Today we wore caps and gowns rather than helmets and spandex.
Well, I guess we couldn't resist rolling up to our medical school graduation in classy style.
Let me fill ya in on what has happened since our last post.
On April 30th, we pedaled our way into Gainsville where we checked out the Devil's Millhopper Sinkhole and enjoyed a dinner party with some FSU med students.
We re-united with Adam, a fellow cross-country cyclist, and stayed in the Zen Hostel in Gainsville.
The next morning we were delighted to discover a place that combines two of our favorite things: bikes and coffee! They had rad vintage bikes they've restored and equally incredible vintage jerseys!
We figured wool jerseys were just the thing for 90 degree weather with high humidity. It wicks, right?
When we rolled into Palatka, we couldn't resist eating at "Florida's oldest diner." And with the challenge implied by the title of their burger, I couldn't resist ordering it.
While waiting for my "For Real Men Only" burger to finish cooking, I noticed a group of about 30 cyclists ride by. I darted out of the diner and momentarily revived my running skills to catch them and find out their story. They were the Paltaka Cycling Club out on a social ride that would be followed by a picnic. Since I had 1 pound of beef cooking in the diner for me, I informed them that we'd try to catch them further down their route.
After polishing off 1lb (Tad did too, but we already knew he was a real man), we met the club just in time for their picnic and our second dinner.
We really enjoyed the cycling crew, especially Kevin and Gaye who invited us to spend the night at their home on the St. Johns River.
Kevin and Gaye taught us about meade and bee keeping. We enjoyed their tasty concoctions on the dock in the moonlight and spent the night sleeping on their boat.
We easily convinced Gaye to join us for our final 40 miles to St. Augustine despite the fact that she had never ridden more than 25 in a day. Way to go, Gaye! She easily adapted to our style of loitering and especially enjoyed the candy bar break.
After 3200 wonderful miles of friendship and fun, it seemed appropriate that two new friends would finish the journey with us.
Thanks, Gaye and Randy, for riding the final miles with this silly trio!
After dragging our bikes through the sand and arriving a rocky drop-off, we decided to dip our front tires in the Atlantic a bit more creatively.
Here are our final stats for the trip:
Days of riding mostly in the right direction: 43
Miles traveled: 3211
Days off: 1 (but we rode 40 miles around Austin anyways)
Number of feet climbed: 90,719
Times we showered: 10
Flats: 9
Fluid ounces of sunscreen applied: 97
Families who brought us into their homes: 4
Most consecutive hours of wearing a single article of clothing: 102
Items found on the side of the road that we continued to carry: 4
Rainstorms: 2
Number of times we wished we were somewhere else: 1--wishing it wasn't over!
But the fun continued...
We loaded 4 bikes and 4 humans and much gear into a van for the trip back west.
After a final fun loitering session in front of a grocery store back in Madison, Fl, we said goodbye to our sweet friend Randy.
Back to Team Jadley.
Jess's mom, my dad, and good friends Adam and Leah met us for breakfast and to welcome us home!
While we might look a bit more professional the next time you all see us, I hope our adventurous spirits, love for our fellow man, and confidence that we can take on a challenge will shine as we begin our careers as physicians.
We are endlessly thankful for our families and friends (old and new!) who have loved and supported us through our journeys. May we share many adventures in the years to come!
