so i finished last post on a bit of a rant but all changed at lunch when i met some retired teachers who paid for my lunch. cheers guys! that afternoon i managed to decend from a ridge and the wind died down. felt much better about my right peg and slowly made some progress off the route 90 and into the atmospheric southern countryside with swamps, grey dead trees and some lovely streams. finished the day on the smooth blackwater trail where nature surrounded me and not a car in sight. of course when i got to the bike shop in Milton it was the one day it closed early. sods law, cant beat it. decided i need a feast after a tough day on the saddle so i went to Dave's Catfish resaurant and got 'all you can eat' deep fried catfish. after 4 of them i decided i would probably burst if i ate much more. apparently people have dealt with 14 of them.....i didnt take on the challange. spent my first night in a hotel and enjoyed having a bath but felt a bit lonely for all of a few minutes before i fell asleep.
feeling good today. no wind, blue skies and alabama in my sights. had a few hairy moments getting to Pensacola going round Encambia bay which is epic (especially when you have been in the hills for a few days). had a quick break at a bike shop to oil my chain and pump up my tyres and then made it through the city surprisingly quickly. am now at Gulf Beach which is just before the alabama border. the sand is white like caster sugar so i am going to take it fairly easy this afternoon as i am planning to take the ferry tomorrow morning across Mobile Bay. 1 state down, 7 to go.
