THE JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME!

Day 40 - Gainesville, FL to St. Augustine Beach, FL: Finally made it!!!!!!

Journey of a lifetime!!!!
Sunday May 10, 2009, 94 miles (151 km) - Total so far: 3,073 miles (4,946 km)
Weather: Temperatures 66-91, hot and humid, clear skies, no wind. Well, here we are!!!! We took a beautiful ride down the Hawthorne Bike Trail out of Gainesville to start the day. The trail was shaded and it wound around like a roller coaster. We saw a couple deer, heard a tom turkey gobble, saw a fox, and heard some bob whites as we rode along. Some of the gang skipped the Hawthorne Trail and rode in the van just past the end of it and started. I think they were trying to beat the heat or something. As it turned out, we all finished together, anyway. The rest of the ride was on mostly rural back roads. The finish was on a major highway into the beach, but only for about 12 miles. Once again, SAG was provided by the team of Anna Fox, Daniel Fox, and the two labs - Darlin' and Lady. At the last rest stop, we were met by Charles' sister, Diane, and his parents Maurice and Joan Fox, all from Charleston. We all met at a McDonalds, about 2 miles from the hotel, and rode in to the finish as a group - the ONLY time on the entire trip that we all rode as one group. I was privileged to lead the way. As we approached the Hampton Inn on the Beach, we saw family members and friends with signs, horns, and a large "Bobby" Ride banner, all out in the road to great us. It was a great way to end the journey !!!! Afterwards, we all shared a final meal featuring the excellent grillery of Daniel Fox and the great food provided from several of the family members who were there. As we ate, we watched a slide show of some of the pictures several of the riders had taken along the way. We also got to hear a poem, entitled "Bobby Ride", composed by Anna Haltiwanger. It was fantastic end to a fantastic journey. We were blessed by good weather and good fortune and great bike riding.

So actually it is Monday already when I'm finishing up the blog. Thanks for all the prayers ... Flat Stanley, Share Bear, and I are safely now back home in Tuscaloosa Alabama!

Love,

Uncle Barry

P.S.

Soon at school Wednesday!

DAY 40: May 9, 2009

HEY EVERYONE!
It's about 4 pm in Florida - 3 pm in Alabama, SATURDAY - MAY 9TH - and we just dipped our bike tires in the ocean!

The journey is complete!!!

All is well and I'll have one last blog entry later this pm to wrap it up but thanks so much for all the prayers and support!

UNCLE BARRY, FLAT STANLEY, AND SHARE BEAR ARE HEADED HOME!

Day 39: May 8, 2009

Day 39 - White Springs, FL to Gainesville, FL: Into Gator country

Friday May 8, 2009, 83 miles (134 km) - Total so far: 2,979 miles (4,794 km)

Weather: Temperatures were 69-82, light southwest winds, foggy to clear skies.

Well, this is the next to last day. The ride today was very pleasant. Mostly we rode on smooth, flat, rural back roads with almost no traffic. There were flowers everywhere, pretty rivers, several state parks, and some of the route was shaded by old moss-strewn live oaks. The last few miles of the ride, through urban Gainesville, was along a bike path. But all the roads in Gainesville seem to have well-defined bike paths. Despite heavy traffic, this is an easy town to ride in. We are staying adjacent to the University of Florida, but school is apparently out for the summer as there have been no signs of college students here about. The highlight of today's ride was that SAG was being provided by Charles' son and daughter, Daniel Fox and Anna Fox. They arrived last night with Daniel's two wonderful dogs. At the 60-mile mark, today, Daniel whipped out a charcoal grill and roasted some hot dogs and even had fresh macaroni salad on the side. That is what I call a rest stop!!!! Last night was our final dinner together as a group. We ate at the well known Dixie Grill in Live Oak,, FL. Charles was presented with a nice "Southern Tier" jersey as a tribute to all the work he did in providing food for our venture. Larry graced us with one of his famous poems. Today, after the ride, Will had laughs for everyone and Anna read a poem she had written. We have had the time of our lives on this trip. We have been blessed with good weather for the most part, as well as good fortune. Anna and Neil's tumbles turned out to be minor occurrences, and nobody missed much riding time. Everyone is anxious to see family and head home tomorrow, but first we have 100 miles yet to ride.

until the last post...
Uncle Barry, Flat Stanley, and Share Bear

Day 38: May 7, 2009

Day 38: May 7, 2009 Day 38 - Monticello, FL to White Springs, FL:

