Jasper - Alachua, Florida
Sunday, October 27, 1996
Time out: 8:30 AM, temperature 77°.
When I awakened, it was so foggy out that I couldn't see across
the parking lot, so I went back to sleep.
Not willing to return to Sheffields (the Jesus is Lord restaurant)
for breakfast, I opted for the Day's Inn continental breakfast (cold cereal,
doughnuts & coffee--I had several helpings of each). On the way to the
lobby, I met Mike from Atlanta, who was in Florida for a marathon canoe
race using his We-no-nah canoe. We dined together and Mike invited me to
go to the canoe race with him, but I was feeling "focused" on
my bicycle journey and my desire to get home soon, so declined. It didn't
help that he told a story of a friend having to bail out of his canoe when
an alligator attacked it and crunched it in his jaws.
Even at 8:30 (new Eastern Standard Time) when I got under way,
the fog was so thick I could feel it. My arms seemed to be getting wet as
I rode, so I put my jacket on. But, even at only 77°, I became too hot
in minutes and had to take it off. As I rode I became drenched in perspiration.
I would guess the humidity was more than 95%. All morning, I stopped every
3-4 miles to wipe perspiration from my face and forehead with my hand towel.
I needed more sweat bands. I lost a sweat band and my Pearl Izumi hat to
the laundry demons.
I finally saw an armadillo road kill today (actually I saw about
a dozen today). I've still never seen a live one. The dead ones stink worse
than any road kill I've encountered.
At one point, a big dog walked out into the street and stood
there menacingly waiting for me to approach, but as I drew nearer at my
constant pace and grabbed some dog jerky in readiness for an attack, the
dog got scared and ran home. I experienced several dog encounters, but none
made it too close. I haven't yet tried the dog treat method of fending them
off.
The road (US-41) was excellent: freshly paved with good shoulders
and almost no traffic for the first couple of hours. In the first 9 miles,
not one car passed me.
I passed one real industry today: the PCS Phosphate Swift Creek
Complex. There was a 25' high mound of white rock for about half a mile
along the railroad tracks on my left and when I got near the plant, I had
trouble breathing. Other than as a detergent additive (banned in the 70's)
I don't know what phosphate is used for.
There was Spanish moss hanging from many of the trees I passed
today, including this example (like anything with detail, the Casio QV-30
doesn't do well with the moss).
Just outside of White Springs, I came upon the Suwanee River
and what else would I expect but, the Stephen Foster State Folk Cultural
Center, a 247 acre facility. In addition to the song "Old Folks at
Home" which included the words "way down upon the Suwanee River"
Foster wrote more than 200 songs, including: "Oh Susanna," "Camptown
Races," "Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair," and "My
Old Kentucky Home."
There was a museum building with several song dioramas,
numerous old quilts and a collection of antique pianos, including
a 1872 Steinway with really unusual keys.
I have an 1886 Steinway that has the usual ivory keys, so it
appears that in 14 years pianos evolved substantially.
The Suwanee River is so deep in color that it is hard to photograph.
As I was coming up from the river I saw a huge spider. Another
visitor to the park identified it as a "banana spider."
It was about 4" across.
I stopped in the town of White Springs to use an ATM machine
and have lunch.
Just outside White Springs, as
I was crossing the Suwanee River again, I came upon a classic sight. I was
so astounded by what I was seeing that I looked around for a camera crew
and some movie cameras, thinking that I had walked onto the set of some
Tennessee Williams play.
A beautiful young redhead in a
summer dress was parked on the bridge sitting on the hood of her car, with
her feet on the bridge railing, listening to country music.
The music was so loud that I couldn't
communicate with her, but I did ask if I could take her picture and she
nodded in assent. If I was about 20-30 years younger and not happily married,
I can't imagine passing her by.
There was a story there of epic
proportions, but I continued on my way.
The sight was even more intriguing
from the other direction, but as usual, the sun was in my face when looking
south, so I had to go past the car and shoot the picture from the rear of
the car instead.
Coming out of White Springs, the highway shoulder vanished, but
traffic remained relatively light, so I wasn't bothered.
I was about as close as I would get for several days to the Gulf
of Mexico, but I saw a 757 with its landing gear down on an approach to
Jacksonville (on the Atlantic). Florida is not very wide.
Despite the heat (92°), this was a good day for progress.
I'd gone about 50 miles by 2:00. As of 2:30, I'd consumed 6 Gatorades, a
Bali Blast and a couple of Pepsis. A group of Harley Davidsons passed me
at about triple my speed, but, I thought about the fact that I am powered
by Gatorade; that I am the most efficient engine on earth.
Just think about it. What other engine could make it from Alaska to
Florida on french toast and Gatorade?
I was feeling pretty good about
myself. Then a black lady outside a convenience store near I-10 asked me
for my autograph, inflating my ego even more. I don't think I've ever before
been asked for an autograph. Am I cool or what?
I passed a DeSoto Trail historical marker which indicated that
DeSoto's troops had experienced some discontent at this point in their 1539-40
trip because their expectations were unfulfilled, so they called the Santa
Fe River the river of discord.
At 5:00, I had more energy and could have kept going, but felt
I needed to review my route options and it appeared that Alachua (uh-la-chew-way)
was my best lodging option. I could head various ways from there depending
on my evaluation of the maps. I stayed the night at the Comfort Inn (comfortable
with a pool).
PS: According to the Weather Channel it is -16° (f) in Fairbanks
today. As you may recall, it was 88° when I left Fairbanks.
Total mileage today: 72.
© Ed Noonan 1996, 1997
