We're Back :-)

We're home at last --- or at least one of us. We no sooner hit the door and Suzer started packing for her 12 day backpacking hike thru the "High Sierras"

I'm in day three of "Really" missing her plus I quit smoking (again) so I may be totally nuts by her return.

Click on the link below for a few photos taken on the last leg from Iowa to Mesa Arizona
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http://billnsusan.com/ragbrai.htm

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RAGBRAI--Day 7 and beyond

I just noticed that my title to the last post mirrored the one before--oops! The last entry talked about days 5 and 6--our drive to Bellevue State Park, the end of the bike route. Saturday Bill drove me back to La Motte, the last pass through town before Bellevue about 15 miles away from the end. It was the easiest place to drop in without Bill having to cross the bike route during his drive. I waited and watched the early risers ride through town (one said he left at 4 am), before I began my last leg. I passed one rider worth noting--a man sporting a T-shirt saying he was a "1939 man on a 1941 Schwinn." Sure enough, his bike was an old beach cruiser with fenders. He proved that you don't need the latest in technology to participate in RAGBRAI.

Bill was waiting with camera in hand at the finish line to record the final part of the journey. It is a tradition to dip your front tire in the Mississippi at the end of the ride (having previously dipped the back tire in the Rock river at the start). Bill walked with me down the boat ramp and snapped pictures before we loaded the bike back on the Jeep and headed back to the state park. My mind was shifting gears already--find the hiking trails and start walking in the afternoon to get the body ready for the backpacking trip! The bike mileage total for RAGBRAI was 341 of the 477 possible miles, not bad for a first timer. First time riders are called RAGBRAI virgins and only now do I understand that no matter what you read or someone tells you about the event, until you experience it firsthand do you begin to comprehend it. I equate it to a hiker thinking they know how to backpack--cycling is not the same as bike touring. I have a lot to learn...but I am definitely going to do it again with a little more knowledge under my belt.

This morning we are in Guymon, Oklahoma--an overnight stop I can not recommend to anyone. It is flat, windy, hot and humid--but it is closer to our home in Mesa, where I hope to have a few days to unwind and hike before the next trip. We plan to zoom out of Oklahoma and pass through Texas today into New Mexico. Using Hwy 54, this is possible as we are crossing the panhandles of both states. We encountered a strong thunderstorm yesterday in SW Kansas and the forecast is for more rain ahead. Bill and I were stunned by the devastation in Greensburg, Kansas, the town which had been hit by a tornado in May or June of this year. It looks as if a bomb exploded and took away most of the town right along the highway. Debris is still piled up, but it looked as if some rebuilding was beginning to take place. After we passed through town only then did I realize I should have taken pictures so others could see this surreal site--sorry, I didn't think of that until too late...and we aren't planning on revisiting anytime soon.

RAGBRAI Days 3 & 4

My journey has deviated the last two days from the scheduled bike route as I was not feeling well Thursday leaving Cedar Falls. I don't know if I should blame the Philly cheesesteak sandwich bought from one of the vendors on Wednesday, or if the cumulative miles have taken a toll, but I needed help from my support team to get to Independence yesterday. I started out before 6 am as I had on the previous days toward Denver, Iowa, our first pass-through town eighteen miles away. I am cycling slow to allow the muscles and body a chance to warm up for the day's activity, and also because I don't seem to have a lot of energy. On previous days I would stop in the towns to stretch and have a snack to fuel up for the next segment of the ride. Usually a shot of GU or part of my PB & J will give me the kick needed to get up and go, but Thursday I never felt any surge of energy--just the opposite as I felt my energy waning as I pedaled to the halfway point of the day's ride--Dunkerton, Iowa. As I debated about calling Bill and asking for a pick up he was calling me to let me know our campsite location for the night. I let him know I had to stop after 34 miles and asked him to pick me up. Poor Bill, thinking I would only ask for help if I were seriously injured or dying, broke nearly every speed limit to get there. Rural Iowa cell phone connectivity can be very poor and our attempts to communicate via phone were going nowhere. I thought the reception would be better if I climbed to the top of the hill--ironically exactly where Bill was parked. We connected and he whisked me away via Hwy 20 to Independence. Bill kept offering to buy me ice cream at the DQ next door to help cheer me up--it did not sound good to me at all...even the cappucino Heath bar blizzard. That proved to me that I definitely wasn't myself!

Last night the emergency vehicles came around on their speakers and talked about severe weather coming and letting us know where the evacuation area was. Bill and I worked up numerous scenarios for today if I rode, but needed support team help; if I rode all the way to Dyersville; and if I did not ride at all. Our plan for the evening was to camp at the end of the line--Bellevue, as we had a site reserved for Friday and Saturday night (Iowa rule, both Friday and Saturday must be booked during the peak season.) We welcomed the thought of having electrical hook-up and escaping the large crowd for at least one night.

