Day Forty-Five
I'm still getting up later than I want to. I was up late last night as I banged out the daily blog. I'm afraid I'm getting a little long with these. To paraphrase Mark Twain, "I'm sorry I wrote so much. I was too tired to write less." As I move towards the eastern edge of the central time zone, dawn comes earlier and earlier. But I'm not dialing back my wake time to take advantage of it. I'll try to get to bed earlier/get up earlier tonight. So, a shorter post.
I put in about 8 miles from downtown Pensacola to breakfast, which was two enormous pancakes with pecans and bananas baked into them, and couple of eggs on the side. I scoured the menu for the highest calorie items and these pancakes won. Just to be sure, I drowned them in syrup. At this restaurant, they just leave a coffee carafe at the table. I like it.
I put down 101.3 miles today, getting all the way to Panama City Beach, just west of the city proper.
After yesterday's 103+ miles, this was my first back-to-back centuries. Feeling pretty good about that. Keep in mind, they were wind assisted. I just wasn't going to waste the first tailwinds I've had since leaving the West.
As far as the ride goes, I'm feeling pretty good. Not too wiped out, physically. In fact, I have no memory of feeling this good. I probably did once, but it was when I was young and took it completely for granted. At 64, any day when I actually feel good gets a star on the calendar. But sometime in the last week, I realized that I am feeling good pretty much all the time. Riding makes me tired now, but it no longer makes me hurt. Abou the only thing that bugs me, and I can just shake it out, is my left hand and left foot go to sleep. Nothing else seems t make me hurt either. I could get used to this. Again.
But the day wore me out for a completely different reason. I rode through nearly 100 miles of the densest vacation and visitor amenities I have ever seen. I mean, like trillions of dollars. I had no idea this coast was like this. There are tens of thousands of bedrooms for visitors, with all the restaurants, bars, bike rentals, putt-putt golf courses, ticky-tacky tourist stuff and nice stuff too. Everything. Maybe it's because all new construction needs to meet strict hurricane resistance building codes, but today was 100 miles of tasteful design, quality construction and excellent maintenance. The place is well-built and kept up. All of it.
There are also many places prominently signed: "No Tresspassing. Wildlife Nesting Area" I've never seen this before. Never in Texas, for sure. So give credit where it's due: while all development comes with a cost, my sense is that this place is making an effort to get it right. Is it contrived? Sure. Is it well done? I think so. I rolled into one place that looked particularly well-designed and I asked a man who was there with his kids. I asked, "Where am I?" He said, "Florida!" Then he added, "What matters is it's NOT Ohio!" People are here from almost everywhere in the US, and glad to be here for a bit, because in a few days or weeks, they have to go back.
I may be near the eastern end of it. In Panama City, I leave the coast and turn northeast and inland, towards Tallahassee. The vacationer's draw here is the beach and the horizon line offshore on the Gulf of Mexico. I probably won't get to Tallahassee tomorrow but I'll try to get close. We'll see how I feel in the morning, but maybe I can make these 100 mile days three in a row. As I move inland, I'll lose this tailwind, which will put me on the road an hour or two more to gobble up the same mileage. Time to say good night and get to bed earlier than last night, so I can get on the road closer to sunrise.
I’d love to hear from you. Donate to the ride and send along your words of encouragement and tell me why getting kids outside matters to you.
