Cinco de Mayo Bike Ride

View Drive to St. George Island; then Biking in a larger map

Riding bikes is what we love, and we found a nice dedicated bike trail on St. George Island in an earlier visit to the Island riding around in the jeep. So yesterday we got up and got ready to go--early we thought, arriving at St. George Island at 9 AM to unload bikes and get ready to go. It was partly cloudy, so clouds covered the sun and riding from the lighthouse out to Dr. Julian G. Bruce Saint George Island State Park would be okay....and we had shade on the 4 mile bike trail to the park entrance. If you zoom in on the ride from the park entrance to the end, another 4 miles or so, you'll see that there are no trees to shade the ride....! We found out the hard way! We should have started MUCH earlier! And those pesky clouds went away! We stopped every 2 miles or so, finding shade under buildings along the park which also had vending machines for cold drinks! We bought 2 additional bottles of water to add to our supply:  for the dogs and us! We arrived at the end--the North West tip almost exactly across from our RV Park--about 11 AM. Dogs were not allowed on the beach nor in the picnic areas, however, under this building by the wooden bike rack was a picnic table which we used to rest, pour water on the dogs' heads, and gather energy to return. We should have (one should NEVER SHOULD on ones self!) started much earlier! Our total ride was 17.9 miles.

The dogs were troopers--Bitty seems to be affected more by the heat than Rupert, and we all made it back to the jeep, a little after noon. Riding along, looking at and listening to waves crashing against the shore is always nice. Knowing this water was the Gulf of Mexico made it especially unique. Granted, it was hot and humid. We still enjoyed the ride!

Oh, and the air conditioner has gone out in the jeep! That happened Friday! Lindy sat in the shade with the dogs while Mike loaded up the bikes--then we returned to the motor home with the windows down about 1. We have found a jeep dealer in Tallahassee where we will go Monday for the necessary repair! Having our home with us all the time, and building in "extra" days in our very flexible schedule has certain benefits! When we returned to the motor home we had an impromptu Cinco de Mayo lunch!

Lindy took no pictures....If you wish to see the chariot with the dogs, and Mike, look back a couple of posts  to our bike ride along Navarre Beach! We were all too hot to worry about pictures! We did, however, catch lots of "screen shots of the mind" as we rode along. A fun morning, with very few people out at 9; and lots more by the time we returned!