adventurecycling – Emilie Bikes and Hikes

Southern Tier Bike Route: Florida

Day 53: Milton to Fort Walton Beach, FL (42 miles); May 6, 2021

We woke up to coffee and the most delicious eggs cooked by Dave. We gobbled them up and enjoyed a nice morning conversation with Dave and Stacey. When we were set to leave, Stacey gave us about 15 pounds of snacks each. She has an eBay business where she sells bulk items for cheap. Since she literally just graduated nursing school (at 63 years old – so inspiring!) she hasn’t been getting rid of inventory, so she’s pawning them off on bike tourers. Which we were happy about because now we don’t have to go shopping for a few more days!

With fully loaded bikes, we pedaled off. We lucked out with tailwinds today and our short day was even easier with the encouraging push. Though the uphills were few, they felt gargantuan to the point where I thought I had a flat. I did not, I just had a really heavy bike loaded with snacky goodness.

We got into Fort Walton Beach early and decided to do some planning before heading to our warm showers. With only 300 some odd miles left, we’ll be in St. Augustine in a week! That’s unbelievable to me. The end of this trip really snuck up on me. But at least I’ll see Addie soon!

We met Christina and Tyler, a young couple who are awesome property investors. We talked with them, had dinner, played cards, and saw firsthand the troubles of being a short-term landlord. Apparently frogs sound just like a dying generator liable to blow up the surrounding area, requiring a cop to tell the tenant, “no ma’am, they are amphibians”. Cannot wait to read that review.

Day 54: Fort Walton Beach to Panama City Beach (54 miles) May 8, 2021

We left Christina and Tyler’s home early, excited to have a rest day in Panama City Beach with my longtime friend Ryan. We rode through many beach towns, including the gorgeous Destin, Seaside, and Rosemary Beach. We rode about 15 miles on the well known 30A, a scenic highway I rode on a few times last year during my month hiatus to PCB. With a busy bike path, I would definitely recommend riding it if you find yourself in the area and in search of a leisurely bike ride. There are a ton of restaurants, shoppes, and beaches along the way to discover. But we were not in search of a leisurely ride. We were on a mission. So the Northeast came out of us a few times to get around some folks, startling them in the process I’m sure.

Riding 30A brought back so many memories! But not as many as when when we rolled onto Front Beach Rd in PCB. Given I spent a month there running and biking that street daily, it felt like I never left! Plus the aqua colored water and white sand felt like home. This is truly the Emerald Coast.

With tailwinds pushing us strongly, we made it to Ryan’s with gusto! And there she was waiting. I’ve known Ryan since 2004 and because she travels for work, I am only able to see her a few times a year. So I’m really excited I get to see her on this trip, if only briefly, and stay in her gorgeous condo. She’s even starting a new job the end of this month and will be traveling less. I’m so happy for her and excited I’ll be able to see her more.

After catching up and some beach time, we got dinner and came home. We’re all pretty sleepy. We have off tomorrow, so we’re going to enjoy the beach and food before powering off towards our last day!

Rest Day: Panama City Beach (May 8, 2021)

Spending the day in PCB was great. Got to see some old friends I met last year, eat some good food, and of course spend some time at the beautiful white sand beach with the gals. People were staring either in awe or confusion at our tan lines. One outspoken little girl exclaimed, “Mom! Look at her tan lines…. no wait look at HER tan lines!” Leave it to kids to be brutally honest.

While I still love the beauty of the beaches and the great nostalgia I experienced at PCB, there were huge crowds and horrible traffic. Getting a table at a restaurant was nearly impossible and forget getting a taxi – so was everyone else. I missed the days of last year where COVID kept the crowds at bay. But that’s selfish – the restaurants and businesses are finally back on track after a year of loss, no doubt. I just don’t see myself coming back during the busy season anytime soon.

Day 55: Panama City Beach to Bristol, FL (67 miles) May 9, 2021

We said our goodbyes to Ryan and Amy early (Ryan even got out of bed to send us off!) and were on the road by 8am. I’ve noticed getting started after a day off is really difficult physically and mentally. Today was the first day where I actually felt ready to be done and go back home. After over 2 months riding, I’m feeling a little burnt out. While it’s been an amazing trip, I’m ready to see Addie again and hold The Cat. Which is great cause we only have 4 days left until I can do just that!

We’re following google maps to get to St. Augustine, which provided a bit of a hiccup. It directed us to make a turn to get off the highway, which is fine. But after a few miles that paved road turned into sand. Deep sand. For 3 miles we pushed those darn bikes through that sand, cursing the dumb Lady in the phone. After we succeeded in pushing our steeds through the fickle sand, she directed us to another sandy road that was fenced off. I was beyond irritated and frustrated by why google thinks these roads are rideable on a bike. After doing our own navigating with an old fashioned map, we came up with a new route that would add 6 miles to today’s ride. At this point, what’s another 6 miles? We’re in the homestretch and the light at the end of the tunnel is shining brightly. As long as we don’t get hit by a car, we’ll take all the hiccups the universe will throw at us and try to embrace them.

This was actually the good part of the sand road – the other part was about ankle deep.

Luckily the winds were on our side and to our backs. We breezed through the miles today which is great because the views weren’t exactly breathtaking, but nor were they ugly. Just feels like the pine barrens of Jersey.

Right before our destination, we crossed into the Eastern Time Zone! I’m in the same time zone as little Addie, finally! It’s the last major milestone before ending in a couple days.

Bristol is a small town and we’re staying in a motel. Unfortunately, we didn’t make a reservation and the only room left was the “honeymoon suite”, making it the most expensive room here. But it’s roomy and has a nice kitchen, so there are worse places to spend the night.

In order to make the Thursday deadline for St Augustine, we have a long day tomorrow. So we’re going to relax and turn in early in preparation. I also inspected all the roads we’re taking tomorrow – so at least we won’t have any surprise sandy roads in our future!

Worth the price? Maybe not, but it’s a place to sleep!

Day 56: Bristol to Hampton Springs, FL (88 miles) May 10, 2021

We rolled out of the motel an hour earlier than usual in preparation for our longest day yet. It was foggy and dreary with high humidity. I really and truly don’t remember much from the morning. It was overcast and flat with very little to look at. Knowing a very boring day was forecasted, I listened intently to a podcast (Dirty John – fascinating true crime story) to help the miles go by. And it helped immensely. I listened to all the episodes and before I knew it, we were halfway done!

At around 1:30pm, Sheena’s stomach started rumbling so we stopped for second lunch at the only gas station for 20 miles. Sheena’s stomach must’ve felt something in the air, cause barely 5 minutes into our stop a severe thunder storm rolled in. Had we not stopped, I’m not sure where we would have went to to get out of harm’s way. It would have been way too dangerous to ride in. We sought shelter in a nice roofed porch the gas station’s neighbor offered us. We made friends with the chickens and roosters inhabiting it and soon found ourselves drifting to sleep from the lull of the pouring rain and booming thunder. The storm lasted for 2.5 hours. Thankfully we were making really good time, so we weren’t too worried to still have 20 miles to go at 4pm. And the roads were smooth and freshly paved – no sand to be found!

1/4 of our thunder buddies! Made me feel a little guilty that we ate an entire rotisserie chicken last night.

The next 20 miles were fast and monotonous. We got into Rocky’s campground at 5:30pm and ate a delicious pizza with chips. We are the picture of health. It’s supposed to rain the next 3 days, so our plans are a little up in the air as to whether or not we’re going to stick to the original plan of camping or splurge on motels. The weather has been unpredictable, so really who knows. We’ll wing it!

Day 57: Hampton Springs to Newberry, FL (83 miles) May 11, 2021

We have not had luck camping. From raccoons to storms to what happened last night, I think we’ve had our fill of sleeping in a tent. Allow me to explain. It’s 12:30am and Sheena goes to the bathroom, waking me up from a light sleep. As she returns to her tent, she calmly claps. Why the heck is she doing that? Wait – WHAT THE HECK JUST RAN INTO THE WOODS?! Huge creatures fled from near Sheena’s tent, scared of her ginger claps. They were too big to be raccoons, too awkward to be dogs. Whatever they were they looked straight up demonic.

