Wonderful Evening at Big Lagoon State Park, FL

Got in the Ocean last night...Finally! At Big Lagoon State Park in southwest Pensacola. FL (no discount on my stay this time : (). Had fun stalking a young blue heron hanging out on the shore, floating and crawling with my hands in the sand through the shallow water. Probably got within four feet before the bird decided it might be better if it moved on. And with the sun going down, it was time for me to move on back to camp myself.

But, Wow! It was invigorating! And as a "V" of pelicans flew overhead into the sunset, I couldn't help but think how Free I am right now, doing what I am doing...It is something I think we ALL need more of, and if so much of our human potential and resources were not being directed towards DEFENSE (against ??? human beings who are NOT naturally violent anyway?), we would have more resources available for Everyone and More Time to enjoy this world and the people around us! : )

With that in mind I offer this quote from General Dwight D. Eisenhower, a veteran of World War II (as found in Paul K. Chappel's first book Will War Ever End?):

"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired
signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are
not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms
is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers,
the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. The cost of
one modern heavy bomber is this: a modern brick school in more than
30 cities. It is two electric power plants, each serving a town of
60,000 population. It is two, fine, fully equipped hospitals. It is
some 50 miles of concrete highway. We pay for a single fighter with
a half million bushels of wheat. We pay for a single destroyer with
new homes that could have housed more than 8,000 people. This, I
repeat, is the best way of life to be found on the road the world has
been taking. This is not a way of life at all, in any true sense.
Under the cloud of threatening war, it is humanity hanging from a
cross of iron." (Pp:68-69)

(For more on author Paul K. Chappell and to purchase his books, follow this link:
Paul K. Chappell)

Jumping in from the Middle of the Story - of Necessity!

For all my Blog Followers and especially those of you who may not be seeing my posts on Facebook:

I am alive and well in Pensacola, FL! : ))

I think I'm over the 400 mile mark now from Jacksonville Beach, FL having traveled through Baldwin, Live Oak, Madison, Monticello, and Tallahassee on HWY 90. From Tallahassee I took the Tallahassee - St. Mark's Historic Rail Trail south to Crawfordville. There I stayed with Couch Surfing hosts, Lesa and Mike. Mike's farmer father lived next door and once they had a chance to look at my trailer and wheels, Mike's father gladly volunteered to weld them together for me since they had come off no less than four times during my travels to that point, with the last time being while I was pushing my bike up Mike's gravel driveway. Thus far, there have been no more problems of that nature, and I am deeply grateful for their timely assistance. In addition, I got some "tweaking/realignment" of the frame from Juda, who knew how to handle a crow-bar, at Big Daddy's Bike Shop in Santa Rosa Beach, so just want to say, "Thanks!" again to the folks there.

From Crawfordville, I continued around the lower peninsula of northwestern Florida with stops in Carrabelle, Apalachicola, Port St. Joe, Panama City, Seacrest, Fort Walton Beach, Navarre, and now Pensacola. So, in other words, I am waaaay behind on this blog! ... And I apologize for that!

I have come to the hard earned understanding that this trip is taking more time in many ways than I could have anticipated. The riding itself, I kind of expected. However, the time involved in unpacking and repacking has taken A Lot longer. Trying to find computers to upload pictures to this blog, also a bigger challenge than I thought it would be. And then there is necessary computer time for planning my trip as well as continuing to contact others to fundraise so I can keep going.

So, at least for now, I've decided to go "photo free" for a while. (My apologies to the more "visual" types among you, I promise I will ADD pictures as soon as I can.) I just feel it is more important that I keep up with my story a little more in sync with the unfolding of it, if for no other reason I've been hearing rumors that people start to worry about me if they don't see posts here for a while. I certainly do not want anyone to worry about me (although, granted, I don't have control over others that way, but if I can minimize their feeling the need to do that by posting more regularly, than that's what I want to do. : )) For the record though, (and actually for safety reasons, since this is a "public" blog) I will still be writing more about where I have been rather than where I am going.

