Wednesday April 30, 2008
It was sooooo cold last night in a tent and sleeping bag at the Suwanee River State Park. I heard it got down to 40 or so. I think maybe a little cooler. As the night continued, I found my way deeper inside my sleeping bag and the zipper closed a little more each time, until i didn't want to pop my head out of the tent in the morning.
I am not a quick mover in the morning. 5:45am the alarm goes off and by 6:15am I am cautiously out of the tent. After breaking down camp, making breakfast and cleaning up, and then strategically placing all the goods back into my bike bags it is already 8:15am before I head off.
First, I followed Hwy 90 out of the park and into a small town of Lee (popln 352). Drawn in by the sign at the General Lee store that stated "Fresh Copenhagen", I stopped to get some drinks and eyeball those there for the freshest Copenhagen around. Not finding the friendliest folk at the store, I moved on quickly. Next stop was Greenville. It's up to you if you pronounce the "i" or not. Just out side Greenvlle, I met another long distance bicycle tourist named John. He was from Denver and started in San Diego heading to Jacksonville. His advice: "it all becomes a daily regimen. Repeat your daily habits day by day, and you will make it in no time."
He was traveling a little differently. he puts in about 75 miles and stays in motels. I put in around 50 miles a day and camp as much as I can. Tomato, tomahto.
In Greenville (popln 837) I found the only place to eat lunch was a red & white gas station that cooked meals. I got the 2-piece chicken dinner with mac&cheese, yams, and cornbread for $4.99. I took it over to the Haffye Hays Park across the street to eat in the shade at the picnic tables I had seen from the road when passing. As I was eating, a girl who I saw walking down the road came over and sat at another picnic table while smoking a cigarette, a prerequisite for residency status it seems. In her red sleeveless t-shirt and baggy light blue shorts, she lounged and with each drag of the smoke she described Greenville a little bit more. "It's not like Perry, she said. it is a more laid back town. I just moved here from Perry." Keep in mind, Perry is so close to Greenville, I could probably push my bike from Greenville to Perry and have half a day left over. She laughed when I asked how big Greenville was. In her Malorie-drawl-like way (of Mickey and Malorie from the movie Natural Born Killers) she responded "small, it's just small". She disappeared while I was eating, but later I saw her spending away the minutes by doing the Tony Little-like Gazelle exercise at a machine located down by the man made lake.
The ride from Greenville to Monticello along Hwy 90 wasn't bad. As I rode along, I saw a tractor on the road way up in the distance. Pedalling a little harder, a little faster, I was catching up to him. It wasn't long before I knew I could get up next to him. I just read a book by Dave Shields called "The Race" where the main character started out racing a tractor to a nearby town. The driver looked surprised to see me, smiled, and was laughing a bit. Adios, Farmall. I blew him away carrying 90 pounds with me. I knew my legs were gettings tronger each day.
The Quad hurt and needed rest, but it looked like it might get it sooner than expected. The KOA campground located past Monticello wanted $20 for a primitive campsite (you get a chunk of real estate and access to bathrooms and water, but no electricity), while the Brahman Inn motel in Monticello only wanted $37 for a room and the library there provided internet for blog updates. For the $17 difference, I had the ability to charge my phone, GPS, etc and grab food locally. I found the public library, did the previous 2 blog entries based on my journal, and then went to the motel. After checking in and showering, I went to grab dinner at a local restaurant "Sage" just down the road. Encountering two "wild basset hounds" who howled and howled at me before wandering back off the road and into the woods, I carried on. Dogs are my fear on this ride as I have seen plenty of them already. So at Sage....I swear I am not gaining weight on this trip, but after eating, the chair I was sitting in just flat out broke and left me sitting on the patio floor with others looking my direction. Stating "that meal was filling!" I got up and laughed it off, and ordered a piece of the German chocolate cake I saw perched near the cash register inside when I entered.
Leaving the people back there a story to tell at work tomorrow, I walked back to the motel and found two other long distance bicycle tourists were in the room next to mine, waiting for me as they were told I was at the motel when they checked in. I turned down the Bud though Nick and Carolyn were kind enough to offer. I didn't need to be bribed to talk and hang out. I was just as interested in their stories as they might've been in mine. Nick and Carolyne sold their house north of Seattle, grabbed their bikes and a train to San Fran, biked from San Fran to San Diego, and then turned left and went from San Diego to Monticello with plans to finish at St. Augustine, where I started. We exchanged tips as to where to stay and what to see. I think Vernus from the Ichetucknee Springs Campground may have them as guests and sell a t-shirt.
They snapped a couple photos of us just hanging out right outside the rooms, and I hope they send me one. After I went to my room, it was around 10:30pm when I heard the toilet making noises and yep, a well-known cheap motel risk, the toilet was overflowing. Notifying the Indian manager named "Sam" he told me he was plunging in the room right on the other side of mine and he is sorry he caused it to happen. No harm. I got my stuff together and moved to another room. Wild basset hounds, a broken chair, and an overflowing toilet. Goodnight, Monticello.
started riding: 8:15am
ended riding: 5:15pm
time biking: 3:11:48 (this time is off, GPS froze up)
miles: 41.28 recorded before GPS freeze (estimate 50)
average speed: 12.91 mph
calories: 3,125 (before GPS freeze)
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