Everyone slept in a bit this morning (until 4:30 a.m.) Had breakfast, and said our prayer. We remembered to pray for Sherri's son Distin who is back in the hospital again with pneumonia. Also prayed for the total knee replacement surgery for Marie's friend Sharon Adams in Grand Junction.

Really a great day riding all the way on U.S. Hwy 90. It has been a wonderful road for us. Passed a sign on a church that said "TGIF" - Today God Is First. Try keeping that in mind as you go about your daily life.

Charlotte and I stopped for ice (we were both in the van) then drove about 11 miles out where Charlotte unloaded. We are trying a new way of not falling so far behind the faster riders. I drove another 10 miles towards Lake City and started riding on the Western outskirts of the town. Pretty big town, as it took about 7 miles to get through.

Passed signs for the Florida Gateway College. At the conclusion of World War II, the Lake City Naval Air Station was decommissioned and the Columbia Forestry School (CFS) was established in 1947, utilizing military structures that remained. At the time, Lake City claimed to be the "Forestry Capitol of the World". Columbia Forestry School became the University of Florida Forest Ranger School in 1950. In 1961, the school was invited to become one of 28 two-year educational facilities in the state's master plan for education as Lake City Junior College. On November 10, 2009 the Board of Trustees voted 8-1 to change the name of Lake City Community College to Florida Gateway College, effective July 1, 2010. This was the fifth name change in the college's history. Florida Leader Magazine designated FGC as the most beautiful college campus in Florida.

Also passed the U.S. Cold Storage facility. Wondered what that was.

It seems like every county in Florida has a correctional facility. Today we passed the Lake City and the Columbia Correctional Facilities. Inmates were out doing landscaping work.

Got to Olustee, which was the site of a Civil War conflict. It is the location of the Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park - the site of Florida's largest Civil War battle.

Crossed under the I-10 and then saw a field of boar goats. They are the white (with either red-brown or black heads and markings) with long hound dog ears. It was so odd to see almost each of these goats being escorted around by a white bird (perhaps ducks), one duck to each goat.

All through this area, the roads were lined with man-planted pine forests. The trees were in diagonal rows.

Got a call from Sherri that Mary Ann had a flat tire on her bike, so I needed to come back. Drove back to near Olustee and loaded up Mary Ann and her bike while Sherri continued to ride to our destination.

We arrived in Glen St. Mary's. As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 473 people, 181 households, and 131 families residing in the town and a total area of 0.4 square miles. Small but pretty. We found the First Baptist Church quite easily. Large church with nice facilities for us. We have been invited to have dinner with the Congregation tonight and join in one of the Bible Studies. Hope to do that if I can get this message almost fully written by dinnertime.

We went over to the Fellowship Hall for lasagna, salad, garlic bread, sweet tea and pudding for dessert. After dinner, we seven ladies went to a women's Bible Study group "Sisters of Summer." We watched a video of the American Christian preacher Francis Chan. Lots of food for thought and to put into action.

Tonight is our last stay "on the road" as tomorrow we should be in the lap of luxury at the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront Hotel. It will be so nice to be in the same place for three nights!

Route miles for today was 57 miles. That brings the total route miles to 938. I found 34 cents bringing the road change total to date to $4.05.

With love from the road,
Marie