Florida Safari 2006

This view is of the deck protruding out into Cherry Lake from the 4H camp we stayed for three nights. Every afternoon after the cyclist had pedaled up to 40 miles for the route of the day found many of them walking out onto this deck and enjoying the cool breezes coming off the lake. The water in the lake this year was clear and morderately warm and perfect for swimming which many participated.

Florida Safari 2006

From left to right, Mark (from Maine), George (from Orlando) and Jennifer (from Wisconsin). This picture was taken on the screen porch of the cabin we stayed for three nights in the 4H Cherry Lake Camp North of Madison, FL. Every afternoon and into the evening, it seems our cabin drew people to come and chat with George who is Executive Director of the Florida Freewheelers who organize and implement this great week long bicycle ride. George, just returned from a Barge and Bike Trip to Holland and also still recovering from triple by-pass heart surgery a few months ago, does an outstanding job of mananaging the affairs of this great bicycle club

Florida Safari 2006

Meet Georgia Kleihenz, a very special lady who has attended every Florida Safari since it's beginning 26 years ago and who was awarded a lifetime pass to all future Safari's this year in recognition of her loyality and obvious enjoyment of bicycling at her age. Georgia lost her husband on this event a few years ago. She also can camp out and look as pretty as a picture every day .... a great lady and now I am proud to say a friend of mine!

Florida Safari 2006

Meet Tito Santiago and his wife, Bonnie. Tito is famous on the Florida Safari bicycle ride for "making" his "titorois". He places a slice of banana on top of an Orio after pasting a bit of peanut butter ..... a great snack for the cyclist. Tito and Bonnie operated this rest stop at the 20 mile mark on our ride to Quitman, AL from Cherry Lake, FL near Madison on Wednesday, April 26th. The snack is so popular that Tito ran out of Orio's on this rest stop.

Florida Safari 2006

Leaving tomorrow morning for Florida Safari, a six day bicycle event in the Panhandle of Florida. This will be my sixth year attending this my favorite week long bicycle ride. Staying three days in Live Oak at the County Fair Grounds where I sleep in the gym with others too lazy to erect a tent and too cheap to pay for a motel room. Then Monday, we move to Cherry Lake 4H Camp where I will have a air conditioned cabin that I share with others who are on the good side of George, the Executive Director of the sponsoring Club, the Florida Freewheelers of Orlando.
Food is by Dixie Grill (picture of the dinner in line in 2005 eager for this great food) and they put on the best food for breakfast and dinner that you could possibly imagine. One night as a pre-dinner snack, they boil white corn in their husk, we peel the husk back when done, dip it in a big jar of water with about 2" of butter floating on the top ... Oh my, it's delicious.
The last night Dixie Grill smokes ribs all night long and serves with beans, salad and your choice of a very large bowl of different kinds of ice cream. I bicycle 200 miles this week and gain 5 pounds .... Ride, eat big time and sleep for six days ... Heaven!

Bubbafest, The Ice Breaker, Day 6 & 7

The last two days found us peddling into more wind, but only 17 MPH on Friday and then only 7 MPH on the last leg back to Key Largo ... whew! My legs should be better on the few hills we have on the Coast of Georgia now! Friday morning, we left for Fiesta Key and within 2 miles had the Seven Mile Bridge into the wind ... Was a long seven miles today! Had breakfast at Seven Mile Bridge Cafe just on the other side, so no fuel in our system to battle the wind.

This picture shows the "Bubba Pamper Zone" where each day we had cover from the sun and enjoyed the cool Gulf and Ocean breezes ... And drink a few beers or a little wine each day after our ride, Bubba sure knows how to pamper his guests!

Bubba did a outstanding job in all respects for this bicycle tour of the Florida Keys, if you bike, make sure you check it out and plan to get aboard this Fall for the next tour! I made it home to Savannah in 9 1/2 hours, little better than 10 hours going down. Greeted at home with a ton of mail and things to do before I head to Ginger's later this morning for Easter dinner and relaxing three days.