We awakened to threatening skies; I woke up as if I would be on the road before six, but in my heart of hearts I knew that not riding was the best option for the day. As we drove east and encountered rain, I was even happier with my decision--I must admit that I am a fair weather biker, riding in the rain when not feeling 100% was not something I wanted to do. So I helped Bill navigate our way here to Bellevue, possibly the best part of Iowa we have seen. The town and state park are located on the banks of the Mississippi with high bluffs allowing for marvelous scenic views of the river and valleys. I am looking at tomorrow's bike route and trying to figure out a way to join the ride without Bill having to drive 100 miles out of his way. It may just be a few ceremonial miles through town to the river, or I could go to the "meeting town" 40 miles out--either option is okay by me as I have learned that RAGBRAI is not about riding the entire route; each rider is here for different reasons. I came here to see Iowa; get in better shape; stretch myself; go on a multiple day bike tour; and at the end see if I wanted to do it all over again. And the answer is--yes, I would. Anyone out there care to join me?

More after the official end of RAGBRAI tomorrow. Bill and I are excited to head back to Phoenix and rest for a few days before heading out to California.

RAGBRAI--Days 3 & 4

Greetings from Cedar Falls, Iowa!

Day 3 (Humboldt to Hampton--71 miles)

I never thought I would ever get to a point where I had an easy 70 mile day, but with the terrain mostly flat and no head wind I made great time. I arrived to our campsite before noon, which I think surprised both Bill and me. At our stop in Humboldt we utilized our internet access by finding a state park just one mile west of Hampton. Bill's objective was to head directly there and call me if we got a spot--and we did. When he arrived there were no other RAGBRAI support teams, by the time I rolled in most of the park was filled with other groups who discovered the park. Electrical hook-up is gold during the heat and humidity!

The RAGBRAI event is a large city on the move with between 12,000 to 20,000 participating in any one day's activities. The amout of people crammed into a small county fairground is mind-boggling; I found out from another rider that several shuttle buses were packed to the rafters and passed him by as he waited one night for a ride back to the campground. Downtown businesses want you to visit so the town has a shuttle route; however, the bus is free to both the RAGBRAI community and the town as well since many of the streets are closed to traffic. For one week cyclists rule the roads here--state and county police stop traffic at intersections so riders don't have to stop.

As soon as I arrived at Beeds Lake State Park Bill and I got on the phone and called Mom to sing her our usual off-key, yet extremely heart-felt rendition of "Happy Birthday." She continues to inspire me to live each day to the fullest much as she is doing.

Day 4 (Hampton to Cedar Falls--68 miles)

The hills have arrived. None were too steep, but the number was much higher today than on all of the previous three days. I switched bikes to the Raleigh to see if the different saddle would help (it did), and having the low mountain gears made the hills much easier to handle. It felt much warmer on the ride today--no overcast skies to greet us in the morning. I stopped at each town on the route for shade and to stretch--my back was tight and I kept trying to stretch out the hip flexors as much as possible. It seemed to help get me to the next town until finally I saw Billy standing on the corner at the end of the ride. He has been a great motivator for me this week, especially on slow moving mornings like today. He kept me on task and moved me on my way so I would be on the road by 6 am.

Three more days left--the legs are getting stronger each day and should be in awesome shape for backpacking next month. Rain is in the forecast for Friday--hopefully it will be an afternoon or evening shower and allow me to continue to ride in good weather conditions.

RAGBRAI--Days 1 & 2

Greetings from Humboldt, Iowa--152 bicycle miles from Rock Rapids! Let me break down my thoughts for each of the first two days as well as share Bill's separate excursion via the support team route.

Day One--Rock Rapids to Spencer (75 miles)

I left the campground about 6:20 am after Bill asked me to wait while he ran up to the street so he could capture the first mile on digital image. Lots of other riders had the same idea to start quickly and there were a load of bicycles four wide for the first 5-10 miles. Everyone had fresh legs and were eager to ride. The pack started separating itself at the first town we passed through, George, Iowa which had the pancakes and waffles ready for hungry riders. By passing the food stands I was able to leave many behind. Sunday I stopped at all five pass-through towns to eat the food in my pack (PB & J, Power Bar, fig newtons) as well as stretch as much as possible. I had no idea what to expect in these towns, but figured out quickly that riding was not always the safest option--often one had to walk past the food stands, the water stations and the outhouses. Here they are called Kybos...though I am not sure why.