“Sheena. What were those..?” I asked, uncertain if I wanted to know the answer. “Pigs,” she answered quickly, the annoyance obvious in her tone, “they’ve been snorting around my tent for the last hour.” Well, shoot. I was not prepared for feral pigs. Raccoons and bears, sure I can handle that. But what do you do if a feral pig attacks you?! Knowing they can be aggressive and some of the most dangerous animals a human can encounter, my pulse quickened and I was prepared for not having a good night sleep.

I kept a lookout and sure enough, 10 minutes after the initial encounter, they were back. I was astounded. There were close to 30 wild pigs, half of which were piglets. Double shoot. Those mamas are going to be super protective over their youngins, and no tent will protect me from their wrath should they feel threatened. Based on my observation, they were benign and just digging for grubs. They weren’t actively seeking our food or showing even the least bit interest in us. So I decided to just let them be. Every half hour I was wakened by snorting or squealing, but they were still very amicable. Sheena must have set her tent over the best grubs, cause they were not moving from her tent. So just imagine the sleep Sheena got. Hint – she didn’t. But the sun came up and they went back to their nests, or is it dens? Either way they left and we broke down camp, a little disoriented- did that really happen?! Pigs?!?

If you zoom in, you can see about ~1/3 of the feral pig herd.

We decided at breakfast that after last night, we are done with camping. We were going to ride another long day and get a motel. Pigs can’t possibly break into a motel room, right?

The ride again was unremarkable and boring. We found good timing by getting a sheltered lunch right as a thunderstorm rolled in. We talked to a guy who knew about Rocky’s Campground. “Well do you know they have a feral pig problem?!” I inquired. He just so happened to know all about their problem, as with all of Florida’s problem. He’s a pig hunter and trapper and he’s not short on business. Where was he last night?! Well, that’s not his jurisdiction. He told us the pigs are a real nuisance and he’s been mauled/slashed by many a ruthless pig. Thank God the ones last night were “friendly”.

The storm rolled out as did we. We spent a decent amount of time on a great bike path as the rain poured down briefly. We were surrounded by gorgeous trees tinseled with Spanish moss. The last 11 miles into Newberry annoyed me for some reason, so I put on my angry music and cranked out those miles at a fast pace. We got into town at 5pm and checked into Sunny South Motel. I won’t even put in a picture because it is horrifying. It has a hot shower, clean bed, is pig free, and four walls with a roof, so it gets the job done, but wow it needs a deep cleaning and upgraded furniture. That’s all I’ll say about that.

The pizza in town is amazing, though. We decided on Villaggios pizza right next door. Of the four pizza options we had in a block radius, we chose correctly. They were so nice and the service was not lacking. Plus the food was so tasty! We got salad, garlic knots, meatball parm, and a slice. Needless to say, we were more than full and satisfied.

Apparently there is a gas shortage from a Russian hack. Colored me surprised and caught unawares. I was wondering why there was a huge line for gas yesterday, why a cop was asking a gas clerk if people were “panicking”, and why the clerk tonight answered the phone with, “we are out of gas”. When I asked, she explained everything to me. A lot of stations around here, as with the whole eastern seaboard, are out of gas. Well nuts. I had just reassured my dad that stations around here were fine. I may have been wrong. I really hope this doesn’t affect my parent’s ability to come down here with Addie! It would be such a disappointment to not see them in St. Augustine.

Day 57: Newberry to Palatka, FL (67 miles); May 12, 2021

Despite being a filthy room, we slept soundly in a comfortable bed. We woke up late and rolled out late, getting breakfast in Gainesville. Unfortunately the clouds retreated today and we were subject to a humid, hot, sunny day. The sweat was just pouring out. Towards the end of the day, I was feeling sluggish and ready to be done. I think the heat had a lot to do with it. It zapped my energy – but got through it, even if just barely.

Most of the ride today was on a bike trail lined with beautiful trees draped with Spanish moss. We have been attacked by kanikazzee bugs left and right all during Florida, provoking odd sounds of terror from us multiple times an hour. I’m sure motorists find it humorous. Speaking of motorists, we had the most aggressive encounters today in Gainesville. We experienced rolling coal 3x within a 5 minute period with close passes. Luckily it didn’t last long and we were out of the city in no time.

We got into the hotel around 5pm. It’s our last night of this trip and it’s definitely bittersweet. I’m ready to be done physically and mentally, but I’ll definitely miss the unpredictability of everyday and the general sense of adventure. But I’m ready to see Addie and the cat. In fact, I’ll see her tomorrow! Even though a lot of the stations we passed today were out of gas (even saw a few hoarders), my parents lucked out and were able to find enough gas on their way from Jersey to make it to Florida! I’ll see them tomorrow!! Makes the last day of this trip all the more exciting!

Day 58: Palatka to St. Augustine, FL (30 miles) May 13, 2021

Well, we did it! We rode our bikes across the country, again. And little Addie (as well as my parents) were there to greet us, making it all the sweeter! The 30 miles into St. Augustine were more of the normal boring roads we’ve been encountering, only today it was rainy and cold, a stark difference from yesterday’s ride. But a difference I honestly preferred. Yesterday was way too hot and muggy for even me.

While riding, one car in particular was really happy to see us. Beeping the horn and cheering, I thought it was odd that someone out there knew what we were doing. Sheena thought they were angry honks and nearly flipped them off. Then a few minutes later they were back right next to us cheering and holding out a sign. “Wow, that’s even weirder,” I thought, “they have a ‘you made it’ sign and they’re filming us!” I thought they were either with The Guys (who also finished today) or just bike tour hunters/cheerers. I turned to Sheena to see if she was just as confused. She wasn’t. It was Steve (her boyfriend) and his parents! It all made sense!

We met everyone at Crescent Beach Park and dipped our front wheels into the Atlantic Ocean, officially signaling the end of another tour. And what a tour it has been, which you know if you’ve been following along.

There are way too many people to thank for making this trip possible. First and foremost, Sheena is the best touring partner I could ask for. She helped make all this possible by just agreeing to do these crazy adventures and being the ying to my yang when things get tough. We make a great team – hear that Amazing Race?! Huge thanks to my parents for not only being the best pet sitters to my furry babies, but also for making the trip even more special by driving down during a gas crisis to see us roll in. We met so many kind people on this trip, particularly through Warm Showers, who made this trip truly stand out. The kindness of strangers was humbling and overwhelming. Thank you to everyone who contributed to support us be it with a meal or just encouraging messages. It helped get through some of the tough days knowing people were cheering us on.

We are going to explore St. Augustine and make it home this weekend. It will be tough to adjust to life off a bike, but I have a feeling I might be living out of a backpack in the not too distant future…

Southern Tier Bike Route: Mississippi and Alabama

Day 49: Buccaneer State Park to Pascagoula, MS (61 miles) May 3, 2021

With thunder booming until 1am and every rustle causing a panic stricken bolt upright from a half conscious slumber, I did not sleep well. When we did wake up, we were attacked by mosquitos (better than raccoons!) and packed up quickly. Sheena discovered yet another flat and changed it quickly before breakfast. We really should’ve changed our tires before this trip, or at least in Austin.

Riding out of the state park to the gulf was breathtaking. It’s so deja vuish to the coast of California. The sand, the seagulls, the salty taste in the air, and the carefree lively towns that call the gulf coast home. As Sheena put it, it’s a reality check as to how far we’ve come. Saying goodbye to the pacific coast only to ride in the desert so long was sorrowful – seeing and riding along the gulf coast breathed new life into us… and also put things into perspective- our ride is almost over!

