Monday February 24, 2025 - South Bend IN to Chicago on the South Shore RR, then about a one mile ride over to Union station Amtrak. Train started out for NOLA at about 7:40 pm.
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| south shore train bicycle rack |
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| Downtown Chicago |
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| NOLA riverwalk |
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| HI New Orleans Hostel Wednesday February 26, 2025 - NOLA to Bay St Louis MS. Bananas & coffee for breakfast @hostel, started cycling @7:30 am, stop @8:15 at McD for breakfast again. 9:30 rest stop @bayou park, 11:15 Stop @Fort Pike Pier, Stop @Pearlington Rocket market, bananas +power aid, nice chat with old fella sitting out front, said I shouldn't push myself to hard and enjoy my trip, also recommended catching the ferry at Gulf Port to check out Fish Island. Stop @Davis family store, Ice Cream & gatorade chatted a bit with Fellas out Front. I arrived at my Hipcamp spot @2:30 ~60 miles   Thursday February 27, 2025 - Bay St Louis MS to Pascagoula MS. Hipcamp host made me breakfast, very kind and generous. On road at 7:30, stopped at Bay St. Louis beach @8:15, stop at Chevron station near Gulfport for Ice Cream +body armor drink. Route went south a few blocks to the Gulf Coast, riding on the beachfront walkway now, another cyclist struck up a conversation and rode along with me to the Biloxi boardwalk, his name was Jim too, an avid cyclist, I noticed two rearview mirrors on his bike, he said that was necessary for RAGBRAI. Stop at Rouse's Market in Ocean Springs, salad, milk, bananas and body armor for diner when I reached my hotel room in Pascagoula. ~65 miles
Friday February 28, 2025 - Pascagoula MS to Gulf State Park AL. On road @7am, crossed into Alabama @7:45. turned south off US90 just past Grand Bay, 4 small dogs came running, stopped peddling and waited for the owner to corral them, I told him I love dogs and didn't mind when they chase me, but I really didn't like getting bit. One of them got kind of close and I shot some pepper spray over his head and he backed up. I put the pepper spray in my pocket and it fell out and was lost somewhere down the road. Stop at McD's @9:30. Incredible Bridge to Dauphin Island down the road. Rode the Ferry over to Fort Morgan Landing (12:30 - 2:15). Stop @wildlife refuge, nice picnic table & shade. Stopped at Rouse's Market at 3:30, they had a nice area inside to Eat. I met Sharon another bicyclist a block or 2 later and she led me to the campground. I set up camp and another bicyclist came by to talk, said he had rode the Alleghany & Katy trail is looking forward to riding the Empire State Trail (Buffalo to Albany) next. ~73 miles     Saturday March 1, 2025 - Gulf State Park AL to North Pensacola FL. Left campsite @8am, a nice trail for about 4 miles, then south to a stop at Cotton Bayou Public Beach. Stops again at Flora-Bama, and the Florida welcome Sign. Reached Quality Inn @1:30. Diner @Dairy Queen & a stop @Dollar General. ~41 miles   Sunday March 2, 2025 - N. Pensacola to Blackwater River State Park. Nice hotel breakfast, started riding about 8am, US-90 is a busy road. 1st stop at McD, strawberry smoothie, 2nd stop at ALDI, milk, Salad, & Gatorade. I meant to buy cereal too but I forgot. Close to Milton FL I picked up Blackwater trail for 6 miles then rode a stretch on busy highway w/ no shoulder. arrived @camp 1:30. ~36 miles   Monday March 3, 2025 - Blackwater River State Park to Defuniak Springs. Up at daybreak, cold morning 42° packed up and on the road by 7:20 nice backroads for about 8 miles then back on US 90. 4' shoulder for the most part, courteous drivers - but noisy & a lot of traffic. Stops @DG & Tom thumb - Stop at Crestview Warm Showers hiker-biker camp, really cool spot, I left a $20 donation, pushed on to Defuniak Spings Super 8. Good diner at the Waffle House. ~56 miles  Tuesday March 4, 2025 - rest day -Walked to Walmart spent $23 on food. Worked on my bicycle a bit, cleanup, some maintenance and adjusted the rack mounts to hold my Panniers steadier. Wednesday March 5, 2025 - Defuniak Springs to Three Rivers State Park. Started riding @7:30, north a few miles then round the spring & out to us 90, Strong tailwind today, easy 12 mph. stop @Ponce De Leon, nice shelter near town hall. Stop down the road at another park 1/2 mile off route, park was busy and filled with Children & Moms. stopped @McD in Marianna, double fish sandwich & smoothie. stop @grocery, Salad (didn't eat) +bananas. arrived at state park, setup camp, showered, then a nice sunset. I crawled in tent @dusk. ~84 miles    Thursday March 6, 2025 - Three Rivers S.P. to Quincy FL. I started