http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Finding-lost-Time/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Finding lost Time en-us Tue, 22 Dec 2009 23:35:19 +0000 Tue, 22 Dec 2009 23:35:19 +0000 Dec 05. The final leg of the journey has arrived and really all I am going to do is cycle 32 miles along perfectly flat roads there should have been some great climb at the end of the route followed by a glorious 10 mile hairraising descent to the ocean but its not the destination its the journey eh.The weather is very kind another brisk but sunny morning and I'm away from Palatka by 8.30am th http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Florida/blog-352590.html Dec 4 Its the penultimate day of the trip and again a great day for cycling the warmer temperatures make for a very pleasant ride along the traffic free Gainsville Hawthorne tail which has a canopy of golden autumnal foliage. In Hawthorne I stray once again from the ACA route and take the 20 through Interlachen to Palatka on the banks of the St Johns River. In order to have a shorter journey tomo http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Florida/blog-352239.html Dec 3. Its far too cold to get an early start I dont even venture out of the tent till after 8am by which time the first rays of the sun are banishing the frost by 10.30 its warm enough to cycle under a fleece. Todays journey is along pleasant though busy roads passing through High Springs and Alachua. Gainsville the home of 'The Gators' football team and Florida University which beat the Tal http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Florida/blog-352081.html Dec 2. A big day like yesterday ensures a great nights sleep. Today I will take it a bit easier and set my sights on some campsites around the Itchetucknee Springs State Park its sunny again but the forecast is for a sharp frost in this area. I dont mind the cold so long as it does'nt rain while I'm camping. The sun may be shinning but temperatures remain in single figures celsius so I have to http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Florida/blog-351851.html Dec 1st. I have only about 250 to 300 miles to cover to reach the Atlantic depending on which route I take and I had hoped to get into St Augustine by Friday the 5th. These plans were hatched before the enforced three day lay over in Tallahassee. I am positively bursting to get back on the bike after doing little cycling over the weekend so I am pleased to see the sun is shining today and as a bon http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Florida/blog-351841.html Nov 30 Its still too wet to travel and I debate the possibilities at length before deciding that it is just not worth it to get soaked and miserable better to hole up here for another day and do a long day tomorrow.Its St. Andrews day. http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Florida/blog-351067.html Nov 29 The big game is upon us here in Tallahassee the fervor is very remeniscent of European football passions on the radio people talk of their childhood memories of the post thanksgiving game being the highlight of their year. I venture out at 10.00am some 5 hours before the game to get my spoke fixed and am confronted with 'tailgaters' on every available parking space and patch of land withi http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Florida/blog-351062.html Nov 28. Too wet to travel today and its the eve of the BIG game Florida v Florida State or the 'Gatores v Seminoles' . This is the biggest college football game of the year here in Tallahassee. There are two big college towns in Florida the one I'm in which is the home of Florida State University the Seminoles being their team and Gainsville some 150 miles east of here which is the home of Flor http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Florida/blog-351055.html Nov 27 Thanksgiving day Thanks to the change of time zone I'm am not awake till 8.00am though for me it is still really 7.00am. My first impression of thanksgiving is a procession of hunters many with kids turning up at the garage in camouflage while I'm having my coffee and danish. I have seen many posters advertising turkey shoots so there could be some synergy there if dad and the kids go ou http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Florida/blog-349696.html Nov 26 I aim to be in Tallahassee by the time the rain comes again on Friday and the only viable camping area between here and there is in Chattahoochee on the banks of Lake Seminole and the Apalachecola river. Its a short journey so there is no need to set off early. If they were not closed on Tuesday and Wednesday I would have visited Florida Caverns State Park. The journey today is through thic http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Florida/blog-349384.html DeFuniak to Marianna 60 milesNov 25 Its a fine day for cycling once again and I dont have any rain to outrun so I decide to go for an equally long distance but take it easy. The rain was very kind to fall overnight and not deprive me of any time on the road. I take a little time in the morning to cycle round Defuniak which is one of the most picturesque little towns I have stayed in. There are tow http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Florida/blog-349228.html Nov 24 Up bright and early today and the tent is packed away by 8.00am Its a brisk morning and after the lack of distance covered the last couple of days I am eager to get under way as soon as I can there is also a front coming in bringing heavy rain forecast for about midday I'd like to cover as much distance as possible before this hits. I have to stop at the local garage and have my 20 oz c http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Florida/blog-349223.html nov 23 .Sunday is a good day to cycle through Pensacola since there is little traffic. A bright sunny day with light winds make it very pleasant for me yet I find it difficult to get into the spirit of it. I have the option to do 32 miles or 54 miles and after making loads of stops to adjust everything on the bike and everythig I'm wearing I decide that in order to maintain good humour it would b http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Florida/blog-348656.html Nov 22 It is Saturday in Pensacola there is a museum of naval aviation here which I was thinking of visiting but after doing the laundry and one thing and another I just cant be bothered. Pensacola is a nice enough place but after ten days cycling I really just want to rest so nothing much to report today. No pictures today. http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Florida/blog-348635.html Nov 21 Its a freezing cold start again today and its quite a chore to get out of the tent and wrap it up. I get well wrapped up for the journey and am instantly dismayed when the mysterious rasping noise from the trailer comes back worse and more persistent than ever. The culprit turns out to be my flag pole which I extract every night has been shoved in too deep and was rasping against the whee http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Alabama/blog-348005.html Nov20 I am looking forward to going to my next destination Gulf Shores as it has been recommended to me . One problem though I have to catch a ferry from Dauphin Island across Mobile Bay and they only run every 1hr 30mins. The ideal ferry is at 11.00am but I have to cycle 30 miles to get there that means an early rise packing a wet tent and setting off by 8.00am as it happens I get away by 8.1 http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Alabama/blog-347665.html Nov 19th The bike is all lubed up and the tyres are up to nearly their maximum pressure of 110 psi and I have spares at the ready so I set off in high spirits along the coast road sunny skies but a bitter cold wind are good enough conditions for a pleasant ride into Alabama. I am now cyling through a more built up area for the first time in a while and the coast is a welcome sight. I have a coupl http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Alabama/blog-347568.html nov 18 Poplarville was cold last night really cold and to be honest rural Mississippi is loosing its charm what with the dogs and the dry counties. The aca route goes way deep ito the countryside along farm roads which will no doubt have their share of four legged menaces. I decide that its time to once again abandon the route and head directly south to Gulfport only 40 miles south of here th http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Mississippi/blog-347381.html Nov 17 I am magnificently refreshed after a good nights sleep in the warm and dry motel and set off in very good spirits. My target today is Poplarville in Pearl River County Mississippi. The road is reasonably good and there is hardly any wind so I jog along effortlessly and am nearly half way in no time. Of course thats when a flat comes along to bring you down to earth. On this occasion I am http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Mississippi/blog-346441.html Nov 16 Boy was it cold during the night fortunately my sleeping bag is good to about 4 degrees below zero centigrade. There was a hard frost on the ground and on the tent by the time I dared to crawl out of my warm bag at about 8am. I've been camping the last 3 nights and having been soaked a few times and now combating the freezing wind I decide that a short journey and motel are needed to keep http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Louisiana/blog-346065.html