Without access to coffee immediately upon waking, we returned to our old ways and rode 13 miles to a coffee shop. The next 20 miles were gorgeous until we rode into Biloxi. The Mississippi version of Atlantic City (all day I had to remind myself I was in MS, I didn’t know it had such built up Gulf towns. It truly reminded me of the Jersey Shore), Biloxi is a huge bustling town with a ton of traffic. Riding on the sidewalk was rough and inconsistent, but riding in the street garnished near passes, honks, middle fingers, and an interesting choice in name calling. Neither decision was favorable, so we did the best we could.

Tell me that doesn’t look like the bridge taking you into OCNJ!

After taking 5 years off my life, we made it out of Biloxi and had relatively smooth sailing to Pascagoula, our destination for tonight. There were talks about tacking on 20 more miles to meet The Guys, but the stress of today’s battle with traffic left us deflated and ready for a long-term break. We checked into Studio 6 and collapsed for a while. It’s a really awesome motel for the price. An extended stay, we have our own little kitchenette! After shopping and dinner, we’re ready to just pass out. It’s our last night in Mississippi, what a long stay we’ve had here!

Though our stay in Mississippi is anything but extended, our motel was not!

Day 50: Pascagoula MS to Gulf Shores AL (72 miles) May 4, 2021

We left the motel at 7:45am with gusto. We had to catch a 12:30pm ferry across Mobile Bay, a 40 mile ride. Meeting The Guys halfway as a break left us plenty of time to achieve that goal. With the ferry leaving every hour and a half and bad weather predicted for the afternoon, we had to make that ferry in order to avoid getting stuck in Dauphin Island.

Our plans were derailed almost instantly when Sheena got a flat 2 miles in. No biggie, we had a decent time cushion to allow for these kinds of hiccups. We were soon back on the road and reached Alabama quickly. We’ll be in Florida tomorrow so we won’t have too much time to explore Alabama, but it greeted us as all the states have since Texas – with a flat. Again, this misfortune struck Sheena. With thin walls and balding tread, this may continue to be a trend unless we can find a new tire.

With 15 miles to go and only 1.5 hours to make it to the ferry, we were running low on time and panic started to set in. We flew. The guys were already waiting for us at the ferry, adding another layer of anxiety to our already rushed state. Getting to Dauphin Island we hit pretty severe headwinds for 10 miles. Sheena took the lead which relieved me from exhaustion by allowing me to not only draft, but also refreshed me by showering in her sweat. Disgusting, but when it’s humid and swelteringly hot, anyone’s sweat flying into your face is a blessing.

With 12 minutes to spare, we made it!! Almost passed out from exhaustion (seriously felt like a college track sprint workout), we were reunited with The Guys as a hot disgusting sweaty mess. But we didn’t miss the ferry. Our efforts were not in vain.

As with our ferry ride in 2018 where I ran into Dr. Pepper of Married at First Sight fame, I had another run in with a reality TV personality, or at least his relative. Russel Hantz is known as the #1 villain of Survivor, a show I still hope to be on one day. But seeing as he was working on the ferry, I did not stop to strike up conversation. Missed opportunity to have an in on the show, darn.

After the ferry all 5 of us enjoyed lunch together at Tacky Jacks. Full and hot, we set out for Gulf Shores. Jim led the way and don’t let the “I’m retired” facade fool you – Jim is strong and fast for a 65 year old man. Us 30 year olds struggled to keep up. Huffing and puffing and pouring out sweat, we reached the point where their path and ours split. They have a hotel and we’re staying at the State Park. But we’re ending up at the same place tomorrow, so I have no doubt we’ll see them again.

As we rolled into the State Park, we were warned by many people about the severe weather coming our way tonight. 70 MPH winds, violent thunderstorms, hail, and even a tornado watch. With all the hotels in the area being super expensive, we were okay with taking our chances of flying away in a freak storm. We nabbed the last camping spot and set up camp. So far, there’s only lightning in the distance without any rain at 9pm. Fingers crossed that doesn’t change!

Alligators and snakes and tornadoes and floods, oh my!

Day 51: Gulf Shores, AL to Milton FL (58 miles) May 5, 2021

Well all my finger crossing did nothing. A bad storm rolled in around midnight, followed by an even worse storm at 3am, followed by the grand finale at 5am. We were hit hard with a dazzling display of lighting and a giant orchestra of thunder. Rain battered against the tents, but the wind stayed at bay as did the threat of tornadoes. Having been caught in plenty lightning storms in the mountains I have heard booming thunder before, but this was different. It reverberated and shook the entire ground and though it was miles away, it sounded like it was right next to us. After talking to a local, I learned that the thunder echos off the water, amplifying it to the ear shattering magnitude we experienced last night. After seeing there was a flood watch and the amount of rain we were being pounded with, I was worried the little creek behind our tents was going to overflow, causing alligators and snakes to body surf right into our tents. I had a plan ready for in case we had to bolt out of those tents to safety and ready to execute it when necessary. But like most worrying, this was wasted energy. We were fine. The only thing we woke up to was soaking wet tents.

We packed up the soggy and sandy tents quickly to avoid another storm coming our way. After eating breakfast in the bathroom (holy heck were those bathrooms clean) and waiting out the worst of a downpour, we headed out in the light drizzle for the day.

Before we knew it, we crossed into Florida!! Last state of this trip!!!! So crazy to think that a few weeks ago this day seemed so far away. Florida was like the Emerald City – a far off land requiring feats of physical and mental strength to get to. And now we’re here!

Of note: climbing a slippery bike in the rain is not a good idea.

Lightning skittered across the sky, giving me a mild freight, but the adrenaline rush makes you feel alive, right?! We pedaled to Cafe Beignet and enjoyed some powdered sugar goodness and coffee. It proved to be a good stop because the skies opened and dumped out rain. So we waited it out.

But we did all the waiting we could and we couldn’t put off the inevitable anymore. We suited up and faced our foe. Right as we were about to take off, none other but The Guys passed by! They saw us and waited so we all could ride together. The next 20 or so miles to Pensacola were all a blur, mainly because it was hard to see the road from all the rain. We decided to stop and have lunch at a little diner who didn’t seem too thrilled to have 5 soaking wet cyclists come in, but money is money – even if it is dripping wet.

After lunch we said goodbye to the guys. Although we’re staying in the same town, our paths are diverging after today. But who knows, maybe the universe will smile down upon us and we’ll all finish the same day next week.

The skies cleared and the next 24 miles into Milton were relatively dry with great tailwinds. We got to our warm showers (Dave and Stacey) where they cooked us dinner and took us to Tastee Freeze for ice cream. They treated us like family, joked around, told stories, and fed us way too much food. They even gave us a million snacks and drinks to take on the road with us. Their kindness and generosity is astounding, as is their humor.

Because of the rain, I wasn’t able to take pictures from today’s ride. But it was gorgeous with gulf views. Jim’s phone succumbed to the weather and he had to buy a new one. I’m glad mine didn’t befall the same fate.

We have an easy day tomorrow then a rest day in Panama City Beach with Ryan who had a condo there. After not seeing her for so long, I’m excited to see her again at one of my favorite places!!

Southern Tier Bike Route: Louisiana

Day 43: Merryville to Oberlin, LA (56.7 miles); April 25, 2021

The beds in the cabin were pretty squeaky. So much so in fact, it ripped Sheena from a deep sleep convinced there was a snake in the room. Fortunately for us, it was just a dream. We woke up and got ready before heading back over to Stu’s for breakfast. Their bacon is just as good as their cheeseburgers.

Before we left for the ride, we ran into some bikers (of motorcycles). After briefly talking with them, they asked if we would join them in a prayer circle. Never one to turn down a prayer or well wishes, we accepted gladly. It was a wonderful prayer asking for our safety and protection as well as protection of our bikes – that they ride smoothly and without failure. Considering the state of Sheena’s bike, we said AMEN! to that.

And so we were off. Really nothing crazy to report on today. It went smoothly and flatly. Winds weren’t awful and it wasn’t too hot. All in all uneventful. We didn’t have to outrun any gators and our bikes didn’t fall apart. Sometimes boring is good.