We had a bit of a head wind whenever we headed south (the route primarily went southeast), but otherwise the weather was great for riding with overcast skies for the first four hours of the ride. My body was not telling me to stop riding until I hit the fifth hour of the ride around mile 60. That has typically been when I ended my training rides--but Sunday's ride was 75 miles total--more than on any other bike ride for me. I was happy to see the Clay County Fairgrounds sometime after 1 pm. I called Bill on the cell phone to find the location of our "home" for the evening and finally found him and the motorhome. He had only just arrived some fifteen minutes prior to me as he was stuck in support wagon traffic for miles. I quickly understood the huge advantage having a motorhome would be for me as I walked passed a shower line for those paying for one. Other bike groups have the solar shower bags and a privacy tent set aside for their members. The other "perk" was the cold air which greeted me when I opened the door. As the weather grew more humid by the hour, it was definitely needed.

Day Two--Spencer to Humboldt (77 miles)

Cold, threatening skies greeted me when I hit the road at 5:50 am. We watched other riders hitting the road as early as 4:30 a.m. in an attempt to beat the heat of the day. I packed my jacket as I did not know how the day would unfold. I took the first hour at a nice, easy pace to allow my muscles a chance to warm up. Today's route included nine pass-through towns and I did not plan at stopping at each one unless the body said stop. I was feeling pretty good on the bike with sitting on the saddle the only complaint after the first day on the route.

By the time I hit the half-way town, Laurens, Iowa, the sun had won the battle and no rain would be interrupting the ride. Outside of town there was a loop option to extend today's ride to 100 miles--I opted not to extend the day beyond the scheduled 77 miles. The wind from the south today was much stronger than yesterday and really had everyone drained. I heard someone say--"Oh boy, we get to turn into the wind again...yipee!" You had to have a sense of humor about it if you were to make it to the end of the ride.

When I finally arrived after seven hours of riding time on the bike, I was happy to climb off the bike. Actually, my body is feeling better today than yesterday and my energy level is pretty strong. It is the sitting on the seat which is the hardest part of this ride for me (guess what I'll be trying and buying when I return--a new seat!) We have electrical hook-up here in the fairgrounds which makes it quite nice for sleeping. Bill's drive today was still long (3 hours), but he had enough extra time to get our laundry done in town before I arrived back.

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http://billnsusan.com/ragbrai.htm

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Rock Rapids --- Ride Tomorrow :-)

Day 0 of Ragbrai—All of the pre-ride hype, entertainment, alcohol and food is on tap for the day. A large bike expo will be set up at the high school with cycling apparel, bike accessories, and long ride nutrition supplements. I looked at the menu of the food being offered by the first ride-though town—breakfast burritos, pancakes, and biscuits & gravy. Lord help the soul who eats at every town! I will possibly buy a brownie near the end of the ride if I run out of my PB & J, Clif bar, fig newtons, and GU stash which I will be carrying. I plan on taking the Camelbak so I will have tons of ice-cold water throughout the day as well as a bottle of Gatorade.

The town is slowly being shut down to auto traffic with side streets being blocked near the “beverage” garden and the main entertainment stage. They have bands scheduled until midnight. You won’t see Bill and I there, as my goal is to get out before 7 am as many days as my body will cooperate. Most of you know I am not a morning person by nature—I’ve had to adjust once I moved out to the desert.

Bill and I are ready for this stage of the adventure to begin as we have been hearing all of the hype and stories for over a week now. We have enjoyed the peace and quiet of Rock Rapids since Tuesday; I hope to be able to embrace the crowds and all of the energy they will provide beginning today.

Rock Rapids, Iowa

Bill and I have a campsite in Rock Rapids as we get to know our way around (it took about ten minutes to get the entire city tour) and snag a site with electric hook-up as we swelter in the Midwest humidity. I took my last long training ride today north into Minnesota (62 miles) and hope to get another short ride in tomorrow before shutting down until the ride starts on Sunday.

We are in such a remote location that our Verizon data access does not work so I am typing this in our favorite little cafe/antique store on Main Street. Lunch is on the way (good as I worked up an appetite!) before we venture next door for a haircut. Multi-tasking!!!

I'll try to get in another post or two before the ride as we await the flood of neighbors. We were warned that it will be a zoo and to be careful with our stuff--we plan to lock the bikes inside the motorhome with us the evening before the launch given the park staff member's warning.

Getting to know Iowa

We have been on the move quite a bit since I last posted--today we are in Lewis and Clark State Park on the Iowa/Nebraska border, south of where the bike ride will start next Sunday. As we have driven across the state we have met several people who have ridden in the event and let us know how much fun we would have; one even suggested that I would gain weight due to all of the food and alcohol after the ride. I sure hope at the end of 477 miles that is not true!

Bill and I met up with Mom and her husband John in Louisville on Saturday, July 7th and enjoyed a quick visit and lunch. It was nice to get a family visit while on the road though we have been fortunate to receive lots of emails and phone calls from friends and family along the way. It has been almost three months since we left Phoenix--so many locations that at some point it becomes a blur.

