Words cannot express how thankful I am for all the incredible people that have opened their hearts and homes to me since January 1st, 2009. I want to thank Waldies for their awesome Original Comfy Clogs, Beige Brand Marketing LLC, P.T.S. Screen Printing, REI’s awesome Navara Randonee bicycle, CouchSurfing, and so many others.
Some that have helped I will never actually know, but believe me, something good will happen to all of you! Back to my rambling….
February 7, 2009- Welsh, Louisiana
(The land has been basically flat because I’m riding close to the Gulf Coastal Plain and the weather has been mild most of the time – I’m feeling strong physically)
Right now I am writing this entry from Welsh, LA - the location of a real American dream. I am on a farm with good, strong, hard working Americans. They love their land because it is this land that feeds them and their families. I will come back to this in a moment, but I need to backtrack a little.
January 30th – Baton Rouge, Louisiana
It was a simple day, but I did accomplish one great task. I must thank the one who gave me the idea - Skip Potts. I went to Wal-Mart and finally bought an Olympus waterproof/shockproof digital camera and made a fun sign for my back on the bike –– “www.jollygreenicemachine.com biking the lower 48 states helping the kids”. I am hanging here at Ben Early’s house until after the Super Bowl and then moving on to stay with a girl named Marci. The trip is still a blast and I look forward to going to sleep just to know that the next day will only be better. By the way, Louisiana has by far the best food so far! Until later, much love and take care. Thanks for letting me ramble and there will be more to come.
January 31st – Baton Rouge, Louisiana
We drove around the LSU campus – it is beautiful and has an enormous stadium that I think holds over 90,000 fans! We had a great Saturday just hanging out.
February 1st - Baton Rouge, Louisiana
I am staying with Ben Early who opened his home to me through the 2009 Super Bowl (Arizona Cardinals vs. Pittsburgh Steelers). He had about ten people over and we cooked a huge slab of meat while we watched the game. The game was so exciting we almost fell out of our seats! We had chips, dip and food like it was a Roman feast. I ate until I could hardly move. I hope you do not get tired of this pattern that I am sure has emerged, but I will regularly be eating until I am sick. That’s what happens when you do trips like these. I would like to think that I am helping the economy by consuming so much! Anyway, the game was a ball, but it was the friends I met that were the best.
Feb 2nd – Baton Rouge, Louisiana
I was headed for Marci's house, but because she is a teacher I had to wait until she got home from school to meet her. I went to the book store and downed unsafe amounts of coffee while I waited for the day to pass. While in the store though I had an sudden flood of emotions pass through me - I became very passionate about getting some books to read, so I started walking up and down the aisle writing authors and titles down to get on tape. I also got to “test run” the sign I made for my trip that says “www.jollygreenicemachine.com biking all 48 states helping the kids”. It works great, but the only problem is that it catches wind, so I might have to put it away on windy days. Anyway, I also beat myself up for not meeting up with Skip Potts when he was in town. I am not sure if I have talked about him yet, but he is a guy walking across the USA for equality in our education system. I really like the guy and wanted to share more ideas. Finally, 4:00pm came around and Marci called me. She lived in a lovely house that was her parent’s house. They had moved to China for 2 years and let her stay there, so she opened it up to “couch surfers”. The second I walked in she told me that she liked my sign and I told her the story about how it was Skip’s idea. He had been at Marci’s the night before - too funny! Well, I got settled in and her friend came by and made blueberry maple meatloaf. It was really weird but super delicious. We then watched a lot of West Wing on television, and I went to bed thinking about leaving in the morning for Lafayette.
Feb 3rd – Baton Rouge, Louisiana
I woke up and took my time because I thought I only had 60 miles to go from Baton Rouge to Lafayette. It was around 9:00am when I made some coffee and checked the computer one last time to check the map. Well, as I pulled up the information, to my surprise those 60 miles were really 95 miles, so I put on my clothes super fast until something in my gut said to wait. I took my cycling clothes off and called Marci to make sure it was cool if I stayed another night. I trust my gut feelings because it has helped me in many places. In this example, I stayed one more night which is always nice, but I also got to eat some fresh fried seafood and then have the most magical ride to date.
Feb 4 – Baton Rouge, LA to Lafayette, LA (very cold)
I left at 8:00 in the morning to tackle the 95 miles to Lafayette. There were some bridges I was warned about, so I wanted to get them behind me early. This is where it became magical. The road I took was called 190 and it was very busy with cars and trucks. The whole day I saw cars everywhere, but for some reason when I crossed the two bridges (with no shoulders at all and I mean none) not a single car or truck was near me. I did not even look behind me because I thought I was dreaming. Other than that, the ride was just nice. It was really cold, though, and I did wear my rain jacket the whole day. I made it into Lafayette were Brian met me on his bike for a nice ride around town. Brian rides a fixed-gear bike which means it has one big gear and no brakes (I ride REI’s Navara Randonee). We went around town and let me tell you that it is a cool place. The people are so nice and they have a lot of great new ideas. One idea is their “Earth Project”- a public farm where you pay rent for a piece of land and plant anything you want and then for a share of your crop volunteers watch over your garden. Some many people are doing positive things. The town also had a huge bike and hiking scene which was nice. My favorite part though was how close everyone was. Everywhere we went Brian knew someone and we could just walk into houses and it was fine. I liked the town so much that on Feb. 5th I stayed and I got to see more of Lafayette and even went to Cajun Country Swamp and Lake Martin. With my enormous appetite, I finally got to eat my turducken. I have had an obsession with turducken, and it was this day that I knew I was right. It was amazing. For you that do not know - it is a chicken, duck, turkey all put together inside each other with stuffing. The night of February 5th we went back to Baton Rouge (in a car!) to watch roller derby. The Lafayette girls want to start a team, so we got to check out the Baton Rouge team. It was a lot of fun. That night we came back and went to the coffee house and met some more of his friends. Great times!
Feb 6th – Lafayette to Welsh, Louisiana (windy)
I left Lafayette and cycled on to Welsh, Louisiana. It was incredible to watch the land change from swampy areas to open farm space. Welsh is a rice farming area. The wind got a little tricky, but it was still a great ride. I was a little early, so I popped over to the post office which was not open so moved on to the cafe. It, of course, was cash only which I failed to have, so I gathered all my change and asked for a coffee. I guess the lady felt bad for me, so she fed me for free. It was so nice when I heard my name roared from a gentle, deep voice and I met Chip. Chip is Bart's father whom I met back in New Orleans when I was seeing Rebirth at the Maple Leaf. Even though we had just met, he had called his dad, Chip, and they let me come and stay with them in Welsh, LA. This is why I am now on a beautiful rice farm. It is so interesting - I even was able to take a rice boat out and look through crawfish traps. The boat actually has wheels to go through the rice fields. The only way water disappears is if it evaporates. The clay under the rice fields does not allow the water to soak into the ground. I have also already learned that to be a farmer you must first “be crazy” - because it is a dice game with mother nature and she has the better odds! You must always adapt to your land. Chip was telling me how when they were kids in the rice fields you could catch crawfish to eat, but never thought about selling them. Now there is a big market for crawfish. He also rents his land to hunters. One of his friends is looking into growing algae for fuel. I am just amazed at the stories and things I am hearing. (Skip Potts told me a story when we were visiting before because we were so amazed that we had found each other on these journeys. He told me it is like everyone in the world is a blade of grass and when you are on a trip like this, you stand up as that blade and look around - of course, it’s easier to see the other blades that are standing up too) I will leave you with another cool fact. Neutra are super large rats with orange teeth and are really good to eat. They are alligator’s favorite food too. They are super high in protein and are grass feeders. So never judge a book by its cover and take care out there - until next time.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
jan 30-feb 7
Words cannot express how thankful I am for all the incredible people that have opened their hearts and homes to me since January 1st, 2009. I want to thank Waldies for their awesome Original Comfy Clogs, Beige Brand Marketing LLC, P.T.S. Screen Printing, REI’s awesome Navara Randonee bicycle, CouchSurfing, and so many others.
