Dawn & Mike Bike: April 2010

Monday, April 26, 2010

4/24 Tallahassee to White Springs - Lee's Country RV

Russ cleaning his 1st corn snake skin at Lee's Country RV Park

Close up of the snake skin

Mike, Russ & Denise started the day biking, but it started to rain. Mike called and I hadn't left Tallahassee yet, so unhooked and left to pick up Denise. They rode thru Monticello, Greenville, Madison and I met up w/them in Lee in a post office parking lot. The sign for the town said "small, but proud". Denise and I then took the motor home to Lee's Country RV. The guys continued another 35+ miles to the campground SE of Lee. Another uneventful ride - some more headwinds.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

4/23 Sneads to Tallahassee KOA

An old tobacco barn built in 1909 - this is the field Mike drove thru to turn the motor home around when Russ had to take Denise's bike

Mike, Russ & Denise rode from Sneads thru Chattahoochee, & Gretna. Somewhere between Gretna and Quincy Russ apparently had a broken spoke that wrapped around his cassette - his wheel wouldn't turn. Fortunately, I wasn't further down the road, so I turned the motor home off hwy 90 and began trying to find exactly where they were. They are on small back roads, so most road maps don't even show them. I got on the wrong road and was trying to get turned around when I accidentally found them on the side of the road. Mike had to drive the motor home through a yard in front of an old tobacco barn. Denise took over the motor home and got it to the KOA. She unhooked the car and drive to a bike shop in Tallahassee and got the bike fixed. Meanwhile, instread of a 40 mile day for me it was 74. The guys rode 98, so Russ did the last 74 on Denise's bike.

4/22 DeFuniak Springs to Sneads - 3 Rivers SP

A different kind of long horn - this one in Florida

Circle Drive in DeFuniak Springs - around a lake w/beautiful old homes surrounding it

Sunset at 3 Rivers SP

A squirrel trying to read the bike map

Now a different squirrel is trying to use my phone - 3 Rivers SP

Before we started our ride out of Sun Lake King's Resort, we went to their little cafe for breakfast. Russ has been talking about getting some grits and we noticed they had them for breakfast. Russ & Denise had cheese grits - Mike says Yuk, I say they didn't have much taste. Just like having mush. Russ, Mike & myself rode from DeFuniak Springs thru Argyle, Ponce De Leon, Westville, Caryville, Bonifay, Chipley, Cottondale, Marianna, Grand Ridge, Sneads to 3 Rivers SP. More of the same scenery, but we did save another turtle and then saw 9 of them sitting on a log sunning themselves. It was a hot, but beautiful day. Long ride for me though - 94.3 miles. Again signs about not agitating the alligators. When talking to the ranger, he said that they come around the dock at dusk - we never saw them. He also said it was mating season so food wasn't what was on their mind and that he swims w/the males. He said that like any species, it's the females that are dangerous.

4/21 Milton/Black River SP to DeFuniak Springs, FLA

The dock at Sun Lake King's RV Park

Mike, Russ and Denise rode from Black River SP thru Holt, Milligan, Crestview, Mossy Head to DeFuniak Springs at Sun Lake King's RV Park. So far Florida's rides aren't much different than back home except the no hills and the weather is much warmer here. Scenery is green in the rural areas, small towns w/much of the shops closed. Had to ride US90 most of the way. Some traffic, but nice road conditions, but boring - not much to see. Mike did find a metal scrap yard and was able to get a Fla license plate for his collection. I drove the motor home as it was Denise's turn to ride and it was only a 49 mile day. Stayed at Sunset King's Lake Resort. Did shopping, laundry and swam in the pool.

Friday, April 23, 2010

4/20 Gulf Shores to Milton, Fla

wild flower along the road to Black River SP

Another flower along the road - One like it in yellow earlier on the site

Trees in a swamp at the state park

Black River - note the white sand. It squeaked when you walked on it.

