April 19, 2023: DeFuniak Springs to Marianna, Florida – 69 miles and 1,349 feet of elevation

We awoke today to yet another cold morning, however after about an hour of so, most of the layers were shed, and we ended up with an 84 degree day. We were routed today through the town of DeFuniak Springs, and I must say, if you ever have an opportunity to visit, please do so. In fact, in 2019, DeFuniak was voted “best small town in Florida”, for good reason. We cycled around Lake DeFuniak, which is only one of two spring fed lakes in the world that are perfectly round. The homes surrounding this lake are stunning and very historic. Also located along this lake is the Walton-DeFuniak Library, which opened in 1887 and is the oldest continuously run library in the state.

After winding around DeFuniak, we cycled through the town of Caryville, which hosts the best kept secret I’ve ever witnessed. Yes, it is true that each year, Caryville hosts the national “Worm Fiddlin’” contest. Now, you may ask, what exactly is “Worm Fiddlin?” Ah, I’m glad you asked! Worm Fiddlin’, (also known as “worm charming” or “worm grunting”), is a way of attracting earthworms from the ground, usually to collect bait for fishing, but also can be performed as a competition. To perform such feat, first a 3 foot stake is driven in the ground. Then, a handsaw is dragged back and forth on the top of the stake. The stake begins vibrating, and within seconds, dozens of earthworms start. popping out of the soil, probably surfacing to see what the racket up above is all about. I stopped and talked to a few locals, and asked them if they had ever thought about petitioning the International Olympic Committee to see if they would consider making this a sport in the Olympics. I swear I am not making this up!

Meanwhile, back to the cycling report! If you have been reading past posts, you may remember that I have reported that many of the cyclists have experienced significant problems with their bikes. To add to one of the riders woes, Josh experienced a complete crack through his top tube of his frame, which is the bar that runs from the seat post to the handlebars. Completely undeterred, he addressed the problem with a quick trip to the local tractor supply store here. He purchased some metal rods, some C-Clamp, and some duct tape, and essentially made a splint for his top tube. I saw him at camp this afternoon, and he said that the bike made it through the 69 mile ordeal today without issues. Where there is a will, there is a way, right?

Tomorrow will be a big test for all of us, however. We are scheduled for a 85 mile trek tomorrow, from Marianna to Tallahassee. To compound matters, there is about 3,000 feet of elevation on the course. I’m sure we will start early, and push hard to finish before dark. (At least I will!). Until then, we will continue to enjoy our time at the Florida Caverns RV Park, where they only have 1 shower, but make up for it with lots and lots of mosquitos. Not to name drop, but I’m the only one in the group who knows that Bobby Goldsboro was actually born in Marianna. What am I going to do with all of this useless information???