"Way Down Upon the Suwanee River"Thursday May 7, 2009, 77 miles (124 km) -
Total so far: 2,896 miles (4,661 km)Weather: Temperatures 69-84, fog early then partly cloudy, winds light out of the southwest. Today's ride was through the Suwanee River area. Wildflowers were very prominent today. We crossed the Suwannee River once but rode near the river most of the day. Some of the riders went into the Suwanee River State Park. This is a very pretty area of north Florida. The Suwanee is a beautiful black water river that originates in the Okeefeenokee Swamp of south Georgia.The ride today was about half on US 90, a low traffic, very smooth road with wide shoulders. The other half of the ride was through rural, traffic less back roads. The fog in the morning and the clouds in the afternoon made the ride very pleasant, despite the high humidity. Of course, in the deep South, we ALWAYS have high humidity!!! Almost everyone did a leisurely pace today, saving up for the last two days -almost 200 miles.

until tomorrow...uncle barry, flat stanley, and share bear

Day 37: May 6, 2009

Day 37 - Chattahoochee, FL to Monticello, FL: Pretty north Florida ride

Wednesday May 6, 2009, 85 miles (137 km) - Total so far: 2,819 miles (4,537 km)

Weather: Temperatures were 71-85, winds light and variable out of the west, mostly sunny skies, very humid! I usually think of Florida as either miles of beaches and condos or miles of pine forests and swamps. But this area of Florida is very scenic. It is predominately hardwoods and the terrain is mostly gently rolling hills. Today's route went almost entirely over lonely, winding back roads. The exceptions were a ride through Tallahassee and a nine-mile ride down the Tallahassee-St. Marks Trail. This trail starts in Tallahassee and goes to St Marks on the Gulf of Mexico. We only got to ride a portion of it. It was one of the first rail-trails in the south and is well known among bikers. The ride today was very pleasant. I hope this trend continues. Only three days left!!!

Until later....

Uncle Barry, Flat Stanley, and Share Bear

Day 36: May 5, 2009

Day 36 - Crestview, FL to Chattahoochee, FL: Rain showers, humidity, and another rattlesnake

Tuesday May 5, 2009, 115 miles (185 km) - Total so far: 2,734 miles (4,400 km)

Weather: Temperatures were 73-81, skies ere mostly cloudy with occasional sun and scattered showers, winds were light and variable from the southwest. Today was a long ride, but the roads were very smooth with good shoulders and light traffic. Despite a few rolling hills, the 115 miles was not nearly as hard as our previous century rides on this trip. Or maybe we are all just in better condition? The route today was mostly on US 90, a delightful bike-riding highway that runs roughly parallel to I-10 across northern Florida. We went through a couple of historic old railroad towns of DeFuniak Springs and Marianna. These towns have mostly remained largely unchanged in the last 30 or 40 years, probably because they are largely bypassed by the intestate highways. Riding through these towns gives you a glimpse of what an old Florida railroad town looked like before the interstates were built. On another note, several of us saw a rattlesnake sunning along the side of the road. Most of us gave the snake plenty of room and rode past. OF COURSE, Larry had to pick it up!!!! We previously have a picture of Larry holding a western diamondback. Now we have one of Larry holding an eastern diamondback. This completes the diamondback rattlesnake series. And in case there are any doubters out there, I can assure you these snakes are very much alive!!!! Not sure about Larry, though.








until later....
Uncle Barry, Flat Stanley, and Share Bear

Day 35: May 4, 2009

Day 35 - Gulf Shores, AL to Crestview, FL: Our last state - a total washout!!!!

Monday May 4, 2009, 100 miles (161 km) - Total so far: 2,619 miles (4,215 km)

Weather:. Temperatures 68-72, rain and thunderstorms, morning winds at 15-25 mph and gusty from the southwest. Today's ride started out very promising and ended in a washout. It was Bobby's day to drive SAG, along with Vern, so he lucked out in a way. As we left Gulf Shores, we had a nice strong quartering tailwind to push us along and an overcast sky to keep it cool. At the first rest stop, at mile 22, after all the others had stopped and gone, the van waited for almost an hour for Curt, Woody, and I. We didn't arrive. It turned out that Curt had broken a chain only a few miles into the ride. We had stopped to fix it and it broke again a little while later. Finally we had to stop at a bike shop - there just happened to be one on the route near Pensacola - and Curt got a new chain. To top it off, Curt had a flat tire. All that stopping put us about 30 miles behind the other riders. While the "lost riders" episode was taking place, the bottom dropped out of the heavens and we had torrential rain for about two and half hours. Tom, Will, and Anna stopped and called to get picked up by the van. They were over 60 miles into the ride at the time. Then Curt called and asked to be picked up. We made just over 40 miles. So they back-tracked and found the us enjoying Blizzards at the local DQ. Finally, Neil called to be picked up. He was fine with riding in the rain - after all, he was already soaked - but as he was climbing a little hill while standing up, one of his pedals broke and he went tumbling. He was OK and his bike was OK but he couldn't ride any further this day. So, after taking the others to the motel in the van, Will drove back and picked up Neil, about 20 miles from the end of the ride. Oh,, I can't forget about Larry and Pam. Larry and Pam rode the whole 100 miles, rain and all. Larry rides no matter what, even though a normal person would have just gotten in the van. Not sure why Pam rode through that down pour, bless her heart. Draw your own conclusions about that! And well as you can see Flat Stanley wore his rain gear and was dry as could be - he was so excited when he finally got in the van. Share bear rode in the van the whole day.

