First 40 miles along the coast today. Warm and sunny with a torrid headwind. Today is going to be a battle. Good straight but busy road, smooth shoulder. That’s all I’m likely to be looking at for a good few hours. Concentrating on keeping the bike nice and straight in these blustery conditions. Only thing I’ve noticed apart from the houses adorning the white sandy beaches, is the Bald eagles circling above.
Thirty or so miles in a dog comes from nowhere and is chasing me up the road. One loud command and it backs off. Didn’t need that against this wind. Shite it’s back and to close for comfort, crank up and yell again and it stops. For the next mile or two I’m convinced it will return.
Turning inland I get a bit of a respite from the wind. Pull over at a gas station and buy water and make an emergency dash for the toilet. Not as clean as anything in Japan, but fine when your in a hurry.
Make a call to book a room in Bristol, only one place in that area available. Nice young lady takes my details. Then says you need to be here by 4 or we’ll re-let the room, as she puts the phone down. Now I've done slightly less than 50 miles in 5 hrs, 50 miles to go in less than 4?.
Still the wind is slightly better. 15 miles in less than an hour, road turns in my favour again. 10 miles and I’ll turn back into the wind. 2 hrs to get there and 25 miles, not to much of a task. If I wasn’t already 75 into my day.
Either I’m stronger or the winds died down but the miles are ticking down nicely. Even have chance to snap the storm ravaged forest and the Apalachicola river.
As I cross the river a sign says you are now on Eastern standard time. All my effort in vain. The clocks have gone forward an hour, not happy.
Last couple of miles and I’m totally spent, left nothing out there today. Arrive half an hour late. (their time)
Pull up at the motel counter and alls well. Got my room for the night and a small local restaurant close by. Grilled Pork chops, veg and potatoes. Not great but good.