Milestones

I noticed this morning that I had not only bagged mile 500 for this trek, but I also hit (and passed 1,000 miles biking this year — yes I biked through January and February, sometimes in single digit temperatures in Boston, MA) — two milestones, one day.

But that didn’t excuse my dumb oversight of not downloading map set number two, as this first map only covered Key West, FL through St. Augustine, FL—the first 503 miles of the East Coast Greenway Trail. The finish line flag marks the end of the first map.

So I was off to find a local Starbucks for the WiFi, and coffee, to download map set 2 to take me through Hardeeville, SC. Just after sunrise.

St. Augustine is a fine looking and historic town. Chock full of intriguing architectural styles: Flagler College.

City of St. Augustine and Lightner Museum Bldg.

I noticed a couple of surly looking bicyclists riding whacked-out, souped-up bicycles posting this up across the street from Starbucks…

I had to check out what they were railing against or supporting… I was dumbfounded that those rough-looking characters stapled this up at the Governor’s House park. It made my day, but what was with the odd demeanor of the two?

Old town St. Augustine retains foundations from three distinct colonial periods.

Plenty of buildings date back to the 18th century.

These coquina pilars—the Old City Gates—went up in 1808.

And the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument dates back to 1692. St. Augustine is the oldest continuous European habitation in North America dating back to 1565…

… that’s 42 and 52 years, respectively, before the Jamestown and Plymouth Rock colonists.

A local group of activists were starting to set up for a rally at 10 am…

… guess which ogre’s policies were the butt of attention …

… regrets… best served orange.

A great deal of the day’s riding looked like this through beachfront communities. This is Ponte Vedra Beach. I like me some wide shoulders. This will do nicely.

Good and bad fuel for the trek.

Ponte Vedra Beachfront at the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Readearch Preserve…

… no wonder they call it GTM instead. And more shadow play.

World War II intrigue at the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club… where are Thurston and Lovie?

Who knew? I then hit Jacksonville Beach soon after that…

… and an appetite that won’t quit…

… 5-miles after lunch I arrived at the evening’s destination.

Dinner takeout for later…

Day 13
Start: St. Augustine Beach, FL
End: Atlantic Beach, FL
Miles: 40.89

Tomorrow: Goodbye Florida / Hello Georgia!

What I’m Reading:

…he sentido una especie de callada simpatía por la gente que despotrica contra su propio país…

— Juan Gabriel Vásquez / Canciones para el incendio