Home Sweet Home

We had a nice celebratory dinner last night in Amelia Island.  The waitress asked what the occasion was and we told her about the bike ride.  When the bill arrived, 10% had been deducted as a celebration discount!   We thanked her and told her that we would donate that amount to I Care I Cure in her name and we did!  There are kind and generous people everywhere! 

With the bike ride completed, Glenn finally had some time to walk on the beach with me this AM.  We have to thank Jan Barry, the owner of the condo we rented in Amelia Island.   Not only did she let us rent her beautiful place on such short notice, she also made a donation to I Care I Cure I Cycle after reading the blog and she won the t-shirt with the correct guess of Glenn's mileage.  If you are considering a visit to Amelia Island, perhaps you will want to rent Jan's great 2 BR condo right on the beach. Check it out at  http://www.vrbo.com/225258 . Tell her we sent you!

The second t-shirt goes to Abe Gindoff, the dad of my best friend from Lakewood, NJ, and my second dad all through 5th to 12th grades!    Thanks to him for following the blog and sharing it with Glenn's Dad, the only person we know without a computer!

The t-shirts will be on the way to Jan and Abe on Monday!   If anyone else would like one, let me know your size and I will place another order if there is interest.  They are $12 each.

 

After traveling 2220 miles by car and 569.65 miles by bike we arrived home to Vinings at 6 PM tonight.  To occupy some of our time in the car today, we came up with the following list....we might not be David Letterman but we tried!

10 Great Reasons to Ride Your Bike 569.65 miles from Key West, Florida to the Georgia border:

#10.........Better than working!
#  9.........A good way to travel north in Florida without having to pay all of the tolls on the Florida Turnpike!
#  8.........Proving to yourself (and others) that your body can do it!
#  7.........No need to pack much clothing because all you have time to wear is biking attire!
#  6.........Eating whatever you want because you know that you will burn off those calories daily!
#  5.........Great cure for insomnia by getting so exhausted each day that you can sleep anywhere at night!
#  4.........An opportunity to discover new talents like blogging!
#  3.........Another way to enjoy the Florida Sunshine other than beaching it or golfing!
#  2.........The chance to spend quality time with your spouse!
#  1.........Great thing to do for a worthwhile cause like I Care I Cure!

Hanging up the bike for now!  It deserves a rest as does it's rider!

It is hard to believe that this adventure, that has been in the planning stages for so long, is done!  With your help we have raised $6233 so far for I Care I Cure.   We very much appreciate your donations, your support and your interest in our week.  We loved all of your emails and blog comments.  Thanks for everything!     This is the last planned blog entry but I will keep it online for a while in case you want to check back or pass it on.   If anything of importance comes up, I will email you to let you know that there is a new posting.   It is bittersweet to sign off now.....it has been fun!     Happy trails to you until we meet again!

Georgia On My Mind!

Just had to dip my toes in the Atlantic this morning before heading out to pick Glenn up!

Glenn enjoyed his ride today....through marshlands, along the coast and on a ferry across the St. Johns River on his way south to St. Augustine.  The ferry ride was a bargain for him....only $1.00 while I paid $5.00 for the car.   A first on this ride happened on the ferry.   A man, who had noticed Glenn on the road, asked where he was going and what he was doing.  When Glenn explained about his ride for I Care I Cure, the man went back to his car and returned with a $20 bill as his donation!  What an incredible gesture from a stranger!     One thing that stands out to Glenn as an avid Georgia cyclist is the fact that so many of the roads in Florida are bike-friendly.   The Bike Lane signs are everywhere and make riding much more pleasant for the bikers and easier for those in cars!   Thanks Florida!   Glenn made it to St. Augustine about 30 minutes before I could get there so he had some time to stroll (with his bike and in his bike attire) around the historical town.  We had been there 34 years ago and had fond memories of the place!   When I arrived, we finally, for the first time, had a nice lunch together in a real restaurant - not just peanut butter sandwiches in the front seat of the car! 