Some that have helped I will never actually know, but believe me, something good will happen to all of you! Back to my rambling….
February 7, 2009- Welsh, Louisiana
(The land has been basically flat because I’m riding close to the Gulf Coastal Plain and the weather has been mild most of the time – I’m feeling strong physically)
Right now I am writing this entry from Welsh, LA - the location of a real American dream. I am on a farm with good, strong, hard working Americans. They love their land because it is this land that feeds them and their families. I will come back to this in a moment, but I need to backtrack a little.
January 30th – Baton Rouge, Louisiana
It was a simple day, but I did accomplish one great task. I must thank the one who gave me the idea - Skip Potts. I went to Wal-Mart and finally bought an Olympus waterproof/shockproof digital camera and made a fun sign for my back on the bike –– “www.jollygreenicemachine.com biking the lower 48 states helping the kids”. I am hanging here at Ben Early’s house until after the Super Bowl and then moving on to stay with a girl named Marci. The trip is still a blast and I look forward to going to sleep just to know that the next day will only be better. By the way, Louisiana has by far the best food so far! Until later, much love and take care. Thanks for letting me ramble and there will be more to come.
January 31st – Baton Rouge, Louisiana
We drove around the LSU campus – it is beautiful and has an enormous stadium that I think holds over 90,000 fans! We had a great Saturday just hanging out.
February 1st - Baton Rouge, Louisiana
I am staying with Ben Early who opened his home to me through the 2009 Super Bowl (Arizona Cardinals vs. Pittsburgh Steelers). He had about ten people over and we cooked a huge slab of meat while we watched the game. The game was so exciting we almost fell out of our seats! We had chips, dip and food like it was a Roman feast. I ate until I could hardly move. I hope you do not get tired of this pattern that I am sure has emerged, but I will regularly be eating until I am sick. That’s what happens when you do trips like these. I would like to think that I am helping the economy by consuming so much! Anyway, the game was a ball, but it was the friends I met that were the best.
Feb 2nd – Baton Rouge, Louisiana
I was headed for Marci's house, but because she is a teacher I had to wait until she got home from school to meet her. I went to the book store and downed unsafe amounts of coffee while I waited for the day to pass. While in the store though I had an sudden flood of emotions pass through me - I became very passionate about getting some books to read, so I started walking up and down the aisle writing authors and titles down to get on tape. I also got to “test run” the sign I made for my trip that says “www.jollygreenicemachine.com biking all 48 states helping the kids”. It works great, but the only problem is that it catches wind, so I might have to put it away on windy days. Anyway, I also beat myself up for not meeting up with Skip Potts when he was in town. I am not sure if I have talked about him yet, but he is a guy walking across the USA for equality in our education system. I really like the guy and wanted to share more ideas. Finally, 4:00pm came around and Marci called me. She lived in a lovely house that was her parent’s house. They had moved to China for 2 years and let her stay there, so she opened it up to “couch surfers”. The second I walked in she told me that she liked my sign and I told her the story about how it was Skip’s idea. He had been at Marci’s the night before - too funny! Well, I got settled in and her friend came by and made blueberry maple meatloaf. It was really weird but super delicious. We then watched a lot of West Wing on television, and I went to bed thinking about leaving in the morning for Lafayette.
Feb 3rd – Baton Rouge, Louisiana
I woke up and took my time because I thought I only had 60 miles to go from Baton Rouge to Lafayette. It was around 9:00am when I made some coffee and checked the computer one last time to check the map. Well, as I pulled up the information, to my surprise those 60 miles were really 95 miles, so I put on my clothes super fast until something in my gut said to wait. I took my cycling clothes off and called Marci to make sure it was cool if I stayed another night. I trust my gut feelings because it has helped me in many places. In this example, I stayed one more night which is always nice, but I also got to eat some fresh fried seafood and then have the most magical ride to date.
Feb 4 – Baton Rouge, LA to Lafayette, LA (very cold)
I left at 8:00 in the morning to tackle the 95 miles to Lafayette. There were some bridges I was warned about, so I wanted to get them behind me early. This is where it became magical. The road I took was called 190 and it was very busy with cars and trucks. The whole day I saw cars everywhere, but for some reason when I crossed the two bridges (with no shoulders at all and I mean none) not a single car or truck was near me. I did not even look behind me because I thought I was dreaming. Other than that, the ride was just nice. It was really cold, though, and I did wear my rain jacket the whole day. I made it into Lafayette were Brian met me on his bike for a nice ride around town. Brian rides a fixed-gear bike which means it has one big gear and no brakes (I ride REI’s Navara Randonee). We went around town and let me tell you that it is a cool place. The people are so nice and they have a lot of great new ideas. One idea is their “Earth Project”- a public farm where you pay rent for a piece of land and plant anything you want and then for a share of your crop volunteers watch over your garden. Some many people are doing positive things. The town also had a huge bike and hiking scene which was nice. My favorite part though was how close everyone was. Everywhere we went Brian knew someone and we could just walk into houses and it was fine. I liked the town so much that on Feb. 5th I stayed and I got to see more of Lafayette and even went to Cajun Country Swamp and Lake Martin. With my enormous appetite, I finally got to eat my turducken. I have had an obsession with turducken, and it was this day that I knew I was right. It was amazing. For you that do not know - it is a chicken, duck, turkey all put together inside each other with stuffing. The night of February 5th we went back to Baton Rouge (in a car!) to watch roller derby. The Lafayette girls want to start a team, so we got to check out the Baton Rouge team. It was a lot of fun. That night we came back and went to the coffee house and met some more of his friends. Great times!
Feb 6th – Lafayette to Welsh, Louisiana (windy)
I left Lafayette and cycled on to Welsh, Louisiana. It was incredible to watch the land change from swampy areas to open farm space. Welsh is a rice farming area. The wind got a little tricky, but it was still a great ride. I was a little early, so I popped over to the post office which was not open so moved on to the cafe. It, of course, was cash only which I failed to have, so I gathered all my change and asked for a coffee. I guess the lady felt bad for me, so she fed me for free. It was so nice when I heard my name roared from a gentle, deep voice and I met Chip. Chip is Bart's father whom I met back in New Orleans when I was seeing Rebirth at the Maple Leaf. Even though we had just met, he had called his dad, Chip, and they let me come and stay with them in Welsh, LA. This is why I am now on a beautiful rice farm. It is so interesting - I even was able to take a rice boat out and look through crawfish traps. The boat actually has wheels to go through the rice fields. The only way water disappears is if it evaporates. The clay under the rice fields does not allow the water to soak into the ground. I have also already learned that to be a farmer you must first “be crazy” - because it is a dice game with mother nature and she has the better odds! You must always adapt to your land. Chip was telling me how when they were kids in the rice fields you could catch crawfish to eat, but never thought about selling them. Now there is a big market for crawfish. He also rents his land to hunters. One of his friends is looking into growing algae for fuel. I am just amazed at the stories and things I am hearing. (Skip Potts told me a story when we were visiting before because we were so amazed that we had found each other on these journeys. He told me it is like everyone in the world is a blade of grass and when you are on a trip like this, you stand up as that blade and look around - of course, it’s easier to see the other blades that are standing up too) I will leave you with another cool fact. Neutra are super large rats with orange teeth and are really good to eat. They are alligator’s favorite food too. They are super high in protein and are grass feeders. So never judge a book by its cover and take care out there - until next time.
