We've Rolled Through the Deep South and Into the Sunshine State

As I mark day 51 on my lengthy bicycle sojourn, I can look back on many people, places, and things that have held my attention. Few though, match the simple thrill of peddling past the "Welcome to Florida" sign two days ago. After some 2,350 miles, reaching the Sunshine State was a significant moment; making it to the Atlantic Ocean is now a real possibility with only about 400 miles left to go. Some of the sights and sounds of the past several days included the surprising Gulf Coast area of Mississippi and Alabama. Never having experienced the Deep South before other than a week in New Orleans, I had certain expectations and prejudices. But happily, I found the region to be both beautiful and free of the stereotypes I had feared. Southern charm is indeed alive and well. While I had estimated July 1 to be the target date for reaching St. Augustine, it looks like we're several days ahead of schedule. It's still too early to pinpoint a date, but June 27 or 28 is beginning to look realistic. And while the people in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida have been open and pleasant, we're seeing a drop in curiosity about the bike ride and random, spur-of-the-moment donations to Warriors Heart. Why? I have no idea; just an observation. We're camped tonight (freeloading is more like it) in yet another Walmart parking lot in Marianna, outside of Tallahassee. In the meantime, the next week continues to promise periodic thunderstorms, temps in the mid-to-upper 90s, and high humidity. So excuse me as I say once again: Oh, the joys of riding a bike across the country!