Plain Jane Plain Talk
Journals from the road, trails and at sea
Category: East Coast Greenway WAY Tour
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Before hoisting one barely flexible leg over the bike for a final day of cycling — 48 miles to Key West — the first mission was to sample fresh coconut from a nearby palm. We scanned the premises for security cameras and finding none rearranged the hotel furniture along the beach under the palm to…
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The skies were dark with rain falling so hard that puddles grew into ponds and yet no one complained about cycling for hours in a downpour. With 5 days of riding inside a toaster oven, the cool rains were divine. We stopped multiple times — to wipe off sunscreen that wasn’t actually needed but was…
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Cycling on tired legs and tired minds we made 3 U-turns on the same street in Miami South Beach during rush hour before figuring out that the ocean was to our left. From there, we navigated along a multi-use trail shared with walkers, joggers and skaters and took in the sights of beach volleyball and…
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The East Coast Greenway staff noted that we may experience some busy roadways, narrow-to-no shoulders, disappearing bike lanes and being that we made it this far no one seemed to mind. Wheels down and a few stops to double check que sheets or GPS maps we arrived at our first drawbridge crossing out of Delray. …
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After a brief early meet to discuss the 70 mile cycling day ahead, our group of 40 riders learned that we would enjoy one section of shade, plenty of bike lanes and even wide shoulders depending on your definition of wide. The collective sounds of clipping shoes to pedals, GPS devices alerting turn signals and…
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Bike headlamps blinking white…check Rear lights blinking red…check Phones charged…check Snacks stuffed in pockets….check Sunscreen slathered…check Worries about lack of preparation for 70 miles of riding…check Worries about a lack of tailwind….check And that was all it took for 40 riders to roll out beginning around oh eight hundred and kick those worries goodbye. It…
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Our group of 40 bicycle riders arrived in Titusville, Florida for what we have come to know as a family reunion. Familiar faces from many years of riding together and a few new riding pals were preparing for the final leg of an adventure that began 9 years ago in Maine for some and will…
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We checked for frost — didn’t see any — then looked for ice – didnt see any of that either, so before we loaded suitcases onto the baggage truck, we reopened luggage and rummaged for more clothes. Socks became gloves, neckwear became hats, multiple layers of thin tees kept the core warm with proper thinking,…
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We departed St. Augustine on a leisurely pace, taking in the rich history of this city dubbed the oldest city in America. Taking extra care on the cobblestones, we weaved into a park square with cannons dating back to the 1500’s, and Christmas trees installed that morning, creating one more photo opportunity.
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We departed the hotel at 7:15am sharp, and rode a brisk 6 miles to the quaint historic town of St. Mary’s, Georgia. We saw more egrets, pelicans, places designated as bird sanctuaries and not one coffee shop open for business. Patience is a practice, and there is always Fernandina Beach.
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The heat and humidity are back. After two days of rides that felt as if we had made a detour to New England, today’s temperatures allowed us return to shorts and tee shirts. We departed Jeckyl Island in one large group, and many of us spent the next six miles mesmerized by the marshland views…
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Good news made an appearance to our day starting at mile 0, when the predicted rains took a detour from our 54 mile route to Darien, Georgia. The temperatures were in the 40s and no one much minded because after 30 minutes in heavy traffic on a 4 lane highway, we veered off on rural…
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The lobby of the Fairfield Inn in Savannah, Georgia filled with 40 cyclists wearing high visibility orange, yellow and green clothing, and bicycles tricked out with the latest blinkies. The riders were anxious to begin the first leg of this WAY tour (Week-a-Year) from Savannah to Hinesville. While the final destination is set for Titusville,…
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Nearly a month after riding bicycles — through bouts of thigh-high ponding water, pouring rains, skinny shoulders, rumble-tumble-strips, the occasional trail, sand domes and fire ants, steamy temperatures, crossing busy highways, pelotons and caravans, dead armadillos, live alligators, bearded goats standing-on-sheds, getting lost, getting found, southern hospitality, hot towels and fresh cookies, high-octane metabolisms, daily…
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The complimentary breakfast at our Beaufort hotel buzzed with cyclists half-woke, half-dressed wearing a pungent o-dear that was reminiscent of yesterday’ ride, walking straight toward the make-it-yourself waffle iron, the trays of english muffins and miniatures dollops of peanut butter where peanuts were the last of a 12-ingredient list that began with the words ‘corn…