Some that have helped I will never actually know, but believe me, something good will happen to all of you! Back to my rambling….
February 7, 2009- Welsh, Louisiana
(The land has been basically flat because I’m riding close to the Gulf Coastal Plain and the weather has been mild most of the time – I’m feeling strong physically)
Right now I am writing this entry from Welsh, LA - the location of a real American dream. I am on a farm with good, strong, hard working Americans. They love their land because it is this land that feeds them and their families. I will come back to this in a moment, but I need to backtrack a little.
January 30th – Baton Rouge, Louisiana
It was a simple day, but I did accomplish one great task. I must thank the one who gave me the idea - Skip Potts. I went to Wal-Mart and finally bought an Olympus waterproof/shockproof digital camera and made a fun sign for my back on the bike –– “www.jollygreenicemachine.com biking the lower 48 states helping the kids”. I am hanging here at Ben Early’s house until after the Super Bowl and then moving on to stay with a girl named Marci. The trip is still a blast and I look forward to going to sleep just to know that the next day will only be better. By the way, Louisiana has by far the best food so far! Until later, much love and take care. Thanks for letting me ramble and there will be more to come.
January 31st – Baton Rouge, Louisiana
We drove around the LSU campus – it is beautiful and has an enormous stadium that I think holds over 90,000 fans! We had a great Saturday just hanging out.
February 1st - Baton Rouge, Louisiana
I am staying with Ben Early who opened his home to me through the 2009 Super Bowl (Arizona Cardinals vs. Pittsburgh Steelers). He had about ten people over and we cooked a huge slab of meat while we watched the game. The game was so exciting we almost fell out of our seats! We had chips, dip and food like it was a Roman feast. I ate until I could hardly move. I hope you do not get tired of this pattern that I am sure has emerged, but I will regularly be eating until I am sick. That’s what happens when you do trips like these. I would like to think that I am helping the economy by consuming so much! Anyway, the game was a ball, but it was the friends I met that were the best.
Feb 2nd – Baton Rouge, Louisiana
I was headed for Marci's house, but because she is a teacher I had to wait until she got home from school to meet her. I went to the book store and downed unsafe amounts of coffee while I waited for the day to pass. While in the store though I had an sudden flood of emotions pass through me - I became very passionate about getting some books to read, so I started walking up and down the aisle writing authors and titles down to get on tape. I also got to “test run” the sign I made for my trip that says “www.jollygreenicemachine.com biking all 48 states helping the kids”. It works great, but the only problem is that it catches wind, so I might have to put it away on windy days. Anyway, I also beat myself up for not meeting up with Skip Potts when he was in town. I am not sure if I have talked about him yet, but he is a guy walking across the USA for equality in our education system. I really like the guy and wanted to share more ideas. Finally, 4:00pm came around and Marci called me. She lived in a lovely house that was her parent’s house. They had moved to China for 2 years and let her stay there, so she opened it up to “couch surfers”. The second I walked in she told me that she liked my sign and I told her the story about how it was Skip’s idea. He had been at Marci’s the night before - too funny! Well, I got settled in and her friend came by and made blueberry maple meatloaf. It was really weird but super delicious. We then watched a lot of West Wing on television, and I went to bed thinking about leaving in the morning for Lafayette.
Feb 3rd – Baton Rouge, Louisiana
I woke up and took my time because I thought I only had 60 miles to go from Baton Rouge to Lafayette. It was around 9:00am when I made some coffee and checked the computer one last time to check the map. Well, as I pulled up the information, to my surprise those 60 miles were really 95 miles, so I put on my clothes super fast until something in my gut said to wait. I took my cycling clothes off and called Marci to make sure it was cool if I stayed another night. I trust my gut feelings because it has helped me in many places. In this example, I stayed one more night which is always nice, but I also got to eat some fresh fried seafood and then have the most magical ride to date.
Feb 4 – Baton Rouge, LA to Lafayette, LA (very cold)
I left at 8:00 in the morning to tackle the 95 miles to Lafayette. There were some bridges I was warned about, so I wanted to get them behind me early. This is where it became magical. The road I took was called 190 and it was very busy with cars and trucks. The whole day I saw cars everywhere, but for some reason when I crossed the two bridges (with no shoulders at all and I mean none) not a single car or truck was near me. I did not even look behind me because I thought I was dreaming. Other than that, the ride was just nice. It was really cold, though, and I did wear my rain jacket the whole day. I made it into Lafayette were Brian met me on his bike for a nice ride around town. Brian rides a fixed-gear bike which means it has one big gear and no brakes (I ride REI’s Navara Randonee). We went around town and let me tell you that it is a cool place. The people are so nice and they have a lot of great new ideas. One idea is their “Earth Project”- a public farm where you pay rent for a piece of land and plant anything you want and then for a share of your crop volunteers watch over your garden. Some many people are doing positive things. The town also had a huge bike and hiking scene which was nice. My favorite part though was how close everyone was. Everywhere we went Brian knew someone and we could just walk into houses and it was fine. I liked the town so much that on Feb. 5th I stayed and I got to see more of Lafayette and even went to Cajun Country Swamp and Lake Martin. With my enormous appetite, I finally got to eat my turducken. I have had an obsession with turducken, and it was this day that I knew I was right. It was amazing. For you that do not know - it is a chicken, duck, turkey all put together inside each other with stuffing. The night of February 5th we went back to Baton Rouge (in a car!) to watch roller derby. The Lafayette girls want to start a team, so we got to check out the Baton Rouge team. It was a lot of fun. That night we came back and went to the coffee house and met some more of his friends. Great times!
Feb 6th – Lafayette to Welsh, Louisiana (windy)
I left Lafayette and cycled on to Welsh, Louisiana. It was incredible to watch the land change from swampy areas to open farm space. Welsh is a rice farming area. The wind got a little tricky, but it was still a great ride. I was a little early, so I popped over to the post office which was not open so moved on to the cafe. It, of course, was cash only which I failed to have, so I gathered all my change and asked for a coffee. I guess the lady felt bad for me, so she fed me for free. It was so nice when I heard my name roared from a gentle, deep voice and I met Chip. Chip is Bart's father whom I met back in New Orleans when I was seeing Rebirth at the Maple Leaf. Even though we had just met, he had called his dad, Chip, and they let me come and stay with them in Welsh, LA. This is why I am now on a beautiful rice farm. It is so interesting - I even was able to take a rice boat out and look through crawfish traps. The boat actually has wheels to go through the rice fields. The only way water disappears is if it evaporates. The clay under the rice fields does not allow the water to soak into the ground. I have also already learned that to be a farmer you must first “be crazy” - because it is a dice game with mother nature and she has the better odds! You must always adapt to your land. Chip was telling me how when they were kids in the rice fields you could catch crawfish to eat, but never thought about selling them. Now there is a big market for crawfish. He also rents his land to hunters. One of his friends is looking into growing algae for fuel. I am just amazed at the stories and things I am hearing. (Skip Potts told me a story when we were visiting before because we were so amazed that we had found each other on these journeys. He told me it is like everyone in the world is a blade of grass and when you are on a trip like this, you stand up as that blade and look around - of course, it’s easier to see the other blades that are standing up too) I will leave you with another cool fact. Neutra are super large rats with orange teeth and are really good to eat. They are alligator’s favorite food too. They are super high in protein and are grass feeders. So never judge a book by its cover and take care out there - until next time.
jan 14-22
Michael M. Galardi
January 14, 2009 –
The trip continues and I left behind the comfort of the condo in Panama City Beach, FL that my loving grandmother gave me to use while I was traveling. I got to learn more about patience and realized that worrying only takes you away from finding a solution. This was taught to me when I expected a certain type of phone to be delivered and it was not the right one. Within a few days I realized the new phone was one of the best phones I have had yet. I did get to play Bingo before I left with some Canadians which was so much fun until we went for twenty games. Let me tell you that is way too many games for anyone in their right mind to play! The time came to pack my things and hit the road, so I said goodbye to my new “snowbird” friends and biked off into the distance once again heading for the unknown.
