25: bad roads, 23 mph, next state, blocked roads, all that's left of him, georgia coast rail trail, nap time

April 11, 2025

Fernandina Beach to Kingsland

Today kinda sucked.

As opposed to yesterday, which had the best paths and weather possible, today was the polar opposite.

This is the road out of Fernandina Beach, and possibly the best road of the day.

I crossed the street and rode on the sidewalk until I came to a bridge and had to get back on this road again.

Eventually, I came to a sidewalk and rode on it because of all the semis.

Until I remembered why I don't ride on sidewalks. This is inevitable.

RideWithGPS and Google Maps took me this way in order to keep me off Highway 17.

When I saw this I started wondering about turning around...

...but it was packed hard enough so that I could still pedal on it, if only ~5 mph.

Other than the periodic truck that passed me, I couldn't hear any traffic.The only sounds were the birds chirping and the occasional gunshot. Probably Florida Man cleaning his rifle.

NOT 20 mph, and NOT 25 mph.... but 23 mph.

At the turnoff, it turned into sugar sand and my heart sank.

I went a little ways up the road, but the satellite view showed the surface doesn't change and it stays sand. But how far? I wondered.

It's possible that it changes when it connects with the other road, but unlikely. And there's just no way I'm going to walk another mile through sand like that again. Absolutely not.

...so I turned around and headed back the way I came. The grater came through since I was here last, and my speed remained a toddling 4-6 mph.

The only consolation was that I had a strong tailwind going in the opposite direction. Of course, that means I have a headwind for the rest of the day.

In fact the headwind was so nice that I overshot where was supposed to have turned by almost a mile and had to backtrack.

and, since I didn't get one for Florida, I just ran across the street

This is the Georgia Coast Rail-Trail. Google Maps and RideWithGPS really wanted me off Highway 17 and onto this bike path.

This is a picture of the Georgia Coast Rail-Trail. There's no way around the gate.

And even if there were, it's so overgrown that unless you can jump logs you're not going very far.

This cinched it for me - no way am I going that route. Look at what happened to the last guy who did: nothing left of him but the waistband of his underwear.

My routing apps really didn't want me on this road today. Granted, it was a horrible road with continuous traffic (this was an unusually light moment), but there weren't any alternate roads. I mentioned the headwind all day, but there were so many cars and trucks passing me that it was negligible because they broke the wind for me (They broke THE wind, not broke wind. I can do that just fine all by myself, thank you very much.)

This is what the bridges looked like. Repeatedly.

I had planned on riding to Woodbine, but decided to make it a shorter day and got a hotel in Kingsland instead. I was pretty excited when I found one for $45.00 (and it was a two star, not one of those crappy one star hotels), but it was sold out so I got one for $55.00 instead.

I didn't feel right all day... Even though I got a full eight hours of sleep, I felt like you do when you wake up in the middle of a dream and just need another thirty minutes of sleep. As soon as I walked into the hotel, I lay down on the bed and instantly fell asleep for an hour, then later in the evening I went to bed early and slept all night.

Between my nap and bedtime, I took my raincoat, then walked over to a Mexican restaurant. Fortunately, the rain just missed me. I never saw a drop of precipitation in Kingsland.

As the crow flies, it's about 20 miles from Fernandina Beach to Kingsland. I was able to make it in 35. Consequently, I made a resolution that I won't be getting off Highway 17, as horrible as it is, unless I can absolutely prove that it isn't sand, and isn't closed.

Like I said, today kinda sucked. It's going to happen. A bike trip isn't always fun, and it's certainly not always easy. But it's still an adventure.

I hope you keep reading, because tomorrow turns out much better, and certainly more interesting.

Note all the detours. The spur off to the left also took me to a locked gate that had a No Trespassing sign on it so I had to backtrack again.

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Today's ride: 35 miles (56 km)
Total: 671 miles (1,080 km)

Rate this entry's writing	Heart	14
Comment on this entry	Comment	8

Jeff LeeI didn't remember these terrible trafficky road conditions on day two of my 2008 tour, when I rode from near where you started (Fort Clinch State Park in my case) into Georgia, and now I realize why: You took a much more direct route north, which is why you were on horrible 17.

My route (the ACA Atlantic Coast Route, or at least what the route was in 2008) goes farther west, and routes you on 23/121, which as I recall was nice, if unexceptional scenery. Traffic was fine there.

Of course, that doesn't help you now does it? :)

Feel free to call me if you want any routing assistance on the rest of the trip. I'll be stuck here at home for a while :(
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2 days ago

Steve Miller/GrampiesWell that sucked. Too bad about the ugly riding conditions, but console yourself with what we always tell each other at times like these. "Well, at least it's good for the blog". Hope things are looking up soon.
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2 days ago

Rich FrasierMark, your loyal followers will not desert you over a single day of terrible traffic. Happens to us all from time to time!

I kind of liked the dirt road part - it's a shame it was too powdery to ride.
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2 days ago

Larry FrahmType your comment here
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2 days ago

Larry FrahmTo Larry FrahmType your comment here
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2 days ago

Mark BinghamTo Jeff LeeI *think* this is the ACA route, right up Highway 17 for part of the way, although I planned it so many months ago that I don't recall for sure.
I appreciate the offer, and I might take you up on it.
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1 day ago

Mark BinghamTo Steve Miller/GrampiesThanks, Steve, although I wonder if it's even good for the blog... me whining about roads doesn't make for great reading. :-)
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1 day ago

Mark BinghamTo Rich FrasierThanks, Rich! Indeed it does happen to all of us from time to time. I'm looking forward to getting past this section. Thanks for reading!
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1 day ago