This note is for Benji, our 3 1/2 year old grandson!  "On his biking adventure Pa saw an armadillo, a raccoon, a snake, a turtle, a frog, an opposum and birds but no fish!"

After lunch, Glenn was feeling great and the weather was incredible so he decided to finish the last leg today!   That's right....he is all done as you can see in the photos and video below!  Sorry about the quality of the video....I couldn't get out of the car so it is zoomed from afar!  The border between Florida and Georgia is the St. Mary's River.....Here he comes across the bridge!   Sadly, there was no Welcome to Georgia sign but we were able to say good bye and hello to Florida since we are back in Amelia Island for another relaxing night.   Today Glenn rode 78.8 miles today to complete the ride from Key West at Mile O to Georgia!    Check back tomorrow for a final update!   I think I may go into Blog withdrawal when I have no more news to report!

                                 

Here is a challenge for you!   The first blog reader to correctly add up the total number of miles ridden by Glenn this week as documented in the blogs gets an I Care I Cure I Cycle shirt as a prize!    Send us an email as soon as you have the total.   Email us at lynnhirsch@yahoo.com!

                                  

This has been an amazing journey.  The last mile was emotional for Glenn not only because he was completing this great physical challenge but because it gave him the opportunity to think about our nephew, Ian. His favorite memory of Ian is their baseball catches in the backyard.  This effort was dedicated to Ian's memory and he will always be remembered and loved by Aunt Lynn and Uncle Glenn.   In supporting I Care I Cure, we hope that we can help prevent other children from suffering as Ian did from the ravages of Chemo therapy.   With your donations, research will continue toward this goal!   Thanks so much!

Our Outlook is Sunny!

Amelia Island Stats for today!

Today:  Sunny

High 72°F

Low 53°F

                                              Precip: 0%

             Wind: NW at 14 mph

    Humidity: 66%

           
Sunrise: 6:50 AM

 

Our remote for the car doors worked again!   Who knew it was so powerful!   Glenn is off, walking more slowly each day!   He's heading back down to St. Augustine which is good because the winds are out of the north again today!    Wishing you a great Friday.....we'll update tonight!

One or Two Legs Left if Glenn's Two Can Make it!

            

                   Cool day in Florida -  in the 50's and very windy....the jacket and leggings never came off!


What day is today?   I have been having this problem all week!  If it is Thursday, we must still be in Florida!  Glenn pedaled 56.45 miles today and was slowed down by headwinds yet again!   He left Daytona Beach Shores and fought the winds for 28 miles before we decided to use the taxi technique again.  I picked him up just above Flagler Beach and drove him almost 29 miles north to St. Augustine...he warmed up and ate in the car on the way.  Just in case you are wondering what he eats while he rides - his daily intake on the road is two peanut butter and honey sandwiches, three Cliff Bars, a bag of pretzels, some kind of fruit and lots of water and/or Gatorade!  I dropped him off in St. Augustine and grabbed some Chowder at a cute little place overlooking some body of water there.   I then, slowly, headed back down to Flagler to meet Glenn at the spot where I picked him up earlier.  You will know that the drive back was boring when you see how I decided to pass the time.   There are many very interesting mailboxes in Florida.   Here are just a few that I saw today!

The photo on the left is a mailbox...the one on the right is the real lighthouse!

At the end of a long day, Glenn relaxed on the couch of the condo I found on VRBO.com in Amelia Island while I enjoyed another great view!  Tomorrow, Glenn will ride south to St. Augustine and I will pick him up there to return here for a second night!   It will be great to not have to load the car and adhere to a check-out time in the AM!   We hope to do the last 17 miles to the GA/Florida border on Saturday morning, a day earlier than we anticipated.   Wonder if there will be a crowd at the finish line cheering and popping champagne bottles?!?!!   I guess not....we'll do that when we get home!