I was heading for Gulf Breeze, FL near Pensacola and super excited to revisit what I called my “long lost aunt”. It’s not that we had never met, but the last time I had seen her was before my memories were even fully intact. I could not wait to rekindle the relationship. The day was very cold and windy, but as always, I had to keep moving forward never looking back. Then it happened! My bike began to wobble like a wet noodle fresh out of the pot. I had popped my first tire. I laughed it off and slowly fixed it so it would be right and biked on. Miles down the road it happened again – my second flat, so I had to call Janet and Glenn to tell them I would be delayed. To my surprise, I was not far away from Gulf Breeze and she insisted that she come pick me up. Well, who am I to deny such a nice offer, so I waited patiently for her arrival excited to find out what she looked like and who she was. Janet pulled up with a soft sweet smile and opened her arms with such kindness. We loaded up and since she had planned to cook her famous gumbo for me, there were a few things to pick up. We happened to pass a bike shop and stopped in to find out why my bike had popped two tubes within a few hours apart. I met Steven who helped me out so much. He looked at my bike and found the problem being the rim tape. It was slipping, so I bought three new tubes and he tightened everything. We talked and laughed sharing information. I found out he was moving to California on his bike in March. Also, he told me that he had kept a couple of bikers called “Team Tandem” four days before I arrived. I would like to catch up with them, but I knew I was going to slow down, so my tag match had to wait. I think they are a couple biking around for a year also exploring new environmental ideas. I was sure we would get along so I hope to meet up with them sometime. I do not think they know who I am, but with everything so far, I am certain we will meet when it is meant to happen. After Steven fixed my bike, I also picked up some wind blockers for my shoes and I was set. I promised him I would tell him about Texas, which I think is intimidating to most cyclists for some reason, and we were off to get some dinner. As I walked in, my uncle whom I had not ever remembered meeting either welcomed me as well and I could tell he had a strong adventurous spirit like me. Boy, was I right! He shared stories about being a diver. He saved many lives over the years. He was an action man, not a reaction man which I loved. Dinner was amazing and hearing all their stories was even more fun. The next day I knew I was staying in Pensacola which was only a few miles away, so I decided to hang out with them longer. They took me to breakfast and Janet had the naval air station museum and a picnic planned for us on Pensacola Beach. The Naval Aviation Station is where the Blue Angels fly and it was amazing. It did make me a little sad to see all the incredible aviation being born mostly because of war, but all the same it was cool seeing the past pilots work there and demonstrate their passion for what they did. Janet’s collection proves she has a true passion for shelling too! We enjoyed the early afternoon eating and picking up shells which was so much fun. It was so cold and the sand was so white, it looked like snow. The picnic was great, I collected some shells for the class, and most of all, enjoyed a beautiful day with a beautiful soul. I was sorry to say goodbye.
January 15, 2009 –
Afterwards, it was time to leave and I was off to meet Winston and Jessica, two friends of Brent, a guy I know in Atlanta. Now these two people were so incredible. They opened their home and life to me. The second I got there Jessica took me to a great restaurant and we chatted away. I am sure I talked too much as she just smiled and listened. Soon, Winston was home and they took me to a cool bar where we played shuffle board and darts laughing the night away. They had already invited me to stay and their kindness made me want to stay forever. The next day Winston and I played Frisbee Golf which was so much fun. They cooked me dinner that was to die for putting me into a “food coma” like never before. The next day we played real golf which I played by the three strike rule – meaning that if I can’t hit the ball in three swings I throw it! Winston and his friends were very patient and let me try. Once again he cooked up a killer meal and I met more of their good friends. I was supposed to finally leave the next day, but I got to go over to their mother’s house. She might be one of the sweetest ladies alive with a “southern belle” accent that just too charming. We all played and danced the night away. Jessica and I stayed up playing cards until the wee morning somehow, but slept until three the next day. Well, I stayed one more night for pizza.
January 20, 2009 –
Before I knew it, I had stayed in Pensacola for almost a week. It felt so homey that it was hard to leave. Jessica and I ate breakfast and watched the historic inauguration of Barack Obama, but right as I wanted to stay even longer, I knew I needed to move on.
At noon, I left for Mobile, AL. I had been in Pensacola for so long that the girl, Fuzzy, who I was to stay with in Mobile could no longer have me, so at the last second I called Emily and she was sweet and said come on down. The day was cold and windy – I mean so cold and windy – I had three layers on and it was nightfall. I also experienced the scariest part of the ride so far. The tunnel going into Mobile almost made me squeal! Emily was a great host and so nice. I met her on www.couchsurfing.com and she like all the others opened her home to me. She cooked Mexican for a guest and me. Before the night was done, she asked me to stay for a night of bowling and I had to say yes. Who can say no to a good night of bowling and a great girl.
January 21, 2009 –
Emily took me on a tour of Spring Hill campus where she goes to school. It was a very pretty campus. She wanted to workout, so I stayed in and wrote the Boys and Girls Clubs of America because I decided I want to help. This journey so far and the kids at E. Rivers have made me realize that our children are truly the future and they need to have the opportunities to feel hopeful about their future. They are the ones that will have all of our problems to deal with later, so with that – another mission is born. Another funny thing was that Bozwell had stayed with Emily too. I realized that my trip was sending me on a direction of discovery of America and most importantly of who I am as an individual. Emily then took me to a famous barbeque place called The Brick Pit, which has won awards for their ribs, but a guy there told me that the pulled pork was best. I always go for a human’s opinion rather than an award and that was the right move to make. That night we met up with her friends and bowled the night away. I am not a good bowler and learned to stand very far to the right. Still, it was a blast! Brandon is one of her friends and he taught me dirty sign language that I use and laugh about to this day.
January 22, 2009 –I had to leave and called Russell from Mobile – he said to come on down so I was off. Once again, I broke a spoke and I stopped in a shop in Mississippi which looked more like a pawn shop. I should have known when he said that he had no spokes that something was up, but I still let him try to fix it because of his kindness. I went off to make a phone call and came back to what I even know was the wrong way to change a spoke and talked him off the wheel like you would to a guy about to jump off a building. There was no damage done, but I could feel the wobble now and then and I wanted to get to Gulfport in a hurry. I sacrificed lunch and headed through Biloxi – some casinos and some really cool museums. I called Russell and headed on into Gulfport. Russell’s roommate, Ben, had been a bike messenger in Chicago and knew all about bikes. These guys were amazing – they had all come down days after Hurricane Katrina and lived in tents for two years helping out with the cleanup. Their compassion for the people truly moved me and I was so glad to meet all four of them. Ben hooked me up fixing my wheel to be better than ever and told me of bike places to go in New Orleans, so I had to check it out.
January 14, 2009 –
The trip continues and I left behind the comfort of the condo in Panama City Beach, FL that my loving grandmother gave me to use while I was traveling. I got to learn more about patience and realized that worrying only takes you away from finding a solution. This was taught to me when I expected a certain type of phone to be delivered and it was not the right one. Within a few days I realized the new phone was one of the best phones I have had yet. I did get to play Bingo before I left with some Canadians which was so much fun until we went for twenty games. Let me tell you that is way too many games for anyone in their right mind to play! The time came to pack my things and hit the road, so I said goodbye to my new “snowbird” friends and biked off into the distance once again heading for the unknown.