Dawn and Mike left to do the ride that Denise & Russ had done the day before. Russ & Denise took the motor home to Black River State Park just past Milton, Fla. We rode along the gulf thru Orange Beach, Pleasant Grove, Pensacoa, Pace, and Milton, Fla. to the park. It was a warm, but relatively easy 81 mile ride on the tandem. We followed the campground trail to the river and along it's shores.

4/19 Gulf Shores & motor home problems

Dawn, Mike & Russ were ready to ride when we discovered that the motor home wouldn't shift out of park. We rocked it back and forth and got it into drive, attached the car, and again it wouldn't shift. Denise changed cloths and took off riding w/Russ. We called for mobile repair. Mike got bored waiting for the repairman and changed both tires on his bike as the others were quite worn. We were hoping for mechanical help by noon - came at 2:30 - so much for Mike getting his ride in. We didn't just have a slight problem. There was an electrical short problem which blew some fuses. We had to drive to the mechanic's shop 45 minutes away. Then when putting air in the tires, we discovered that all the tires had leaky valves. At this point, Mike took the car to pick Denise and Russ up in Holt. The motor home was finally finished at 6 p.m. and I returned to Gulf State Park and waited for the others to return. All returned by 8:30 and we had a late dinner and went to bed.

4/18 Day off in Gulf Shores

All of us drove to the ferry that takes you to Dauphin Is. Russ & Denise took their bikes off the car to ride around the island. Mike and I drove across the island to Bayou La Batre and then back across a 3.3 mile bridge to Dauphin Is. We drove around looking at all the different homes that were all built up on stilts. If the stilts are 8 ft in the air then they are 8 ft into the ground. We ate lunch on the white sandy beach and then drove back to Gulf State Pare at Gulf Shores.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

4/17 Gauthier to Gulf Shores St Park

The ferry from Dauphin Island to Gulf Shores

Oil drilling in the gulf

The ferry holds 28 cars. The larger one wasn't running so the motor home couldn't cross on the ferry

The sign as you head for your camp spot

Gauthier-Pascagoula-Grand Bay, Alabama- Bayou La Batre-Alabama Port-Dauphin Is-Gulf Shores. Left around 8 a.m. to reserve a RV spot and get to a bicycle shop at opening time as it's Saturday - shops closed Sunday and not only had Russ taken Denise's rear tire because of the spoke problem, but he also had a flat tire on the front this a.m. so he also took her front tire. During the course of our ride, while going over a bridge and sight seeing - Bam! - into a water grate his rear wheel went; splitting the rear wheel rim. With a wobble, he made it to the ferry at Dauphin Island. Denise picked him up somewhere after the ferry ride and they went straight to the bike shop. Denise knew where it was as she had taken his wheel w/the broken spoke and our wheel w/the loose spoke. Unfortunately, that bike shop didn't have the right size wheel so they graciously called around until they finally found a wheel in Pensacola, FLA. Our tandem tire was only about a 15 minute fix -spoke tightening and wheel truing. By the way, Mike missed the ferry Russ caught because some auto passenger thought Mike worked for the ferry line and stopped him to ask for the ferry schedule. Dressed in bike attire he looked like a ferry employee? Go figure. Enough conversation and Mike was left ashore watching the gangway go up and the boat and Russ sail away. The guys did have their 1st alligator sighting - 3 gators. In their excitement they scared them away - so much for the photo opportunity! We all went out for seafood dinner - grouper, seafood gumbo, scallops, etc. yum yum good. When Denise and I got to Gulf State Park, we asked for a waterfront spot. We had to back in so unhooked the car and drove to the spot, passing a sign that read "Don't feed or agitate the alligaors. We won't!

4/16 Perkinston to Gauthier - Shephard St. Park

The turtles after they saw us

The turtles after the fact - the highlight of the day

A train running along the river by the boat ramp at Shephard State Park

Perkinston- LaRue-VanCleave-Gauthier (Shephard State Park) Close to Biloxi, MS. Hoping for a bike shop to fix Russ' broken spoke. Dawn rode the whole ride today as Russ took Denise's wheel. Ride scenery was not unlike at home in Pt. Ludlow except flatter and the weather warm humid. Sadly, passing thru the towns, many closed businesses and unoccupied buildings. In Guathier, MS we are on the coast so signs of Katrina still linger. Houses rebuilt higher off the ground - 17 feet. Rode the bikes to the boat launch and on the way back we spotted 2 turtles making love. Highlight of the day.

