Yesterday, on the way to the hotel, I had passed a Waffle House. Since I'm still having visions of the breakfast I had in Jackson I decided to stop and have a hearty breakfast there this morning.
To get back on the ACA route I would have had to ride back in the direction I came, so instead I opted to slip onto 90, thereby saving a few miles. Bikers REALLY hate to go backwards. Also, getting on 90 instead of the ACA route will cut an additional ten miles off. Fortunately, the road was excellent, with a good, smooth shoulder and little traffic.
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| From mark on a bike 08 3 |
I thought I might stop in Crestview for lunch, but was making such good time that I decided to keep going.
Just east of Crestview I met Joe and Robin, two bikers going from Florida to San Diego. They're originally from Ireland, and have the strong accent to prove it, but currently they're living in Chicago. Like Ari and Erin, they're riding for a cause, Juvenile Diabetes.
We only chatted briefly, and mainly about the route. They're considering getting off the ACA route and traveling along the coast to New Orleans. I talked to Klaus yesterday, and since he pedaled down to New Orleans to visit the city, I gave them his email address for more information about the route in case they decide to go that way.
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| From mark on a bike 08 3 |
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| From mark on a bike 08 3 |
Today is the first day in which I've had a tailwind AND good weather. The skies are clear, and the temperature is in the low 70s. My average shows it.
Here's a town EVERYbody wants to live in.
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| From mark on a bike 08 3 |
My stopping point for the day is DeFuniak Springs. I was too early to check into the hotel, so I went to a place recommended by the woman at the hotel desk, H & M Hot Dog.
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| From mark on a bike 08 3 |
Walking into the place, I felt like I had stepped back into time by fifty years. For the first five minutes there was no place to sit. The counter, which is the only place to sit in the narrow building, has about ten seats.
You watch the short order cook as he fixes your meal. He's lightning fast, and doing ten things at once. The cashier said they cook about fifty pounds of hamburgers a day, but hot dogs are their real specialty.
A quick picture of the cook.
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| From mark on a bike 08 3 |
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| From mark on a bike 08 3 |
When I was there at 2:45 it was really busy. The cashier said that it was actually slow for them.
There aren't many complaints about the place.
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| From mark on a bike 08 3 |
Back at the hotel I checked in, showered, and blogged until time to eat again.
For dinner I went downstairs to eat at Bogey's. As I was being directed to my table I passed three people, two of whom looked familiar. I did a double take and realized I'd met them before - in Salome, Arizona... Susan and Hewes Agnew. Paul, the guy who had been sick, was also with them. It was kind of weird to meet them again after so long.
They invited me to join them so I sat down and we did some catching up.
We had a leisurely dinner together and, as the live music played and the octogenarians danced, we swapped stories of the road... where we've been staying, things that've happened to us.
I learned that the campground in Vancleave where I would've stayed if Jim hadn't picked me up was the worst one during the entire trip for them. I, in turn, shared my experiences about the Bamboo Motel in Mamou. Instead of pedaling across West Texas, they rented a car in El Paso and drove to Del Rio, skipping that entire section. I let them know how much fun they could've had picking pieces of West Texas out of their tires. Paul has been having some fun asking people who they voted for, and why. He's received some interesting "why" answers.
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| From mark on a bike 08 3 |
Today has been a rest day for them. They arrived in DeFuniak Springs yesterday, and will be leaving in the morning.
I've been riding for six days, and I feel reslly fresh. After my ride yesterday I felt like I could've gone another sixty miles, even in the rain. Today, after riding almost that far I feel like I could ride forever.
I think I'll take tomorrow off.
58.19 miles
15.1 mph average speed (only with a tailwind!)
27.9 maximum
3:50:40 time
2420.8 total
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