Yesterday we left the state park at Gulf Shores and rode east towards the Florida state line, however the coast was obscured by an endless row of massive condos between the road and the beach. Luckily there was a pleasant view to other side, of a quiet bayou lined with beach houses and boat docks.
After about 12 miles we got to the border and crossed into Florida. It was a sad moment. It has taken us only 2 days to cross Mississippi and we spent 3 days in Alabama (including being delayed by the storm), and now we are in Florida, the last state on the journey.
Parts of the route were fine, but one stretch in particular was treacherous. It seemed cyclists had suddenly become invisible to drivers. Cars (or pickups to be precise) passed gratuitously close, not even making the slightist deviation to account for our presence. In a couple of places there were holes in the road the size of a coffin. It was the first time on trip I felt unsafe on the road.
We stayed in the KOA campground south-east of Milton next to the 10 Freeway. It was not close to any grocery stores so we ate out. Approaching the Hurricane Bar and Grill you'd swear it was just an abandoned old gas station but for anyone who ventures inside it is a lively local night spot. The friendly hostess served us at plain tables with plastic table cloths while a singer/guitarist did his best to recreate some old country standards. $2.25 Amberbock pints and midnight closing were a rough combination for us, though.
Today was a beautiful day to ride: warm and sunny, blue skies, a nice smooth road with good shoulder, and the sun casting shadows through the trees lining the sides of the road. Also, it is almost entirely flat here, the most significant hills being tall bridges. With a shorter distance to ride we were able to check out the small towns, linger over lunch and still arrive in camp in reasonable time. A relaxing day.
The camp at DeFuniak Springs is on the grassy banks of a serene bass fishing lake. We used skewers to cook sausages and roast marshmallows over a campfire. This is the first night on the trip we've had a campfire so it was very nice. Tomorrow I'm on cooking duty again so I'll be riding faster to get into camp early.
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