On my way!
Day 1 - 1/10/2019: 9 miles (9 total), 304 feet (304 total)
8:14 pm (1191)

I can’t bike all the way to Florida, but the next best thing is to bike to Union State, ride the Silver Meteor to Ft. Lauderdale, and then bike to the hotel.

Slight complicating factor is that this is a van-supported trip, meaning they carry all bags. So I only have two panniers with me (got to carry swim fins and snorkel) for the day. Result is that I need to strap a big duffel on the back of my bike to and fro the actual ride.

The second pictures is out my window in my roomette on the train.

datetime 1/10/2019 | 0 Comments

From the train to Hollywood Beach
Day 2 - 1/11/2019: 12.2 miles (21 total), 44 feet (348 total)
7:31 pm (1192)

Kind of a hairy 12-mile ride, parts, w/ no shoulders through town, in the dark, to the hotel. Hotel area is a bit sketchy, but the room itself is wonderfully clean, and you can't beat its location.

Met up w/ Bill and Charlie for breakfast. Bill lost 30 lbs, put on 10 miles of muscle, and is now reaping the benefits by abandoning all restraint once on tour :-).

datetime 1/11/2019 | 1 Comments

Jenny Boland - Gorgeous! I wanna be there......but not on a bike. 😊

Shakedown Day
Day 3 - 1/12/2019: 14.6 miles (35 total), 182 feet (530 total)
1:56 pm (1193)

Charlie, Bill, and I met for breakfast, and then Bill and I went for a ride. We went down the beach, then found a great little Peruvian sandwich place (Bill had a salad, I had deep-fried pork bellies in a sandwich, I won...). This was followed by hitting a bike shop, just because, and then the entire crew meets at 3pm today. We head out tomorrow morning!

datetime 1/12/2019 | 0 Comments

First day in the books
Day 4 - 1/13/2019: 54 miles (89 total), 322 feet (852 total)
8:02 pm (1194)

Our first day, 54 miles, done. Knee was great, but perhaps I didn’t train enough for this one (actually, I’ve done little the last couple of months except eat), so I was suffering in the 80-degree heat. Shoulder unhappy, but I should be able to muddle through.

The trip today was NOT scenic, but we knew that going in. Tomorrow we go kayaking in the Everglades, and then the next day we start hopping through the keys.

Tonight we are camping behind a funky little place called the Whoville Hostel. Kind of ironic as Bill was wearing his Grinch shirt (sadly no picture). The included pic was downtown Miami.

datetime 1/13/2019 | 0 Comments

Lizards, in the Everglades
Day 5 - 1/14/2019
7:04 pm (1195)

Today was an off-day, we went on a four-hour kayaking tour in the Everglades with Carl;s Kayaking Tours. Garl (yes, that's his name, thinks someone misspelled it early on) took us out through the dwarf mangrove corridors, pointing out Orchids, Vamiliarads (??) and many birds, including egrets, and ibis, turkey vultures, anhinga (snake birds), and wood cranes (quite large).

But the craziest part was the unclose view of alligators and crocodiles. One eight-foot alligator (Garl called "Jack", as in "Jack in the Box"), swam out to greet us, repeatedly coming towards us, retreating to the bottom, and then popping up closer, until the last time he popped up underneath a woman's Kayak.

I didn't get a picture of Jack, but Garl will be sending some soon. The gator in the first two lizard pictures are one we found on the side of the road.

Then there's Croczilla, a 14-16' croc supposedly 90 years old and 1000 lbs. Probably got within 20' of that one before sense re-asserted itself.

Really, really cool excursion.

Other pics are of the area behind Whoville Hostel, where we are camping.

datetime 1/14/2019 | 2 Comments

Jenny Boland - Looks awesome!

Pete - The guide had a real camera long is going to send us pictures. I think those will be much better !

Onto Key Largo
Day 6 - 1/15/2019: 27 miles (116 total), 211 feet (1063 total)
5:23 pm (1196)

Today is our shortest day, only 27 miles. Added to that, we had a tailwind! So after killing a bit of time and getting jacked up further by a stop at Starbucks, we hit the road, quickly getting up to speed at about 19 mph, w/ me leading and the rest following a bit back.

After a break to take off my jacket (at this point it was only 62, but we were pushing....). I caught and started going through the pack, passing Henry and Bill on the side of the road also taking off their jackets. our leader Greg, Fran (Colorado), Charlie, Peter (from Rockville) and Jim-Pete (from Texas), then Richard (Annandale VA). Finally, only John was in front of me, and Richard and Jim-Pete were hanging on behind. Our speed was up to 23 (remember, we did have a tailwind). After a minute or two John glances back and notices that it's me and immediately takes it up to 25 mph. That was tough, but we rode at that speed for another few miles, John letting out a couple "yee-haws" in the process, until we hit the bridge crossing onto Key Largo (I didn't love it, but it was actually not too bad). At the other side of the bridge, once actually on the key, we slowed and spun into the campground. By the way, John is 67 and hadn't ridden in a year, but he used to do marathons, and did a 38-mile trail run only a couple years back. I think he could have kept up that speed pretty much as long as he wanted.