I was heading for Gulf Breeze, FL near Pensacola and super excited to revisit what I called my “long lost aunt”. It’s not that we had never met, but the last time I had seen her was before my memories were even fully intact. I could not wait to rekindle the relationship. The day was very cold and windy, but as always, I had to keep moving forward never looking back. Then it happened! My bike began to wobble like a wet noodle fresh out of the pot. I had popped my first tire. I laughed it off and slowly fixed it so it would be right and biked on. Miles down the road it happened again – my second flat, so I had to call Janet and Glenn to tell them I would be delayed. To my surprise, I was not far away from Gulf Breeze and she insisted that she come pick me up. Well, who am I to deny such a nice offer, so I waited patiently for her arrival excited to find out what she looked like and who she was. Janet pulled up with a soft sweet smile and opened her arms with such kindness. We loaded up and since she had planned to cook her famous gumbo for me, there were a few things to pick up. We happened to pass a bike shop and stopped in to find out why my bike had popped two tubes within a few hours apart. I met Steven who helped me out so much. He looked at my bike and found the problem being the rim tape. It was slipping, so I bought three new tubes and he tightened everything. We talked and laughed sharing information. I found out he was moving to California on his bike in March. Also, he told me that he had kept a couple of bikers called “Team Tandem” four days before I arrived. I would like to catch up with them, but I knew I was going to slow down, so my tag match had to wait. I think they are a couple biking around for a year also exploring new environmental ideas. I was sure we would get along so I hope to meet up with them sometime. I do not think they know who I am, but with everything so far, I am certain we will meet when it is meant to happen. After Steven fixed my bike, I also picked up some wind blockers for my shoes and I was set. I promised him I would tell him about Texas, which I think is intimidating to most cyclists for some reason, and we were off to get some dinner. As I walked in, my uncle whom I had not ever remembered meeting either welcomed me as well and I could tell he had a strong adventurous spirit like me. Boy, was I right! He shared stories about being a diver. He saved many lives over the years. He was an action man, not a reaction man which I loved. Dinner was amazing and hearing all their stories was even more fun. The next day I knew I was staying in Pensacola which was only a few miles away, so I decided to hang out with them longer. They took me to breakfast and Janet had the naval air station museum and a picnic planned for us on Pensacola Beach. The Naval Aviation Station is where the Blue Angels fly and it was amazing. It did make me a little sad to see all the incredible aviation being born mostly because of war, but all the same it was cool seeing the past pilots work there and demonstrate their passion for what they did. Janet’s collection proves she has a true passion for shelling too! We enjoyed the early afternoon eating and picking up shells which was so much fun. It was so cold and the sand was so white, it looked like snow. The picnic was great, I collected some shells for the class, and most of all, enjoyed a beautiful day with a beautiful soul. I was sorry to say goodbye.
January 15, 2009 –
Afterwards, it was time to leave and I was off to meet Winston and Jessica, two friends of Brent, a guy I know in Atlanta. Now these two people were so incredible. They opened their home and life to me. The second I got there Jessica took me to a great restaurant and we chatted away. I am sure I talked too much as she just smiled and listened. Soon, Winston was home and they took me to a cool bar where we played shuffle board and darts laughing the night away. They had already invited me to stay and their kindness made me want to stay forever. The next day Winston and I played Frisbee Golf which was so much fun. They cooked me dinner that was to die for putting me into a “food coma” like never before. The next day we played real golf which I played by the three strike rule – meaning that if I can’t hit the ball in three swings I throw it! Winston and his friends were very patient and let me try. Once again he cooked up a killer meal and I met more of their good friends. I was supposed to finally leave the next day, but I got to go over to their mother’s house. She might be one of the sweetest ladies alive with a “southern belle” accent that just too charming. We all played and danced the night away. Jessica and I stayed up playing cards until the wee morning somehow, but slept until three the next day. Well, I stayed one more night for pizza.
January 20, 2009 –
Before I knew it, I had stayed in Pensacola for almost a week. It felt so homey that it was hard to leave. Jessica and I ate breakfast and watched the historic inauguration of Barack Obama, but right as I wanted to stay even longer, I knew I needed to move on.
At noon, I left for Mobile, AL. I had been in Pensacola for so long that the girl, Fuzzy, who I was to stay with in Mobile could no longer have me, so at the last second I called Emily and she was sweet and said come on down. The day was cold and windy – I mean so cold and windy – I had three layers on and it was nightfall. I also experienced the scariest part of the ride so far. The tunnel going into Mobile almost made me squeal! Emily was a great host and so nice. I met her on www.couchsurfing.com and she like all the others opened her home to me. She cooked Mexican for a guest and me. Before the night was done, she asked me to stay for a night of bowling and I had to say yes. Who can say no to a good night of bowling and a great girl.
January 21, 2009 –
Emily took me on a tour of Spring Hill campus where she goes to school. It was a very pretty campus. She wanted to workout, so I stayed in and wrote the Boys and Girls Clubs of America because I decided I want to help. This journey so far and the kids at E. Rivers have made me realize that our children are truly the future and they need to have the opportunities to feel hopeful about their future. They are the ones that will have all of our problems to deal with later, so with that – another mission is born. Another funny thing was that Bozwell had stayed with Emily too. I realized that my trip was sending me on a direction of discovery of America and most importantly of who I am as an individual. Emily then took me to a famous barbeque place called The Brick Pit, which has won awards for their ribs, but a guy there told me that the pulled pork was best. I always go for a human’s opinion rather than an award and that was the right move to make. That night we met up with her friends and bowled the night away. I am not a good bowler and learned to stand very far to the right. Still, it was a blast! Brandon is one of her friends and he taught me dirty sign language that I use and laugh about to this day.
January 22, 2009 –I had to leave and called Russell from Mobile – he said to come on down so I was off. Once again, I broke a spoke and I stopped in a shop in Mississippi which looked more like a pawn shop. I should have known when he said that he had no spokes that something was up, but I still let him try to fix it because of his kindness. I went off to make a phone call and came back to what I even know was the wrong way to change a spoke and talked him off the wheel like you would to a guy about to jump off a building. There was no damage done, but I could feel the wobble now and then and I wanted to get to Gulfport in a hurry. I sacrificed lunch and headed through Biloxi – some casinos and some really cool museums. I called Russell and headed on into Gulfport. Russell’s roommate, Ben, had been a bike messenger in Chicago and knew all about bikes. These guys were amazing – they had all come down days after Hurricane Katrina and lived in tents for two years helping out with the cleanup. Their compassion for the people truly moved me and I was so glad to meet all four of them. Ben hooked me up fixing my wheel to be better than ever and told me of bike places to go in New Orleans, so I had to check it out.
Jan 1-10
During a presentation to a fourth grade class in Atlanta, GA, a student asked me, “Why are you doing this?” I told the students that my bicycle ride through the “lower 48 states” is named “The Hunt for the Jolly Green Ice Machine” and it is an expedition into the heart of America. It is a journey to break the fears and inspire others to live their dreams. It is a journey to prove that the American dream is still alive and that love and compassion is what truly fuels this country. Through a healthy imagination a healthy reality is born. This fourth grade class created a project they named – “Jolly Geography!” – to follow me on my journey with maps, journals and in turn, I am mailing the class brochures, postcards, pictures, information about the weather, physical features, and cool sites to check out on the web. For example, they went on the internet to find out more about the sea turtle hospital in Marathon, FL. The kids also asked, “What do you do for money?” and “Will you get lonely?” Two really good questions! I explained that I worked hard and saved money and also hope for goodwill from friends and people I meet along the way…and yes, loneliness will be a challenge.
