff overlooking Pensacola Bay. It was surprisingly hills but at this point in the trip, we handle them well. We passed two very unusual houses overlooking the bay. Note all the security cameras on one of the houses. After traveling back roads with little traffic and crossing Blackwater River several times, we ended up on US 90. We ended up in Mossey Head after biking our highest mileage day of 77 miles.

We are 14 miles from starting our last set of maps which means St. Augustine is 442 miles away. At 60 miles per day, our trip will be complete in 7.5 days. At 70 miles per day, we will be done in 6.3 days.

We're into the countdown phase now and if there is anything I've learned on this adventure, it is how to countdown. The 7 day weatherforecast is for clear and dry with the days in the high 70's and the nights in the 50's. How lucky can we get. If we don't have any mishaps, our trip should end by next weekend.

From the Stoker: As we get closer to St. Augustine, some of you following our blog and the map wonder why we have 442 miles when the Florida map shows something less that 300 miles. Unlike every other biker we have met traveling this directions, we have followed the map exactly as it is written. The bike company that made these maps keep us off main highways and expressways as much as possible. It is safer, less traffic, and so much more beautiful and interesting. BUT, it puts quite a few more miles in the saddle for us

Day 52 - April 15, 2010 - Coast to Coast

TOTAL MILES BIKED: 2,494

From the Stoker: Can you believe it......we are in Florida! We biked 59 miles from Dauphin Island, Alabama to Pensacola, Florida. We had to take a ferry to cross Mobile Bay. It landed in Fort Morgan where we began to bike. It was a difficult ride due to the very strong headwind and the fact that we biked many miles along white sandy beaches and the ocean, therefore, no wind break at all. BUT, it was a beautiful ride with many memories. We brought our children to these beaches and rented a house on the ocean during Easter break for many years. Then we brought our grandchildren for a few years for the same fun in the sun and memories. Talk about grandchildren, the Mirabella condo picture was taken for our sweet little granddaughter, Mirabella.

We convinced Carol that we would not need her for this leg, so sent her on home to Milton, just outside of Pensacola. She dropped the truck off in a parking lot right on our route and her roommate, Nancy, came and picked her up. When we arrived at the truck after 59 hard hot miles, there sat on the front seat, a cooler with wine and 2 glasses, a baguette, salami, and cheese to help us celebrate our arrival into Florida. I was crying too hard to eat much but Dick sure enjoyed it. And, we all enjoyed the bottle of wine before a wonderful dinner Carol prepared. Thank you, thank you.

We will stay in Milton Fri. and Sat. to get the oil changed in the truck, go through mail, do laundry, and catch up on computer work. Also, for two much needed days of rest. We have biked 25 days with only one day of rest. We plan to leave here on Sun.and hope to be in St. Augustine, FL by Monday (weather permitting).

Day 51 - April 14, 2010 - Coast to Coast

From the Captain:
A short day, 33 miles to get to Dauphin Island! Felt good to have a relaxing ride for a change and we were even tolerant of the head winds which at times had us slowed to 8 mph. We had to climb a pretty high bridge to get to the island. The climb was really steep but the buffeting of the wind was what made it really tough.

Quite a view of Mobile Bay and the sandy beaches coming over the bridge. As soon as we got on the island, I spotted a sign for a fresh bakery and we made a quick turn and enjoyed a fresh baked cinammon roll. Something I would have liked to have done a lot more but it always seemed that we were behind schedule and pushing.

We had a pretty good scare on the causeway approaching the bridge. We had a strong wind blowing from our left side so we we were constantly steering hard to the left to counteract the wind. A big tour bus came by and never moved over in his lane. He momentarily blocked the side wind which sucked us right towards the bus! Just as I was responding to the suction the bus passes and we get the gust that almost pushed us into the side rail. I would like to find the driver!

We explored the island for awhile. The west side has a lot of very new homes built on the "stilts" to withstand hurricanes. It was pretty obvious that most of the homes on that side had been destroyed by Katrina. Even the land was void of trees and vegetation. As you got to the center of the island and east side it looked like it had not been touched at all. Even our campground has full size mature trees and is really nice right on the Gulf.

We catch a ferry tomorrow that takes us across Mobile Bay and drop us off at Ft. Morgan on the other side. We'll ride on the coast for awhile and then enter into Pensacola Florida. Carol is really excited to get home and see her roommate and the other dogs, sleep in her own bed, and shower in her home. We wanted to try making her home but it would have been an 80 mile day which would have been doable with a tail wind but we just found out the weather report is calling for an east wind at 10-15mph which will make it tough to get in 60 miles. Oh well.

Sorry, problem sending pictures. Will send them tomorrow hopefully.

Day 50 - April 13, 2010 - Coast to Coast

TOTAL MILES BIKED: 2,402.5

From the Stoker: Forgot to send Mississippi sign yesterday.

Another beautiful day and we are getting close to our finish. We have biked for 24 days with just one day off and we are tired but still pedaling on.

We biked 61.5 miles from Saucier, Mississippi to Dee's, Alabama. Again, we had a 15-20mph wind in our face. Not really complaining because our route was flat which makes the wind easier to deal with.

The country roads were, once again, pretty and interesting. All these back roads add miles which could be reduced if we stayed on main highways but we would never have seen this country as we have seen it.