We went back and forth over whether to snorkel today, as the air temperature was around 68 when we wanted to go. But in the end, you don't get to go to these places very often, so we decided to take advantage of it. It was cold, but fun, and my waterproof case for the iPhone actually a) kept water out, and b) got usable pictures. The movie is better than the pictures. We didn't go in for the second location, as we were really a bit underwhelmed by the first. Definitely worth doing anyway, just getting out on the boat and and in the water. Hopefully we will do this again in a couple days, and maybe on a reef that is in better shape (Molasses Reef has seen much better days, I'd estimate maybe 850f what we saw was dead, and these are the best parts!

datetime 1/15/2019 | 2 Comments

Rosana - Very cool film!

Jenny Boland - That IS A COOL VIDEO!

Onto Green Key
Day 7 - 1/16/2019: 45.7 miles (162 total), 88 feet (1151 total)
4:07 pm (1197)

Today was lots of fun, though mostly from anticipation and happiness that we aren’t at home in 10” (or more, for some) of snow.

Today was a relatively short 45-mile day, crossing four different keys. Some of it was white-knuckle for me, as I don’t deal well with bridges. We went over one bridge that had to be 3-4 miles long, on a bike/pedestrian span (very cool). Still, however, I was not at all relaxed. Worse was the big tall bridge that came out of nowhere. We had about five (or maybe a bit less) feet on the edge, between the trucks and the abyss. Far as I can tell, was the only one bothered (but I don’t believe it). In any case, all good so far.

At the end of the day, Bill, Jim-Pete and I went to a “dolphin research center”. Kind of looked like a rip-off so I bailed before spending anything. They paid and stayed another 15 minutes before demanding (and receiving) their money back.

So Bill and I went swimming off the beach, w/ snorkel gear (because why not?). Felt absolutely spectacular. Had fun talking to a drunk Canadian and his long-suffering wife, who gave me a free beer (always a happy-making gesture).

Saw a six-foot iguana down on some rocks off of the road today. Locals cheerfully tell us to “run ‘em right over”, as they aren’t indigineous, but running over that monster probably wouldn’t be a good idea even if we were so inclined.

Tomorrow, the dreaded seven-mile bridge! Yee-haw!

datetime 1/16/2019 | 1 Comments

Gaby - Great pics!! Looks like lots of fun, enjoy the beautiful weather.

Over the Seven-Mile Bridge, into Key West (almost)
Day 8 - 1/17/2019: 57.8 miles (220 total)
2:06 pm (1198)

I’ve been worrying about this one for a year. I don’t like bridges (I do not handle heights well), but I didn’t want to miss a chance to go biking w/ my buds. The leader on my last tour, Kelly, has run a couple of these Florida tours in the past. I asked her how she though I would do and she said, “Pete, I just don’t know how you’d make it!” I totally appreciated the honesty and took it as a challenge.

But the seven-mile bridge seemed to be a real problem. Seven miles, five-foot shoulders filled w/ crap, and no way off, no recourse. There is even a big uphill in the middle.

The thing was that after several prior bridges, I was probably desensitized a bit, and I really didn’t have problems. I won’t say that I wasn’t white-knuckled at the beginning, and when the bridge went up, but a half hour is a long time to stay in a state of panic, and I just chilled out and enjoyed it.

Progress.

Also turns out their is another guy on the trip who has bridge problems, and he was white-knuckle the whole time. I’m duh man...

I should add that Bill and John were very supportive, riding in front and in back. They didn’t allow that the bridge caused them any problems at all :-(.

datetime 1/17/2019 | 2 Comments

Rosana - I am so glad! Thanks goodness for great buddies as well!

Jenny Boland - Yup glad you conquered the big bridge so well! Am sure I’d have been scared to death to cross it too! Bet the views from it were amazing. Enjoy Key West. Gotta go to Sloppy Joe’s and Blue Heaven!

Day off in Key West
Day 9 - 1/18/2019: 13.4 miles (233 total), 187 feet (1338 total)
2:49 pm (1199)

Eh.

We biked around, had some Sloppy Fries and Sloppy Margaritas, got Mile 0 stickers for our bikes, and then came back. I had work to do anyway.

datetime 1/18/2019 | 1 Comments

Gaby - Awesome, absolutely Awesome!!😊

Another Half Day in Key West
Day 10 - 1/19/2019
5:41 pm (1200)

I actually spent a couple hours in the morning working on slides, but in the afternoon we went to a seafood festival (not exciting), and then basically splintered for the afternoon.

I ended at Sloppy Joe’s again, with an insane nachos (no, I didn’t eat it all), and a lot of good music.

The band was kind of interesting, a guy and a woman on acoustic guitars, and another guy playing base. They all seemed talented, but didn’t play together particularly well. What’s worse is that they were reading lyrics and/or chords off of their phones.