4/15 Bogalusa - Perkinston, MS

Flower along the roadside

A really fancy entry to a horse ranch

As close as we've come to an armidillo

Dawn drove Denise, Russ & Mike from the campground back to Bougalusa to start the ride back to Poplarville. Denise bought shrimp "po boys" for lunch. Dawn rode the 2nd 1/2 of the day and Denise drove from Haascienda RV park in Poplarville to Perk RV Park in Wiggins (Perkinston). it was a warm & windy ride. Not much to see - road kill & some open country, good food; nothing to complain about. Russ got a broken spoke on his read wheel so he traded wheels w/Denise. This means she doesn't get to bike tomorrow. Denise got to the campground and decided to shower while she waited for us to arrive. As she was coming out of the shower she heard a lot of commotion - there had been a cotton mouth right outside the bathroom and someone was getting rid of it. Russ counted and measured his bungies - he has 53 cords equalling about 43 yards.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

The guys planning the next day's ride

Goats at Easleyville campground

The tandem couple from Burlington, WA headed west

Some more iron work fencing

Guys in the pool in St. Francisville

One of the old "live oak" trees

View thru a gazebo on Rosedown Plantation

Some of the formal gardens at Rosedown

More formal gardens at Rosedown

The long driveway up to Rosedown Plantation

Mike standing by a camellia "bush" hundreds of years old

Mike & Dawn next to some azalea bushes

Gus the turkey at the Oakley Plantation

On of many signs seen all along the roads identifying an upcoming church

Mike and Dawn on the ferry across the Mississippe

Russ and Denise aboard the ferry crossing the Mississippi River

The ferry coming into the dock

A woman selling boiled peanuts & a sort of peanut brittle at the ferry

4/14 Easleyville to Bogalusa, LA (Poplarville, MS)

The bike ride today was just Mike and Russ. They rode from Easleyville to Tangipahoa, Bolivar, Richardson, Franklinton, Springhill, Plainview to Bogalusa, LA. The bike maps note next to most of these towns says "no services", which means just that. The ride was not too eventful - warm and humid w/some head winds. The guys dined on a #1 whopper at BK while the gals drove the motor home, did the shopping and set up camp..something about this doesn't sound fair. Dawn drove back to Bogalusa, LA from Poplarville, MS to pick up the guys. Tomorrow Denise will drive them back across the state line so they can bike to the campground and then one of us will ride w/them to the next site.

4/13 St. Francisville to Easleyville

Rode from St. Francisville to Jackson, Wilson, Norwood, then Easleyville. We stopped at the town hall in Norwood to use the facilities. We met the Mayor of Norwood, who was born in a house across from the town hall and still lives there today. We had a loose spoke on the tandem and Mike needed some sort of pliers to tighten it. He met Charlie, a black maintenance man for the city and explained what he needed. Charlie went to his pick up truck and got Mike a pair of needle nose pliers. He said to Mike, "if you need them for your trip, you're welcome to keep them". Mike made the necessary adjustments, returned the pliers, and thanked Charlie very much. Upon meeting the mayor, Mrs. Balloo (not the correct spelling, but the correct pronunciation), Mike put in a good word for Charlie. Before we could leave, Mike had to thank Charlie one more time - one of God's best. The people we have met in the south have been very friendly and helpful. Later in our ride, we spotted a couple sitting on the steps of a church having a snack - their tandem not far away. We stopped and visited w/them. It turned out they were from Burlington, WA and were headed west. They had started in Jackson, FL. A little further down the road we saw a biker headed toward us. It was Denise. She had gotten to the campground, got on her bike, and rode out to meet us and ride back. We stopped at a store and met an entirely different Charlie who needed help pouring oil into his truck. Mike, of course, helped him, but I can't say much about him as there are young children reading this blog. Suffice it to say that he wasn't a very nice man. We bought ice and a few other things and loaded them into our bike bags and rode to the campground. The grounds where we camped were nice to look at but the bathroom/shower faciliities left a lot to be desired. The floor was concrete, the sink drained into the shower drain. The shower was wide open w/only about a 2" moat around it. Mike couldn't stand the thought of standing in the shower space so he tried balancing on the "moat". All he got was a cold shower on top of all that.