We got into Oberlin around 5pm and checked into the Crossroads Inn. We originally were going to stay in the community park, but didn’t reach out to the coordinator in time. But looking at the town of Oberlin, I think it is a good thing. I’m not positive it’s a place we’d want to be camping exposed at night. Though I’m not too sure we’re much safer in this hotel room.

Sheena discovered she had a flat as soon as we arrived in the room, but was happy it happened here than on the side of the road. She fixed it and we’re just relaxing. I have a feeling tomorrow will be just as uneventful as today, though I’m hoping for a little bit of spice to break up the monotony.

All these motels are starting to look the same

Day 44: Oberlin to Bunkie, LA (78 miles); April 26, 2021

Well that’s the last time I wish for a spicier day. Cause well, it was granted. And I was not at all happy about it.

We set out for what was supposed to be a 57 mile easy day in the dense fog. We rode 25 miles past endless crawfish farms on a flat and boring stretch for a stop in Mamou for a rest. It was the first time this trip I felt threatened and even thought about taking out my pepper spray (on humans, not raccoons). Luckily we were okay and we left for another 20 miles to Chicot State Park. It was crazy how we went to poverty stricken Mamou to sprawling mansions just down the road in a less than 10 minute bike ride. And it’s even crazier how cheap these gorgeous homes are not only in price but property taxes. I guess it really is all about location, location, location!

That’s where the real trouble started. For some reason we thought we only had 15 miles to go once we hit the park. We miscalculated the distance drastically. We had another 25 if we followed the ACA. We didn’t want to ride another 25 miles, so we were able to find a shortcut that shaved off 8 miles. Great! We even got approval from an RV couple and a state park ranger. We were warned that a road within the park was closed, but bikes could get through. Rules never apply to bikes!

We took the park road and passed through the road blocked signs. We were cruising when a state trooper pulled us over. He told us the road was closed. We told him a ranger said we could go through. He said there was no way we were going through and we had to take the long way. Apparently the state is using the park as a COVID sanctuary. How adamant he was about not letting us pass was odd and felt like they were hiding a little more – like a zombie camp. Not wanting to mess with a cop or potential zombies, we turned around and were resolved on riding close to 30 more miles to get to Bunkie. We considered just bunking it in the park, but ultimately decided to stick to the schedule and suck it up. Besides, there were definitely gators in that park and we do not want to mess with gators.

Picture with a swamp right after being kicked out by the cop

The ride into Bunkie was noneventful, though riddled with dogs. Despite being chased by up to 15 dogs a day, all the dogs have been super friendly and appear to just want to run. Really fast. So fingers crossed that trend continues.

We got into Bunkie tired and hungry around 6pm. We’re staying on couches in the fire station. They host cyclists frequently and we’re the 5th in a week.

We got a well deserved pizza and beer and are more than ready for sleep. And I will no longer wish for days with a little more “spice”. Boring is fine enough for me.

Day 45: Bunkie to New Roads, LA (67 miles); April 27, 2021

Luckily today was pretty smooth. We had coffee with the fire guys and headed out around 8:30am. It was an overall pretty uneventful ride with the exception of 15 dog chases, none of which were too aggressive. We did see a road killed alligator, which has been a deterrent for popping a squat on the side of the road when nature calls. Just going to have to hold it until getting into the next town!

Riding over the Morganza Spillway, which is much higher than normal

We had our first sighting of the Mississippi today, first indication of the East! We got into New Roads around 5:30pm and was greeted by locals at Jim’s Campground (and bar and grille) by locals who were expecting us. Word gets around quickly in these parts. We stopped in for a drink and appetizer and got to meet the locals. Talking with them is an effort in concentration because their accents are so thick and different than anything I’ve ever heard. We got talking about our route into Baton Rouge. No one could recommend a bridge to go over because “you’ll get flattened on any bridge. Seriously you will die”. Encouraging.

We met Susan, who along with her fiancé Matt, are extremely proud Louisianians. We got into talking and she offered to take us to a crawfish boil tonight and take us into Baton Rouge tomorrow. After the warnings about the bridges and the week we’ve had, we decided to take her up on her kindness. Besides, it was only a 30 mile ride we’d be missing out on.

We went to The Crawfish Hole, a new boil joint Susan highly recommended. It was just opened by a 20 year old, Luke. A kid with a lot of drive and determination, I was impressed by the operation. He was hospitable and treated us as VIPs. Plus the crawfish (my first experience) was delicious. I would highly recommend.

We are staying at Susan and Matt’s before going into Baton Rouge to drop the bikes off at a bike shop. Susan is going to take us to a great lunch spot as we wait – let the food tour continue!

Off day in Baton Rouge: April 28,2021

It always feels great to sleep in. When we rolled out of bed we noticed Susan was nowhere to be found. I popped my head outside and realized the situation – a locksmith was over trying to get into the truck. Matt has his car keys and Susan’s were in the locked truck. Looks like we’re riding after all! But not so fast – Sheena reminded me we had our helmets and her shoes in the truck. We were stuck and mild panic set in. We had to get the bikes looked at today and get into New Orleans by the weekend to keep up with the schedule. While pacing in the kitchen, I noticed a set of GMC keys on the kitchen counter. Surely these weren’t the keys. But I brought them out to Susan anyway. Lo and behold, St. Francis delivered and they were indeed the keys! We were piled in the truck and off to Baton Rouge in 10 minutes.

We got to the bike shop and they were confident they would have our bikes ready by the afternoon. Wonderful! We were hungry and it was lunch time. Susan took us to Chimes and we enjoyed delicious crawfish entouffee and BBQ shrimp. My aunt Janet gifted me some money and I thought a great creole lunch was the perfect way to spend it. Thanks Aunt Janet!

After lunch Susan showed us around LSU’s campus. She told us we were going to see Mike the Tiger. Thinking it was just a mascot statue, I was convinced it had the most epic statue ever to warrant a visit. Then after a few questions, I realized it was an actual live tiger and my mind was blown. I didn’t know live mascots existed – especially tigers. Where were the lions during my time at Widener?

What do tigers dream of when they take a little tiger snooze?

We checked on the bikes at the shop and they were ready in record time. We said our goodbyes to Susan and thanked her for her southern hospitality. Who knows – maybe we’ll crash her wedding in October!

These guys are miracle workers. They fixed Sheena’s rack! If ever in need of a bike shop in Baton Rogue, check out The Bicycle Shop.

Our warm showers host, Mark, met us at the bike shop. We chatted a little and followed him back to his apartment.

When we got to Mark’s we did some planning for New Orleans and tomorrow. We had plans to stay with a warm showers host, but that fell through. With limited places to stay between here and New Orleans, we’re in kind of a bind. But we’ll figure it out – we always do.

After eating dinner and legitimately getting chased by cockroaches walking back, we hung out with Mark till way past our bedtime. We shared stories and had some pretty good laughs. He is a pleasure to stay with. In fact, bike racer legend Mike Hall stayed with Mark back in 2012 during a Guinness record breaking ride. Mike Hall was highlighted in the movie Inspired to Ride, a documentary about the transamerica race. It’s an inspiring and great movie. Tragically, Mike was killed during a race in Australia in 2017 after getting hit by a car. It was awesome meeting someone who hosted such an inspiring person.

Day 46: Baton Rouge to Gramercy, LA (64 miles) April 29, 2021

We started the morning with coffee with Mark and all three of us set out together early. Mark was riding to work, we were riding to La Place.

Soon our paths diverged and we were on our own. Today’s ride was going to be our longest yet – 85 miles. I ran into a guy at the bike shop yesterday riding the BALL, Bike Across LA Louisiana. He shared with me a route him and 30 others were riding and considering the routes out of Baton Rouge looked sketchy, I figured 30 road cyclists knew what they were doing. So I grabbed the route from him and we decided to follow it today.

