Dauphin Island to Pensacola
60.4 miles 553 feet of climb
Our day started with James and Kathy making a 6am run to the Lighthouse Bakery. YUM!
We came to Dauphin Island by bridge and we left by taking the ferry across Mobile Bay. The ferry ride was about five miles on the water. It was rough, windy and there was a lot of spray. I pause my bike computer at times like this so the ferry ride is not part of my daily stats.
Here's a video from the ferry. It was a new experience on the
The route was on a road that was a thin strip of land between the the bay and the gulf. It was flat and breezy with either a headwind or a cross-wind. This area along with Gulf Shores is very touristy with lots of shopping, souvenir shops and hotels/condos. Fortunately, there was a bike lane because there was very heavy traffic. We did cross the state line and are now in Florida, spending the night in a church in downtown Pensacola.
Harris, a native Floridian, gave us an overview of bike riding in Florida, since it is the most dangerous place in America to ride a bike. (Most injuries and fatalities.) He also told us what to watch out for on the road, like palmetto palm branches, and Bougainvilleas. He related a story about a time when he was riding down a hill and thought he would bunny hop a palmetto branch on the road. He noticed too late that it was an alligator. He hopped over it successfully with his front wheel, but hit it with his rear wheel. The gator was not amused, but Harris was not hurt.
Part of the route was on a bike trail in Gulf Shores and it was a welcome relief from the heavy traffic we had been experiencing. Soon enough, though, we were back on the road in the heavy traffic. It was like that all the way into Pensacola. Once we were in town, however, GPS directed us to an elevated wooden walkway through some very lush greenery. This was a heavily wooded area and was a welcome change from the high-volume traffic. The walkway was only about 4 feet wide and was narrow for bikes. We did encounter one person riding the opposite direction who was not very happy to see us and it was hard to squeeze by. Tonight we are staying in the First United Methodist Church near the downtown area of Pensacola. We are staying in the youth portion of the church on couches and on the floor.
Downtown Pensacola was a surprise. The area has been re-developed and it is very vibrant. Lots of shopping and restaurants with a very active nightlife. The place was jumping. A group of us went to eat at a place called The Fish House and we had a table right on the waterfront. The place was packed at 5:30, but our wait for a waterfront table was worth it. The meals we had were all very good and Rick bought the table a piece of key lime pie and a carrot cake to top it off. Here's the elevated walkway, dinner at the Fish House and the church where we stayed.
This is our eighth and final state. It seems like a million years ago that we left San Diego in March. Every day is different and there are always new challenges. We will continue riding along the Gulf Coast for the next few days. Unless there is a change in the weather, we will continue to face either headwinds or cross-winds. Eventually, we will take a swing inland. Tomorrow's ride is 61 miles and then after that there are two 76 mile days. It's not getting any easier.
Final state! Great.
TB