Day 11: Gainsville (Shelly and Angel) to Fanning Spring

Shelly wanted to say good bye… On her unicycle at 6am!

Early start again today provides me with nice empty roads after my Starbucks coffee start and free multi grain banana cake. Manager was an ex Londoner who moved out 14 years ago, luckily has had maintained his ‘alright geezer’ accent.

Cycling West the sky is full of grey clouds, rain later me thinks..

No sign of rain thank goodness but here comes the sun again. Expected temperature today 82 degrees, will hope for a bit of shade unless I get there soon.

Found my perfect house whilst passing through Newberry, none up one down which is surprising for a detached property!

Needed a $1 dollar meal so stopped in at the golden bridges and chatted with the manager about my cycle ride and the charities I’m raising money for. She seemed super impressed and I got an orange juice, unlimited soda, 2 cheese burgers, 2 hash browns and 2 apple pies for my dollar (60p in real money)

Thank you Mc Donalds – Trenton

Back on a designated cycle road running along state highway 26 from Trenton to Fanning Springs

10 miles out and ANOTHER puncture.. That’s 3 in 2 days. I have now run out of inner tubes as I was waiting to buy some more tyre glue this afternoon. Putting on last spare now… Please get me to Fanning Springs!!!

Nope it wasn’t met to be, just blew my last tube. Also noticed the probably cause of repeated puncture, a section of rubber has ‘come off’ the tyre wall. Let’s start walking folks.

Found a house and called Maryanne, a contact from Mike and Bernice who offered to collect me and take me to a Walmart for new tyres, $40 dollars from and rear, I kept the receipt in case they don’t find. I have an afternoon of tube patching!

Went to one campsite who wanted $20 dollars a night which was outside budget, so went further out of town to a 24 hour garage and asked if I could put my tent under a tree. I gave them they entire charity, hard luck, hopeless story and they said it would be ok. Shop and toilet/shower both available to use… Thank you Bob!

Tent/bivi set up in shade, bike chained to tree and recently glued and patched tyres hanging from the branches… You really have to love living life on the cheap.

Time for a cold beer, over and out people.

Expenditure $3.19