December 15, 2016 – Sun, 75 degrees

Miles Today: 79

Miles to Date: 20,522

States to Date: 48

You know you’ve been doing this a long time when fifty miles just isn’t enough.

I planned to ride to Perry, fifty miles from East Tallahassee. But the day was so fine. I arrived at noon, ate a big lunch, and realized Perry’s one of those in-between places – big enough for chain retail to squash local charm, too small for any notable attractions. So, I pedaled on to Mayo, small enough to wield lots of quirks. Cindy’s RV Park and Motel is a wonderful 50’s era joint run by a chain smoking guy from the Bronx who’s been in Florida so long, snow has melted into nothing but a bad dream.

Although California has the most auspicious trees in protected areas: redwoods, sequoias; I give Florida the prize for spectacular trees everywhere. I am dazzled by the logging pines, miles of tall, thin trunks planted in grids that cause the light to shimmer as I cycle by. They are countered by the live oak, massive meandering hulks that claim huge shadows of real estate. The forests are so varied; riding in the country here feels as diverse as cycling through most cities.