To Catch-Up: Overall, the trip has been going really well. There seems to be a persistent statistic of at least one guy, per town, in the passenger seat of a van who feels compelled to yell "Get on the sidewalk!" as they pass me even when there are (Bicycle) "Share the Road" signs everywhere, and maybe one or two people per town, who feel they have to honk before they pass, even though every other car that goes by me manages to do so withOut honking. All of which, from a social scientist's perspective, I actually find quite amusing! : ) Otherwise, everyone seems to be getting around me just fine, and with all the gear I'm carrying, the trucks don't even move me much!

What has been Really Great though are the "chance encounters" with the many "strangers" I have met along the way. For instance...

...The t-shirt artist at the River Front Festival in Carrabelle with whom I conversed for quite some time.

... While at Harry A's listening to my Carrabelle host's girlfriend play music, I met two other curious musicians and a group of "good ol' boys" from my home state of Kentucky, one of whom gave me a generous donation.

...Then there were the hotel clerks in Port St. Joe who were very accommodating and the young firefighters standing watch who let me cool off and get some water in the middle of a particulary long hot day, on my way to Panama City.

...As mentioned earlier, I got some more help with my trailer, a free smoothie, and great conversation with one of the mechanics when I stopped for chain lubricant at Big Daddy's in Santa Rosa Beach.

...When I stopped in Destin for a bite to eat at Panera's, I met other interested and generous people (and realized that my "signage" on my bicycle was working to draw their attention : )).

...A few miles later, there was a young man sitting outside the Wal-Mart, waiting for a taxi, and he gladly watched my rig for me while I went in to buy a camp shower. When I came back out he was full of questions about what I was doing and why, and I was glad to answer all of them (although his taxi driver got a bit annoyed while waiting for him), and he gave me a warm and enthusiastic hug before we parted.

...I stopped for bite to eat at the Tom Thumb gas station on the eastern side of Navarre, and ended up talking with another store patron for maybe an hour or so about the NAPF, Paul's Peace Leadership work, and my personal mission. She shared her concerns for her own children and for the young people in her town with few job options but to join the military and how ill prepared they were, emotionally, for the challenges of almost inevitable deployments to the Middle East.

...When I stopped at a McDonald's to use the bathroom on my way to Pensacola, I met and talked with another man looking for a new mission for his own life after the recent, tragic death of his girlfriend.

...Finally arriving in Pensacola, and trying to figure out the last streets to follow to my hosts for the evening, I talked with a woman sitting outside the Shell station taking a break from her inventory work.

And then there have been the more extended discussions I have been able to have with my hosts, and sometimes with their friends and family members as well. I am very grateful for their openness and for what they also have shared of their lives, their fears, and their own hopes for a better future for themselves and for their children and others they care about (especially those who have people they know considering military service, retired from military service, or actively serving).

What I have come to recognize and appreciate is that, for the most part, people in this country Are Open to new ways of "doing business", both at home and abroad. People are "Waking Up" to the much brighter possibilities of change that are available to us, even when the propagandists of our times might lead us to believe otherwise.

Consequently, in my quest to inspire hope and better understanding, I am also being inspired and coming to a better, very personal and direct understanding of the people I am meeting. I am learning first hand that it really is true: Most human beings are compassionate, generous, curious, and hopeful about what lies ahead for All of Us on this Amazing Journey!

And, even more than that, many of them are also looking for ways that They Can Be Involved in making the world a better place for All Beings. I am more than happy to offer them one way to channel their energy for change; i.e. to give their support to the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation and to learn more, especially from Paul K. Chappell, about how to Wage Peace!

The positive feedback I have been receiving is the Human Fuel that keeps me going. And so - I will Ride On - also looking forward to what lies ahead! : )

April 15th to April 20th "Training Days" - Part IV

The rain had cleared off by the time I headed out of Madison. It was going to be a long, hot day, with lots of hills, and therefore, lots of hiking as well as biking. Not unlike my encounter with Paul the previous day, I met Mark just as I was pulling into a shady spot on the side of the road to take a break. Turns out, Mark had heard about Paul, but never managed to catch up with him.