4/12 Day off in St. Francisville

No bike riding today. It's been 10 days since Russ & Mike have had a day off. We toured the Rosedown Plantation, a splendidly restored example of antebellum opulence. 3,400 acres, 26 of which were beautiful gardens. The rest was planted in cotton. The tour was full of all kinds of interesting facts and the home had many of it's original furnishings. The grounds had all kinds of plants, including huge live oak trees, azaleas over 15 ft tall, and camellia bushes equally as high. After the tour we went to town and had shrimp "Po Boy" sandwiches, salad and key lime pie for lunch. The sandwich was was delicious, especially when Louisiana hot sauce was added. Denise bought a side of deep fried dill pickles. They were cut about 1/4 inch thick, dipped in a batter and fried. Quite tasty! After lunch we did the walking tour of old homes and churches in St. Francisville and had numerous conversations w/the ladies at the visitor center. It was a very warm, humid day. We also ran into a few of the ladies doing the "woman's tour", headed the same way we are. Notice I'm not saying much about the camping facilites, as they are nothing to write home about as the old saying goes. They are also few and far between.

4/11 Simmesport to St. Francisville

I drove Mike & Russ back across the ferry to Simmesport so they could complete the ride to St. Francisville, riding thru Innis and Morganza on the way. While waiting for the ferry there was a tug pushing 19 barges lashed together up the Mississippi River. It was quite a site. While I was gone, Denise rode her bike down the road a mile to the Oakley Plantation and when I returned from dropping the guys off, I did the same. There was a resident turkey named Gus. He seemed to greet everyone as they arrived. I toured the grounds while I waited for the 3 p.m. tour. The home was built in 1806 and sat on 3,200 acres on which they grew cotton and had 250 slaves. The Perrie family hired John Audubon to tutor their 16 year-old daughter and it was here that he painted 32 of his "Birds of America" paintings. As I finished my tour, I looked outside and there were 2 very bright jerseys in the parking lot. It was Russ and Mike. They stayed and did the 4 p.m. tour.

4/10 Ville Platte to Simmesport, LA - St. Francisville

The guys rode from Ville Platte to Simmesport, LA. Denise and I drove to St. Francisville to Pleasant Pine Campground, as there was nothing else in between. They rode thru Grand Prairie, Washington, Lebeau - they took a wrong turn and said "we're lost" and a lady by the roadside said "ya I can tell". Thru Dupont, Plaucheville, Moreauville, Hamburg to Simmesport. Denise drove to Simmesport from St. Francisville which included taking a small ferry across the Mississippi. It cost $1 to cross going and nothing coming back. It was a flat ride. We drove across a bridge that crossed the Mississippi that was one of the steepest I have ever driven over and the narrowest!

4/9 DeRidder to Ville Platte Chicot St. Park

We left the campground and took a right turn, but it really was the wrong turn. Fortunately, Denise who was driving passed us and figured out we were headed in the wrong direction - about 6 mi by the time she turned around to alert us. It would have been further, but I needed to stop andd shed a few cloths and Russ had another flat. All this took time, thank goodness or we would have been further down the road. The Azaleas in the yards are spectacular! They are at least 14 ft high and in full bloom. They are late this year. This is a good thing as there's not much else to look at. Denise stopped in Mamou to trade driving for riding. She had gumbo, soup w/sausage, chicken & rice in a small cafe. The cook told her his grama taught him how to make it before he could walk. He said other gumbo is "book gumbo" which means it comes out of a cookbook. As they started their bike ride they spotted the crayfish fields and stopped to chat w/the men working the fields. They have traps, no unlike our crab pots that they submerge in the flooded field. Some collect 3,000# a day. After the crayfish season is over, they plant rice in the same fields.