Sunshine state

September 2, 2016

We started our ride this morning heading south to the Alabama Gulf Coast on a very congested route 59. It must be tiresome to constantly hear us complain about rumble strips, but once again they ruined a perfectly good shoulder and forced us to take a traffic lane, slowing down the flow of cars.

When we reached the coast, we entered the Gulf state park, and the contrast could not have been greater. The park had no car traffic at all, just a few other morning cyclists. We were on a bike path that was so wide that it felt strange being so far out in the middle of such an expanse of pavement.

Crossing Portage Creek on route 59. The state park is near.

A bike path so wide it felt weird to ride.

Once we exited Gulf state park, the Alabama Gulf Coast felt exactly like being in Florida. There were the usual condos, Publix and Winn Dixie stores, and joggers along the side of the road.

They even have Florida style "hills", known as bridges in less flat environs.

Home at last! The sign says open for business, but someone pointed out that many of the Florida counties are in a state of disaster cleaning up from Hermine. As you can see, the weather is fine here.

We had a special treat waiting for us in Florida. We met up with Jeanna and Kerry's cycling friends Curt and Helene. It was great fun to have some new bikers riding along with us. Alain and Viktoriya had not previously met Curt and Helen, but they have been reading this blog for the past 3 months. It was a spooky feeling that they knew so much of what we have been up to.

Stop looking at the view, they're disappearing down the road.

Tomorrow will be our last rest day on the trip. We will be relaxing in Pensacola.

Finally! Helene has delivered the wine and chocolate therapy Jeanna so richly deserves to recover from her fire ant bites.

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