New Schus

The twenty-two women who set out from San Diego on March 18th completed their coast-to-coast journey this morning in St. Augustine, Florida. The last 5 miles turned into a mini- parade through the small town: an impressive police escort followed by the riders in matching jerseys waving to bystanders, and trailed by a caravan of friends’ vehicles. Betsy was the lead rider and sported a festive chicken hat with streamers dancing in the wind.

Leave it to the young one to cause unnecessary drama. Sarene had to drop out of the team ride with a tire explosion 2 miles before the finish. She dismounted and quickly pushed her bike and body into into a surprised UW van in the caravan line-up (thanks, Jill!!!) to keep up with the riders to the finish. She sported only the minimum requirements for the Wheel Dipping ceremony. Generation X slacking again…

Friends and relatives joined up for a picnic at the beach, and the group later met up for a nice dinner. Jim put together a slide show from everyone’s pics, and is making a keepsake DVD.

See Pictures

We were unable to take the ferry off of Dauphin Island… there was so much damage from Hurricane Ivan last September that the landing dock was destroyed. Woman Tours shuttled us all the land route (100miles?) with the help of the van, the sag, and a few friends. We were dropped at the former ferry landing, so that we'd still get the usual 70 miles in for the day.

Strong headwinds tried their best to deter us, but we still managed to make it into Florida. Whuhoo!

Talked to some locals selling boiled peanuts on the roadside, both of whom are still waiting to make it back into their homes since the storm damage last year.

Today's starting line

Our second day in Mississippi was gorgeous, and the third day led us into Alabama. We stopped at an alligator farm just before crossing the state line. We were able to see some gators, though the usual tours were not available with the water being so high. One little girl was telling us how the gators hop the fence and end up in the parking lot when the place floods. Sounds lovely.

We are currently enjoying a day off in Dauphin Island, a great place to relax for the day! Like most days off, we spend the time doing laundry, fixing and cleaning the bikes, and trying to get caught up with correspondence and such. Here we’re also spending the time swimming in the ocean and in the condo-side pool.

Some trip basics for those of you curious...

There are two support vehicles along on the trip: a (subaru) sag car that checks in every 20 miles or so, and a van pulling a decent sized trailer. The front half of the trailer carries our gear, and the back half is a small kitchen. Eating out of the back of a trailer for two months may not sound terribly appealing, but many of us have never eaten so well. Chef Claudia whips up healthy gourmet foods each day for both breakfast and dinner. She’s amazing. Seriously. Most days we just tailgate and eat outside near the van... that makes it easier to go for seconds and thirds. Once in awhile we take over a hotel breakfast room and sit in real chairs.

Til next time.

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Now wait, is the state different from the river? Thus far they’re pretty similar. Wet.

The group had to do a bit of wading today, but managed to avoid the water moccasins and alligators.

Thankfully we had a hot shower and dry clothes waiting at the hotel, and we were able to enjoy a leisurely dinner with Mark and Becky Fosselman. It sounds like Mark and Becky are enjoying their new condo, and we certainly had a great time catching up with them.

Wet Pictures

It's no surprise that rural roads bring less vehicle traffic, and more animal traffic.

Chasing bikes seems to remain a favorite past-time of many of the dogs out here. One rider (Kathy v) stopped a pooch in it’s tracks with a firm “No!” only to have her command reversed by the nearby kids’ “Go get her!” Apparently the commands went back and forth three times before the confused canine lost all interest.

Joanna was appreciating the thick canopy on this sunny day until something dropped out of the tree and grapped her arm. The animal moved to her back and then fell to the ground as Joanna frantically continued pedaling. Sarene caught up shortly thereafter to hear the story and witness the (saliva?) marks on her Mom’s shirt. Mom was too surprised to get a look at the creature… flying squirrel? Snake? Small tree-climbing gator? Hmmm…

Roadside Companions

Here are some pics from Louisiana… check this post later for a more detailed description.

First Days in LA

Ferry Crossing and such

New Orleans Detour

and we're out! We finally crossed the Sabine River and made it into Louisiana. The menu has changed to frog legs, crawfish, turtle stew and alligator. The road kill has changed to snakes, frogs, turtles, and alligator. Huh.

We had a 90 mile ride today through a consistent downpour. The rain was actually a nice change, and we kept our spirits high. Joanna kept a phenomenal pace throughout the day... though we managed to come in last. Between a late start, a leisurely lunch break, and 2 flat tires there was little hope for us making it in much before dinner.

We weren't the only ones with flat tires today... I think there were 9 total between the 22 riders. Rosetta had been flat-free until this treacherous day!

We are drying our clothes as best we can tonight, and hope to get some good pics of Louisiana when the weather clears up a bit. It is Sarene's first time back to this state since we lived here in 1979.

Incredible, isn't it? This trip can more or less be divided into three equal thirds: Pre-Texas, Texas, and Post-Texas.

Our injured rider Becky was able to rejoin us this week on a recumbent trike. So far she's barreling up the hills just fine. She will head back home to get the pins out of her hand later this week and we hope she can rejoin us shortly.

It has been a truly fascinating experience to tour the country on the roads less traveled, and it is a stark contrast to the view from the interstates. On the smaller roads we have had the opportunity to venture through older towns with strong history and character. In La Grange, TX we met an 88 year old couple that still runs a small grocery on the town square with handwritten signs in the window. A man named Charlie (who had been the town barber for 30 years) told us the history of many of the town buildings, and of the tree where all of the local soldiers have mustered since the Texas Mexico wars. There were several places that this community left oak trees standing, even in the center of some roadways.

We've had some beautiful rides through the country lately, with stunning wildflowers

See Pictures of Becky's return, La Grange, and a few shots from the road

We're in the Hill Country of Texas, enjoying the lush contrast to the many days we spent in the desert. On one remote road, Joanna heard something running alongside her and was surprised to discover it was a female deer... effortlessly keeping up with our bike pace. The doe chose to duck back into the woods when a car came along in the opposite direction.

We spent a day off in a couple of cabins in Vanderpool, TX. The only nearby entertainment was this great little motorcycle museum and deli (open 11-3 Fri-Sun) so the group decided to put on a "Talent(less) Show" to fill the later hours. The acts ranged from poetry readings to story telling and energetic songs (including a striking Tina Turner impersonation). Joanna and six of her cohorts took home the blue ribbon with their entertaining tune of "7 Old Ladies Stuck in a Lavatory."

See Pictures

The girls are taking a well deserved day off today, as they crossed the 1500 mile marker, leaving them just a few hours biking from the halfway point. No turning back now!! Heat has kicked in the last few days, and there ARE hills in Texas. The 110 mile day on Monday took about 10 hours of biking, with little or no headwind - making the leg much easier than it could have been.

The lady bikers are now well into Texas, and this morning crossed the 1200 mile marker..only 1900 to go!! Except for the heavy rain a day out from San Diego (go figure..) the riding has been dry. Wind and traffic on narrow roads have presented sporadic challenges, but rural Texas has provided plenty of pleasant and quiet riding. Monday April 11 will present the biggest distance challenge at 110 miles. Depending on the winds, it will feel like somewhere between 70 and 160. Stay tuned...

The girls reached Silver City, New Mexico on March 31, and were featured on the front page of the local paper.

Silver City Article

The girls have now biked over 600 miles, and are taking a rest day in Safford, Arizona, near the New Mexico border. For a few photos of the first stage, see.. Early Photos

Florida or Bust