Where Paul had been on the road for about 50 days total by the time I met up with him, Mark had been taking a more leisurely pace from the West Coast, a break from playing baseball for New Mexico State University, which had lasted over three months (so far). He also had some back-up from his parents whom he would be meeting as he continued his cycling east.

I think in part because the cycling thus far has been so strenuous, it has really made me appreciate little things, like...a warm shower after my ride, or a cool patch of shade...especially when there is a safe place to park my rig for a few minutes, and rest, have something to eat, re-fill my water bottles, etc.


At this particular juncture, while I was resting, eating my cheese and crackers and "Finger Salad", this insect dropped on my arm, seeming to be looking for some attention, so I gladly abliged, snapping several photos with my camera on the "macro" setting as it proceeded to walk down my arm, and onto my elbow, and up the back of my arm.


I eventually encouraged it to disembark onto a weed next to the tree stump where it continued on its own journey to who knows where? : )

As for me, my journey continued over more sun drenched hills and straight-aways. On the hills, I would choose the side I'd walk on based on how many trees actually shaded the road. I would pace myself by pushing my bike from the shade of one tree to the next, counting steps, sometimes guessing how many steps it would take to get to the next patch of shade. (My determination to proceed on my own must have been pretty obvious to the people passing me in vehicles, since I don't remember any of them stopping to check and see if I needed any assistance!)

I remember one particularly large tree on the opposite side of the road that seemed the last one big enough to offer shade at that time of the day for as far as I could see. So I made my way across, parked there for a while, draped myself over my front handle bars with my head resting on my handlebar bag and my hands gently patting my front panniers. I realized, I probably could have slept that way, except for the heat, and my determination to get to my destination in Monticello, FL before sun down.

Nevertheless, as I waited and rested, drank some water, ate a Luna Bar, I realized there were more clouds now than there had been earlier in the day, and they were headed in the same direction that I was. Just as I was about to leave the shade of the Big Tree, one of those clouds began to cover the Sun, and so I "prayed": "More clouds, please. That would be really helpful right now.... : )"

And, then there were a few more clouds, and I started to either walk quickly up the hill to keep in the shadow of the clouds, or ride more slowly down the hills for the same reason. I was able to continue "Cloud Chasing" almost all the way into Monticello, with the town sign appearing near the top of yet another long hill.

But, that was not yet the end of my day. There were still a few more hills, luckily on mostly shade-covered side-walks, and another down-hill or two, before I finally made it to my destination: "Bluebird Meadows Farm" run my Maria and Diane, whom I had been able to contact via WarmShowers.org

True to their prediction, I stayed longer than I planned, so it was here that I ended my first full week On the Road! And what a week it was! : ))

April 15th to April 20th "Training Days" - Part III

One of the challenges of this trip thus far has been ... packing, unpacking, and packing up again! Pretty much every day I am getting ready to ride I think I'll be done at some point in the morning, say 10:30 am, and I don't actually get on the road until say...1:00 or 2:00 pm. As should be obvious to anyone seeing my pictures, I am not "traveling light" and that means there is a lot of gear to keep track of. Furthermore, since I am staying in so many different places along the way, it becomes really important to check and double-check (sometimes even to triple-check) to make sure I haven't left anything behind.

Nevertheless, I have tried to keep the attitude that, whatever I have to do each day that I ride in terms of packing, etc., has to be done, and it will take as much time as it takes. It was never my intention to have to "rush" this journey, and being able to spend time with people, talking about the journey itself, and the mission of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation and Paul Chappell, is a big part of what this is all about. I'd like to think that there is a Bigger Clock involved here, as well as a Bigger Purpose, and there have been more than a few times now when, because I was "running late" (or so I thought), I made connections with people who I might otherwise have missed.

