Although Jeff and I are officially not morning people, we’ve become master actors in the art of the “early bird” routine. For weeks now, we’ve been rolling out on schedule every single morning. And you know what? Once those pedals start turning, it all just feels right.
Sure, our knees might offer a little creak of protest, and our legs might whisper a request for a slow warm-up, but there is something truly special about being awake before the rest of the world. This morning, we rolled out into a cool, heavy fog—a magical, ethereal hush that made the birdsong ring out like a private concert. It was a beautiful, unexpected start to the day.
After about 20 minutes of spinning, we were ready to kick it up a notch. Music is our secret weapon for finding that perfect groove, and this morning’s soundtrack was inspired by the dreamy, ethereal indie-folk of Novo Amor and Ásgeir. With their fragile, high-register vocals and atmospheric production, the music perfectly matched the misty morning, carrying us effortlessly to our first water stop.
Once we were refueled and hydrated, we hit the road with a renewed sense of purpose. 82 miles today, we’ve got this. We needed a little more intensity for this stretch, so we cranked up a playlist led by Chris Stapleton’s Cold. That dramatic, heart-melting ballad set the tone, followed by the soulful sounds of The Teskey Brothers and Black Pumas. I decided to keep the energy high and switched over to a classic ’60s soul playlist—Marvin Gaye, Etta James, and Otis Redding. We were absolutely cruising! We spent the morning soaking in the views, stopping to capture photos of gorgeous homes and those sweet, captivating Live Oaks dripping in Spanish moss. We even had a few roadside encounters with an adorable goat and some bustling Guinea hens.
By the time we hit the lunch stretch, we were ready to channel the ‘70s. We grooved along to Chic, Earth, Wind & Fire, Chaka Khan, and Sister Sledge. A few miles before the stop, Jeff couldn’t resist the temptation to add a few extra miles just to cross into Georgia—a state he hadn’t visited before! I decided to stick to the planned route, and I wasn’t surprised at all when I rolled into lunch to find Jeff already relaxing with a sandwich. It made me smile; seeing him ride at his best is such a gift.
Lunch is, without a doubt, my favorite part of the day. There is no luxury quite like getting off the bike and sitting down for some real food. Getting back in the saddle is always the hardest part, but we know the drill. With our cold brews in hand and our spirits high, we hit the road again.
We kicked off the afternoon with a Paul Wright-inspired playlist—all beachy, infectious vibes to match the sun, which was now out in full force. When Spotify started dragging us down with too many slow ballads, we pivoted to one of Jeff’s favorites: Mutemath. Their high-energy mix of atmospheric dreamscapes and pulsing, driving drums is absolutely delicious. I’ve always liked them, but listening to them late in the day when we need that extra push has made me a massive fan.
Along the way, a Young The Giant track called St. Walker grabbed us both, so I immediately spun up a new playlist based on that vibe. It reintroduced us to the brilliant sounds of Broken Bells, Fleet Foxes, and Death Cab for Cutie. We rocked out for the rest of the day, completely carefree, with nothing but great music propelling these two crazy cousins down the road.
As the miles ticked down, all 82 of them, you know we were shouting it to the world: “I’m Riding My Bike Across The Country!”