Turns out that the Saturday afternoon session is run by the bassist; he invites a couple different muscians to play with him each week. So we were seeing them play together for the very first time, and as the afternoon wore on they got better and more in sync w/ each other. It was actually kind of a neat process to watch.

We headed towards the ferry, watching as the restaurants cleaned fish on the docks, tossing the refuse at the tarpons and pelicans.

Now we’re sitting in the ferry, waiting for it to head off to Fort Meyer on the gulf side of Florida. It’s a bit more crowded than usual because the ferry for tomorrow is canceled due to high anticipated winds.

Um, we’re going to be biking in that. Right now it looks like we might be doing the two last, and longest, days into a 20+ mph headwind. Hm..

Ostensibly three days riding left, 180 miles. We’ll see.

Spent the night in a Hampton Inn, my electronics fetish is on full display (last pic). Though my kindle is not in that pictures.

datetime 1/19/2019 | 1 Comments

Gaby - Very beautiful, the nachos looked so good.

Heading back across the state towards Ft. Lauderdale
Day 11 - 1/20/2019: 43 miles (276 total), 131 feet (1469 total)
6:47 pm (1202)

Short day, luckily, as Charlie (who was sick) and I were cooking. We are equally clueless in the kitchen. Only saved by Margie (one of the leaders) vetting each of my bad ideas, John stepping in and spending hours he didn't have to just to help us out, and Charlie taking over the burger frying (yes, "frying", we had no grills available).

As the temperature was going down to 36 degrees overnight, our fearless leaders negotiated a stay at a local church retreat. Saved!

datetime 1/20/2019 | 3 Comments

Blue - You'd think that after all these tours you'd be a better camp cook!

Blue - ...glad you were warm though :)

pete - Sadly, my cooking seems to be getting worse, rather than better.

Longest day....so far
Day 12 - 1/21/2019: 64 miles (340 total), 211 feet (1680 total)
5:34 pm (1201)

Last two days coming back across the state. Today was 64 miles, most w/ a headwind, and not all that exciting. People sort of randomly encountered and rode with each other throughout the day.

Long, long day, shoulder not happy, but otherwise wasn't bad (I know, scintillating commentary).

datetime 1/21/2019 | 2 Comments

Rosana - Glad to know you folks were not out in cold weather. Saw it was 18 degrees in DC!

Jenny Boland - Enjoy the end of your trip Pete! Yup the weather in the Midwest stinks!

Last day, shortened
Day 13 - 1/22/2019: 37.1 miles (377 total), 31 feet (1711 total)
12:30 pm (1203)

Today was rough: 72 miles w/ a predicted 25mph headwind. The first 36 miles were absolutely straight, no turns, no relief from the 65mph traffic. John, Bill, Charlie and I started out together, but as we rotated the lead through the four of us, Bill and Charlie were falling back though our average was probably only 12 (into that nasty wind).

Given the day's length, John and I eventually took off, screaming ahead of the other two, making 14mph, then 15 (then 16 when truck-suck pulled us along in it's wake), then 15, then 13. Yep, big biking studs. Nonetheless we kept at it, w/ frequent stops.

By the time we neared the half-way point where Margie (one of the two leaders) was to be waiting for us w/ a re-supply of food and water (mine was pretty much gone, and it was only 10:30), my new knee was a bit sore, my "good" knee was sore, and my shoulder was very sore.

Margie was just about leaving her parking spot, as she'd already had calls to be picked up four four of the riders behind us. John and I were actually in the front of the pack, aside from Mike, he of the 60k miles over three alaskan summers, who had passed us 10 miles back.

Given that it looked like the majority were going to be picked up, and that we were not having fun, john and I put our bikes on top and jumped in the van.

We traveled back down the route (by that I mean "the straight road"), picking up all the other riders. Afterwards we headed back to the hotel, where we are now safely ensconced. One of the pictures shows Jim-Pete, our oldest and definitely one of the best riders, pissing on the van's license plate because the process was taking so long.

Tonight we have a group dinner, and then split up heading home by planes, trains, and automobiles.

datetime 1/22/2019 | 1 Comments

Jenny Boland - Looks like enjoyed yourself for the most part. Too bad you can’t visit Gary Fahey while you’re in Florida!

Back on the train
Day 14 - 1/23/2019: 13 miles (390 total), 44 feet (1755 total)
12:35 pm (1204)

Fun ride back to Amtrak’s station, this time using Adventure Cycling’s route - much better! Catching up on work as the countryside flows by...

datetime 1/23/2019 | 0 Comments

And home....
Day 15 - 1/24/2019: 1 miles (391 total), 11 feet (1766 total)
8:36 am (1205)


 

 

Kind of nasty 9-mile commute home, in rush hour, uphill, and in the rain. No issues, though, and now my biggest concern is how to get all my crap into the washer without leaving a trail on the floor.

Great trip!

datetime 1/24/2019 | 0 Comments