We drove west from the corn fields of SE Indiana through the miles of rows of corn in Illinois before reaching the #1 corn producing state in the US--Iowa. Did you know Iowa was #1 in corn, soybean, egg and pork? We met a chicken farmer from Guthrie Center, IA who has 5 million chickens laying eggs. While the cost of gasoline is on the rise I imagine I can buy a dozen eggs fairly cheap around here.

During my training rides here in Iowa I have discovered Quilt Barns--farm owners who have mounted a painted quilt square to the side of their barn. With so much green corn and soybean for miles it was quite a pleasant surprise to find in the middle of Iowa. I captured some with the camera which we will post in the next few days, but here is a website I found as well which will show you what can be found down these country farm roads across the Midwest: http://www.barnquilts.com/default.htm. I told Bill it may inspire me to try making a quilt--he laughed as I am not the most creative person he has met with a needle.

Yesterday we stumbled across a small Midwestern parade running down the street of nearby Onawa, Iowa. We stopped and rushed out to see the kids on the back of trucks throwing water balloons and tossing candy to the spectators. With the heat on the increase, the water balloons were accepted willingly by the crowd. Later we drove across the Missouri river into Nebraska for a quick stroll along the swiftly moving Missouri river. Hard to imagine Lewis and Clark exploring the area on a keelboat.

I hope to post each day during the ride so you can experience the fun (and a few aching muscles) of RAGBRAI.

SE Indiana

Hello all--

We are in Ripley County near the city of Batesville in Indiana. The change in the weather and the geography has been dramatic since leaving Alabama. Our campground is surounded by small farms, most of which have corn planted. As I was out bike riding this morning I thought this was truly a good warm up for Iowa--the roads and terrain will likely be very much the same. I've been learning all of the history of the area quickly and am trying to ride to some of the local highlights. Today's ride went through Milan, home of the 1954 state basketball team which inspired the movie "Hoosiers." Continuing down the road to Versailles, home to a recently renovated covered bridge which I rode across this morning. It was nice to ride through the small towns of this county--very small and historic towns founded in the 1850's.

On the drive north from Birmingham we stopped for one night in Franklin, Tennessee and met Amanda Burnett (BHS 62) for dinner. She recommended the restaurant J. Alexander, which is a chain primarily located here in the southeast. Good food and even better service--so stop by one if you ever see one. She told us some of the history of the area which is quickly growing--Franklin was another Civil War battlefields where the south took a beating. There is a confederate cemetery in town.

Tomorrow we will visit a nearby Libby tourist attraction--Mom! She is in Louisville for a convention with her husband, John. Bill and I will steal her away for a few hours tomorrow for lunch and a visit. The city is not as close as I once thought, but we'll have great scenery to look at. I really would like a chance to explore Columbus, Indiana which we drove through earlier this week. In the middle of a rural setting I was surprised to see modern architecture; which they link together via signs for a tour around town. If we have the time to explore...

Heading west into Iowa next week.
Susan

Top of the Mountain

Somehow the pictures of me on the highest points in Tennessee and Alabama pale in comparison with the picture taken at Kearsarge Pass (11,760 ft.)-- which inspires me to continue backpacking each summer as long as I am able. Bill and I drove to Cheaha State Park last week--to Mt. Cheaha, the highest point in the state. The view up at the top would have been nice on a clear day--but we were there on a hazy and humid day. An easy drive off I-20 if you are ever in the neighborhood!

Our fellow campers are departing here at Oak Mountain State Park--checkout time is 11 am. The park has this unusual 8 pm curfew when the gates are supposed to be locked--thankfully they were a bit tardy last night as we were a few minutes late following a nice BBQ dinner with Jerry Dailey and his wife Carolyn in Bessemer. Without breaking too many traffic laws we made it back to the comforts of the motorhome before the gates were locked.

Today we are packing up and cleaning the coach preparing for the drive up to Nashville. A few days there--and the Fourth of July holiday--before heading north to a 1000 Trails preserve near Louisville, Kentucky. Mom will be there next week and we hope to be able to meet up with her and her husband John during our travels. The preserve has a nine-hole golf course so I am hoping to work on my game. We played three rounds this week at Oak Mountain State Park--a nice course just down the road. In Tennessee I could not chip one at all--here, it was the best part of my game. At some point I hope to put it all together and have a memorable round of golf! Maybe when we get back to Phoenix and we are playing a round with brother Bob at Viewpoint!

More Later...