Bubbafest, The Ice Breaker, Day 5

We departed Key West today and left this beautiful beach at Zachary State Park (and many other beautiful scenes) behind and headed into an awesome 25 MPH headwind. Was fierce and tough to pedal the 31 miles to Sunshine Key as we passed over many bridges leaving us open to the terrific wind. I managed to get up to 5PMH on going over the open areas and bridges and averaged only 9 mph for the day making it a long day on the bicycle. Fortunately, I did not bike back down towards Key West for breakfast the 2.5 miles, so I saved 2.5 miles and one long stretch of open water against that horrible wind.

Bubbafest, The Ice Breaker, Day 4

We had a rest day this day in Key West. I had brought my Trek Hybrid bicycle, so I got all my gear together and rode it to the part of Key West where the tourist visit. Got lost, but found several things I wanted to see. One, the Southernmost Point in USA (see picture) where another tourist was kind enough to take this shot with my camera. Departed here and rode out to the beach at Zachary State Park, then to Mallory Square area where I visited the Mel Fisher Museum (sp) of his treasure recovery. After looking for Harry Truman's Little White House and not finding it, I decided to pedal back to my campsite and relax for the afternoon. Later two friends and I went to the piers and had a pretty good dinner at Turtle Krawls. But first, we went to their Tower Bar had an appetizer and a few drinks while observing schooners, big catamaran and very large power boats enter and leave this harbor on the way to watch yet another sunset.

Bubbafest, The Ice Breaker, Day 3

Today, we rode the final 35 miles to Key West and arrived at Boyds Campground with a tailwind all the way. We stayed here two nights, and the first night went to Mallory Square to watch the Sunset. A favorite tourist attraction that brings thousands to the pier to watch jugglers, magicians, acrobats and the like perform before the sun sets. Food and other vendors hawk their wares to the thousands making the atomosphere an enjoyable occsion! The picture shows me after being brought into this jugglers act, I threw a boat paddle to him when he told me to, he caught the boat paddle with two batons, and juggled it for about 5 minues, bringing it between his legs, tossing in the air and in general doing a great act. He also juggled a pitchfork, a baton and one othe thing. He tossed the baton very high in the air, the wind caught it and it blew into the harbor. Pretty good act and entertained the crowd circling him.

Bubbafest, The I ce Breaker, Day 2

Today, we rode from Fiesta Key to Camp Resort which is near Big Pine Key and at the end of the Seven Mile Bridge. Having a 12 MPH tail wind made this ride a pleasure and I averaged 12 MPH and never was "pushing" myself. A big difference in the first day with a head wind. This picture is some of the group waiting for Porgy's BBQ to have the pork loin cooked and ready to serve for our dinner right at the campsite. Was very good and Bubba did himself proud by providing strawberry shortcake. We camped nest to the gulf and had a nice breeze to help make our sleeping great!

Bubbafest, The Ice Breaker, Day 1

Today we started from Key Largo and rode to Fiesta Key, actually the way the crow flies about 31 miles, but most of us took detours to see various beaches, a wild life park and other parks. While a little more than halfway, I was running short of water and needing badly to find a men's Room, I pulled in to a very nice city park in Islamarada, FL (one of the islands/keys strectching to Key West and these two nice lady's were kind enough to allow me to fill up my water bottle and use the men's room at this outstanding park. They have everything in this park, skate board ramps, Olympic pool, baseball tennis courts .. You name it. Very nice place.

Bubbafest, the Ice Breaker

After a ten hour drive from Savannah, arrived at Bayside Resort in Key Largo (pictured here) where Bubba met us and had a fine reception for the 33 riders that will start tomorrow and pedal the 99 miles to Key West. Then we lay over a day, ride back to Key Largo and finish next Satuday. Weather looks great, looking forward and may take the boat to Dry Tortogas on Wednesday ... last chance in this lifetime. Will try and post daily, if internet is available