Jekyll Island, a magical place

Wednesday, May 7, 2014 

The ride from Apalachicola to Jekyll Island was wonderful  We rode along the Gulf and then through the rural areas of Florida.  Wide sweeping curves with small towns, old cemeteries and farmhouses dotting the road.  We encountered very few stop signs or stoplights - we just cruised all morning.  It was fabulous; this is what riding is supposed to be.  

Eventually we lost our gorgeous roads and had to get on the Interstate.  Although a highway, most of the highways was lined with huge tall trees which made it just a little more pleasant.  We were excited because we knew when we arrived at Jekyll Island we will had completed our "coast to coast" part of our journey. 

We originally planned to stay in Brunswick, but in searching for a hotel, Jekyll Island kept creeping into the search.  Jekyll Island is a small historic island on the southern coast of Georgia.  I'm so glad it did as it did because our stay there was perfect.  We stayed at the Days Inn and it was right on the Atlantic Ocean and when we arrived we immediately hit the ocean!  We had ridden all the was from the Pacific Coast to the Atlantic Coast a monumental milestone in our trip.  Woohoo!!!

After a quick dip in the pool we cruised the small island.  There's lots of homes and several historic houses on the island.  It's a tourist mecca but in the off season it didn't feel like the Pensacola area It was charming and quaint.   Lots of historic homes, streets lined with trees covered with Spanish Moss.

 Jekyll Island Club is the historic hotel and it looks like something from a movie.

 It looked a little pricey for bikers, so we headed over the the outdoor Rah Bar for the sunset.  Definitely more our style!

We learn that on the Island you can enjoy the sunset and the sunrise!  We were rewarded with an incredible sunset and the best shrimp and crawfish dip ever.  Our waiter warned us to fend off the birds as they were bold enough to steal your food.  We almost most lost our crackers but we were faster than the greedy bird.  It was a fabulous evening! 

Most of you know that I'm not a morning person and rarely see a sunrise.  However, getting up at 6:00 am for the sunrise was completely worth it. Randy stayed in bed sleeping but he did peek out the window to see the sunrise.  The Atlantic was warm and the sun was a brilliant orange.  As I stood on the beach I can't believe that I'm actually there enjoying the gorgeous Atlantic sunrise. I reflect on how our lives have dramatically changed in just a couple of months. We're just two weeks into our journey and we've already had the experience of a lifetime.  

I was so happy to have my toes in the sand that I start to ponder why I'm living in the desert of Salt Lake City.  As much as I love Utah, I really love the ocean. 

In the morning we jet over to the other island...a little more touristy Saint Simons Island.  It's still cute and quaint just busier.  We have a fabulous breakfast at Palmer Village Restaurant (that we found on Yelp) and we do a drive by of their famous lighthouse.  

Over breakfast we chat about our Jekyll Island experience and are amazed that we experienced a sunset and sunrise, both over water.   That is something that is rare...both a sunset and sunrise from the same location.  Jekyll Island is special to us and we talk about moving to the Island.  See, it's not the destination, it's the journey and we're learning that you never know what the road will bring.