riding @8am, very tired legs, stopped in Sneads for Coffee at a gas station. sat on my sleeping pad outside for a while, mostly downhill to the Apalachicola river, crossed into Eastern time zone then an uphill into Chattahoochee. Reached Quincy at 1pm. Stop at Dean Mitchell gallery, fantastic watercolor artist! Then Gadsen gallery, fabulous, then Lunch next door at Bantam Bay and Company. I reached my Hipcamp @4pm. Earlier today I met Jesse near Snead, Touring cyclist heading West to San Diego, on his 6th day riding. ~37 miles  Friday March 7, 2025 - Quincy to Tallahassee. Started cycling around 8-8:30, rode about 10 miles to US90, stop at a truck Stop for Coffee & a donut. Made DT Tallahassee around noon, Florida State University campus, stopped at Vine restaurant for a great lunch and I charged my phone for a bit phone too. Followed a trail east out of town then picked up old St. Augustine road, Low traffic & pretty area. Reached Hipcamp a bit before 3 pm, RAIN forecast for next 2-3 days I'd like to make it to a motel about 5 miles past Madison FL (54 miles total) tomorrow. I think it may be to wet to camp and the weather forecast for Sunday looks worse. ~38 miles   Saturday March 8, 2025 - Tallahassee to Suwannee State Park. Started out about 7:30, light sprinkling rain, quick stop for breakfast, no place to sit though. made Monticello FL @10am, soaking wet, very beautiful Town, had a great meal @Jackie's Brick house Eatery. Stopped at a nice park in Greenville FL, Ray Charles' birthplace, they had a nice commemorative for him there. A group of teenage boys came by to question me about my trip, very sweet. I stopped at Winn-Dixie in Madison for groceries, reached Twin Rivers State forest, heavy rain started, took shelter at a ranger Station. When the rain letup I made my way to the Hipcamp site, no picnic table or bathroom, not sure it was Legit, found a phone number on the gate, I called and Dennis answered and he assured me it was Legit & offered me a space in his RVpark down the road. He drove by to meet me later. ~68 miles  Sunday March 9, 2025 - Suwannee State Park to Fort White FL. packed up and walked my Bike over to the Food Mart @8:30 & sat down for Coffee and breakfast. I went outside to leave and there was heavy rain & lightning, went back inside until the rain stopped. started riding @9:30±. stopped to eat at the Wellborn FL diner, booked an AirBnb cabin @3 Rivers Run RV Park, found a laundry when I arrived and dried my clothes. Rain & Lightning all night Long. ~53 miles   Tuesday March 11, 2025 - Gainesville to Palatka. Packed and cycled a few blocks to Enterprise car rental, no credit card, no go, stopped for Coffee & decided to push on to Palatka. Nice trail East of Gainesville and a lot of bicyclists. trail ended in Hawthorn, then I made a stop at dollar tree for Body Armor, and Honey Roasted pistachios. Road cycling for a bit then picked up another nice trail that took me nearly all the way to my stop at Sleep Inn. Went through the town of Melrose, nice place, I think someone I know Lived there. ~53 miles Wednesday March 12, 2025 - Palatka to St. Augustine. My Uncle who lives near Fort Myers called to try to rent a car for me. no go, again. Nice trail east to near I-95. Headed north on a roadway just before the trail end to Pickup ACA route into St Augustine, busy roads, without much of a shoulder. I reached the motel around 1pm. Decided to ride 4 miles to Budget car rental at Walmart to try to rent a car one last time. no go, my debit card has a freeze on credit, rode back to my room & booked a train home for tomorrow, rode out to Walgreens for eye drops & Naproxen. packed my bike up, aired the tires for the1st time on my trip. Slept Well.  Thursday March 13, 2025 - St. Augustine to Jacksonville Amtrak. Nice Breakfast at the hotel, started cycling a bit before 8am, bridge eastward to Ocean front, very scenic. 20 miles north along beach front homes then a stop at the Atlantic Ocean at Meckler's Beach. Walked my bike out to the shore and dipped the tires, a good wave came in and soaked me up to my knees. - Headed SW for about 8 miles along some tricky roads. Stop at Publics for Body Armor, Milk, & Honey roasted Almonds. Stopped again later for Chocolate Milk +Bananas. Stop for Lunch @Noura Cafe, Salad with roasted chicken, Great! Downtown Jacksonville had to stop for a train but I found an Ice Cream shop right there! Train passed and a little bit further down the road the draw Bridge was up. Chatted with another cyclist for a bit, really nice fella, he wore a shirt with 'Jacksonville Bicycle Ambassador' printed on it. Reached the Train Station at about 5:40. Departed on Amtrak @10:50pm+/-, arrived in South Bend IN early Saturday Morning. ~65 miles    |
