Well it’s been two years since I added to this blog and two years since Susan and I have been on the tandem. Our last cycle on our illustrious tandem machine was in Sydney, Australia but it is with the utmost happiness that I find myself sitting in the unbearable heat and humidity in Florida contemplating a cycle across this great country of America (I’m not actually sure when it changed its name to USA 😉 but in my day it was always America).

Susan and I are now in St Augustine, Florida and over the next three months, hope to cycle to San Diego along what is commonly referred to as the ‘Southern Tier’ route.

Our east to west cycle is against the prevailing winds and not at the ideal time of the year. They said on news this morning they haven’t had a hurricane hit land in the Gulf Coast area in August – great news but does this change the odds for September?

Here is a general map of the route:

St Augustine is a lovely city on the north east coast of Florida. Founded by the Spanish in 1565 it claims to be the oldest city in America and its Plaza de la Constitucion is the oldest public space in America.

Even before then, a Spanish adventurer and, sailing colleague of Christopher Columbus, called Juan Ponce de Lyon landed here and ‘discovered’ Florida in 1513 (must have been a bloody surprise for the Native Americans who have been here 12,000 years to have been ‘discovered’).

And yes, that’s his name in case you’re wondering. I can only conclude that he was called Juan and he was the Ponce of Lyon. Says it all.

Here is a picture of Susan and I with the Ponce at the starting point of our cycle. Susan has titled the photo ‘Susan and the Ponces’

Here is another photo ‘Susan and the Ponce de Edinburgh’ down by the St Augustine boardwalk.

We arrived in St Augustine on Monday evening and have had 4 days getting acclimatised to the weather. We’re kind of struggling to be honest. Susan is perspiring gently like a lady and I’m a big puddle.

Its 32c and the humidity takes the ‘feels like’ temperature on the weather app to 45c. How does that work ’cause it blinking feels a whole lot worse that that!

So tomorrow we are starting at 7am and, hopefully, it will be cooler for a few hours. Maybe we will even be finished cycling for the day before the regular thunderstorm at 4pm. Maybe that clunking noise on the bike that I’ve not been able to trace will spell catastrophe. Maybe I will just write the blog and pretend we are cycling – oh the thought has crossed my mind!

It’s only 44 miles to Palatka tomorrow and I’m hopeful the old girl will get through the first day and then get us through to San Diego. That’s the bike I’m talking about not Susan! 😉

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