Pascagoula, MS to Dauphin Island, AL

Only 42 miles today, and entered our 3rd state:

 For those of you who followed my Coast to Coast bike ride in 2019, you might remember this bridge:

This is the bridge to Dauphin Island.  You can see it coming up for about 10 miles, and that makes it even more intimidating. In 2019, I was in much better shape, and I was 6 years younger.  I am happy to report that I was able to climb it again today, but it took everything I had to do so.  The wind was manageable today, and except for that bridge, nothing exciting to report about the ride.

Here are some interesting facts about our group.  Average age is 67, with the oldest being 80 (3 of them), and the youngest 37.  11 women, 16 men.  There are 5 husband/wife teams, with 2 of them riding tandem bikes.  2 recumbent bikes (including my Q45 Cruzbike).  All the rest are traditional uprights, with at least one of them including electric assist.  

Unlike my 2019 Coast to Coast trip, this adventure is almost completely run by volunteers.  Everything from route planning to logistics is done by a variety of people who just love to provide this opportunity to others.  Our main leader & his wife ride one of the tandems, and last fall they drove the entire route to check the roads & the quality of the hotels.  We are grateful for their dedication.

The other group that is critical to the success of a trip like this is the support crew.  3 women whose spouses are riding, drive vans or pick up trucks to supply us with rest breaks.  They have water, make us sandwiches, have snacks available every 15 - 20 miles.  Here is what a typical rest stop looks like:

 

There is also one van with a trailer to carry extra bikes and gear.  The driver of that van is also a pretty good bike mechanic, so he is able to help along the way with any equipment problems riders may have.  It is also possible that sometimes a rider needs to take a day off, or maybe just part of a day, and the support crew is able to put their bike in a vehicle & drive them to our destination.  What a blessing this support crew is to us!