🚴 Project 2950: Day 43 – Prepping for the Florida Farewell

📍 Route: Alachua, FL to Palatka, FL 📏 Distance: 65 miles | ⛰️ Climbing: 1,300 feet

The countdown has officially hit T-1! Today marked the final full day of riding before tomorrow’s glorious, 34-mile ride and tire-dipping conclusion in St. Augustine. This leg from Alachua to Palatka felt less like a transit and more like a victory lap through classic North Florida landscape.

🐊 Checking Off the Florida Boxes

If this ride had a checklist, we officially checked off one of the biggest "SE USA" items this morning: a true, wild Florida gator sighting! Right near the water, stretched out like a 12-foot-plus prehistoric sunbather, was one massive alligator. You can read about it in books, but seeing one that size in person is a moment you don’t forget.

🌳 The Green Tunnel to Palatka

After the gator excitement, the route treated us to the day’s pure bliss: a solid 20 miles of canopy-covered riding on the Palatka-to-Lake Butler Trail. This is what rail-trails are made for. The live oaks and pines formed a dense, natural cathedral overhead, turning the asphalt into a cool, shaded green tunnel. It was flat, fast, and exactly the kind of peaceful stretch you crave on Day 43.

🌊 Palatka and the Mighty St. Johns

Rolling into Palatka was instantly rewarding, thanks to the stunning views of the St. Johns River. This river flows north, a quirk of nature that matches the unique charm of this town. The wide expanse of water, reflecting the afternoon sky, was a perfect, peaceful backdrop to the end of a long day in the saddle.

❤️ The Best Kind of Finish Line

But the true highlight, the moment that made the 65 miles and the 1,300 feet of climbing melt away, was pulling into Palatka and seeing Susan waiting for me. After all these days and all these miles, seeing your partner is the best kind of emotional recharge. It’s the reminder that every pedal stroke is part of a shared journey.

Tomorrow, we trade the Florida forest canopy for the open coastline. St. Augustine, the Atlantic, and the ceremonial front-tire dip await!

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