We still are hoping to be in St. Augustine in about 12-13 days from now (need couple days in Milton, FL for car service and mail sorting). We will pray we continue to get great weather.

Day 49 - April 12, 2010 - Coast to Coast

TOTAL MILES BIKED: 2,341

From the Captain: Anoth er day of sunshine and warm weather. It's amazing the string of nice days that we have had, days in the high 70's and nights in the 50's, good riding and good sleeping.

Started biking on the Mississippi state line this morning to Saucier, LA (64.5 miles). The route was curvy and hills on country roads. Very light traffic made for a relaxed day of riding.

We ran into another couple, looked to be our age, riding east to west. They had ridden 12 days averaging 60 miles a day. We are beginning to get an idea of how many more days we have to reach St. Augustine, FL.

Day 48 - April 11, 2010 - Coast to Coast

TOTAL MILES BIKED: 2,276.5

From the Stoker: We have met the nicest people on this trip. It has been really fun this past week.

We entered Louisiana 6 days ago with Diane and Bill from CA. We had just met them that afternoon along the route. Last night they had dinner with us in the campground. They have biked around Lake Michigan and Lake Superior.

A couple of days ago, we met another couple on a tandem on the ferry. They were from Arizona but lived in northern MI for 7 yrs.

Today we met a young man traveling east to west. He lives in Lansing and has a friend that lives in northern MI near us.

We entered Mississippi today with Diane and Bill and took pictures. We were all so disappointed entering LA because there wasn't a sign. Guess where we found the LA welcome sign.....across the street from the MS sign coming into LA from that direction. They continued to bike another 20 miles further (50yrs. and 58yrs.). If we don't catch up to them, we will see them in Milton, FL. They should stay about a half day ahead of us.

From the Captain: We traveled from Easteyville to the MS state line through some very pretty areas today. Winding andolling hills with more giantazaleas bushes blossoming. Several of the rivers in this area are clear and fast moving with sandy bottoms and shores, probably great canoeing/kayaking.

We felt good getting in a 64 miles day. We have really been limited with availability of campgrounds (it's either a 100 mile day or a 50 mile day). Today would have been the same if Carol hadn't found a motel that had RV spots in the back.

We entered MS today and will be heading south through Alabama in 1 1/2 days to get down to the gulf. We will take a ferry across Mobile Bay fromDauphin Island. Should be some pretty biking.

Day 47 - April 10, 2010 - Coast to Coast

From the Stoker: What a beautiful sunny, cool morning for a bike ride. After we said good bye to the couple from Sweden, we were on our way. Only 50 miles today from St. Francisville to Eastely, Louisiana. The next campground looks like about 80 miles from this one so we were forced to stop.

We crossed the Mississippi River yesterday and only biked 5 miles to the campground. When we started this morning, we were amazed at how different this side of the river is from the other side. Rolling hills, beautiful woods sometimes making a canopy over the road, old plantation homes, azaleas that don't end, and much better roads. The other side was flat, more barren, and so much water everywhere. It was like we were in another state.

Shortly after we set up the camper, Daine and Bill, a couple wenmet a couple daysd ago on the road, came into the campground. After they set up their tent, they joined us for dinner and an evening of visiting. It's so much fun to share stories and find out what motivates others to take this bike trip.

April 12, 2010

From the daughter (Yvette): Mom and Dad asked me to check in for them. They have been without service for 3 nights so unable to blog. They are fine and doing well. They made it to Mississippi yesterday....getting closer. They will catch up here as soon as they can find service.

Day 46 - April 9, 2010 - Coast to Coast

From the Captain: We biked 55.5 miles from Simmesport to St. Francisville, LA. We left Simmesport with sunshine and finally no wind. Immediately had to climb a bridge over e top of thAtchefeleya River. I was surprised that we had never heard of the river when we say the size of it. We are in Cajun country with many bayou's, swamps, and water.

The road were most;u back country roads with very low traffic. We rode alongside a grassy high (40-50FT.) berm for quite some time. You could see the tops of trees over the berm. My curiosity finally got the best of me and I walked up to the berm. It was a levee that contains the migjty Mississippi. The trees were in the flood plain between the levee and the river. It was flooded big time. It must be the water from the spring snow melt.

Carol met us on the way to the ferry with a fresh cooked cajun meal called Etouffee, which was crawfish and rice with a great sauce. What a treat.

We had to take a ferry across the Mississippi River to get to St. Francisville, LA. You have no idea how fast and wide the river is until you get on it.

We had biked flat roads for several days and after landing in St. Francisville, we were immediately into hills. We have heard it is like this through Mississippi.

We met another tandem couple, Gary and Peggy, from Arizona. He had worked 7 years for the National Park Service at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Michigan. He confirmed that cougars DO exist in the area in spite of the DNR's denial.

We settled into a nice campground and met 2 other couples biking east to west. One couple from Sweden, were on their way to Portland, Oregon to visit a friend. They were both working on Phd's and were able to get the time off.

The other couple, a nurse practitioner and a writer had just recently became full time RV'ers. She is doing the riding and he provides support. She had had some interesting experiences in Alaska.

We want to thank Peaceful Pines Campground in St. Francisville, 225-635-4903, for supporting our cause.