Lisa attends a local community college and serves coffee at
the Waffle House in Tallahassee. Her goal
is to transfer to Florida State University. (I would have walked there, showed you
pictures, but it’s raining, so I’m watching HBO instead.) She looked skeptically at me as I told of
three thousand miles on a bicycle. Maybe
it’s because she saw a nondescript Pasadena person sitting at her counter,
having shed spandex for a skirt, a bright yellow shirt for a lightweight and perhaps
stylish top.
Bolands Country Store in Wacissa, Fl |
Tallahassee, a city of hills. Florida is flat, right? Wrong! My altimeter has never risen more than 250 feet above sea level, but it drops to 40 feet, then right back up again, over and over. Yesterday it registered 1,690 feet of vertical rise.
I pulled tired into the Budget Inn yesterday evening and did
not ride today. I spent twenty glorious
minutes with my back to the shower’s luxurious hot water. This morning I walked to the Waffle House and
had a good, but cheap breakfast to match my good but cheap motel. It has rained steadily for the past four hours,
and I sit watching HBO and reminiscing the trip so far. I have crossed half of Florida, and will
proceed along the panhandle to Alabama.
It's a great opportunity to rest, but I hope rain will stop soon.
ReplyDeleteI know the answer to the rain question as I write this. Today's post should make you jealous.
DeleteYou look great Sharon, relaxed and happy and you can imagine my delight to see you in your "perhaps stylish top" symbolic of our trip to China... I love your smile on your day off. Also you know I like to see some faces of people you meet. It's been so far quite a solo ride... in terms of fellow bikers or welcoming committees... sp it is nice to see Lisa at work. But you have all of us along. We loved watching your blog show on the big (TV) screen tonight, Liz, Rick and I and then we were so happy that Scout and Miles and a friend came before we were done, and watched the last two posts! So you had a bigger audience. Crossing half of Florida sounds like an accomplishment in itself!
ReplyDeleteThat top served so well in Pakistan — lightweight, doesn't wrinkle even after being tightly packed — that I brought it to Florida. It is really nice to have you all along, by whatever means you can.
Delete"...and had a good, but cheap breakfast to match my good but cheap motel." Oh, the memories of inexpensive travel! Love it!
ReplyDeleteI kinda enjoy getting all I need in the way of food and accommodation at the lowest price--not too low, but just adequate.
Deletenothing in the world better than a hot shower on the road. The kind with indoor plumbing.
ReplyDeleteI have never had a shower without indoor plumbing. Am I missing something?
Delete