After a Subway breakfast across the street from the motel in Gainesville we rode for just a few miles before getting on the 13 mile Gainesville – Hawthorne State Trail. This was a delightful trail through swamp, 200 year old live oak trees draped in Spanish Moss and dense marsh forest areas. Although Allen has been scouring every swamp area we pass through, thus far, there have been no alligator sightings. We have tried valiantly to appease him by pointing out all the dead snakes along the road but he seems less than eager to get near them. The four recumbent riders stopped in Hawthorne after we got off the trail to have some key lime pie & chocolate cake for a mid-morning break, while Ron and Brian soldiered on. The balance of the day’s ride floated along on gently rolling terrain, with a wide shoulder and smooth pavement below our wheels.
Brian decided that for our last feast we would have salmon on the grill, with Rotel rice and lettuce salad. Jill picked up chocolate brownies for dessert!
Hold the presses!! There has been an ALLIGATOR sighting! Just before supper Allen went down to the St John’s River to take some pictures and saw “gators”. We all walked down to the river after supper and sure enough we spotted an alligator lounging in the water. With the help of Jill’s binoculars we all got a good view of it and Allen got pictures. Mission accomplished!
Coming into Palatka
Finally, an alligator
Gecko, a slightly smaller lizard
Southern Tier Comfort Ride 
More great pictures and tales from the tail.
Thanks!
“Travel does not exist without home….If we never return to the place we started, we would just be wandering, lost. Home is a reflecting surface, a place to measure our growth and enrich us after being infused with the outside world.”
― by Josh Gates, Destination Truth: Memoirs of a Monster Hunter
Have a great final day!
Will be great to have you back home!
Mary
Fun! Fun! Fun! You’re almost done! Way groovy, guys! You are the tallest if dogs! Ho
By the time you see this you will have one day left (and the ride home). Great job!!! Congratulations and enjoy the Atlantic.
art here thanks for the phone call a spirit lifter you guys are probably finished now congratulations you all are my heroes!!! can’t wait to hear the stories have a great time touring and a safe drive home.
Thanks for the pic’s of the alligators and other dangerous lizards. Don’t forget, there may be some wildlife parks to visit on your way out of Florida if Allen hasn’t had enough close encounters with alligators. I’m pretty sure there’s one that with a 15 minute lesson, they will let him wrestle one. That may make for a good picture!