In 2006, I thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail (hence my name “Jolly Green Giant”) from Springer Mountain, GA to Mt. Katahdin, ME. A buddy and I decided to continue forward to hike the International AT through Canada. Incredible! Kids in the 4th and 5th grades at the same elementary school enjoyed my pictures and presentation about the long hike especially after following my progress as another project. There is so much to learn about our country and how to best take care of it.
To start this bicycle journey, I would like to say thank you to my loving mother who without her support and action none of this would be possible. Of course, I thank my other family members and great friends for their support too. My mother, however, deciphers my writing, types my journals, and puts them on my website, www.jollygreenicemachine.com.
December 30, 2008- My trip started off in Atlanta just like it should – with chaos at its best! I awoke to a slight case of “butterflies” in my belly. I had to try to set up my new tarp before I left for Key West. My location was next door in a small hospital yard because I am all about choosing the shortest possible solution. Within five minutes hospital security was out yelling that I could not “camp” there! I explained what I was doing, which was a hard sell, but finally I convinced them and finally went inside to finish packing for the trip to Key West, Florida. One hour before my roommate and I were to leave, he decides to tell me he could not take me – that is right, ONE HOUR, before we are to leave. Maybe his girlfriend and her dog had something to do with it! I was stunned, but I stayed calm. Staying calm paid off because my good friend, Whitney, (to whom I owe so much), stepped up and agreed to drive me to Key West! I was afraid because she would have to drive back to Atlanta alone. She insisted and as all things do work out, her friend, JJ, called and wanted to travel with us. My worries were squashed about her traveling back to Atlanta alone. Things really work out for the best!
On the way to Miami, we found a room via the computer and we were set. The ride was long, but with these two beautiful women, it would be hard not to have fun. It was about 1am and the hotel was a funny, cheap, mock-up of Rome (spelled the correct Italian way – Roma), and we loved it. All is well!
December 31, 2008 -We woke up, packed up to head for Key West. As we were leaving, I found my bike had a flat tire – mind you, I had not even started riding yet and my skills as a bike mechanic are not that great. I had to be positive and my rationalization was that people drive cars everyday and do not know a thing about them and seem to survive, so I know I will be fine. I fixed the wheel with success and feel all the stars are aligning perfectly for me to start this ride. We get to Key West and as soon as I walk into a hotel fifty miles back has a room which will get us back by 9pm for New Years Eve in Key West (the rooms in Key West were way over my budget). As the sun sets, the moon appears as a smiling face and I know deep down no matter how scared I am this trip is what I am meant to do. The Key West New Year’s celebration is crazy and fun and I thank the police for being so understanding. They sat back, kept everyone safe, and enjoyed the New Year fun. Whitney, JJ, and I find a good spot for the ball drop. It got a little crazy where both women were in my arms as the crowd pushed and pleaded with each other to stop pushing. Humans always amaze me when alcohol is mixed into the equation, but we made it out! I actually did have a lady forget she was smoking a cigarette and put it out on my face. A small price to pay for such fun! After the “ball drop”, the crowd loosened its grip and we were finally able to breathe. I think the whole island was happy about this and my “girls” went to work and met some guys. One of the guys, Mike, happened to be from Buford, GA and after a short conversation; I landed a place to stay the next night.
January 1, 2009 -We got up about 10am to drive back to Key West, FL We stopped for lunch and then to say “farewell”. I was very nervous and remember feeling very “detached”. It was overwhelming on the inside, but on the outside I was trying to be tough. The girls and I headed to the Southernmost Point in Key West at 2pm, took some pictures, said goodbye, and all there was to do was LEAVE on US-1. At this point, I realized how thankful I was to leave from this point with only two friends to say goodbye to instead of more. I am not sure I would have made it where I am today, if so. As I rode away on my bicycle, I was choked up, scared of the unknown, and overwhelmed. I have to admit I even tried to cry to release some of the pressure, but tears would not come. After 4 hours instead of 1, I finally made it to Big Pine Key laughing. I was successful so far, and I realized how wrong I was about my timing and in the power of wind and its slowing ability! I met Mike, Bobby, and Ray in a Winn-Dixie parking lot and they took me in. These were some great guys and we laughed a lot over dinner, plus Bobby’s father made a killer smoked Kingfish dip.
January 2, 2009 - I was up the next morning at 7am and headed out on my bicycle. I was fortunate to get to see some Key Deer eating some food on my way – they look like funny mini-deer and that made me smile. I said “good morning” to Mother Nature, who would be taking care of me through this long unknown journey. I was traveling over a bridge and looking at the fishermen when suddenly I was hooked by one. It was pretty funny and I yelled “nice catch”, took the hook out, then moved on. I passed the Dolphin Research Center in Grassy Key, FL and decided this would be a good place to start the “Jolly Geography” project. I went in and told the staff my story – they let me in free to video the dolphins and I learned a lot. Nervousness was still in my belly, so I had to keep riding. I just felt like if I didn’t continue to ride I was going to fail. That night I stopped on a highway island outside of Key Largo at 5:45 pm and set up my first campsite which turned out really well.
January 3, 2009 - The next day I headed out at 7:30am planning to go as far as I could go. I met a really nice shop owner who had just biked California in October who wished me luck. At that moment I realized that it’s the people I meet that will get me through the day. The belief they have in me is my life force. I kept trucking along US-1 into Miami arriving about noon. I saw a woman selling watermelons so I stopped. She started a conversation with me and called me Papi – that hooked me and we ate watermelon together. My next stop was a bike shop where a really nice girl, Anne, sent me luck too. I pushed to go further and by that evening about 7:30pm I was at the Fort Lauderdale airport about to go camp in the bushes when I remember my friend’s brother lived in Hollywood, FL. Leebo answered and thankfully left a key for me to come in and shower. They made it home about 11pm and we laughed the night away. Aside from my “butt rash”, I was good to go.
January 4, 2009 – I got up early, cleaned up, and left about 6:15 am. It was a beautiful warm morning. I knew this day would be eventful. I wasn’t sure how until I heard the pop! I had broken a spoke in my back wheel for some reason. I was in Palm Beach about 12:30 pm and for the first time I calmed down, laughed, and finally realized I was actually on my journey. I was content with that. This was mentally a very important step for without peace I would have nothing. I like to say that if you “act like water you will get to where you need to go”. The spoke breaking was the release I needed to truly feel this saying. Within 10 minutes I saw a fellow cyclist and asked him if he knew where I could find a bike shop. Luckily, there was one a half mile away, so I popped in and met Mike of Cycle Science. After some friendly conversation he fixed my bike for free and he also noticed my brakes were rubbing. That was one reason I was riding slower that I thought I should be. It was great! After that stop I was off and broke my first 100 mile day. I stopped in Fort Pierce, FL and had the best night sleep out in the woods yet. My only issue was my “butt rash”. My mother looked it up on the internet and the next day I was much better with a new regime of Neosporin, rubbing alcohol, and “airing out”!
January 5, 2009 – I was really flying today and stopped at Harvey’s Orchard and drank a quart of the best O.J. I have ever tasted. I biked much further today than I thought and by nightfall was in the middle of Orlando. There was no place to camp, so I had to bite the bullet and get a hotel room. This was a blessing, though, because this is where I realized I needed to slow down and use the power of my friends. I started looking for places to stay. My step-brother, Taylor Pinson, who by the end of this trip I will owe a lot, got me hooked up with one of his friends in his hometown of Leesburg, FL.