We went to an Asian Fusion place for dinner tonight and got a fortune cookie that we thought applies to this journey.   "You have many friends when you need them" - You were all good friends when we needed help and support for this ride.  Thank you again!   We have thought about our nephew, Ian, often this week and Glenn feels that Ian's spirit helped him dig deeper in those hours that were difficult.

"Chillin" on the Coast

 

Good Morning!   As you can tell by the photos above, it is a bit chilly here today.  Glenn was forced to don his jacket and leggings for the first time on this journey!    The wind is also back in his face and about 18 miles per hour.  Thankfully, today will be a shorter ride....only about 135 miles left in the trip so he can keep today's ride to 65 or 70 miles!   We are hoping to stay in Amelia Island for the next two nights....anyone have a condo to rent us?!   This experience has put me out of my comfort zone.....I am a huge planner.  Never have I gone on a long trip without hotel reservations for each night!   Happily, most  days we have found lovely accommodations.....in most places, there were not many choices so it was easy.  Looking for a place in Amelia Island for today is overwhelming!    I hear it is beautiful so I am looking forward to the visit there!   

The wind and cool temperature are convincing me that looking at the ocean from the room is enough for me today....no walk on the beach and definitely no swim!    Not a soul around the pool and the only one on the beach is the beach patrol!    Have a good day...catch you tonight!

Rolling up the Coast

Beach Graffiti in Melbourne Beach

After breakfast on the balcony overlooking the ocean, Glenn departed from Melbourne Beach on Route 1. According to the Wind website that our son Seth found for us, today would be the last day with a tailwind so Glenn wanted to take advantage of that condition.   He thought you'd be interested in some of the data that his GPS computer compiled today. 

Glenn averaged 16.3 miles per hour....in Atlanta traffic, that is a good speed at rush hour!

He pedaled for 5 hours, 5 minutes and 42 seconds.....he was tired today but didn't think he could doze while riding!

The distance covered was 83.2 miles...not a century but great!

He expended 4257 calories.....Got him a big dinner tonight!

And for those who think that Florida is flat, he ascended 1609 feet today!  Can you figure that one out?!

We thought that a map of Florida might help you see just how much progress Glenn has made in five days.   We started on Saturday at the very southernmost tip of the Keys and we are in Daytona Beach Shores tonight which is circled and starred on the map.  Where else but Daytona Beach would you see speed limit signs on the beach!

Glenn has some aches and pains so the hot tub seemed a good way to end the day!

Good Morning Sunshine!

As the week goes on, I get lazier about seeing Glenn off in the morning.  Yesterday we discovered that the remote for the car doors works from the 12th floor of our hotel so the photos taken today are from the catwalk outside our hotel room with me still in my PJ's!   The little red dot is Glenn!  The goal today is to reach Daytona Beach Shores.   In the meantime, I am off for a walk on the beach! 

More later!

A Century......At Last!

Glenn finally reached his goal of doing a century ride today or, in layman's terms, 100 miles....actually 103 miles from Juno Beach to Melbourne Beach!   The weather cooperated....the wind was blowing in the right direction, the sun was shining and no rain hampered the ride. The route was very easy with much of it in bike lanes....travel was on Rte. 1 and A1A - some of it was very scenic. No impatient drivers honked at him today and he had the experience of being stopped by an open draw bridge over an inlet. He saw lots of waterfront real estate for sale....anyone interested?   At the 75 mile point, the cavalry arrived - ME - with more water and food!

For those of you in Atanta, I hear that the wind was VERY gusty today there. Just imagine riding a bike in winds that strong (minus the rain you are having). That is what Glenn contended with for the first three days!
Hope you are all staying safe and dry!

We relented on our accommodation plan a little for tonight....we only got two of three free features!  We sacrificed breakfast for an oceanfront view as you see in the photos!     Looking forward to relaxing while looking out at the ocean, having a good dinner, and getting a great night's sleep so that we can face whatever tomorrow brings!

Off on Day Four!

Pretty in Pink!!!!

Sporting our I Care I Cure shirts at breakfast.  Glenn says that mine should say "I Care I Cure I Drive"!

