October 6, 2015
Miles today: 63
Total Miles So Far: 121
I wake early in the sandpit at the Peace River Campgrounds. It has rained a bit overnight, and my tent and the trike cover are both wet. But I don’t want to wait for the sun to dry things out – I have a long way to ride and want to avoid the hottest part of the day if I can. So I pack up camp, drag the loaded trike through the sand, and ride myself over to the camp convenience store. A couple of bananas and a bottle of orange juice later and I feel ready to head out.
More New Borders
Yesterday I had ridden past the boundary of my Florida cycling experience, but today I am to cross the border into totally uncharted country. I may not have cycled to Arcadia before, but I had been there. Nancy and I drove there once over the summer just to see what it was like. Today’s destination is a place called Lake Wales – and I have never been that way before. So the adventure is on.
More Of The Same
The morning ride is a lot like yesterday. The roads are flat and straight. Unlike yesterday, I must make an occasional turn. I’m happy that I have pre-programmed my Garmin to tell me about when to turn, because frankly every road looks pretty much the same, and not all the streets are well-marked. If I was navigating from a map or the ACA cue sheet, I’m certain I would miss a turn or two.
The roads are smaller and much less busy than yesterday’s ride along SR72. The morning ride takes me north from Arcadia on DeSoto County Road 661. This turns into County Road 663 as I pass into Hardee County. It may have a different name, but it doesn’t look any different.
One thing is different, I notice I am passing a lot of citrus farms. Large groves of orange and grapefruit trees line the road on both sides.
Limestone
The road takes me directly into the little hamlet of Limestone, FL. The July 1, 2015 census claims Limestone has a population of 142. Seriously, 142 people! How is that even a town?
There isn’t much to see in Limestone – a sign announcing entry into town is the most prominent thing. There is a church, and 4-5 small residential streets. No gas station (I am hoping for a convenience store but don’t find it). A little north of Limestone I pass the University Of Florida Range Cattle Research and Education Center.
Well, I pass the sign. I look around as I am riding past, but I don’t see any buildings, just the sign. I looked them up on the web later, it seems they own 2800+ acres of range land in the area – so this sign doesn’t really need to be near the facility.
Wauchula
After about 30 miles I start to get hot and hungry and decide to find a place to eat. I notice a gentleman standing in a church parking lot, and I pull up and ask him for advice about a place to eat. He directs me to the nearby town of Wauchula. Wauchula is the big city in these parts – there is a bustling little downtown that is two or three blocks longs with shops and a few inviting restaurants.
I cruise up and down the main street once to look over the options, then finally settle on the Java Cafe. I pick it mostly because there is a place to park my trike right in front, and it looks like I will be able to sit so that I can keep my eye on it while I eat. But it turns out very nice. Order at the counter and they bring the food to the table. I am hot, the place is air-conditioned, the drinks are cold and the food is tasty. The owners – Jim and Linda – work in the restaurant. Linda keeps things moving out front and Jim works the kitchen. Linda and the other waitresses are all curious about my trip and the trike, and we chat for a while before I decide it is time to head back out and finish the day’s ride.
Onward To Lake Wales
The afternoon is much hotter than the day before. In the morning there had been some cloud cover, but in the afternoon the sun is out strong and hot. I slather myself in sun tan lotion and continue north out of Wauchula. As the day wears on, traffic begins to pick up. What had been a pleasant ride in the morning becomes more stressful in the afternoon. There were not a lot of cars, but the number of trucks began to pick up. It seems there are some construction projects going on nearby, and the dump trucks and cement mixers roll by in a steady procession. There are not a huge number of them, and they all seem very aware of me on the road. Still, getting passed by these behemoths is less fun than the nice quiet ride I had this morning
Lake Wales Campground / RV Resort
My destination for the night is the Lake Wales RV Resort & Campground. Like the place last night, this is a campground in name only – it really caters to folks in RV’s who want to park in one place for weeks, months or even permanently. But when I cll, they tell me I can pitch a tent there for a reasonable fee ($20), so I decide to head there and make camp for the night.
When I arrive I am seriously tired. It’s been a very hot afternoon of stressful riding with lots of big trucks. I think I’ve concentrated so hard on the traffic that I’ve forgotten to drink enough water. As I set up camp, I discover I get dizzy every time I stand up. I am sweating like crazy. As I work, I drink a lot of water and a bottle of orange juice I have in my pack. It takes a long time to get the camp set up.
One of the nice things about camping in this kind of facility is that I get to use their facilities. In this case, they have a lovely indoor pool. I go for a swim and can feel myself cooling down. Next I take a shower and then just sit in the shade for a while. I call and chat with Nancy and catch up on her day. Finally I begin to feel better.
The campsite I have been given is much nicer than last night’s. On the shore of a small pond with a tinkling fountain, its covered in grass, is nice and flat, and has nearby electric outlets and a water faucet. I can recharge my Garmin and the batteries for my lights. And I can refill my water bottle. It also has a table and a few chairs I can sit in. A group of friendly ducks wander over to see what I am doing while I set up camp.
Dinner
After drinking a lot of water, showering, cooling off and sitting for a while I start to feel a lot better. I’m still really tired, but I no longer feel sick or dizzy. I had passed a BBQ restaurant just a short ways down the road from the campground, so I decide to walk down and get some dinner.
The place is a Fat Boys BBQ. Apparently they are a large chain with a few locations all over the country. But I’ve never heard of them. As I approach the place, it doesn’t look very enticing – it’s a run down building with only a few cars parked in the lot. But it’s the only place within an easy walk, so I don’t feel like I’ve got much choice.
The interior decor of the place does little to cut my anxiety. The decor of the place is “Taxidermy Delight” – stuffed animals of various species decorate the walls and corners. Even worse – the only beer on the menu is Budweiser, and there is no wine at all.
OK – I order a pulled pork sandwich and a beer. The waitress is very friendly, she can tell I’m really tired. The food comes quickly, its hot and surprisingly it’s very good. I gobble up the sandwich and I’m still pretty hungry. I order a half-dozen chicken wings and polish them off as well. Yum – good BBQ after all!
I’m now feeling a lot better. My appetite sated, I walk back to camp and sit quietly for a few minutes watching the stars.
What About Tomorrow ?
Tomorrow I have a very long day planned – 71 miles to Winter Garden. After feeling sick this afternoon, I’m not certain I really want to take on a big ride. There is no real hurry, I have plenty of time to get to St. Augustine. I know a couple of alternative places I can stay tomorrow that are not so far, so I think I will probably change my plans and make a shorter day. It will depend upon how I feel in the morning, but that’s what is in my head as I crawl into my tent for a well deserved sleep.