For instance, just as I was finally headed back out to HWY 90 after staying at the empty trailer at Sunset Manor, another cyclist, named Paul, was Just At That Moment passing in front of me on 90 going east. Turns out he was on the last few days of his own cross-country bike trip from San Diego, CA. He came across the road to meet me and we stood there with our bicycles and talked for maybe another 45 minutes or so, swapping stories. Some of his advice to me: "Ditch some weight!" (A message he later repeated in an e-mail. : )) So, although I had thought about leaving earlier, because I didn't, it was easy for Paul and I to "connect".

After talking with Paul it was time for me to continue through Live Oak on to points west. Once I actually reached the town of Live Oak, I stopped outside the Mission Thrift Store that happened to be across the street from a health food/vitamin shop. I had a chance to talk with the managers of the store, Randall and Tina, and some of their friends. I walked across the street to the health food store and bought something to drink and some bee pollen (on a whim), ate my cheese and crackers, and finger salad outside the thrift shop, and then took some time to figure out how to cover my gear for better rain protection as the clouds were starting to roll in and I had not had to deal with any bad weather yet.

Once I had everything secured to my satisfaction, nothing dangling that might get caught in a brake, or a wheel, or a derailleur or something, I started to head on through town, and sure enough within about a mile or so, it started to rain a little bit. Nothing I felt uncomfortable with, really, so I kept going...right up until my wheels fell off the back of my trailer!! :P (Sorry I don't have a picture of that!)

It was not a "major incident". The bend of the trailer forks skidded to the ground, the bike started to go over along with the trailer so I just let it. And then, I started to laugh, because I had just spent the last, oh, hour our so, making sure my back panniers especially were carefully covered with the extra army rain poncho I was carrying, and...guess where my tool bag was? That's right, in one of those pockets that were now so carefully enclosed in multiple layers of nylon.

Once again, my "timing" was fortunate as moments after I capsized, police officer Osborn pulled up beside me to offer assistance. He held my bike while I turned the trailer completely upside down in order to re-attach the wheels with my crescent wrench that I did manage to recover from under the rain covering. He also gave me some directions to the nearest automobile repair shop, just a 100 yards down the road where I could get some help tightening the bolts further with an extra wrench.

Still riding in the occasional shower, I carried on eventually reaching the town of Falmouth. While attempting to park my bicycle using the trailer as something like a kick-stand (as I had done in Live Oak), just outside a convenience store, I was leveraging the bike into position by raising up on the saddle and then, all of a sudden, the saddle pulls loose from its frame! (My second "mechanical" issue for the day!)

But, once again, there was someone there to help me, an older gentleman named, Buddy. A mechanic by trade, he had additional tools, and...eventually, we figured out how to get the seat back together again. Before we both went our separate ways we were joined by his friend, Larry, a former Marine, and we all got a chance to talk more about "war and peace". Larry even offered me his contact information so I could add him to the list of new members I'm signing up for the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation.


Finally back on the road again, I proceeded to cross the Suwannee River which looked like a wonderful place to fish with deep waters right off the shoreline. The rainy shadows of the cloud cover enhanced the dark green of the water and the trees reflected there.



It was between Live Oak and Madison that I started to have more hills to climb, and in my case that meant literally; i.e. I had to get off of my bicycle and start pushing, sometimes only going 50 steps at a time. But I've known all along to expect this, especially in these first days and given all of the gear I've been carrying. That's why I chose to get a handlebar stabilizer. It has Really Helped by letting me relax my upper-body efforts a little on the long straight-away sections as well as up hills, leaving me to concentrate on pedaling or pushing, rathing than having to put a lot of energy into steering and/or countersteering the pannier laden front wheels.

