Its starting to look like home...

Tampa! -- Alan just left the Barnes & Noble at Kennedy and Dale Mabry about 10 minutes ago. He's feeling good, and Ken Sturrock and Jennifer Anderson have joined us in another support vehicle. Right now the plan is to bypass the Kennedy --> Veterans issue with an 'up and around' replacement. Basically Alan is heading north on Dale Mabry to Hillsborough, West on Hillsborough to George, South on George to Memorial, and East on Memorial to pick up the end of the veterans that slings you onto the Courtney Campbell Causeway. He's making great time, too, having planned to be to Tampa by about 4:00 - 4:30.

I'm attaching some of the latest pictures even though they are a little old by now.

Alan at Falkenberg Road:


Alan crossing 301:


We park where we want to!


Alan getting ready to make the turn onto Kennedy from Adamo:


Alan at the Barnes & Noble:


Ken has his camera and hopefully at the next stop somewhere along the causeway we'll get some of his pictures uploaded. He and Jennifer were going to try to get some more 'action' shots ;)

Into the Bay Area

Here's the riding environment in Lake Wales. Along SR60 there are good shoulders most of the way, with the distinct exception of Lake Wales and come of the tiny burgs (Connersville, for example).

I stopped in Mulberry to shoot some pictures and video of Alan, and picked up some yummy barbeque from Carters BBQ. THAT was a good lunch.

Alan just stopped for a resupply at Valrico road (126 total miles so far) and we are firmly in the throes of Bay Area traffic. Alan still looks pretty fresh for someone who has averaged 16.2 mph so far.




Interstate in sight! I'm going to pull over at Falkenberg, fuel up, and wait for Alan.

Reaching Bartow -- Past the Halfway Point

It's nearly noon and we've reached 99 miles here in Bartow in Polk County. Steve popped out of the SAG for some bike action -- see photo below -- and the Ocean2Gulf Bill Fox Memorial Ride is on schedule. The Trek 5200 road bike has performed well. The easterly breezes have shifted and now there's a breeze out of the southwest, with the heat beginning to rise. It's going to be in the 90s soon.

SR 60 is flat and rural from Bartow to the Brandon suburbs, some 20-25 miles to the west. More late when he get into the Brandon-Tampa area. Enjoy the photos.

Pictures from Alan's Camera

The Ocean2Gulf Ride is taking on a wonderful mojo as I'm pounding out the miles, soaking up the sights along very rural State Road 60 and catching up with Steve to swap stories and photos. We're at mile 74 about six to eight miles shy of Lake Wales. Here are some fun shots from the road -- check out Steve with the message in the window.

Steve will bike a little, too, along the way.

Crossing the Kissimee

Polk County Line -- I pulled over to get a shot of Alan crossing the Kissimee River Bridge. The scenery is really Florida at its best: Sunshine reflected off the water, people out fishing, and Osprey circling overhead (I counted 7 within earshot).

Alan is really moving now. Everytime I leapfrog, before I know it, he's upon me. His last post was made sitting on a cooler with the laptop on the front seat (it was rather amusing), we'll post a shot next chance we get.

Here are a few pictures of the Kissimee River crossing.

Biking the Heart of Florida for Bill

Somewhere between Yeehaw Junction and Lake Wales -- It's 7:30 a.m. and I have 54.7 miles in the books. Left the motel at 3:30 a.m. and pedaled in darkness to the Atlantic Ocean 2.5 miles to the east. I dipped my front wheel into the surf and listened to the waves crashing and looked at the heavens and adored the twinkling stars. I called Jennifer, my sweetie, at 4 a.m. and she prayed for a safe bike voyage across the state as I held the phone up and let her hear the foamy waves hitting the beach.

Then I turned the bike around and headed west on State Road 60, biking about 10 miles from downtown Vero Beach to the I-95 entrance. It was still pitch black as I entered a wall of darkness for the 25-mile excursion to Yeehaw Junction. I had white and red strobe lights illuminating the way and the sky began to turn blue behind me as I headed west and approached Yeehaw. Thin clouds of fog wrapped pine trees along 60 as I came to Yeehaw.

This memorial bike ride for Bill Fox clicked into a higher gear when I met Steve Swiger, my fellow Seminole Heights Bicycle Club pal who is driving the SAG. I met Steve around mile 46, 7 miles west of Yeehaw Junction. The flat terrain of blowing grass and grazing cattle reminds me of an African savannah and the beautiful light right after sunrise was inspiring. I'm hammering west and hope to be in Lake Wales in the 9:30-10 AM range.

Ocean2Gulf - The first few hours

(Guest Blogger Steve Swiger, Somewhere between Yeehaw Junction and Lake Wales -- Man it was early o'clock when the alarm went off, but as I swung out of bed I reminded myself that Alan was probably already on the road. Loaded the car (2 cooler, tools, bike stand, two bikes on the roof, assorted electronics, etc) and hit the road about 5am. Called Alan for the first time this morning at 6:15 to get an update, and he had already made it past Yeehaw Junction. Weather was nice, coolish even, with the sun rising over the fields. I caught up with Alan about 12 miles west of Yeehaw Junction and he was in great spirits, felt great, ate a little bit, downloaded some pictures, and right back on the bike. It is truly a gorgeous day for it.

I'm sitting on the side of the road waiting for him to catch up, and when he does he will probably post some of his own thoughts, but until then, Here's a couple of pictures.