Trippin' with Susan Straley

Hi. I got back from my mini solo tour gone awry.  I was feeling ok about not going to Wisconsin.  I was already planning another trip to visit my sister and my son in September.  I had a wedding to attend so I had already had it on my calendar.  No big deal. But -- I came home.  Most of my friends had left town.  Even those that don't go north for the Summer were gone for a few weeks.   I went a whole week without a social dinner... well, almost a whole week.  And for me that is something.  I felt funny.  I started questioning all my life choices. Do I want to move? Do I want to get a trailer and travel the country? Do I still want to write and publish books? Am I really any good or are my friends just being nice? Maybe I should get a REAL job with a pay check. If so, then I will have to move, right? Since there are no jobs that pay in Citrus County, Florida. Maybe I need a house-mate to share this big space with me. Wa wa wa... I felt tears in me, wanting to get out.

I was up at 4:45 because I was keyed up about beating the heat on my cycling trip home.  I would be riding from Tarpon Springs to Inverness, a ride of over 80 miles.  It had been a few years since I had ridden that far, I was a bit nervous. It was predicted to be 95 degrees, humid, and sunny on Sunday.  I packed two thermoses of ice water, a bottle of Gatorade, and a baggie with salty pretzels and nuts.  If I am smart and keep re-filling my waters, I should be ok. My neck had stopped hurting during my day of rest.  I had bought a bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide and was swishing it around my chipped tooth two and three times a day.  It had done the trick! Sunday morning is a good time to travel by bike.  The traffic is lighter because many sleep in or sit in church pews. I assembled my things and got them all packed on the bike and was riding by 5:30 in the dark.  I was glad I had packed my front light and a flashing back light because it was very dark when I departed Ellen's ho

Ellen has been a gracious hostess.  She has made me feel welcome and engaged me in lots of great conversation.  I have basqued in the aircondtioning, soaked in the food and beverages, and loved on Stinky the cat. Tonight, after cooking dinner for my hosts and making a mess of their kitchen and stove, I have wheeled out my trike and locked it up, ready to roll in the morning.  All the bags have been hauled back in because there is a lot of theft in the area.  I will have to re-assemble things in the morning. I am setting the alarm for 5 a.m.   It is going to be a hot day so I would like to be through the SunCoast trail by noon.  We'll see.  I did NOT arrange for a stop/sleepover part way.  Years ago, George and I rode the whole way from Inverness to Tarpon Springs.  83 miles.  Can I do it now in this heat?  I have packed nuts and salty snacks, a bottle of Gatorade and two thermoses of ice water.  There will be gas stations and restaurants and parks along the way for refilling th

So last night, here I was, exhausted, comfortably sitting on a balcony overlooking the beach.  Enjoying the sunset and sharing a picture on Facebook.   When I noticed that it hurt to swallow. A pain above my Adam's apple. Before I left I had started getting some pains in my neck and I suspected it was from a tooth that had chipped while I was in the Netherlands.  It was a back molar with a large filling and the whole side of the tooth had fallen off. I have an appointment with my dentist set for the end of July.  I thought, since I had not felt pain, I was ok to wait a couple months to see the dentist about it.  Just before I left I tried to get in, but it was near the 4th of July and my dentist was off for the week.  I went to the walk in clinic and asked for antibiotics to combate the infection if I needed it on this trip. I got some and I am carrying them with me.  I don't want to take them. We all have heard about the damage to the gut bacteria that can be caused by

I felt uneasy about not having a place set up for tonight to lay my head.  I kept telling myself I had plenty of time to look and if all else fails I could pay for an expensive motel room. I said goodbye to Peg, my Evergreen hostess in Largo.  It was a nice stay, last night she drove me around to show me the area and then took me to the Regal Theater with huge lounge chairs.  We saw "Yesterday".  Lots of great Beatles songs and a fun story. There were two places Peg told me about that I wanted to see.  Near her home is the Largo Nature Preserve with extensive board walks.  I looked at the map and there was a Racetrack gas station right at the entrance.  So this morning I went there first, got my large coffee and took it with me into the park.  I exchanged my bike sandals for my tennis shoes and walked the extensive boardwalks.  The planes and handrails are made with that plastic/wood hybrid.  Very well done.  Lots of birds to see.  The wadding birds perched on the railing

This morning I am up early and anxious to get going.  Flipping through my head are all the things I need to do to get my bags and my trike ready for flight. Let air out of the tires. Remove and fasten my clip on shoes to the trike. Shifters in down position. Fasten flag to trike Tie and bubble wrap so won’t snap. Remove and dispose of my halt and the boat horn.  No Arisols on the plane Open the air pump from the locked position so it can float or pack it on my carryon bag. Remove phone holder and light. Bubble wrap greasy parts and chain. Saran wrap so it looks wrapped good but keeps the front wheels able to roll and the brakes able to function. Oh!  Go back a bunch of steps and use plastic ties to keep crank from moving. So much to do in the right order! Then the test.  Roll it up to baggage check in. Last night I checked into my flight.  It requires an Allegiant app in my phone. Adventure.  Fear and excitement. *** It is now 3:27 pm. I left Peg's home at

Geese.  Trying to blog with my iPhone and iPad is not working. I can't post pictures in the right order, the screen jumps around. I was up at 4:00 with thunder and lightening.  I thought I would have to start this tour in the rain, but the rain never hit me. For you route geeks.  I went Withlacoochee trail with a stop to feed the goats in Nobleton.  I also mailed a book at the postoffice in Nobelton.  The postal clerk was strange and threatening.  I was mailing a book.  He asked several times if there was a note or anything in there beside the book.  He said the will Ezra's it and mail it back to me if they find a note in there.  In Inverness the clerks are friendly and take my word for it the first time they ask.   Withlacoochee trail to the Good Neighbor trail.  Stop at the Sun Rise Bistro for coffee and Soup at 11:00.  The owner let me in early.  The staff waited until the official open time to wait on me, but the owner brought me water and oooed and aa