About eight miles from Madison, I was riding in the rain again, but as the sun was setting, and peaking out from under the clouds, I kept thinking "There have got to be rainbows behind me". During one heavier down-pour I pulled off the road next to the Macedonia Baptist Church, turned to look behind me and...sure enough...there was this Huge Double Rainbow stretched over the sky and the church. There was a young man in a car off to the side of the road who was also taking in the view (I think between text messages), and he was later joined by a couple of other friends, one of whom agreed to take this picture for me. Thanks, J.P.! I think it is going to be one of my favorites! : ))

With the late start, rain, mechanical difficulties, and hills, it was full dark by the time I Walked my bike into and through most of the (hilly) town of Madison, FL, before finally finding my shelter for the night, courtesy of Bruce, my Couch Surfing host from the previous evening.

Yes, I was exhausted, but managed to find enough energy to eat, and shower (sort of : )), rinse my lentils, and start my mung beans soaking, lay out my bed pad, and spend a few more minutes reading from Paul K. Chappell's second book "The End of War", before calling it a day.

April 15th to April 20th "Training Days" - Part II

In Osceola, had time and space to unpack and re-pack all of my gear. I also took some time to make a few adjustments to my bicycle handlebar grips as I had been having quite a bit of numbness in my hands that I hoped I could mediate. Rotating the bar-end grips straight up has since allowed me to occasionally ride in a fully upright position resting my back somewhat (which has actually been in pain since my days moving all of my stuff around, three weeks prior to this trip). In addition, I had the chance to meet Fred and Judy from Texas, both of whom were quite receptive to what I had to share with them about my journey, the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, and Paul K. Chappell.

(One potential incident of note: Construction crews on site rebuilding one of the bath houses and I managed to step on a bit of nail near the dumpster. It went right through the sole of my "Keen" shoe and was within a sixteenth of an inch of putting a hole in my heel. Definitely a close call, but no major damage done!)

I decided to take one last photo of the Osceola National Forest on my way out. Although I didn't have time to go swimming myself, it was one of the options at this little beach. Overall, it was a very enjoyable stay and a well maintained and managed park.

From Osceola, it was on to Live Oak, FL. After retracing the five miles or so to get out of the park and back to Highway 90, I still had another 35 miles to go. Now on my third consecutive day riding, I was starting to feel a little more tiredness in my legs. I have accepted from the beginning of this trip that, especially in the first few days and weeks, it would be slow going for me, with frequent stops.

One of those stops included a little bar/pizza restaurant where I met Joe and Mike. They graciously shared some of their pizza with me, encouraged me to talk about my journey, and they let me know they would be stopping again themselves at another bar in Lake City, so I should look for them there.

Coming into Lake City, some time later, I was confronted with what I have come to refer to as "lumpy bumpies" - ripples in the pavement just outside the main wheel tracks. As there was no significant shoulder, I either had to ride the "lumpy bumpies", bouncing and jostling my bike and rig uncomfortably, or steer into the main wheel track instead, putting me and my rig more into the line of car traffic. Luckily, most of the stretch through town was four lanes, so I could take the latter option and people could still get around me, but it was still stressful and slow going.

As anticipated though, Joe and Mike spotted me from their second pit-stop, The Rock Star Bar, calling out as I was about to pass. I pulled off, found a place to lean my bike safely against a fence, and took another fairly long break, talking more with them and a few other "locals", while enjoying lots of ice water to cool down and re-hydrate. In addition, since there were several motor-bikers in the crowd, they were all very generous in offering advice about various places I should see, or avoid, or be prepared for along the road ahead.

I managed to reach my destination for the day, "Sunset Manor" (luckily, before sunset...!). Bruce became my first "official" Couch Surfing host by letting me stay in an unrented trailer he had available just east of Live Oak. (This picture was also my first using my tripod and timer on my camera for this trip. : ))

Although I didn't have electricity, there was running water for a Cold shower, and to refill all of my water bottles. I used my headlamps after dark, and otherwise managed fine with the remaining food I was carrying for dinner...my Special Fried Rice and Finger Salad. Before I left the next morning, I even remembered to get my mung beans and lentils soaking, as I had plans to be cooking again, once I reached Monticello two days later.

(...to be continued...)