The ride itself was fine (zero dog chases!), started up on the levee which was pretty cool. Then we dropped down to the road. At 60 miles in, I received a call from Jerry (aka Duwaine), the warm showers host who initially said he wasn’t available to host. Yesterday during planning I left a message asking if he knew anyone in the area who could host us. We were striking out and I must’ve sounded pretty desperate. He wanted to let us know that after speaking with his wife Stephanie, they were okay with us staying the night even though they wouldn’t be there. Wow! Only 3 miles away, it was great timing. After looking at the maps and seeing it wasn’t worth it to ride to La Place and spend money on a hotel when it’ll only save 10 miles. Now we have more money to spend on beignets and daiquiris in New Orleans!

Before leaving for Houston, Stephanie hung out with us for a little at the Parker’s gorgeous home! She is really awesome and fun to talk with. It’s a real shame she and Jerry won’t be home, I can tell they would be a lot of fun to hang out with. I feel very blessed that they are willing to open their home to us and trust us when they’re not home. It was great timing and might be a sign that our luck is finally changing for the better!

Day 47: Gramercy to New Orleans, LA (60 miles); April 30, 2021

We rolled out of the Parker’s home into the suffocating humidity around 8:30am, set for an easy 50 miles to NoLa. We were excited for a rest day and getting to explore a new city!

Everything was going smoothly until we hit a closed road that was taken out by the spillway overflowing. In order to detour around it, we had to tack on some additional miles. But it was early and not a big deal.

We stayed on the winding Mississippi River Trail, a beautifully paved trail lining the river. We avoided cars and had pretty much the whole trail to ourselves, until we got into the outskirts of the city. We had one cyclist pass us, joking, “I have more weight on me than you guys!” We saw him a mile or two down the road, where he pointed out a live gator. We didn’t stick around to risk our luck – knowing us he’d probably come out of the water and chase us. Eventually the cyclist caught up with us again and we had a really good conversation with him. Originally from New York, Michael went to Tulane for his undergrad degree and Wharton business school for his MBA. He’s now an investor and lives in London, but is currently staying at his home in New Orleans for the next couple of months. He took us on a tour of Audubon Park and showed us his house, where he said will be a small town jazz festival tomorrow and invited us. Perfect way to spend the day!

After we parted ways with Michael, we headed to the French quarter to our hotel. Sheena’s mom was extremely generous and paid for a hotel right on Bourbon Street – The Royal Sonesta. It’s a beautiful hotel and a perfect spot to relax. We are so thankful! Though rolling into a fancy hotel covered in sweat and bike grease garnished a couple snooty stares from upturned noses riding in on their high horses.

Celebrating getting into NoLa with a staple drink – the Hurricane!

After showering and getting ready like proper ladies, we went out to eat. After fearing gators for so long, we took our fears out on one and had some pretty good alligator creole and gumbo at Evangalines. Though super tasty, the portions were lacking for two starving cyclists.

I could’ve eaten 5 bowls if it wouldn’t cause me to go into debt!

After dinner we took in the sights and sounds of Bourbon Street. And let me tell you. There were some sights to behold. As someone who can experience sensory overload, I didn’t know which way to look. There were people all over. Sheena put it perfectly when she described it as a mix of OCMD, OCNJ, and Baltimore/Philly. We didn’t feel 100% safe, it was a little trashy, but the people watching was exquisite. After avoiding crowds for so long because of COVID, it was overwhelming walking in a sea of people. There was some mask use, but it felt like pre-covid times. Hopefully this is a sign that we may soon be out of pandemic times, but I’m not holding my breath on that.

Soon we found ourselves at a speak easy suggested to us by Jake, who Sheena met getting our Hurricanes. He works there and it was nice to go to a private bar (password required) that wasn’t crowded. We got to stand on the balcony and have a birds eye view of the ridiculousness going on below.

But as usual, it got to be late (for us at least) and we retreated back to the hotel for some rest. We have a pretty busy day tomorrow exploring the city. Maybe we’ll even stay an extra day!

Rest Day: New Orleans; May 1, 2021

Apparently New Orleans is not an early rising city. When we headed out for brunch at 9:30am, the city seemed to still be asleep. We had a delicious brunch and met a ton of awesome people at Curio, it’s a lot of fun to make new friends along the way. Unfortunately, I learned a tough lesson that there should be a bottom to mimosas and went back to the hotel.

Not sure if I can look at a mimosa the same again for a while.

Sheena went to Cafe Du Monde and brought back a New Orleans staple – beignets. They were just as delicious as I imagined. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it to the Jazz fest Michael invited us to. The day got away from us. Pretty bummed we missed out, but I think this city deserves another visit.

Tomorrow we’ll be entering Mississippi for a short jaunt. Florida is on the horizon and we’ll likely wrap up our ride in 2 weeks. It’s been such a fun and eye opening ride, I’m going to be sad to be done and go back to the normal daily routine.

Thanks to Sheena’s mom, we got to live in luxury the last two nights. So spoiled.

Day 48: New Orleans to Buccaneer State Park (58 miles) May 2, 2021

When leaving the luxury of the hotel this morning, we felt right at home. Street cleaners were cleaning the massive amounts of trash and vomit from off the gutter, appropriate for us in so much as we look and feel like trash. The smell and mounds of garbage was nausea inducing and disgusting. People must’ve partied hardy last night.

We made our way through the sleeping city and eventually got rained on relatively hard. Soaking wet, we rode past marshes, bayous, and a lake. The houses along the lake were charmingly gorgeous and a great distraction from pedaling. Soon we found ourselves leaving Louisiana and saying hello to Mississippi. We look moderately like drowned rats, but at least it’s warm and we’re not shivering our tails off.

We had lunch and rolled the rest of the miles (with the exception of one flat) to Buccaneer State Park, where we had our first sighting of the Gulf of Mexico! I’m really excited to be back on the “coast” with water views. It’s crazy to think we went from pacific coast to desert, to rolling hills, to now the gulf. We’re truly seeing it all! While cooking dinner we talked to Gretchen and Jeff from Bend, OR. Both retired early, they’re touring the country in RV. Gretchen was kind enough to give us microwave popcorn, a treat we’ve both been craving this whole tour!

We have a short stay in Mississippi and Alabama and will be in Florida before we know it! We’re likely going to run into The Guys again either tomorrow or Tuesday, so excited for our reunion!!

Not sure what I’m more nervous about – the incoming thunderstorm or the chance of having another encounter with a raccoon.

Day 30: Ragged Point – San Luis Obispo; 60 miles

To me, today was a bit of a sad day. It’s our last day riding when I think both of us still have a lot of ride left in us. We finally got back into the swing of things and boom, trip is over because of time constraints. But with Big Sur behind us, we figure anything else isn’t going to live up to the hype or beauty of what we’ve already seen. That’s the word on the street, anyways. But not wanting to miss out on seeing SoCal, we’ll be taking the train down to San Diego this weekend!

We woke up without an alarm this morning and went to breakfast at the Inn. It was delicious, but big. So we waited until 10am to digest before getting back on the bikes. Latest start yet!

We left at the same time as the French boys with their contraption. We played cat and mouse with them for a few miles where we would pass them, they would pass us. The game got monotonous and came to a halt when they got a flat.

With a gentle tailwind, we rode past a beach of sunbathing sea lions and elephants. We just had to stop because it was overwhelming how many there were on the beach. Sheena exclaimed, “oh my God Emilie I think some of them are dead!” Likely scaring all the children in the surrounding area, we stuck around for a while to ensure that all of the creatures were alive and accounted for. We all can rest easy.

We rode on through some not so scenic scenery. We are definitely out of Big Sur territory. In fact, when off the coast, it feels and looks like we’ve been dropped right back into Wyoming. That is, until, we rode past a herd of Zebra by Hearst Castle. There were a ton of them just grazing along with the cows. If you squint real hard you can see them in the picture I took. They’re great camouflagers, likely hiding from those vicious California lions I’m sure are stalking about.

Because we were feeling good and knew San Luis Obispo (otherwise known as SLO) was our final stop, we decided to push on towards our goal despite the late time of day. But not before stopping for cookies! We were told the best cookies on the west coast were found in the cute coastal town of Cayucos. We made a stop at Brown Butter Cookie Company and had plenty of free samples before purchasing some delightful crumbly cookies that did not last long.