Susan

Alabama

The Bessemer High School alum has made it back to see the old stomping grounds! Finally I am seeing all of the places behind the stories I have heard for years; and at the same time Bill can see how much the place has changed. We arrived Friday at Oak Mountain State Park in Pelham, Alabama just south of Birmingham. This is very convenient for quick access to Bessemer and other areas in the region we want to explore. Bill and I drove around a bit on Saturday to explore his past and to visit the gravesites of his mother and step-father. Bill could not exactly remember where it was but we found the cemetery on Hwy 150 (the road into Bessemer). As Bill recalled there was nothing out there in 1962--now it is near a major mall and directly across the street from a couple of auto dealers. We found that to be a bit ironic as Bill's grandfather owned a car dealership for years.

I finally have a place to ride my bike for miles on end without worry of any encounters with dogs! This state park has almost 10,000 acres of land many of which are mountain bike/hiking trails as well as bike lanes on all of the roadways. I rode for 35 miles today and still did not access the part of the park to the left of the camping area. I am getting a lot of hill work in so I should be prepared for most hills I encounter in Iowa.

This park also has an 18 hole golf course (is this the perfect place or what!)--which we played yesterday with Jerry Dailey (Bessemer HS class of 61). It is a nice golf course with very reasonable rates--so reasonable the three of us will be back at it tomorrow. Hopefully, with a little more course knowledge we can knock a few shots off of our scores.

We will be here for nearly one more week before moving back north into Tennessee. Less than a month until RAGBRAI so my job is to continue piling the miles on the road and conditioning my legs. It has been very hot and humid here so I feel I am preparing myself for some of the weather we are likely to encounter.

More Later...Susan

Tennessee

Hello all--here it is the last day of spring and Bill and I are in Hohenwald, Tennessee (one of the 1000 Trails preserves). Off the Natchez Trace parkway, our campsite is lakeside amid the green forest trees (thankfully not blocking the satellite TV feed). We arrived here yesterday from Harrison Bay State Park north of Chattanooga--where we played golf, explored the revitalized downtown area, and visited the Chickamauga/Chattanooga National Battlefield Park (humbling to see the number of men who died or were wounded in such a short amount of time). I had no idea that my Dad's father had been born in Chickamauga, Georgia until a recent phone call with Mom. It seemed appropriate that our visit was on Father's Day. My miles on the bike are increasing; I was riding every other day through Hamilton and Meigs counties between 45 and 60 miles each time out. Truthfully, I had not planned to ride 60 miles on Monday but three dogs were spotted down the road I wanted to take...and I choose the path of least resistance--retreat! It added another ten or so miles to my day.

The weather has been hot and sticky, and we haven't officially hit summer yet! Rain finally arrived yesterday to a drought strickened region. As we were travelling from one location to the next it did not bother us too much.

Bill and I are both a little road weary today--all of this green forest is beginning to look alike. Friday we are heading south down to Birmingham, Alabama to revisit more of Bill's past from his high school years at nearby Bessemer. The state park has another golf course we intend to play; hopefully my tee shot won't find the rear end of a deer as it did at Bear Trace. Visions of Randy Johnson's pitch hitting (and killing) the bird were in my mind as the deer scampered away.

I understand from Bob that you are unable to respond to the blog--just know we can be reached via email as well at libby@dogsnbilly.com.

More later...Susan

Closer to Alabama

Well --- Suzer is "Out on the Bike" and I'm gettin' packed for the trip

tomorrow through Knoxville to a state park with a Golf Course :-)

Here's the link for some of the photos that were taken over the past

few days.

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http://billnsusan.com/loading.htm

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Later --- derLibbys :-)

North Carolina

Greetings from the western portion of the state of North Carolina, that little inset on your atlas which shows the corner of the state. We are staying in an RV park west of Asheville near Waynesville, NC along the Jonathan Creek. Haywood County is situated between the Blue Ridge and Smokey Mountains so most drives and bike rides involve going up and over hills to the next valley.

The two bikes needed some attention after weeks of exposure to the elements; I could not even get the road bike to shift into gear. Ron at Waynesville Bicycle Company seemed to identify immediately that the shifter had locked up as we had not penetrated the cable with lubrication as was needed. We left the bikes in his hands for an hour as we walked through the historic (lots of bricks Mom) downtown Waynesville in search of a haircut and something to drink. We found a barber who shortened our locks (a bit too much for Bill...but it will grow back) and a tavern on Main street who had a couple of cold cervezas waiting for us. One of the bikes was able to go home (and be ridden) while the other was left behind with some more extensive cable replacement needed.

Did I mention that their were hills in this neck of the woods? Oh my--the ride I took into the Pisgah National Forest kicked my butt! First, let me point out that the scenery is stunning. I was riding alongside a river for a third of my ride--past dairy farms on mountain roads with hardly a car in sight. The bike shop had directed me over here for roads with not much traffic. However, the ride was not without a few encounters with dogs who seemed intent to bite at my ankle on the downstroke. When I mentioned this at the bike shop today I was handed a can of pepper spray for use on rural roads; his own wife he explained, carries a gun when riding as the dogs can be menacing. Welcome to Appalachia!

