Day 4: Live Oak, FL to Lamont, FL

Daily Miles: 64.1 Total Miles: 252.2

Crossing the Suwannee River

You will all be happy to hear that today was MUCH better than yesterday. Last night the Dixie Grill was delicious. After dinner and surviving Mary nearly Thelma and Louise-ing us off the side of the highway and into a ditch, I was completely exhausted. I was fast asleep by 9pm and woke up this morning ready and raring to go... only to check my phone and learn that it was 38° F. This slowed me down a little and I took my time getting ready and eating breakfast, before finally hitting the road around 8:20am. I spent almost the entire day today riding on US 90. I rode the first 21 miles into Lee (motto: Little but Proud) and decided to take a break right as the wind started to blow. I met three guys who were in a big state work truck who were really nice. 

90 paralleled train tracks the entire way. We saw 0 trains.

We talked about my trip and they watched my bike for me while I went in to use the restroom. I ate a quick snack and decided to head back out and face the wind. Fortunately it never picked up like yesterday and I was able to ride fairly comfortably the 8 miles in to Madison and then the 14 more on to Greenville. Mom passed me when I was about 8 miles from Greenville and she decided to meet me there for lunch. Madison was a cute, historic town with a few shops and restaurants and we were thinking we might encounter the same in Greenville. And we were wrong. 

Greenville's only attractions were the Ray Charles Memorial Parkway (he apparently lived there as a child), which was just US 90, and a convenience store/deli selling oxtail and porkchops in gravy. We decided to drive 2 miles up to the interstate to eat at a Dairy Queen. After dropping me back off on 90, Mary set out to scout a hotel for the evening and I set out to bike the last 16 miles into Monticello. The wind had quieted down and I made good time into Monticello only to find mom and learn that our hotel was about 6 miles south, slightly off, but paralleling the ACA route, in Lamont. 

Pretty flowers

I still had some energy so I polished off those last miles and got a head-start on tomorrow's mileage. Today's ride was much nicer than yesterday, thanks to the still present, but significantly calmer wind. I climbed much more today (but remember, I'm still in Florida, so these are baby climbs), and if the wind would have been as bad I think I would have been pushing my bike part of the way. In other news, Mary started a hotel room exercise regimen today and also went to WalMart to buy her bike helmet. Now she just needs to go buy the bike and she'll be ready to hit the road with me!