We got into SLO around 6pm and waited around to see if any of our warm shower requests would be answered. They were not – well besides a woman who lives in the community library….. – so we decided to celebrate the end of our riding journey with a hotel!

Tomorrow we have to run around town and ship back our bags and (very sadly) our bikes. Another tour done!

Day 29: June 7th; Big Sur – Ragged Point 53 miles

Hands down today was both of our favorite days. Big Sur is without doubt the most beautiful place I have ever ridden my bike. Mountains meet beach, what can be better than that?!

We of course encountered hills, but this time I was so excited to see what view was atop the hill or around the corner that I was happy to climb. There were so many “wow” moments that were stunning and mesmerizing. Pictures surely don’t do them justice, but I tried to capture the beauty as best I could!

Like yesterday, we took plenty of stops to take pictures and just enjoy being present in the moment.

Now for the real challenge of the day: Two years ago there was a massive mudslide that took out a bridge and a section of route 1 (the very road we’re taking down the coast). Obviously, these closures will put a bit of a bump in our plans to bike down to San Luis Obispo – only 60 miles away. Fortunately, the bridge is open and we rode across it yesterday! Awesome! Unfortunately, however, the road is still closed just past Gorda, right where we find ourselves now. So what do we do?! Well we’re for sure not biking all the way back to Monterey (as beautiful as that ride is) and we’re not taking a detour up a dangerous pass without a shoulder. So that leaves us two options – pick up a shuttle in the morning with a couple we met today to bypass the slide, or we cross it. Being fools for adventure and cheap ones at that, we are opting to cross.

Now we are not making this decision lightly or without doing a ton of research. With knowledge that the highway was still closed since the beginning of the trip, we’ve been asking all our warm shower hosts and other cyclists ahead of us for any information possible on crossing the slide. First and foremost – is it safe? The answer we got is “yes, but it is illegal”. Okay, great, what are the chances of getting caught? None – once the construction boss leaves at 5:30pm, the road is yours. Literally no one cares if you cross it. We heard rumors that there was a sheriff patrolling the slide issuing fines, but those were proven false. It’s a scare tactic to dissuade cyclists from crossing. And that tactic almost worked on us. After speaking with a couple who crossed 2 nights ago safely as well as the owner of the restaurant right before the slide where we’re eating dinner waiting for the foreman to leave, we feel confident with our decision to cross the 1/2 mile of slide safely. Otherwise we wouldn’t do it! I’m sure it doesn’t come without danger – sliding into the pacific is a true risk and rock slides are an ever present concern in this area. But without rain the last 2 weeks and no wind to speak of today, we feel nothing but confidence going forward. We even talked to some of the construction crew at dinner, who pretended they didn’t know what we’re about to do, but cheered us on anyway.

So the plan – ride to Gorda, eat dinner at the restaurant before the slide, wait for Mr. Foreman to leave ( we have a perfect view of his car, cross by pushing the bikes, ride 15 miles where we’ll reward ourselves with an expensive room at Ragged Point Inn.

And there goes the foreman, so here goes us!

Well, we made it across the mudslide… and that was the easy part! The worst of slide itself was pretty short, down a pretty steep slope but wide enough where we didn’t feel like we were going to slip into the ocean. We crossed it with three young French guys riding some sort of tandem contraption. Honestly I don’t know how they did it, but it was funny to watch regardless. They started April 4th in Seattle and have spent a lot of time in each city since then. That in addition to having to push their bikes up every hill has accounted for the time it has taken to get to this point.

At no time during the crossing did we feel in danger. For the most part the surface was very well packed down and we didn’t hit too many rocky spots. In fact, we rode our bike along most of the slide! Pretty cool to be pushing my bike over a slide I remember hearing about in the news, never thinking it would have any impact whatsoever on my life!

Before we left, we spent some time talking with the restaurant owner about how the mudslide affected her business. Prior to the slide they were busy nonstop and doing great business. Since the slide, business has dropped nightmarishly, the only patrons they get are those who missed the 4028482 signs leading to the road closure and didn’t realize the road was closed, or those who didn’t think the signs applied to them and thought they were above the law (AKA – us). Which led me to wonder if it was just her business affected or all those along the Big Sur stretch. All the markets and restaurants along the route are RIDICULOUSLY expensive. For example, a regular no fuss drip coffee this morning was $5. My burger and fries was $20. A loaf of bread was $6. Are the prices so high because it’s a tourist area and there’s nowhere else to go grocery shopping so they gouge prices, or because the mudslide has so greatly affected their business that they have to increase prices to just get by? Questions I’ll never have answers to.

But anyways, the road continued to be closed 8 miles past the slide, meaning we had the whole road to ourselves, woo! We didn’t really care cause the way to Ragged Inn was nothing but hills and pain. The only redeeming quality was that it was during sunset, lighting the entire landscape in an entirely different fashion than we’ve been used to.

We arrived at Ragged Inn around 8, unsure if they would have a room in our price range. Sure enough, they did! And it was way cheaper than we were expecting! We booked it immediately and we were completely shocked by how grandiose the room was. I have stayed in motels where I paid the same exact price but had to barricade shut the door lest someone try to break in and steal Addie! This place is a 5 star resort – literally. It’s a great way to end such a long day.

Because we’re staying in such a nice place, we’re going to sleep in and see what happens tomorrow. As long as we’re in San Diego by Sunday, we can afford to continue to take our time in Big Sur! Well afford time, not sure how long we’d last out here with it rapidly depleting our funds.

Day 28: June 6th; Monterey -Big Sur CA; 40 miles

Leaving Big Sur for last sure wasn’t a mistake. The short ride today proved that. We had a good ride out of Monterey fueled by an hour long coffee break 0.3 miles into the ride. We earned it!

With the sky darkening, we got spit on a little, but nothing substantial. We soon found ourselves along the coast with the most supportive drivers. Everyone was honking and waving at us, cheering us on! That helped brighten even more the gorgeous views we were riding by. But with good views comes…. wind! However, after paying our penance to the wind gods yesterday, we again were on the favorable side of the winds. They were violent at times but I won’t complain anymore lest they turn against us tomorrow. The wind gods must have very fragile egos.

Because we knew we had such a short day today, we took our time with breaks and pulled over a plentiful amount to take pictures. We stopped by the picturesque bridges I’ve seen a million times in photos so we spent a great deal of time there.

The sun came out and the clouds disappeared and totally changed the look of the environment. Bathed in sunshine, the blues of the sky, greens of the grass, and every color in between of the wildflowers shined brightly and danced in the wind.

We spent a long time in just about every general store along the way for WiFi to try and figure out exactly where the campground we planned on staying in was actually located. It’s like the Bermuda Triangle out here… nothing on a map is actually where it says it is, and if the ocean wasn’t always on our right, we’d be totally disoriented.

But alas we found ourselves at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. It has a wonderful hiker/biker campground that we’re sharing with 6 other cyclists, none of whom we’ve met before.

One place that has been suggested we visit a number of times is Pfeiffer Beach, where apparently the sand is purple. Being partial to the color purple myself, I was really excited to see a beach full of purple sand. Having had a light day, we didn’t mind biking an extra 5 miles in total to see this famed Beach. Little did we know it meant going downhill a tiny one lane poorly paved road for 2 miles. And that which goes down must come up (or something like that) so we were not thrilled with that prospect and quickly questioned our excursion, but it was too late to turn around! Besides, we totally unloaded our bikes at the campground so we didn’t have any weight to haul back up! Although, riding an unloaded bike after 1000 miles of riding with it being weighted took some getting used to. We felt like baby giraffes learning how to walk for the first time – awkward and wobbly.

Normally a $10 admission fee to enter, we were thrilled when the ranger said bikes are free. “But you’ll have to pay on your way outta here going up that hill” was the next thing she said, laughing almost manically at her joke.

