The Road Les Pedaled

October 14, 2009

I can't believe it's so close!  It's amazing how time has gotten away from me.

One of the first things I did in planning this tour is figure out what my route was going to be.  I didn't want to incur the expense of plane fare on top of all the other expenses I would have, so I knew I needed to tour somewhere relatively local.  So I went to my favorite map source, Adventure Cycling Association, and purchased their maps in my general vicinity.  One of these days I'll actually do a tour with them, but again in order to keep expenses down I'm solo for now.

Adventure Cycling Association is a nonprofit organization that promotes travel by bicycle.  Their maps are EXCELLENT!  They include routes and narrative descriptions and they show where different types of services are located.  They also include addenda when changes have been made.  Each map covers several hundred miles, all broken down into panels of approximately 30 miles each outlining the specific route.

I decided to start from somewhere where I could travel approximately 50 miles per day and end up at home in about a week.  Being in Florida, that made my choices somewhat limited.  I could have started in either southern or western Florida and come back up to the Orlando area,  I could have come across the panhandle and down toward home, or I could start in Georgia near the coast and come down.  And because I'll be hitching a one-way ride to my starting point, I was also looking for somewhere where Steve (the hubby) and I could spend a day pre-ride and just relax and enjoy ourselves.  We've been to Savannah before and loved it, plus Savannah was part of ACA's Atlantic Coast Route series of maps, so it seemed like the best choice.   I had planned on riding all the way home, but that would have added two days to my trip, which unfortunately since I'm a working woman was two too many.  So instead of going from Savannah to Orlando, I'll be riding from Savannah to St. Augustine, which is a pretty short drive for my chauffeur to travel to come and pick me up.

The rest of the planning just centered around where I could find lodging since this is a credit card tour and I'm not camping.  It's amazing how little lodging there is in middle-of-nowhere Georgia!  So based on accommodations, I came up with the following route:

Day 1 - Savannah, GA to Statesboro, GA

I know Statesboro is totally out of the way, but I decided to stay true to the ACA route map, plus I needed lodging for the night.  This is my longest day at 71.5, and is a gradual uphill the entire way.  Yee-haw!

Day 2 - Statesboro, GA to Reidsville, GA

My choice was either to do a short day today, 37.5 miles, or kill myself and do over a century to get to the next town with lodging.  Not trying to break any records here, so decided to take a short day, particularly since Day 1 will be a challenge for me.  I've read that the first days on a tour are the hardest!

Day 3 - Reidsville, GA to Blackshear, GA

I had to go off the ACA map just a bit in order to find a place to stay.  The route typically is Reidsville to Patterson, but there's no lodging in Patterson.  I contacted the Patterson Chamber of Commerce hoping to find a host home, someone that takes in stragglers like me, but they were unable to help me.  So I rerouted and ended up in Blackshear, where three months ago they just finished construction of their one and only motel, the brand-spankin'-new Comfort Inn.  I'll be riding 60 miles on Day 3.

Day 4 - Blackshear, GA to Folkston, GA

Another longer day in store today, 69.4 miles.  I have the extra mileage today from Blackshear to Patterson to get back on the ACA route.  I'll be taking in the sights until I hit Folkston, a town where apparently the main activity of the townspeople is train watching.  I had the opportunity to stay at the Roadmaster's Lodge, a little cabin with a porch that sits right at the tracks so you can watch the trains go by.  I contacted their Chamber of Commerce as well to find out just how active the trains are, learned they are VERY active, active enough to continue through the night.  So I figured I'd stay at the nicest motel in town, the Western Motel, and save my train watching for the evening afta suppa, as they say in Folkston.

Day 5 - Folkston, GA to Callahan, FL

Starting with Day 5 all my longer rides are behind me, as is the climbing.  It's all downhill from here.  This is the day where I'll cross the border on my way home.  41.3 miles today.  Time to take it easy.  Hope there's some shopping in Callahan!

Day 6 - Callahan, FL to Atlantic Beach, FL

I'm really looking forward to this day.  48.6 miles running through Four Creeks State Forest, then heading east until I get to the Atlantic.  I'll also be going through Amelia Island State Park, going over Nassau Sound, through Big Talbot Island State Park, through Little Talbot Island State Park, and through Fort George Island.  Not sure yet, but I'm thinking this will be my most scenic day.

Day 7 - Atlantic Beach, FL to St. Augustine, FL

And on the seventh day I will rest!  This is my shortest ride, 34.6 miles.  Just a stroll down the beach.  Hopefully the weather will be glorious.  I should be getting in early, enough time for the hubby to pick me up, have some lunch, do some shopping, drink some sangria, and throw my arms up in the air and dance a jig while singing the "Rocky" music (I'll make sure Steve snaps a photo)!