January 6, 2009 – Today I had a nice short ride into Leesburg. The temperature was mild. I met Taylor’s best friend, Tee, Mary, and his beautiful kids. They were so kind and great hosts. Tee is a great fisherman and artist. He gave me a tour of Leesburg and shared many stories.
January 7, 2009 – Mother Nature felt it was time to end the sugar-coated trip today and teach me some new lessons of the road. First, I was pelted by a rain storm and then spent the rest of the day headed into extreme wind. I somehow made it to Fanning Spring where the Suwanee River is and set up camp. The temperature dropped and I was freezing. I also knew I had a huge day tomorrow to make it into Tallahassee where I was set up (again by Taylor) to stay with his cousin, John Roberts and his family. This was a true test of will power and I made it but almost broke.
January 8, 2009 – I left Fanning Spring at 4:30 am to temperatures under 30 degrees. My feet felt frozen and the wind was still strong. I also had another broken spoke. To be honest, all I wanted was for a truck to hit me off the road so I would have an excuse to be driven in. As I was about to freeze to death I stopped at a McDonald’s and a lady named Elizabeth truly helped me. She would never know how much, but her sweetness alone kept me going. Still I was so cold and soon stopped at a pecan hut where I bought some honey. Even though I never got his name his free bag of pecans also helped raise my spirits and soon enough I was warm and in Tallahassee (678 miles). The last thing that made me truly believe in what I was doing was a homeless man I met named Motor Mouth. I told him I was attempting to bike all 48 states and he gave me a firm stern look that I will never forget and said “No, you are not me. You are different and you are going to bike all 48 states!” He was right and I am going to be different and make a mark in the world. From there I was taken to meet John Roberts who took me in with such kindness. I met his wife, Dawn, and their amazing family. Their daughter is an awesome artist and their son is a ball of energy. They fed me more than I could ever eat and my energy was refilled. In all the excitement I stayed up until 2am playing the wii and slept like a rock. I woke up the next day hearing the answering machine yelling my name. It was John and he had set up a tour for me at the State Capitol with his wife. I still had to go fix my spoke, so I had a nice chat with the cleaning lady and was off to the bike shop. The person that gave me directions sent me the wrong way and I broke a second spoke soon after. I asked directions again and finally made it to Joe’s Bike Shop where John met me. Since I was so slow getting up half the day had passed and he was nice enough to let me stay another night. I could then relax, take my bags off the bike, and enjoy my day at the Capitol. This was one of the coolest days yet. I was lucky to have a private tour of the state archives and held the original Florida Constitution, the first deed ever recorded in Florida, and the original document of succession from the Union. Then I got a 2 hour tour of the museum with Bonnie (the sweetest lady ever) and then hung out with some great guys who own the Fat Sandwich shop which really was great and let me tell you the BEST potato salad ever. These guys cracked me up! I had to ride to the post office because I had so much information to mail to my mom’s class. I went to bed a little earlier because I needed to leave the next day.
January 10, 2009 – John made me an awesome breakfast and turned on the news channel. A huge storm was coming, so I decided to make it to Panama City today (853.7 miles logged). I was to stay with this really nice lady, Sunny Sasha, so I pedaled by biggest day yet of 150 plus miles. It was crazy because by the time I got in it was dark and rainy, which is not safe so no one out there should ever do this. It was cool coming in at night, however, because the Panama City Bridge was beautiful with this blue base that really moved me. Sunny gave me a bed and bought me dinner. I thanked her for her hospitality. She was so sweet. I woke up about 9am and left to go to a condo at The Summit that my grandma owns and where I am writing this entry. I am feeling good now and promise all you out these that I am in this for the long haul. Again, it is everybody that keeps me going and I love you all. It is the people I meet that makes this trip what it is and without them I have nothing. I cannot wait to see what comes up next. Please keep up – I want my trip to be your trip and through my crazy adventure, I hope to put a spark in everyone to live their dreams too because its our dreams that make our reality. I look forward to writing again!
In 2006, I thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail (hence my name “Jolly Green Giant”) from Springer Mountain, GA to Mt. Katahdin, ME. A buddy and I decided to continue forward to hike the International AT through Canada. Incredible! Kids in the 4th and 5th grades at the same elementary school enjoyed my pictures and presentation about the long hike especially after following my progress as another project. There is so much to learn about our country and how to best take care of it.
To start this bicycle journey, I would like to say thank you to my loving mother who without her support and action none of this would be possible. Of course, I thank my other family members and great friends for their support too. My mother, however, deciphers my writing, types my journals, and puts them on my website, www.jollygreenicemachine.com.
December 30, 2008- My trip started off in Atlanta just like it should – with chaos at its best! I awoke to a slight case of “butterflies” in my belly. I had to try to set up my new tarp before I left for Key West. My location was next door in a small hospital yard because I am all about choosing the shortest possible solution. Within five minutes hospital security was out yelling that I could not “camp” there! I explained what I was doing, which was a hard sell, but finally I convinced them and finally went inside to finish packing for the trip to Key West, Florida. One hour before my roommate and I were to leave, he decides to tell me he could not take me – that is right, ONE HOUR, before we are to leave. Maybe his girlfriend and her dog had something to do with it! I was stunned, but I stayed calm. Staying calm paid off because my good friend, Whitney, (to whom I owe so much), stepped up and agreed to drive me to Key West! I was afraid because she would have to drive back to Atlanta alone. She insisted and as all things do work out, her friend, JJ, called and wanted to travel with us. My worries were squashed about her traveling back to Atlanta alone. Things really work out for the best!
On the way to Miami, we found a room via the computer and we were set. The ride was long, but with these two beautiful women, it would be hard not to have fun. It was about 1am and the hotel was a funny, cheap, mock-up of Rome (spelled the correct Italian way – Roma), and we loved it. All is well!
December 31, 2008 -We woke up, packed up to head for Key West. As we were leaving, I found my bike had a flat tire – mind you, I had not even started riding yet and my skills as a bike mechanic are not that great. I had to be positive and my rationalization was that people drive cars everyday and do not know a thing about them and seem to survive, so I know I will be fine. I fixed the wheel with success and feel all the stars are aligning perfectly for me to start this ride. We get to Key West and as soon as I walk into a hotel fifty miles back has a room which will get us back by 9pm for New Years Eve in Key West (the rooms in Key West were way over my budget). As the sun sets, the moon appears as a smiling face and I know deep down no matter how scared I am this trip is what I am meant to do. The Key West New Year’s celebration is crazy and fun and I thank the police for being so understanding. They sat back, kept everyone safe, and enjoyed the New Year fun. Whitney, JJ, and I find a good spot for the ball drop. It got a little crazy where both women were in my arms as the crowd pushed and pleaded with each other to stop pushing. Humans always amaze me when alcohol is mixed into the equation, but we made it out! I actually did have a lady forget she was smoking a cigarette and put it out on my face. A small price to pay for such fun! After the “ball drop”, the crowd loosened its grip and we were finally able to breathe. I think the whole island was happy about this and my “girls” went to work and met some guys. One of the guys, Mike, happened to be from Buford, GA and after a short conversation; I landed a place to stay the next night.
January 1, 2009 -We got up about 10am to drive back to Key West, FL We stopped for lunch and then to say “farewell”. I was very nervous and remember feeling very “detached”. It was overwhelming on the inside, but on the outside I was trying to be tough. The girls and I headed to the Southernmost Point in Key West at 2pm, took some pictures, said goodbye, and all there was to do was LEAVE on US-1. At this point, I realized how thankful I was to leave from this point with only two friends to say goodbye to instead of more. I am not sure I would have made it where I am today, if so. As I rode away on my bicycle, I was choked up, scared of the unknown, and overwhelmed. I have to admit I even tried to cry to release some of the pressure, but tears would not come. After 4 hours instead of 1, I finally made it to Big Pine Key laughing. I was successful so far, and I realized how wrong I was about my timing and in the power of wind and its slowing ability! I met Mike, Bobby, and Ray in a Winn-Dixie parking lot and they took me in. These were some great guys and we laughed a lot over dinner, plus Bobby’s father made a killer smoked Kingfish dip.