Pfeiffer Beach was gorgeous. Though not as purple as I had painted in my imagination, the hue and essence of the color was definitely very much present in the grains of sand. We got to know those grains of sand very well as they assaulted and sandblasted us. Painful doesn’t even begin to describe it. It felt like we were slowly being eaten alive as gusts rolled through! We soon understood why someone said, “good luck” to us as he walked by, seeing that we were wearing shorts. We just figured it was because we exuded a biker trash vibe and he was referencing the ride back up the hill.

After standing the abuse for only so long and snapping pictures (evidence of wind in exhibit A: the selfie), we had to get out of there. We stopped by the ranger station to see how much of a donation we would have to make to get a ride up the hill in their truck (answer: none; it’s illegal) as a last ditch effort, but we could only put off the climb for so long. And climbing that hill was the second time this trip I had a bad experience with a Volkswagen Vanagon (and considering there are a million out here, that’s pretty surprisingly low statistic). He passed us during the narrowest section of the road and was barely an inch away from us. It was so close I had to stop going up a steep part of the hill to prevent falling into a ditch. We eventually found him in the campground’s parking lot (not easy to hide around here) and gently/calmly let him know it is the law to provide 3 feet of room when passing a cyclist and that if he waited 10 seconds (let’s be honest- Vanagon that old aren’t going much faster than us up hills like that) there was a turn out we would’ve stopped and let him pass. He apologized and promised he would be more mindful. Hopefully we taught him better etiquette for the future!

Tomorrow is going to be one of the more interesting days of the trip… really excited to see what happens, and so should you!

Day 27: June 5th; Santa Cruz – Monterey CA; 42 miles

“We made our way to Monterey!”

A Sheena M. Sanchez original poem, 2018.

And it’s true! We made a short trek to our final destination but it was not without its memorable moments. We set out for what felt like the first day again – seriously, three days off really feels like forever. We had a short ride to a local coffee shop where we finally decided an end game plan and booked flights home. One week countdown until I get to see Addie again!!

It actually felt great to be back on the bike. Because we knew we only had a few miles to ride, we took our time. We have to stay in Monterey tonight due to services being too spread out. So it was either 40 to Monterey or 80 to Big Sur. Since we knew we had time to play with before our flight, we chose the shorter route. Either way it doesn’t matter because of a road closure just past Gorda down a few miles. I’ll elaborate on that debacle in an upcoming post I’m sure.

Along the ride we ran into Tina and Carl, a couple riding down the coast the right way – with a sag wagon. They stopped us and let us take our pick of their extensive and delightful snacks and sandwiches. We were in heaven. They said that since they’re not carrying any of their gear, other touring cyclists assume they’re just road cyclists and they don’t stop to talk, which bums them out cause they love sharing their snacks and food. We happened to catch them at the right moment! Not only does the trailer have food, but also an extra bike for each of them, which they actually had to use when Tina’s shifter broke. Talk about riding in luxury!

Shortly after leaving them, we came across fields and fields of strawberries. We smelled them before we saw them. They looked so delicious and it was so tempting to steal one, but we controlled ourselves. We saw plenty of pickers picking them and for once I didn’t envy someone who wasn’t on their bike. That is truly backbreaking work I could never handle.

In Moss Landing we passed by a produce store advertising fruits and vegetables for super ridiculously cheap – especially for California. We stopped to do some shopping and eat lunch. We spent a great deal of time there because we had so few miles left.

But that’s when we realized that all that smack talk about the wind last week turned those very winds against us, literally. We faced 15 mph headwinds the entire rest of the way into Monterey, a good 20 miles. Luckily we were on a bike path so we didn’t have to worry about the crosswinds pushing us into oncoming traffic, so that’s a plus! Eventually we made our way into town and the beauty distracted us from the winds.

Strangely enough, while taking a wrong turn, we came across a McDonalds that had literally just burned down not long before we got there. The firefighters put it out and it looked like everyone got out right, thank God. Random moment of the day!

When we got into town we literally stumbled upon a farmers market. It was full of people but we made our way through with the bikes in tow. We spent so much time talking with people about our trip and perusing around eating all the free samples (including the very strawberries we saw getting picked), it was delightful. Between that and all the free samples we ate at Costco (it was a strategic stop for snacks, and even a lady we met there offered us to stay with her!) we were all set for dinner we were so full.

Tonight we’re staying at Robert’s, someone we found on Warm Showers. He and his housemates have an awesome house here in Monterey and were kind enough to let us crash here for the night. Looks like another short day tomorrow, I’ll explain why in tomorrow’s post most likely! Fingers crossed we get back some tailwinds!!

Days 24, 25, 26; June 2-4; San Francisco > Campbell > Santa Cruz, CA; basically 0 miles riding

When we say we need some time off, apparently we mean it. After taking 3 days off in a row, we are both very anxious to get back on the bikes and get in some miles. I think we both feel a little guilty by taking some time off when there are miles to get in, but let me tell you – it was worth it. It truly feels like weeks since we rode the bikes.

On Saturday we indulged in a wine tasting in Sonoma and Napa Valley. With some of the best wine in the world coming from this area, we figured we may as well get a little dressed up, feel some semblance of being ladies, and learn why this wine is so sought after. Not knowing much about wine myself, I just enjoyed taking a bus and seeing the changing scenery during the drive. The beautiful day tasting wine (they all taste the same to me) was all an added bonus!

After the tour we got dropped off at Fisherman’s Wharf – a central gathering location for all the tourists who flock to San Francisco. So basically it was my worst nightmare. But we made our way through and had a good seafood dinner. Plus I got to reminisce about the last time I was in San Francisco- a mere 20 years ago when I insisted that we just HAD to visit Alcatraz despite all the tickets being sold out. In my bratty youth, I had a temper tantrum until my mother bargained with a shady scalper and got us tickets. Worth all the drama! Still one of my strongest memories – “if you’re not happy, I’m not happy! So be happy!!”

We made our way back to Mindy’s and decided to call it a night. All of the wine made us sleepy. But we did get a ride with Mindy’s daughter Alexis up to the tallest point in San Francisco- Twin Peaks. We were lucky enough to have a clear night and could see the entire city. Being dark, we weren’t able to get a good picture, but believe it when I tell you it was quite breathtaking. We were pretty lucky in San Fran – a city known to be shrouded in fog. We had clear warm days the entire time we were there, much different than my memory as an 8 year old.

On Sunday we departed Mindy’s after breakfast. We really and truly cannot put into works how grateful we are to be blessed with her generosity. She gave us anything we needed and asked for nothing in return. I don’t know what we did to be given an opportunity to meet her, but I’m pretty darn thankful! My cousin Megan picked us up, again our skills in Tetris and shoving our bikes and bags in cars came in handy. We spent the day and night at her and her husband Michael’s apartment in Campbell just relaxing. I’m sure the town of Campbell is great and has a lot of fun spots to check out, but we were perfectly content just hanging out with them and plain relaxing. Pretty sure we ate just about everything put in front of us, but Meg and Mike are such great hosts they kept the food coming! It was absolutely fantastic catching up with them and seeing their adorable little puppy Kona. We could not ask for a better way to spend our Sunday.

In the morning, Megan dropped us off in Santa Cruz. We made our way to Whitney’s house to unload the bikes. Whitney was one of our leaders on the trans am. Unfortunately she had to leave us after 2 weeks and she has been missed ever since. We met some of her awesome housemates before going out to do some surfing! Another one of Sheena’s bucket list items, we had an awesome time catching some rad waves and hanging ten in typical California fashion. Being pretty much our first time, we did kinda okay with it! Though we caught more laughs than waves, I think.

