Day 25 St. Augustine, FL to Daytona Beach, FL 52 miles

Just the stats: 52 miles, 20.4 MPH average. Started riding at 8 am, finished at 10:50 am - 2 hours 36 minutes riding time. Sunny, 73 to 84 degrees. 78% humidity.
.
Calories burned on the ride - 3,730. My average heart rate during this ride was 123 bpm.
.
If you are interested - here is a link to today's Garmin information: http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/episode/view.do?episodePk.pkValue=6950132 or try
.
http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/invitation/email/accept.mb?senderPk.pkValue=122101&unitSystemPkValue=2&episodePk.pkValue=6950132
.

With a 12 mph NE tail wind we were able to fly today. Gordon and I were consistently hitting 21 to 22 mph, or going a mile in less than 3 minutes all day long. It was a great cap off to a fun trip.

Gordon and I along with Barry and Susan (on a tandem bike) were pulled over by a motor cycle cop not 1/2 mile from our start. He didn't think we were far over enough on the right side of the road. We listened patiently as we were lectured on safe biking. He wasted ten minutes of our time. He threatened to give us a ticket. Yvonne, you would be proud of me, I kept petty quiet during the lecture. I didn't think he would appreciate me taking his picture either.

Here is a good one. I got a flat - just as I was pulling into the hotel. No kidding - was that luck or what? I didn't fix that flat. I'll ship my bike in a box and fix it when I get home.

I'll probably post more pictures of this afternoon and evening in Daytona when I get back. It is beautiful and sunny outside and I am going on the beach.

Tomorrow I have a 5:30 am pick up to go to the Orlando airport (90 minute drive) for a 9:20 am flight.

I am beyond ready to get home.
.

Gordon looks like he is having fun.

Our hotel is right on the beach, enjoy the scenery.

Day 24 - Fernandina, FL to St. Augustine, FL 63 miles

.

.

.

.

.

.

Just the stats: 59 miles, 18.7 MPH average. Started riding at 9 am, finished at 12:50 pm - 3 hours 14 minutes riding time. Partly cloudy to sunny, 71 degrees in the morning, clearing to sunny, warming up to 81 degrees, 94% humidity.

.

Calories burned on the ride - 3,850. My average heart rate during this ride was 120 bpm.

.

If you are interested - here is a link to today's Garmin information: http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/6944169

.

Today's ride was good. We rode 63 miles from Amelia Island to St. Augustine, FL along State Route A1A South - the Coastal Highway, right along the ocean. The winds were mostly from the east and than north east, so the riding was easier.

.

20 miles into the ride we had a ten minute ferry crossing at St. John's River/Mayport.

.Check out those sun tan lines.

.

.

These are the pistons that drive the machines.

This was pretty sea side riding. There were plenty of golf courses along the way - Ponte Verda Golf Course and Sawgrass Players Club were really well groomed courses.

.

Today seemed hotter and more humid than previous days. Being from Maryland, hot and humid conditions are not a problem for me. My friend Gordon was sweating so much I though he would wilt. He hung in there, drank plenty of water and electrolyte replacement drinks, so he did well.

.

We rode pretty fast, getting in around 12:45 pm.

.

Tomorrow is our last riding day, 51 miles to Daytona Beach. I fly home on Sunday.

.

Thanks for following me and I really appreciate the comments. It was good to hear from you again Ed.

.

I really miss my family and friends. - It will be good to get home.

.

See you soon. - Tom

Day 23 - Brunswick, GA to Fernandina, FL 63 miles

Just the stats: 63 miles, 17.9 MPH average. Started riding at 9 am, finished at 12:50 pm - 3 hours 37 minute riding time. Cloudy 66 degrees in the morning, clearing to sunny, warming up to 82 degrees, 93% humidity. Calories burned on the ride - 3,960. My average heart rate during this ride was 119 bpm.
.
If you are interested - here is a link to today's Garmin information: http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/6939166

.

.

.

.

.

If I was at 70% yesterday - and I was, today I was at 100%. Wind conditions were the same as yesterday, it was sunny and hot rather than cloudy and hot, I still felt much better physically on this ride. The first 30 miles I averaged 19.6 mph. Why? - because a nine rider pace line formed around mile nine and we flew, clocking 21 to 23 mph pretty consistently. To average 19.6 mph we need to be cranking most of the time well above that number to make up for stop lights, hills and other slow downs.

.

Notice who is up front leading the big dogs? It is our little German friend - 67 year old Marion.

.

After the rest stop at mile 30, Gordon and I rode on together. Pace lines are fun but dangerous, especially nine person pace lines.

How do you like how close the truck traffic was during our last ten miles into Amelia Island? We saw logging trucks all day long yesterday and today.

I put up a bunch of pictures, enjoy.

I am looking forward to getting home.

Day 22 - Savannah, GA to Brunswick, GA 83 miles

Just the stats: 83 miles, 16.3 MPH average. Started riding at 8 am, finished at 1:18 pm - 5 hours 1 minute riding time. Cloudy with light rain on and off in the morning, warming up to 78 degrees, 90% humidity. Calories burned on the ride - 4,623. My average heart rate during this ride was 118 bpm.

.

If you are interested - here is a link to my Garmin information: http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/6934828

.

Today started out cloudy with light rain in the morning. As is normal, Gordon and I were among the first riders on the road. Leaving Savannah at 8 am in their rush hour traffic was a little busy.

.

We made good time, averaging 18.1 mph for the first 25 miles, then came the headwinds! From about 9:25 am until four miles from the end of our ride - I'm talking 55 miles here, we battled ever increasing headwinds. Starting at about 9 mph the wind picked up pretty quickly to a 14 mph consistent headwind. We were headed almost due south and the winds were from the south.

.

Gordon is a stronger rider then me and after tagging along with my poking 14 to 16 mph speed, Gordon finally had enough and went on ahead of me. I was thankful, I needed the personal space and time alone to fight through this challenge. It wasn't all that bad, steady diligent effort was all that was needed. If it was all easy, the ride wouldn't be as much fun. Just like in life.

.

The last four miles were a treat. We had to make two right turns to get to our hotel and guess what? Nasty headwinds turned into fantastic tailwinds! I flew in alone, invigorated, at 23 mph.

.

.

.

.

.

How do you like this license tag?

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Below are pictures I took yesterday, during our rest day in Savannah.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.
.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

I hope your enjoyed this blog. We are almost done. Three more riding days - 61, 57, 50 miles. We will start now at 9 am. Short training runs really. Wind and rain are predicted - so what, it just makes for a more interesting day.

.

I am really ready to get home. Yvonne has had a lot to deal with while I have been gone and it is my turn to pick up the slack.