Day 59: FINF

Today we rode from Marianna towards Tallahassee FL on highway 90, then took county roads 269, 269A, and 268 into Midway (just west of Tallahassee).  The morning started out really nice with Dennis & Lyndsey buying our breakfast at Waffle House.  (I just LOVE that place.  Now I've discovered their cheesy eggs and grits breakfast!!).  Then D&L took off on their new CanAm Spyder (see photo) and headed off on their 300+ mile journey back home to The Villages, FL.

Also, D&L took some really nice photos of us along our route yesterday....(thank you!!  These are rare because usually it's just Rick and I by ourselves so it's hard to get those photos together, especially in action on the bike)....

Along our route today as we were passing through Grand Ridge, we saw another cross-country cyclist going the opposite direction.  SHE was walking her bike.  We stopped to see if she needed assistance and were pleased to meet Elif, a woman from Istanbul, Turkey who has come over to the US to ride cross country.  She started in Orlando and is riding to Texas, then heading down into Mexico.  ALONE!!!!  She had full panniers and a really great attitude and seemed to just be enjoying and taking her time.  She was telling us that she had made some friends in Mexico and they told her where the safe border crossings were, but advised her that once she left their homes, she'd be better off taking buses through Mexico for awhile.  I just can't fathom doing something like that -- especially not alone.  Good on her -- I hope she stays safe!

So we didn't make it all the way to Tallahassee today.  After crossing the Apalachicola River we went into the Eastern time zone and therefore, lost an hour.   We were hoping to get all the way to the east side of Tallahassee where we had contacted Warmshowers hosts, Dan & Amy.  As it was, we rolled into Midway close to 4 p.m. and were both very tired.  So we checked into a motel and plan to take a leisurely ride into Tallahassee tomorrow, meet up with Dan after he gets off work, and stay with he and Amy tomorrow evening.  We were both feeling pretty tired today after six days of riding 58-68 miles a day so tomorrow's break will be really great and set us up for a good finish into St. Augustine, now anticipated for Sunday, the 18th.

Today I decided to start counting plastic pink flamingos that I see in people's yards.  Todays' count was only 2.  There were the usual lids and gloves along the roadside.

FINF????  Oh, that means "Florida Is Not Flat".  People keep telling us it's all flat in Florida but today we went up and down rollers pretty much all day.  We both thought there was something wrong with our trailer because it seemed heavier than usual.  I think we need a rest day....