Here in St. Augustine, Florida

Hi from St. Augustine, Florida. This is the oldest town in the US. I am not just saying that as in "I caught the biggest fish" or "your screams are the loudest I ever heard". I am serious. Google it. Once in Spanish control, then I think the French came to town, and then it was given to the US. Somewhere in there, the Pirates took over since it is a seaside town and was vulnerable to hookhands and eyepatches (no offense to Tito back home, heal quickly my friend.)

Anyway, I have to be honest. The nerves were cracking pretty good yesterday as I was flying Southwest (Ding! Feel free to move about the country.) en route to Florida. It started with little sleep. The ever amazing Audrey helped me pack my bike in it's transport case and we finished with that around 12:30am I think. Then I had more to do. The regular bill paying, cleaning up my office since I have technically rented her the house and so that space should be useable, and double checking my pack list like Santa Claus. At 2:30am I went to bed. At 4:45am the alarm went off so I could get spritzed up (spritz = a wet wash cloth and a slap in the face in this case), and head off to the airport for a 6:40am flight.

The entire way I was thinking about what I had packed, the fact it was a one-way trip (fairly committing), and how a full commitment would come when I ship my empty bike case back home. (By "the entire way" I mean the first 10 minutes while I was still awake, and then again after I woke up in Phoenix.) So three legs later (San Diego to Phoenix, Phoenix to Tampa, and Tampa to Jacksonville) I have to say that each step of the way, people who asked "business or pleasure in Jacksonville" or "Are you staying in Jacksonville long?" got a response they probably didn't plan on "I guess you call it pleasure and if all goes well, I won't be there long."

A guy (hi Joe) stopped me in Jacksonville airport and told me he had overheard my story to the person next to me. He was super supportive, maybe borderline envious (it's easy to be envious in an airponditioned airport) and appreciative that I was doing this for charity. He said he would follow the blog and if I came anywhere near his place in TX he would contact me and buy me dinner. Cool.

Skycap Eugene was super nice as well. After agreeing to split the money I tipped him with another skycap who had kindly made change for a $20 bill for me in prep for the shuttle I was going to take, Eugene then learned of my trip and told me to contact Channel 12 out of Jacksonville because they might cover my departure since thye do several stories on charities and have sports-loving reporters. I passed the info on to my friend Chris in Northern California who has unexpectedly volunteered to lead a press/media effort but I am not sure there is time for Channel 12 this time around.

Then Airport shuttle driver Robert who shared a bond with me related to the song "All my Ex's live in Texas". Robert and I had time to talk in the one hour drive from Jacksonville to St. Augustine, and he gave me a tour of St. Augustine as we looked for my hostel, the Pirate Haus & Inn in the center of Old Town.

All very kind people!

So here I am at the Pirate Haus (Arrrrgggg!) and I have met several very nice travelers from San Antonio (Brady), Mike (the Asst Mgr with dreams of life in Portland), Brandon from Gainseville (aspiring musician), Emily the organic farmer headed to Georgia, and Ronald from London. These were my new friends the first night as they insisted I join them for 50-cent beer night at a local tavern after having turned down Emily's homemade chili (delicious, I had some for lunch today). A few beers later, I came back to the hostel and got some Zzzzz's.

Today, April 24th, I took my bike to Sprockets Bike Shop. Robert from the bike shop just called me and my bike is ready to go. They basically reassembled it and will ship any items I decide I don't want and my empty bike case back to San Diego.

I will pick that up before 5pm thanks to Brady from San Antonio who has a gas guzzling Chevy Suburban and has offered to help me with the bike prep since he is not sleeping in the Suburban in a Walmart parking lot somewhere or sponge-bathing in the Piggly Wiggly restroom. Brady stories are fun to hear as he just gets started traveling.

More later. I am gonna try to fit a nap in now that I have repacked my bags (no unwanted or unneccessary items as far as I know), got my new GPS unit (thanks Audrey) working, and think I have things under control. Also will list the items I have with me so you guys know what it takes to pull off something like what I am attempting, or give me something to look back at and say "of course, I forgot the...." as I reread it.