We have decided that since we only have about a week left to finish this journey before Sheena has to return to work and I have to really get my butt in gear for the JMT, there is no possible way for us to get all the way to San Diego without killing ourselves. Everyone told us that Big Sur is a must do and anything south of there is t worth checking out. We’re hoping they’re right because we are going to ride through Big Sur, then hop on a train in San Luis Obispo to head down to San Diego to spend a little time and eventually fly out of. It’s a little disappointing we’re not finishing the entire ride, but honestly this trip has been so vastly different from the Transam in such a positive way – being free from a group has opened us up to so many different possibilities and experiences we could’ve never had otherwise. Being more lenient with time and scheduling has made this trip feel less like a chore and more like a vacation. But with that being said, we have to go to bed in preparation for getting back on the bikes!!

Day 24: June 1st; Bodega Bay – San Francisco; 75 miles

Another totally unexpected, random, but truly spectacular day today! We made it to San Francisco, although not all by pedaling. Having gone since Astoria without a rest break (that’s over 2 weeks), we are truly burnt out. With the miles, hills, traffic, wind, and just general mental fatigue from being on the bike, we needed an off day more than anything in the world. Resorting to hitch hiking yesterday only solidified that which we already knew. We wanted to take a few days off in San Francisco but than meant not getting there until Saturday afternoon. We were not in any sort of shape to pedal those miles, so Sheena put out a craigslist ad for a ride to just before San Francisco. Now yes, we know all about craigslist and how there is questionable safety using that site (especially for rides to unfamiliar places. Craigslist killer, anyone?) but Sheena has used it before and never got murdered. Desperate times calls for desperate measures!

And we got a response! After talking on the phone for a while and passing our preliminary vetting process, we agreed on a price and time for Nick to pick us up this morning. Problem solved!

Because the pick up time wasn’t until 10:30am and the rendezvous destination was only a mile and a half a way, we took our time waking up and breaking down camp this morning. At the campground we stayed at, there were 7 other cyclists. Us taking our time, we left before all of them. I don’t know how they get out so late, we’re normally riding by 6:45 am! We had a big breakfast and too much coffee at the meeting place and waited for Nick.

He arrived right on time and we once again shoved all of our stuff into his truck. At this point in the game, we’re pretty much pros at getting our bikes and bags in/out of trucks. We enjoyed an hour long ride into Corte Madera talking with Nick. He had some interesting thoughts on life and some even more interesting stories. In his youth he hitchhiked all around the country and even spent a year living alone in a cabin in Alaska. Now he works with homeless trying to give back to the world in any way he can. When he dropped us off, he said that he didn’t want the agreed upon price but only gas money – he was inspired by our ride and wanted to make it as easy for us as possible. We were thrilled by his generous offer, but still paid the majority of the original price. And then we were off!

It was a hot day today with lots of bright sun. We only had 10 miles to ride to the Golden Gate Bridge – a major goal for us to ride our bikes over, which is why we got dropped off there. We rode the majority of the ride on a beautifully paved and scenic bike path. Soon we found ourselves in Sausalito where out from the buildings of the small town the San Francisco Bay opened up to us. It was completely beautiful and unexpected. It really was inspiring to see and honestly gave me chills.

After a short ride over some hills, we arrived at the Golden Gate Bridge amongst a sea of tourists taking pictures. So we followed suit! With our bikes in tow. We have to commemorate our achievement (with the exception of a few rides).

Then the real adventure started. We had to part the sea of selfie sticks and oblivious tourists to get ourselves across the bridge. There was plenty of dodging and yelling so as to not get into an accident and we eventually made it across without any issues besides an elevated heart rate and blood pressure.

We got our bearings straight after the bridge to let things settle. We still weren’t sure where we were going to stay (warm shower requests went unanswered) so we decided to find a taco place to sit and figure things out. Upon trying to get to the taco shop, we found ourselves lost. Apparently it was obvious we were lost because another cyclist provided us with directions. After hearing about our journey, he asked where we were staying. We responded honestly – we had no idea! “Here, let me give someone a call. I’ll find you somewhere”. In an instant he was on the phone with his mom Mindy and without a second thought, she said we could stay with her the whole weekend! Jesse then was on his way to cross the bridge on his bike. Such a random encounter, but at least we had a place to stay!

We still went to the taco shop to plan our time here in San Fran – particularly figure out a wine tour for tomorrow. After calling around we found ourselves a good deal, booked it, and was on our way to Mindy’s.

What a trek to her house. San Francisco is an incredibly beautiful city, but with beauty comes pain. And that pain comes in the form of hills of mind boggling grade nearly impossible to climb on bikes. Needless to say, we arrived later than we thought to Mindy’s, but she didn’t mind at all! She welcomed us with open arms with a place to store our bikes, shower, bed, and appetizers. She offered to make us dinner, which we declined because we were full from Mexican food and appetizers she presented. I am still in disbelief that we somehow were fortunate enough to stumble upon Jesse and by default landed in his mother’s house. We have no words to describe how grateful we are to have met such giving and selfless people on this journey. I don’t know why people had warned us about California, it’s been nothing but an absolute pleasure!!

We are off to bed, we have an early bus to catch tomorrow to explore wine country!

Day 23: May 31st; Gualala – Bodega Bay CA; 50 days

Today was such a whirlwind – in more ways than one! We both stayed in our tents a little longer than usual. We’re both pretty road weary and ready for a day off. We rode the 11 miles into Stewart’s Point pretty quickly with a gentle (emphasis on gentle) tailwind that we both thoroughly enjoyed. Since we finally had cell service, we spent a good deal of time in a coffee shop planning out our time in San Francisco since we’ll be there before we know it!

After we left the coffee shop, the winds with deathly intentions started again… so much for yesterday being the last day of gale force winds! While they mostly were tailwinds, they were still forceful and violent. As we made our way into Fort Ross, we decided to stop for a break from the winds at a convenience store that was marked on the map. We went through the town with no sign of the store, so we decided to keep going a little further to see if it was up the road a bit more. The only thing we found was more road construction with flaggers holding up traffic. We walked our bikes up to the beginning of the line and debated what our next move was. Not sure if it was the sun or the wind getting to me, but something moved me to stick my thumb out in search for a ride. Sure enough, after 10 seconds, a pickup truck stopped. “I’ll drop you off at Jenner if you’re sure you want to go” was all we needed to hear.

Within 10 seconds all of our panniers were off our bikes and loaded into the bed of the truck with the bikes following suit. Now this is our second time hitching a ride, not something I’ve ever really considered doing mainly because of the questionable safety of hopping into the car of a complete stranger. But both times we’ve done it I’m convinced it was some sort of divine intervention. Nothing could’ve prepared us for the hill we would’ve had to have climbed otherwise. It was well trafficked, steep, windy, no shoulder, and steep drop offs with most sections having no guardrail. With the wind as violent as it was today (30 mph gusts) I would’ve had a full blown panic attack and would have not made it down the hill. One unfortunate gust of wind, one mistimed squeeze of the brake, or one car coming a little too close could’ve resulted in a fall down hundreds of feet into the Pacific. I was terrified just riding in the car I could not imagine navigating that road on bicycle.

The man who took us, Scott, works for (or owns) a lumbar business and rides from Santa Rosa to Mendocino quite frequently. He said that he sees hitchhiking cyclists along that stretch all the time, but we were the first he picked up because we “looked like nice people”. I think that’s code for we looked ravaged by wind, sun, and fatigue. He has 3 grandkids he dotes upon and is in the process of buying real estate in Thailand to retire on. Considering he saved us from a harrowing journey, he’s a super awesome guy!

Although terrifying, the hill we got a ride over was breathtaking. Sheena and I were both disappointed we didn’t get to experience it from behind handlebars, but we both believe we made the right call.

After a brief stop in Jenner, we rode on. The wind again whipped us all over the road, including into oncoming traffic. It was complete ridiculousness. We met a gentleman from France coming from Mexico going north to Vancouver. Quite the hardened old man, he didn’t look a bit phased by the enormous headwinds he was facing. Bet he doesn’t hitch any rides!

After snapping a few scenic pictures, we made it to camp in Bodega Dunes Campground relatively early and just relaxed and ate. We are looking so forward to spending some time off the bikes and out of the wind in San Francisco soon!