November 8, 2008
niceville, 50 lbs a day, hewes, why?
Day Forty Eight
"If you've never had the chance to visit a Waffle House, simply imagine a gas station bathroom that serves waffles."
- Jim Gaffigan -
"I have always loved Waffle House. It's been like an oasis in the desert many times late at night after one of my concerts."
- Trace Adkins -
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Yesterday, on the way to the hotel, I passed a Waffle House. Still haunted by fantasies of the breakfast I had in Jackson, I decided to stop in for a hearty breakfast this morning. Admittedly, it wasn't as good as the homemade meal I had at the B&B, but it was still pretty decent.
To get back on the ACA route I would have had to backtrack, which I detest, so I opted to slip onto 90, thereby saving a few miles. Also, this detour will cut an additional ten miles off the trip. Fortunately, the road was excellent, with a pleasant, smooth shoulder and little traffic.
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I thought about stopping in Crestview (20,978) for lunch, but was making such good time that I decided to press on.
Just east of Crestview I met Joe and Robin, two bikers riding from Florida to San Diego. They're originally from Ireland, accents thick as clover, but currently reside in Chicago. Like Ari and Erin, they're riding for a cause: Juvenile Diabetes.
We only chatted briefly, and mainly about the route. They're considering getting off the ACA route and traveling along the coast to New Orleans. I talked to Klaus yesterday, and since he pedaled down to New Orleans to visit the city I gave them his email address for more information about the route in case they decide to go that way.
Today is the first day in which I've had a tailwind and good weather. The skies are clear, and the temperature is in the low 70s.... pretty much ideal conditions, and my average speed reflects it.
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My stopping point for the day is DeFuniak Springs (pop 5,177). I was too early to check into the hotel, so I went to a place recommended by the woman at the hotel desk, H & M Hot Dog.
Walking into the place, I felt like I had stepped back in time by fifty years. For the first five minutes there was no place to sit, so I stood shoulder to shoulder with other waiting customers in a chaotic combination of noises and aromas as I inched closer to the register in what was clearly a hot dog mecca. The only seating section in the narrow building was a white formica counter with about ten stools. All of us in line peered over the shoulders of the diners, and it created a gustatory anticipation. Although probably unintentional, it's great marketing.
The main attraction for me was watching the short order cook performing his magic. I stood there gawking as he cracked four eggs at a time, two in each hand, and flung their contents onto the griddle, then disposed of the shells in a blur of movement. He seemed to be doing ten things at once, his hands moving in a dance which seemed coordinated and disconnected at the same time. It was like rubbing your stomach and patting your head, while also scratching your ear, tapping your forehead, and juggling four bottles. The cashier noted that although they cook about fifty pounds of hamburger meat a day, hot dogs are their real specialty.
When I was there at 2:45 it was really busy. The cashier said that it was actually slow for them.
Back at the hotel I checked in, showered, and blogged until time to eat again.
When it was time for dinner I went downstairs to eat at Bogey's, the hotel restaurant. As I was being directed to my table I passed three people, two of whom looked familiar. I did a double take and realized I'd met them before, in Salome, Arizona: Susan and Hewes Agnew. Paul, the guy who had been sick, was also with them. It was kind of weird to meet them again after so long.
They invited me to join them so I sat down and we had a leisurely dinner together, swapping stories of the road… where we've been staying, things that've happened to us. When the live music started up, the spry septuagenarians hopped up and started dancing, while Paul and I continued talking.
I learned that the campground in Vancleave, where I would've stayed if Jim hadn't picked me up, was the worst one during their entire trip. In turn, I shared my memorable experiences about the Bamboo Motel in Mamou. Instead of pedaling across West Texas, they rented a car in El Paso and drove to Del Rio, skipping that entire section. I let them know how much fun they could've had picking pieces of West Texas out of their tires.
For entertainment, Paul has been asking people who they voted for in the presidential election last week, and why. (2024 edit: the 2008 presidential election) He's received some interesting "why" answers.
He reported that during his entire trip across the Southern Tier, he only found one person who voted for Obama. Some of the "Why" responses included, "I didn't vote for Obama, but it's not because he's Black." "He ain't American. You cain't run if you ain't American." "I don't like his politics."
Today has been a rest day for them. They arrived in DeFuniak Springs yesterday, and will be leaving in the morning.
I usually take a rest day once a week, and I've been riding for six days, but I feel really fresh. After my ride yesterday I felt like I could've gone another sixty miles, even in the rain. Today, after riding almost that far I feel like I could ride forever. Still, I think I'll take tomorrow off. It's possible I'm more tired than I realize, and rest days are important.
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distance: 58.19 miles
average speed: 15.1 mph (only with a tailwind!)
maximum speed: 27.9 mph
time on bike: 3:50:40
cumulative: 2420.8 miles
Today's ride: 58 miles (93 km)
Total: 2,416 miles (3,888 km)
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