Tomorrow we are heading to the Great Smokey National Park for a moment of hiking along the Appalachian Trail and lots of pictures we hope to post for all to enjoy. We are going to a nearby town of Hot Springs, NC on Saturday for a Bluegrass music festival. I hope to get into Asheville on Sunday or Monday to enjoy the city and see the Thomas Wolfe Memorial as well as get in a few more miles on the bike. I'll let you know in a few days how the weather cooperates for all of these plans as there is a chance of thunderstorms on the horizon.

Life's Little Surprises

Jack was my "Best Friend" in high school --- only to be separated by the fact that he was smart enuff to graduate from Georgia Tech and

I was smart enuff to go into the Submarine Service :-)

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This is Jack and Deedi --- married for about 40 years. We spent the day catching up on the past 45 years. They were really the highlight of our trip for me.

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We promised that it won't be another 45 years til

the next meeting.

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http://billnsusan.com/loading.htm

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South Carolina Lowcountry and Upcountry

The beach area outside of Beaufort is known as the lowcountry--our destination after Jacksonville. I had been able to book two nights at Hunting Island State Park south of Beaufort, one of the most popular state parks in South Carolina. Getting there was a chore as one of the bridges from Beaufort to our destination had been hit by a barge and unavailable for us to use. The cars were backed up for miles through the downtown area--not for the lack of a bridge but due to an accident miles down the road. The slow pace allowed us to get a good glimpse of the streets of Beaufort, a nice coastal city where much of the movie the Prince of Tides was filmed. This is author Pat Conroy country--the miles and miles of coastal marshes and wetlands; and the barrier islands which protect the mainland of South Carolina.

Hunting Island State Park was filled to the rafters with families who wanted to sunbathe at the beach all day. It seemed to be the primary activity of most of the guests--and the sunny weather was there to provide ample opportunity. As we drove into the park the road had tons of traffic and no shoulder--which meant no serious bike riding. I did a little exploring down to the end of Highway 21 and over the bridge to Fripp Island--a private island. I circled back and rode through the paths and roads of the state park--a blend of palm trees beside oaks with Spanish moss. There is a lighthouse on the island which has been relocated inland due to erosion of the beach--they lose ground each year to the storms.

Speaking of which we left that area just in time! The remnants of Tropical Storm Barry hit the coast with strong winds and 5 inches of rain Saturday while we were dry most of the day in the Upcountry town of Fair Play (four miles from the Georgia border). I explored the roads of Oconee county (they don't believe too much in building shoulders on any of their roads) to the historic town of Seneca. The county is primarily rolling dairy land like you find up in the Petaluma area of Sonoma county--though much greener. It was a simply beautiful ride. I feel I connect and remember the area much better when I am able to explore on my bike; the motorists were very friendly and I actually saw other cyclists on the road!

A few more days here and then we head north to the mountains of North Carolina. More later...

The Emerald Coast

We had heard from a client of Bill's that the beaches near Destin, Florida were among the best he had experienced. A search of the Florida state parks landed us next door in Santa Rosa Beach at the Topsail Hill State Preserve. What a find! The beaches are fine white sand next to the emerald green water at the shore. The dunes are protected so a quarter of a mile beach access ramp is provided for the visitors to use. The end of the ramp is lined with empty pairs of shoes as guests take them off and leave them behind when they walk to the shore. Even during the hottest time of the day the sand did not get as hot as I have experienced in California where wearing flip-flops are a must.

A 19 mile bike route weaves through the beach communities from Santa Rosa Beach to Rosemary Beach (just west of Panama City Beach). The salesman from the local bike shop let us know that a drive which we could make today in 8-10 minutes would take 45-50 minutes during the summer peak weekends as the thousands who park and stay on the forest side of the road cross with their families (with strollers, wagons and rolling ice chests) over to the beach. I was happy to have been there during the middle of the week and while school was in session so I could have most of the ride to myself.

Now we are in historic St. Augustine where I am recovering from a tight back (too much fast walking in the soft sand at Santa Rosa Beach). One more easy going day is prescribed before attempting too much! Bill tried to get me through the historic downtown walking district yesterday, but I just could not walk very fast (or upright). We went back to the coach and I took a muscle relaxer and a nap. I am hoping today will be better and the next even more so.

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http://billnsusan.com/loading.htm

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Au Revoir Acadiana (also known as Cajun country)

This is our last posting from Louisiana as we head out tomorrow morning for the beaches of northern Florida. As you can see from the picture we took the factory tour at the Tabasco pepper sauce plant at Avery Island. Aside from a few interesting facts we learned (the island has its own salt mine which it utilizes in the processing; and the casks in which the pepper pulp is fermented come from the Jack Daniels distillery, the tour was pretty short and uneventful. Bill had his favorite Cajun dish at the Tabasco country store where he sampled a bowl of crawfish etouffee.

Bicycling is an activity seldom seen around these parts. I spent the better part of the last two days on the roads in Terrebonne and Assumption parishes without seeing another bicycle rider. During my ride yesterday I spotted a little nine hole par-3 course less than five miles from here. I was shocked to see there was no charge for playing so Bill and I hit the course early today in the tiny community of Donner, Louisiana (try finding that on the map! It is right next to Chacahoula--an even smaller blip in southeastern Louisiana).

Though the weather has been quite marvelous the last few days both Bill and I are ready for a change. There are few opportunities for long walks here (I nearly stepped on a snake during a walk on a nearby nature trail), so I am looking forward to miles and miles of white sandy beaches at our next stop. We actually have the next ten days mapped out which helps now that schools are getting out and the holiday weekend is approaching. We will be at Topsail Hill State Park at Santa Rosa State Beach for three nights before driving to South Ponte Vedra Beach outside of Jacksonville. Internet access is unknown so we will post again when we can!

All for now...

Louisiana Bayou

Hello from deep in the Bayou country of Louisiana! Bill and I arrived Monday during a torrential rainstorm in Gibson, a tiny village outside Houma, Louisiana. The resort is called Hideaway Ponds so the RV fisherman can take his choice of the catfish, crawfish, or bass lake. One lake has an alligator and an alligator gar (whatever that creature is)--the owners here seem proud they roam the waters. Ironically, this is the pond designated for the kids to go paddleboating. I have not seen anyone on the water yet; but that could change when school lets out for the summer.

We drove down to Grand Isle earlier today--the end of the road for Hwy 1. The destruction from the hurricane can still be seen here as some sites have been abandoned, while neighbors have cleaned up their sites and made the necessary repairs. Tomorrow we head for Avery Island (the home of Tabasco) and see how Billy's favorite brew is made.

We have been searching the roads for good biking lanes (few and far between) but hope to get out Friday and this weekend when the weather should clear. The wildflowers by the side of the road are still lingering for a few final weeks; I was told that March is the best time to catch them in their glory. We plan to head into the French Quarter on Saturday to be tourists in New Orleans--I have been enjoying spending most of the time outside of the big cities. We have both noticed that the pace of life is a little different down here; the Cajun cooking takes a little longer for the order of red beans and rice or gumbo to appear, but the quality of the food is well worth the wait. Friday our favorite little restaurant outside of Houma (Bayou Delight) has live music so we plan to go again for the food and entertainment.

Silsbee, Texas was a blast as I met Bill's cousin Alice and her husband Donald Seal. They own an RV park (Mill Creek RV Park) where we stayed for three nights. Donald is the king of Texas BBQ and treated us to a meal of ribs, tenderloin and sausages smoked outside for hours. Bill and I were polite (ha, ha) and sampled all three! It was quite an evening down memory lane for Bill as we dined in the house he lived as a young boy.

Next Stop Silsbee TEXAS

Last night we finally got the thunderstorm which had been "possible" for each of the last five days. Susan was out exploring the roads north of Conroe yesterday--once again the distances between junctions seem a bit further in reality than they do on the map. 55 miles later she rolled back into camp--tired and ready for some ice cold cervezas!

Catch you all later as we continue our journey to the east...

der Libbys

Closer to Alabama :-)

We have been on the move for the last week. We left the hill country outside of San Antonio for the beaches of the Corpus Christi area. Our state park guide lead us to Mustang Island which is just north of Padre Island. We stayed only one night at the state park as our goal was to camp directly on the beach as we were able to do ten miles north in Port Aransas. What a deal--for ten dollars you get an annual pass to park and camp on the beach! Our pass is clearly displayed if we ever get back to this area in 2007!

From there we went to Brazos Bend State Park which our guide stated was one of the top state parks in the US. Miles of trails for hiking and biking along trees draped in Spanish moss--with alligators lurking next to the trails in the water. I did not expect to see any alligators at this point of the trip--I figured we would see them closer to Florida.

A quick trip to Stephen F. Austin park allowed us our first round of golf on the road before driving through Houston to Conroe, Texas. This is home base for a few days as we do laundry and catch up on e-mails. Today we head for Billy's stomping grounds of Silsbee and the Big Thicket. More later....

PS Too much time for uploading photos to the bloggggg --- so click on this link for more :-)

http://billnsusan.com/loading.htm

Later --- BillnSusan

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Off to the BEACH !!!!

Nuff of the Ducks and Deer :-)

We're off to see the "Big Fish" at Mustang Island State Park.

til later --- derLibbys

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WE LOVE TEXAS :-)

At last we had Mesa Arizona in our rear view mirror heading east toward Texas. The first shocker occurred at the Triple T Truck Terminal in Tucson --- We stopped to top off our fuel. We wanted to keep records of the fuel costs so I yelled to Suzer “Eighty-five point five” She said “You mean eighty-five dollars and fifty cents” I said “No – eighty-five gallons --- almost $300.oo” J

We exited I10 at Deming searching for the famous “Rockhound State Park”. I stopped to
Ask directions – the old guy said “You’re about two and a hair from the Park” That meant a little over two miles. Well --- the rocks were ugly and the wind --- it didn’t blow --- it sucked and no internet.

Next was a nice drive into a 40 knot wind into Balmorhea State Park, Texas. Balmorhea has the largest “Spring Fed Swimming Pool” in the world ---- ugly rocks and no internet.

The beauty of Big Bend National Park was a surprise after miles and miles of barren nothing east of Tucson. Susan had a chance to explore the roads around the Rio Grande Village Campground on bike, while I did my bit for international gift exchange by hitting a golf ball across the Rio Grande river into Mexico.

So here we are in the hill country outside of San Antonio, Texas—Bandera County, northwest of the city. Distances here are much farther than they seem as Susan discovered on her first bike ride Saturday. She left Medina Lake (our home for now) and headed down the road for a short little loop ride. She returned nearly fifty miles later utterly exhausted as most of the ride was into the wind and (as it always seemed) uphill.

Today, April 29th (Katie Miller’s 17th birthday—Happy Birthday to our niece) is a sightseeing day in town. Suzer’s legs are thankful, as they need a day to recover before exploring more roads tomorrow. We plan to visit the Alamo and the River walk area of San Antonio; pick up a Sunday paper for Suzer to read; and dodge the impending thunderstorms on the horizon.

Later --- derLibbys

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I think it's Tomorrow

Suzer's out on the bike --- She left a page or two for me to "Post"


but can't read the writing ---here's a link to some of the Great Photos


taken by "The Worlds Greatest Snapper"





This is Billy hitting a golf ball all the across the Rio Grande :-)

Here's the link for a few more Great Photos

http://billnsusan.com/loading.htm

Later --- BillnSusan

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FINALLY !!!!

We have finally landed in a spot with internet access :-)

Medina Lake --- near San Antonio Texas. Much more with great photos
of the trip so far tomorrow.

BillnSusan

"The Day of Departure"

Well --- it's dawn and CC is almost loaded (wish I were) with two
of everything in the world. And of course we have no idea where
either one of the two items are.

With a little luck and favorable winds we should be at Rockhound
State Park by this evening. Hopefully we can publish some photos
of "The Most Boring Park" in the nation :-)

Later ---

Sweet!!!!

Well Sue,
Congratulations to you for being free from the grind. I'm envious, especially after returning from Spring Break to my "humdinger" as a colleague calls him. Have a good trip out to New Mexico.
---"Annabelle" and crew in Camarillo

Gettin' Closer

Simple Update ---

Today, Friday 13th, our “Lucky Day”, is also Susan’s Last Day :-)

We are so excited that a “Good Nites Sleep” is tuff.

Susan is anxious to see every state and national park in the nation,
Seeing the “South” where I almost grew up, and of course, the “Bike
Ride across Iowa”.

Me --- I’m just excited to be with Susan all day --- everyday.
It’ll be great to see Alabama again --- haven’t been back since 1962.
I maintain our high school website (BessemerHigh.com) so remembering
how great growing up in that era was is easy. Reading the comments
of my classmates "Kinda Makes ya Homesick"

Susan wants 4-5 days for biking in the warm weather so we should be
Departing for “Rockhound State Park" Friday or Saturday.

Later

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Loading This Crazy Thing (CC is Her NAME)

Well --- With only a few more days until Suzer is FREE from the ole 9-5

we're really busy trying to figure out how to pack 2000#s of "Stuff" into

an area that holds 500#s.

Suzer is the organizer,manager and derBoss :-)

Few more days and we're "Out of Here" !!!!

Our "First Stop" is Rockhound State Park in New Mexico. Our travel

guide indicates that this park is the "Most Boring Place In New Mexico"

Sounds like our kind-of-place ----- :-)

We really miss All of You and in time (if CC don't break-down)

we'll "See Ya Soon"

derLibbys

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Did you get this Sue and Bill???

I just signed up for some type of blog, but really don't know if it works. Let me know....

Second Time

We still don't know if this stupid thing will do what we think ---- however since
we're at home for another week or so we have time to play with derBlogg

The First

This whole deal is Susan's idea --- Oh Well

"Things We Do For Luv"