27 April 2014
Gulf Beach to Crestview, FL
78 miles (Total Miles = 2,537)

I feel the sting and quickly process the fact that this is not one of the many aches and pains that have come to feel ‘normal’ on this trip but instead something new, an unwelcome sensation likely associated with an unwelcome visitor. As I roll to a stop yelling “I’ve been stung! I’ve been stung!”, Gina also rolls to a stop to come to my aid. But actually, she’s not coming to my aid, she’s simply standing there grinning at me, suppressing a laugh and doing a poor job of it. Okay, it’s not like I was stung by a scorpion or some other deadly creature, and it’s not like I was anywhere near collapsing into a state of anaphylactic shock as I was clawing around the cuff of my shorts looking for the offender, but still, a little sympathy might have been a nice gesture.

My mini-drama is taking place in a pine-forested area east of Pensacola, as we ride the lovely backcountry roads toward tonight’s Hilton. I really wish I could follow that word with “Hotel” but it’s the Hilton “Motel” and we won’t be acquiring any rewards points with this stay. We have instead acquired a next door admirer (“Hey they Dear, where are you from?” is his opening line, uttered from atop his Harley) who we can only hope has better places to be tonight than next door here at the Hilton. I suppose if push came to shove, we could hide amongst our laundry lines.