Well - until tomorrow

Uncle Barry, Flat Stanley, and Share Bear

Day 34: May 3, 2009

Day 34 - Bayou La Batre, AL to Gulf Shores, AL: Short day brutal headwind

Sunday May 3, 2009, 42 miles (68 km) - Total so far: 2,519 miles (4,054 km)

Weather: Temperatures 70-84, partly cloudy skies, south winds at 20-25 mph.
The ride started with a view of a decorated fishing fleet in Bayou La Batre. Today was the annual "blessing of the fleet" day. As we turned south toward Dauphin Island, we encountered a fierce headwind, the likes of which we haven't seen since west Texas. Crossing the open expanse of Mobile Bay over to Dauphin Island was very difficult into the wind, but fortunately it was only 8 or 9 miles for the worst of it.We were joined today on the ride by Woody's daughter, Florrie. She is a strong rider like her dad. After crossing the ferry from Dauphin Island, we were joined by two riders from Tuscaloosa, Barbie and Tim. Larry, Pam, Woody, Florrie, and Bobby made the 1100 am ferry. Curt, Neil, and Vern had gone earlier on the 09:30 am ferry. Tom and I drove the van through Mobile to take Charles to the airport. Charles will be leaving the ride for 3 days on business. We will miss Charles. While waiting for the ferry, most of the riders toured around old Fort Gaines, built in 1821 as part of the US coastal defense system, much like Ft. Moultrie in Charleston. Tonight we are staying in Gulf Shores, AL.

Until tomorrow...
Uncle Barry, Flat Stanley, and Share Bear

Day 33: May 2, 2009

Day 33 - Wiggins, MS to Bayou La Batre, AL: Family day in ALABAMA

Saturday May 2, 2009, 100 miles (161 km) - Total so far: 2,477 miles (3,986 km)

Weather: Temperatures 72-85, partly cloudy skies, winds south at 10-15 mph.

Today's ride was long and hard, a least for me. I think I am a little worn down after almost 2 weeks of consecutive riding. Tomorrow is a short day to the beach at Gulf Shores, and everyone is looking forward to a day of rest on the beach. The day started off foggy and remained very very humid all day. The first part of the ride out of Wiggins was pretty. After about 25 miles the route got flatter and swampier as we got into the "low country" of lower Alabama. After we got to the motel, we had a GREAT treat as Larry's brand new grandson, Rush, paid him a surprise visit. Do you remember the pictures as we left with his daughter getting ready for a new baby... guess what he's here! Larry had not yet seen Rush, but after he did we couldn't get the grin off his face for anything. His daughter and sister-in-law and grandson, River, made the trip from Tuscaloosa to Bayou La Batre as a surprise. About 30 minutes after Larry's reunion, Woody had a visit from his daughter and two granddaughters. This visit was pre-planned but no less rewarding for all concerned. Woody's daughter, a firefighter from Birmingham, is a strong rider and will ride with us tomorrow. The two granddaughters are good bike riders in their own right! The end is getting near. I loved hearing from Mrs. Yarber and Mrs. Gunter's classes yesterday too! What a nice treat to read such great comments after long days on the trial. It will not be long - Share Bear and Flat Stanley will be home.

until later...

Uncle Barry, Flat Stanley, and Share Bear

Day 32: May 1, 2009

Day 32 - Bogalusa, LA to Wiggins, MS: Anna - back in the saddle again!

Friday May 1, 2009, 65 miles (105 km) - Total so far: 2,377 miles (3,825 km) .

Weather: Temperatures 71-84,, winds were light out of the south, skies were mostly sunny to partly cloudy, and the humidity was lower. The big news on today's ride was that Anna decided to try to ride. She rode in the van to the first rest stop, about 20 miles out, then got on her bike (which Will had repaired) and rode the rest of the way. She said later that she felt good. In fact,, she felt better after riding than she did before riding. So I think that was great therapy. It is great to have everybody back and riding strong as we start the countdown to the end of the ride. Today's route was a typical Adventure Cycling route - rural, low-traffic back roads, lots of shade trees, and scenery. Coupled with lower humidity, light winds, and partly cloudy skies, and we had a very pleasant ride today. The terrain was slightly rolling and the roads were winding, which made the experience even better. To top it off, Charles had BBQ pork spare ribs and BBQ chicken served around the pool at the motel right after the ride. Hey, it's a tough job, this bike riding stuff, but some body's gotta do it!!!!! As we were sitting around the pool enjoying our respite, were all wondering what the working stiffs out there were doing today!

Until tomorrow...
Uncle Barry, Flat Stanley, and Share Bear