Had a nice "Free" breakfast at the Hampton Inn in Juno Beach before Glenn took off for Melbourne - a 102 mile ride if the weather allows.  The sun is shining and the wind seems calmer this AM.   I took some photos of Glenn's morning preparations and a video of his departure to share with you this morning!

 

"Cue-less" on the Coast!

For those of us who have never ridden in an organized bike ride, Glenn explains that a "cue" sheet is given to the riders each morning so that they know the route for the day and can find their way from Point A to Point B.   Glenn has such sheets for most of this ride provided by the East Coast Greenway website.....but not for today's trek!!    He had to wing it!   Luckily, US Route #1 hugs the coast of Florida so he just stayed on that road most of the way and had a little help from his bike GPS and a good old fashioned map when a detour appeared.   Glenn started the day being dropped off by our brother-in-law, Brad, at about 8 AM in Dania Beach which is just south of Fort Lauderdale.   He had to head back down south to Miami to cover the 19 miles not done yesterday.  I picked him up at 10AM in Miami....very close to the port where the cruise ships dock.  There were 5 of them there today.....I was wishing that I could board one!   Instead, I took Glenn back to Dania Beach so that he could head north toward Juno Beach, our stop for tonight.  He traveled through Boca, Delray Beach, Palm Beach and he finally arrived at 4 PM in Juno Beach after having ridden 78.3 miles today.   The wind was blowing from the east today....still whipping Glenn around!   Today was the first day that he had rain....no shower needed after that soaking.   We have heard from some of you that there is a hurricane heading landward in the gulf....I think this wind is associated with the storm and we may yet have the rain when we travel north.   Just back from meeting some family for dinner.....They gathered to welcome us to their part of Florida! 

                            

 I enjoyed the sights along A1A in Palm Beach as I drove north!

Lynn had a reunion with cousins Bruce, Lisa and Susan

The whole family including Lynn, Glenn, Bruce with his wife Maureen and kids Madison, Brielle and Steven, Aunt Bobbi, Lisa and Mitch  and Susan.

Made it to Miami!

Glenn has a habit of losing his keys....but he will never forget where these KEYS are!   After two very long days, Glenn made it out of the Florida Keys and to Miami.  He logged 90.9 miles today and enjoyed the ride much more than yesterday's!   When he reached Kendall, he passed by Homestead Air Force Base where he pedaled by the race track where there seemed to be some race activity and he couldn't miss the planes soaring by at an air show.  While traveling east, the wind was not a big problem but the northern route through Coral Gables, Coconut Grove and Miami was a challenge!   I met him in Miami on Biscayne Boulevard at the end of today's journey.   Hopefully, tomorrow Glenn will cover the Miami - West Palm Beach route.    After making reservations at two very nice resorts in the Keys and not having any time to enjoy the amenities, we have decided to choose the accommodations for the remaining nights based on "The Free Three" - free parking, free wireless internet and free breakfast!!!

Looks like there were some other crazy folks riding in the wind today.....or did someone know that Glenn was coming?!?!Tonight we have great accommodations with Beth, Brad, Grant and Noah in Davie.   Glenn did some Carb loading at the local Italian eatery!

Wind Advisory for Southern Florida!

Good Sunday Morning to all!   We got another early start again.  Since the forecast predicts winds of 25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph, we are using yesterday's method of taking advantage of the tailwinds!   I drove Glenn 15 miles north to the bridge that connects the Keys to the mainland and he will ride back south 40 miles so he can make up the miles he missed yesterday.   I am back at our Key Largo Hotel for now (as you can see in the photos, it is not a bad place to have to wait) and will pick him up later 25 miles south of here.  The plan is unclear after that....we'll see how the winds are treating Glenn.   I might take him north of Miami and he will ride south again....this is not a very fuel efficient cycling expedition!  

We are enjoying and appreciate all of your comments and emails!   Thanks!

This is the long, winding road that Glenn is traveling this AM.   Not a car for miles!