Before I get started, here's a leftover sunset from Folkston picture.
Today might have been the hardest day for me. Not only was it physically tasking, but absolutely nothing noteworthy happened AT ALL! I didn't see anything memorable and I had no social interactions. It just became all about the grueling ride and making it to today's finish line.
The dumpy smelly flea-bag motel had a dumpy smelly continental breakfast. I took the path of least grossocity and had some off-brand of raisin bran and milk. Fortunately I had gotten a banana from the grocery store last night for today's ride, but I ate it for breakfast instead. I also had purchased a potato from the store because I had a microwave in my room and I've been taking half of a baked potato with me on days that are going to be tough rides. But the microwave in the DSFB motel room didn't work, so I ended up wasting a perfectly fine spud.
It took me a while to get started this morning because I had to repack all the brain bag stuff from the mishap the day before, but I finally was off and mentally, if not physically, prepared to tackle the hills. Just a few miles from Folkston was the Florida border.
And just in case you didn't believe it the first time or you thought you were being deceived, about a half mile down the road...
The hills were alive today. They stood up and made their presence known. It was a tough and grueling 30 miles, but again what are you gonna do? You're gonna go up. Part of why these hills were difficult for me is because I'm on a recumbent, part is I haven't done enough hill training, part is nutrition, and part is that my body is just exhausted from the previous days. It wasn't fun, but I did it! Woo-hoo...strong mom beats hills!
And then strong mom hits massive headwind. Strong mom can beat massive headwind and strong mom can beat hills, but not really one right after the other. I was spent. I thought I had had a headwind for most of the trip and was looking forward to heading east to pick up a bit of tailwind, like airplanes do with the jet stream. Apparently it doesn't work that way. Again maybe it was because I'm so fatigued, but this seemed like the worst wind I've been in with the exception of the northern leg of the Katie Ride for Life ride from Amelia Island. And to hit that after the hills was pretty debilitating for me.
My right foot started burning at about mile 40, which is my back telling me it's had enough, so I decided to risk another DSFB motel situation and stay in Callahan. But when I stopped at the BP and took the key to the bathroom outside and found a cockroach in the sink (sorry no photo...had to get out of there fast), I had to think twice. Here's Callahan in a nutshell.
This was how it appeared from every angle. Appealing? I think not. I didn't speak to one person there. Not one person spoke to me. I'm not sure and didn't really care to find out, but I think Callahan is just a pit stop for all the logging trucks going to the paper mill on the east coast. I really didn't want to keep going, but I couldn't persuade myself to stay there. It was easier put in another 12 miles in the headwind. How sad is that.
Side note: My rest stops today were so diametrically opposed to my Georgia stops. There was a noticeable difference once I crossed the border. The people in Florida just aren't as courteous, friendly, accommodating. I was even at one place where a guy was bringing in a dolly of cases of beer and a man walked out and let the door close right in front of the guy and didn't bother to hold it open for him. The guy was standing two feet away! No way he could have missed him. Beer guy and I made eye contact and did the simultaneous what-a-schmuck eyeroll. Why is that? I guess a faster pace life just beats people down. Who knows.
Anywho, back on the road, my ACA route map had me getting on 200/A1A out of Callahan. I have to say a good seven miles of this stretch was probably the least cyclist-friendly road I've been on on this trip. It's a two-lane road with no shoulder and a speed limit of 60, a major access road to I-95. Plus it's lined with construction barrels. So I'm high-tailing it into the crazy headwind at the whopping speed of 10 mph and logging trucks and other 18-wheelers are buzzing by me. Eventually the road picks up another lane in each direction and a shoulder, so that part was easy because the traffic was diluted and vehicles had an extra lane to move into to pass me. But you know what...I took the skills I've learned in my two-day traffic skills class and implemented them to a tee. I have just as much right to that road as any other vehicle, and when necessary I just claimed my lane and let the motorists deal with it. I wasn't scared or nervous. I was totally confident. I actually even appreciated those 18-wheelers because when they go past you they leave for several glorious seconds a huge vacuum of dead air as they break wind (I said break wind...tee-hee) and I had some brief relief from the headwind. Talk about drafting!
So 30 miles of hills and 25 miles of headwind later, I rounded a corner on 200/A1A and saw the splendid sight of I-95. I knew as soon as I went under the highway that I was done for the day. Right before I got to I-95 I saw this sign.
Things that make you go hmmm. I just started thinking of how far I've come since starting this trip in Savannah...almost 300 miles after barely being able to push my bike on the sidewalk. And even though my body is a bit broken right now, I'll persevere. I've come this far and I can't stop now. It's not finished yet.
Now here I am at the Holiday Inn Express in Yulee, where the only things around me are I-95, other hotels, and fast-food restaurants. Nothing else. Nada. But the hotel is lovely...Buckingham Palace compared to last night. Got the double queen room so Red can have his own bed this time. Headed to Jacksonville Beach tomorrow where I'm staying at an oceanfront hotel and Mr. Drive and Dump will become Mr. Search and Rescue and spend Friday night with me looking out at the Atlantic Ocean and be my support/transport vehicle on Saturday. Life is good.
Can't wait 'til you're back in O-town! Ride safe tomorrow and get a good night's sleep tonight. If you get too bored or start going stir crazy due to lack of social interaction, just pretend you're Eckhart. He'd be smiling and at peace with the moment.
You hung in there. Your pain really comes through in this one ("So 30 miles of hills and 25 miles of headwind later"...). At least you are right: You SHALL persevere! You HAVE come so far, from "barely being able to push RR on the sidewalk!" And life IS good.
I hope that today was your hardest, that you will continue to discover and learn from many insights to be unlocked many days beyond this trip. Good luck with adjusting back to less friendly/more familiar grounds and culture shocks of all sizes - which is to say, good luck on the homestretch! You're gonna make it, after all!
Wow! Congrats on persevering. You are the greatest! I hope Friday will be flat and painless for you after yesterday. But at least you are ridng toward the image of Steve on a beach. Life is good. And I am honored and privileged to have you in mine! You too, Shay. Love you guys! Sun
Well, I guess it was too much to expect a Fannie Flagg adventure the whole way through. This is not fiction, after all. I hope today is easy on you. I don't like to think of your feet burning and I don't like to think of you competing for the road with 18-wheelers! I'll be glad when you arrive safely and Mr. Search and Rescue takes you and RR home. I'll be thinking about you all day.