Year 4 - Ride Day 1 - Jacksonville to St Augustine FL


Our path today


Very little elevation gain, only about 14 feet per mile. 

The train really rocks and rolls all night long. I find it difficult to sleep well, but must have dozed many times for an adequate period as I had plenty of energy all day today. 

Amtrak breakfast was not like a Lancaster County breakfast. The scrambled eggs were not cooked adequately, my potato’s had black spots in them, the bacon was good and the biscuit was okay. 

We arrived Jacksonville about 20 minutes late, about 7:30 a.m.  Picked our bikes from the baggage car and then collected our other checked luggage.  It took us about 45 minutes to get entirely ready and take the obligatory photo in front of the Jacksonville train station. 


As you will probably note, Dan has decided due to his shoulder condition, not ride this year. So we have a SAG vehicle to carry our bags and to take us to meals etc. He is also our designated photographer.

Jacksonville is a very large city as far as land mass. We rode for a long time within the confines of the “city”.  


A well painted bridge in Jacksonville for pedestrians and bicycles.


A railroad drawbridge as we crossed an inland water way in Jacksonville.





Skyline view from bridge over inland water way



View from the second climb (bridge) today. Part of the inland water way.

The second part of the ride today was along the coast. Many very beautiful and expensive houses. We rode about 30 miles during which we did not see any commercial establishments, just houses and dunes. We stopped at a public beach parking area where apparently Ponce de Leon is credited on landing, 30 degrees 8 minutes north latitude. I took a photo of the plaque, but it did not come out very clear.


Today’s ride was 55.8 miles and 804 feet of climbing. Our total for the ECG is 2,537.8 miles and 76,435 feet of climbing. 








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