January 2, 2009 - I was up the next morning at 7am and headed out on my bicycle. I was fortunate to get to see some Key Deer eating some food on my way – they look like funny mini-deer and that made me smile. I said “good morning” to Mother Nature, who would be taking care of me through this long unknown journey. I was traveling over a bridge and looking at the fishermen when suddenly I was hooked by one. It was pretty funny and I yelled “nice catch”, took the hook out, then moved on. I passed the Dolphin Research Center in Grassy Key, FL and decided this would be a good place to start the “Jolly Geography” project. I went in and told the staff my story – they let me in free to video the dolphins and I learned a lot. Nervousness was still in my belly, so I had to keep riding. I just felt like if I didn’t continue to ride I was going to fail. That night I stopped on a highway island outside of Key Largo at 5:45 pm and set up my first campsite which turned out really well.
January 3, 2009 - The next day I headed out at 7:30am planning to go as far as I could go. I met a really nice shop owner who had just biked California in October who wished me luck. At that moment I realized that it’s the people I meet that will get me through the day. The belief they have in me is my life force. I kept trucking along US-1 into Miami arriving about noon. I saw a woman selling watermelons so I stopped. She started a conversation with me and called me Papi – that hooked me and we ate watermelon together. My next stop was a bike shop where a really nice girl, Anne, sent me luck too. I pushed to go further and by that evening about 7:30pm I was at the Fort Lauderdale airport about to go camp in the bushes when I remember my friend’s brother lived in Hollywood, FL. Leebo answered and thankfully left a key for me to come in and shower. They made it home about 11pm and we laughed the night away. Aside from my “butt rash”, I was good to go.
January 4, 2009 – I got up early, cleaned up, and left about 6:15 am. It was a beautiful warm morning. I knew this day would be eventful. I wasn’t sure how until I heard the pop! I had broken a spoke in my back wheel for some reason. I was in Palm Beach about 12:30 pm and for the first time I calmed down, laughed, and finally realized I was actually on my journey. I was content with that. This was mentally a very important step for without peace I would have nothing. I like to say that if you “act like water you will get to where you need to go”. The spoke breaking was the release I needed to truly feel this saying. Within 10 minutes I saw a fellow cyclist and asked him if he knew where I could find a bike shop. Luckily, there was one a half mile away, so I popped in and met Mike of Cycle Science. After some friendly conversation he fixed my bike for free and he also noticed my brakes were rubbing. That was one reason I was riding slower that I thought I should be. It was great! After that stop I was off and broke my first 100 mile day. I stopped in Fort Pierce, FL and had the best night sleep out in the woods yet. My only issue was my “butt rash”. My mother looked it up on the internet and the next day I was much better with a new regime of Neosporin, rubbing alcohol, and “airing out”!
January 5, 2009 – I was really flying today and stopped at Harvey’s Orchard and drank a quart of the best O.J. I have ever tasted. I biked much further today than I thought and by nightfall was in the middle of Orlando. There was no place to camp, so I had to bite the bullet and get a hotel room. This was a blessing, though, because this is where I realized I needed to slow down and use the power of my friends. I started looking for places to stay. My step-brother, Taylor Pinson, who by the end of this trip I will owe a lot, got me hooked up with one of his friends in his hometown of Leesburg, FL.
January 6, 2009 – Today I had a nice short ride into Leesburg. The temperature was mild. I met Taylor’s best friend, Tee, Mary, and his beautiful kids. They were so kind and great hosts. Tee is a great fisherman and artist. He gave me a tour of Leesburg and shared many stories.
January 7, 2009 – Mother Nature felt it was time to end the sugar-coated trip today and teach me some new lessons of the road. First, I was pelted by a rain storm and then spent the rest of the day headed into extreme wind. I somehow made it to Fanning Spring where the Suwanee River is and set up camp. The temperature dropped and I was freezing. I also knew I had a huge day tomorrow to make it into Tallahassee where I was set up (again by Taylor) to stay with his cousin, John Roberts and his family. This was a true test of will power and I made it but almost broke.
January 8, 2009 – I left Fanning Spring at 4:30 am to temperatures under 30 degrees. My feet felt frozen and the wind was still strong. I also had another broken spoke. To be honest, all I wanted was for a truck to hit me off the road so I would have an excuse to be driven in. As I was about to freeze to death I stopped at a McDonald’s and a lady named Elizabeth truly helped me. She would never know how much, but her sweetness alone kept me going. Still I was so cold and soon stopped at a pecan hut where I bought some honey. Even though I never got his name his free bag of pecans also helped raise my spirits and soon enough I was warm and in Tallahassee (678 miles). The last thing that made me truly believe in what I was doing was a homeless man I met named Motor Mouth. I told him I was attempting to bike all 48 states and he gave me a firm stern look that I will never forget and said “No, you are not me. You are different and you are going to bike all 48 states!” He was right and I am going to be different and make a mark in the world. From there I was taken to meet John Roberts who took me in with such kindness. I met his wife, Dawn, and their amazing family. Their daughter is an awesome artist and their son is a ball of energy. They fed me more than I could ever eat and my energy was refilled. In all the excitement I stayed up until 2am playing the wii and slept like a rock. I woke up the next day hearing the answering machine yelling my name. It was John and he had set up a tour for me at the State Capitol with his wife. I still had to go fix my spoke, so I had a nice chat with the cleaning lady and was off to the bike shop. The person that gave me directions sent me the wrong way and I broke a second spoke soon after. I asked directions again and finally made it to Joe’s Bike Shop where John met me. Since I was so slow getting up half the day had passed and he was nice enough to let me stay another night. I could then relax, take my bags off the bike, and enjoy my day at the Capitol. This was one of the coolest days yet. I was lucky to have a private tour of the state archives and held the original Florida Constitution, the first deed ever recorded in Florida, and the original document of succession from the Union. Then I got a 2 hour tour of the museum with Bonnie (the sweetest lady ever) and then hung out with some great guys who own the Fat Sandwich shop which really was great and let me tell you the BEST potato salad ever. These guys cracked me up! I had to ride to the post office because I had so much information to mail to my mom’s class. I went to bed a little earlier because I needed to leave the next day.
January 10, 2009 – John made me an awesome breakfast and turned on the news channel. A huge storm was coming, so I decided to make it to Panama City today (853.7 miles logged). I was to stay with this really nice lady, Sunny Sasha, so I pedaled by biggest day yet of 150 plus miles. It was crazy because by the time I got in it was dark and rainy, which is not safe so no one out there should ever do this. It was cool coming in at night, however, because the Panama City Bridge was beautiful with this blue base that really moved me. Sunny gave me a bed and bought me dinner. I thanked her for her hospitality. She was so sweet. I woke up about 9am and left to go to a condo at The Summit that my grandma owns and where I am writing this entry. I am feeling good now and promise all you out these that I am in this for the long haul. Again, it is everybody that keeps me going and I love you all. It is the people I meet that makes this trip what it is and without them I have nothing. I cannot wait to see what comes up next. Please keep up – I want my trip to be your trip and through my crazy adventure, I hope to put a spark in everyone to live their dreams too because its our dreams that make our reality. I look forward to writing again!
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