We woke to a beautiful day in Pensacola . . . blue sky, but only 58 degrees!!!! Needed a ‘light wrap’ on the way to breakfast.

. . . and right next to us was a 24 hour ‘Whataburger’ that served breakfast. Denver Tom and I were in our booth by 6:15am, drinking coffee!!!

Denver Tom ended his ride with us in Pensacola. He needs to get back to Denver for some social obligations. There were hugs all around, and then it was time for us to roll out down Pensacola Blvd. We got separated at the first stoplight with Gina and I in the lead. We would eventually tie up with the rest 20 miles down the road in Milton. We came across Sadie, a starving artist, who is working, waving an oil change sign on the side of the road. We have seen folks doing this, for a variety of businesses, all across the US. Most are listening to iPods, or talking on the phone but Sadie was the first one to reading a book while she was shaking the sign. The job pays $8.00/hour and she is working to save some cash in order to remodel her house and studio!!!!

We rolled across several large bridges on our way out of Pensacola that had some great views . . . wonder if there were any gators down there?????

mmmmmm . . . it was a little dicey getting out of town during rush hour . . . hope we didn’t make a wrong turn somewhere!!!!

Another one for the list . . . Rocky actually look ‘peaceful’ . . .

After 20 miles we came to Milton, where we would pick up a PAVED state trail for the next 9 miles . . .as we rolled up to it Gina spotted a bike store right off the trail . . . guess which way we went!!!!

The diva and her carriage!!!!! Holds four!

Gina has been having problems with her front wheel, so asked the boys to take a look at it . . . soon the rest of our gang joined us. Gina is holding a ‘water bottle’ shaped container that has a tool kit inside . . . (Brian, check that x-mas stocking hanging from the mantle in a couple of months!)

Here was a great ‘local product’, a bike made out of bamboo that had been grown locally . . .

OK, so before we left the bike shop  . . . we filled the queen’s carriage with a few of her serfs . . .

Nice trail riding for 8 miles . . .

. . . and here was a good way to track ridership on the trail rather than using the standard rubber air tube counter stretch across the path . . . an electronic eye system.

Neat house along the trail painted with a map of the gulf area . . .

For Gina . . . (our little groups, inside joke)

mmmmmmmmm . . .Bob’s Riverside Canoe Rental, if it says Spring Green on the sign ahead we did make a wrong turn!!!!

We turned off the Highway 131 onto Indian Ford Road and were immediately presented with this little piece of art evidently done by one of the locals . . .

. . .but it was sweet riding today . . . even a little elevation today . . . Hey, what happened to that shoulder?????

. . .much of the afternoon was spent riding through the Blackwater State Park and Forest . . . peaceful, very little traffic, 72 degree temps, no wind and BLUE SKY. Made one almost forget about the two weeks of rain we had!!!!

Nice name. I’d like to live on this road . . . and it’s a dead end!!!

Now this guy either REALLY like fences, is a mason himself, or has an unemployed son-in-law that needed something to do!!!

mmmmmm . . . wonder if they have ‘raw milk’ sale issues like we have in WI between the Amish farmers and our Department of Ag????

Now here was a sweet little one room getaway . . .

Down the road was the site of a future G.I. Joe Theme Park. Not sure how long this has been in the planning stage but the front wheels on the truck were flat. No evidence of earthmoving . . . but of course a GI Joe doll theme park could be a ‘REALLY’ small affair!!!

We rolled across this State Forest bridge on the right. Wire mesh deck but you can see the concrete inserts where tires are supposed to ride. Sort of tricky on a bike . . .

. . . next to it was the ‘new bridge’, that had not yet been completed. Don’t want people to drive across it yet? . . . use a blown down tree to block it!!!!!

We rolled into Crestview, our home for the night. I saw this near a school . . . not sure what happened but something not good. Many of the messages were from Melissa’s Day care. People REALLY need to pay attention when they are driving . . .

We are staying at the Quality Inn and everyone was in the pool by 2:30pm. Nice afternoon of floating around!! Next door is a Hooter’s and a Cracker Barrel. About a block away is El  Rhumba, a Mexican Restaurant. Not sure which one we will go to!!!!

UPDATE: All across the US we have had a girls room, with three in it, and a boys room, with three in it. Since NOLA, when Dan and Margie left the ride because of family obligation, Gina and Linda having been sharing a double. Denver Tom joined us in Austin and after Dan left, we went two to a room, too. Last night was the last night of us each having our own bed EVERYNIGHT because Tom left to go back to Denver. Beginning tonight, and for the rest of the trip, it would be three boys back in one room. It didn’t take long . . . about an hour and a half for us to realize how nice it was to each have a bed instead of one sleeping on the floor every night. Here is a view of our Quality Inn room with our bikes, our gear and us in it!!!

Here was TommyH’s ‘personal sleeping space’ for the night, currently occupied by his gear and Paul’s bike.!!!!

. . . and  a half hour later, here was TommyH new ‘personal sleeping space’. We decided to get two rooms every night with whomever was supposed to sleep on the floor that night rotating to the single room.  My turn tomorrow night. Nice!!!! To celebrate our decision, let’s eat!

We chose La Rhumba where we found the margaritas were as big as your head  and only half price . . . Sara delivered our drinks and set them on the table behind Gina and Tom. I asked her to pick them up again so I could get this shot . . .

. . . after she set them back down to serve, the tray tipped over and onto the floor the ingredient’s and two of the glasses went . . . I left her a BIG tip!!!!

More margaritas were delivered as well as our dishes. Three of us had the Vera Cruz Shrimp . . . and one had chicken mole.  YUM!!!!

By the time I left, not a bite left!!!!     zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz . . .