May 19, 2020 - Day 16
After resting yesterday it was time to get ready to set out again tomorrow. I cleaned and lubed my bike and trailer and then rode to Super WalMart to pick up supplies for the rest of GTD '20. It's true, a clean and lubed bike rides better!
May 20, 2020 - Day 17
After a couple of days of helping C and preparing for the final stretch of GTD '20 I set out for Palatka, a route that I have ridden often. To change it up a bit I headed north out of Melrose for Keystone Heights. It was there that I met up with Paul and Natasha from English Corner for breakfast at Dunkin Donuts. Due to the virus we could only order and go so we rode to the park at the lake and enjoyed breakfast, visitation and picture taking.
After breakfast at the park we rode to The Bakery and enjoyed some of their amazing pastry items. After devouring my delicious eclair we said farewell and I rode to the Lake Butler - Palatka Trail. Once on the Trail it was an easy ride to the Hampton Inn, I enjoyed the the mostly shaded Trail and even spotted a wild turkey along the way.
After cleaning up I went to Subway and picked up dinner. They were To Go Only so I found a bench on St. Johns Ave., it was quite and the weather was perfect. Tomorrow I will ride to Orange Park.
Today's mileage was 53.40 and my Avg. Spd. was 12.0.
May 21, 2020 - Day 18
As I looked at Google Maps I decided on the less direct route through the countryside to get to Orange Park. It started out really nice and then got interesting.
I was on the LB - P Trail for a bit before turning north. It was very scenic. As I crossed over a small river I saw a couple of guys fishing, we chatted for a few minutes. After passing through a small community Google Maps instructed me to turn right. This is where it got interesting after awhile. The right turn led to a left turn that led to a dirt road that led to someone's yard who encouraged me, and others, to stay out.
I backtracked and turned left instead of turning right to retreat to where I had come from, mistake! The paved road eventually ended and to the left or right was only dirt. Not good. My only option was to return to the road I was on before turning right.
I got back to the road I was on at first and turned right in order to go north. It was great to be back on track. The greatness ended within the hour when the pavement stopped and a dirt road began. I looked at Google Maps to see if I could figure out how long I would be on dirt before returning to pavement. Best guess was that it would be anywhere between 5 and 10 miles. Even with the worst case scenario being a reality it was better than the alternative, returning to Palatka and starting over on the more direct route up 17.
The dirt road was a mix of hard packed and soft sand so the next hour and a half was a lot of work. I finally got to a paved road and headed into Green Cove Springs. From there it was a mix of shoulder and Trail all the way to the Starbucks in Orange Park. After Starbucks I rode up the river road to my hotel. After cleaning up I walked across the street to Cracker Barrell to enjoy some Southern Fried Chicken!
My friend was to meet up with me but due to the virus and dining rooms reopening recently his family thought it best for him take a pass on this dinner invitation. I totally understood, it has been a time of uncertainty so being cautious and comfortable with decisions on where to go and where not to go are very important. After dinner I relaxed a bit and then turned in early, this has become my routine.
Tomorrow I ride to Fernandina Beach.
Today's mileage was 58.0 and Avg. Spd. was 10.1.
May 22, 2020 - Day 19
Leaving Orange Park was busy and very busy passing by NAS Jax due to work traffic.
The ride along the St. Johns River and through Downtown Jacksonville was beautiful and exciting. Because I love bridges I crossed over the River on the Acosta Bridge and returned via the Main St. Bridge. I took time to check out the Downtown Jax Tri venues, past and present.
Leaving Downtown I made my way back to 17 and rode it all the way to Yulee. Once in Yulee I turned East on 200 and encountered the road construction I had remembered from a couple of years earlier when the Jax Tri was at Fernandina Beach.
There was hardly a shoulder and the sidewalk was closed so that made for a stressful situation for me and the motorists. Thankfully half way to Fernandina I was able to take a break from the chaos at Starbucks. I relaxed a bit and enjoyed an ice cold iced coffee, awesome!
I rested up and resumed my ride. The road construction came to an end and I was able to pick up the pace a bit and get to the hotel.
After cleaning up I enjoyed an awesome dinner at Cedar River Seafood then walked over to the beach. With the coronavirus so prevalent I was really surprised at the number of people at the beach who were crowded into tight places without masks. I decided to return to the hotel and rest up for tomorrow’s ride to Vilano Beach. I am looking forward to meeting with friends in Mayport, they will meet me at the Ferry Landing.
Today’s mileage was 55.75 miles and my Avg. Spd. Was 11.2.
May 23, 2020 - Day 20
I got an early start so I would be sure to make the early Ferry to Mayport where I would meet up with Carmen Ann & Richard. I was glad I built in a buffer because 5 miles north of the Ferry Launch the headwinds increased dramatically, fortunately the scenery along the coast was awesome.
When I got to the Launch no one was there, I had flashbacks to IL during my Mississippi River Ride when the Ferry wasn't running due to high winds. I rode over to the convenience store and inquired about the Ferry, they said it was running! I was just early.
I had let Carman Ann know I was catching the 9am Ferry so when we landed I spotted Carman Ann & Richard right away. They had made signs to welcome me to Mayport, very cool. There were a group of cyclists waiting to board the Ferry, they were interested in the welcome I was receiving. One of the bikers who had crossed over with me thought it was cool and fist bumped me before heading off with his friend.
The ride down A1A from Mayport to Vilano Beach was only 34 miles but it was a tough 34 miles! The strong headwind I encountered before the Ferry was in my face all the way. The saving grace for this stretch was the awesome scenery and the convenience store north of Vilano Beach. I was so happy to finally arrive at the hotel after 6 hours of saddle time. Tomorrow I will ride to Palatka.
My mileage for today was 57.60 miles and my Avg. Spd. was 9.6 mph.