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We departed downtown Charleston, with our morning ritual perfected. Drag luggage and bicycle to hotel lobby and park at the first open space making sure the other hotel guests had no access to the exits. Load water-logged (from sweat / humidity) luggage onto the U-Haul truck. Consume a Kind bar for breakfast. The same…
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The morning ritual begins. Rummage through your bag looking for dry shoes and dry clothes. Wonder why all your clothes are wet, and realize the wet ones fused with the dry collection. Do the sniff test. Everything smells gamey. Open the hotel door to check the outside temperature, and watch the humid steamy air roll…
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After a long conversation with an Ocean Isle Beach native working the meat department at the town grocery, he assured me that not only are alligators good eating and taste like chicken, but they get ’em fresh from Georgia, which from my calculation was two states away. Me: Will they chase us on bicycles? The…
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Whaaat? You’re doing what? We are East Coast Greenway. Riding our bikes one week a year, to cover a segment of miles from Maine to Key West, FL – and this year, Wilmington NC to Savannah GA. Riding the congested east coast, as pioneers, bringing visibility to what roadways need to be more bike-friendly…
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Day 4: Bicycling from Elizabethtown, NC to Moores Creek National Battlefield 40ish miles — and bonus points for headwinds The fourth and final day of our East Coast Greenway WAY (Week-A-Year) tour, cut short due to Hurricane Matthew began at the Corner Cafe in the heart of Elizabethtown. A cafe that is open “All Day”…
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Day 3: Bicycling from Fayetteville, NC to Elizabethtown, NC 43ish miles — and who’s really counting when there’s so much to see? The third day of the East Coast Greenway WAY (Week-A-Year) tour began with breakfasts piled high with ham and bacon and a side of bacon fat with fresh steamed or raw vegetables a…
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Day 2: Bicycling from Smithfield, NC to Fayetteville, NC 70ish miles — and who invited Hurricane Matthew to the Carolina coast? The second day of the East Coast Greenway WAY (Week-A-Year) tour began with new routines and new grooves setting in. The pre-ride routine included two trips (maybe more) to drag your luggage and bicycle…
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Day 1: Bicycling from Raleigh, NC to Smithfield, NC 42.5ish miles — or more depending on bonus miles & wrong turns The first day of the East Coast Greenway WAY (Week-A-Year) tour began in downtown Raleigh with nearly 40 cyclists jones’n to get on their bicycle legs. Many drove double-digit hour-long car rides, tipping…
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Day 6: Sometimes the challenge-du-jour appears where you least expect. Navigating the hotel elevator: By 8:30AM, I would need two trips down the elevator from my 2nd floor hotel room, to get my luggage to the luggage truck (trip #1), and my bicycle to the outdoor world (trip #2). Trip #1 was easy. My luggage…
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Day 5: Our departure from Clarksville VA at 7:45AM was greeted by warmer temperatures and a bittersweet taste of excitement for what would unfold — and the realization that our cycling tour is closing in on the finish line. Including today’s ride — we have 2 days of riding before our ECG WAY Tour 2015 …
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Day 4: Our route from South Hill to Clarksville Virginia was designed to reveal gems tucked away in rural Virginia. And we were not disappointed! Departing at 8:30AM, our pack of 4 riders stayed tight as we maneuvered through major highway interchanges and busy traffic in downtown South Hill. All of that changed after 20…
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Day 3: Our East Coast Greenway WAY bicycle tour made the upper fold of the local newspaper! We had a long ride waiting for us today – 72 miles from South Petersburg to South Hill Virginia. Greeted with cool temperatures (50 degrees) and sunny skies, the stars are aligned for an perfect ride. We departed…
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Day 2: …was one of the highlights of today’s cycling ride – from Richmond to somewhere south of Petersburg, Virginia. Whatever ‘hit’ was lacking in my wake-up routine, was made up for in the adrenaline that helped to cross the mighty James River in Richmond. After days and days of rain courtesy of Hurricane Jo’…
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Day 1: With lots of hope for good weather, our 36 person group of East Coast Greenway cyclists, departed Fredericksburg at 7:30AM in pouring rain. Today’s destination was Richmond VA – 70 planned miles. Note the word ‘planned’. The good news about the weather – is that Hurricane Joaquin brought us a wonderful tail wind. …
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Sunday October 4, I’ll join up with 35 other cyclists from various states, to bicycle 325-miles from Fredericksburg VA to Raleigh NC. The ride is part of the Week A Year Tour in support of the East Coast Greenway (ECG), a 2,900-mile trail route that stretches from the Canadian border at Calais, Maine, to Key…
Plain Jane Plain Talk 