Thurs Oct 24, Coral Gables to Ft Lauderdale 31 miles - 413 miles cum

Today was our last day to ride and it was somewhat of an adventure. We talked about what route we should take. We wanted to get back to Ft Lauderdale around noon so we could pack up our bikes and ship them back to Pittsburgh. We finally decided to take the Mpath which is a bike path underneath the elevated rail road. We figured to take it to it's end which is in downtown Miami. We would wind up in the same spot regardless of which route we took to get there. We then decided to take Route 1 to Ft Lauderdale instead of route A1A. This would save us a total of 15 miles. We would probably be in heavier traffic but what the heck, we are seasoned road warriors!

The Mpath worked as planned, we were in center city Miami in short order. Then the roads we planned to take were blocked by construction and we had to feel our way around town. We stopped for breakfast at Macdonald's and discovered that their oatmeal is pretty good. A nice surprise. We continued to weave our way through the city, at one point, we were going over a draw bridge. I was a few feet in from of Keith and the cross arm came down blocking him from going further but leaving me in the middle of the bridge. Luckily the operator spotted me and raised the arm to let Keith through and we crossed before the bridge raised up. Just a little excitement for our last day.

Traffic in Miami!

The one good thing was today was the first day that has been overcast and cool so it wasn't too bad. We continued up Route 1 and got to the hotel around noon. We cleaned up and went to Grandpa's for lunch. After lunch, we rode down to the bike shop and checked to make sure there were boxes and then we went to the Fedex store. We had problems with the boxes and the Fedex employes. They just couldn't seem to get interested in our problems. Keith walked back to the bike shop and brought back three boxes, not an easy chore I might add. We started to pack and the manager told us that one of the boxes wasn't acceptable because it had a hole in it. I walked back and got another one and found out that it also had a hole in in it and I thought that I checked it. I managed to make a new box out of it for my trailer. I got my equipment packed and shipped and went to the Starbucks next door to wait for Keith. The Starbucks was just as frustrating. One girl was taking orders and making drinks and the other employee was doing nothing. I left without buying anything.

Oysters on the half shell!

Keith finished up and we started walking the two miles to the motel. We were tired, hot and frustrated and were desperately in need of a drink. We stopped in two bars but each was full of smoke so we continued on. We came to Tark's seafood restaurant. It was just a small store with a counter only plus some outside tables BUT it was smoke free, the food was outstanding and it was cheap! We ordered oysters on the half shell and they were so good we ordered another round. A man and woman came in and sat next to us and we started talking to them. She was the previous owner of the place. Her father-in -law had started the place and had 11 others at one time. We told them about the Halfway Cafe in the Keys and went to our room to do laundry and crash.
The trip is over and we go home tomorrow.
It was a very good trip and Keith and I had a lot of laughs. Next time we will try to take an alternate route home so we won't be riding over the same roads.
Can't wait until our next adventure!!

Wed Oct 23, Key Largo to Coral Gables 59.5 miles - 381.5 cum

Today was the ride back to Coral Gables. We got up and rode our bikes back to the place we had dinner last night. We remembered that the breakfast at the hotel was not very good last week. We again sat on the balcony overlooking the water and watched all of the boats getting ready to go out for a day of diving or fishing. Breakfast was very good. It started to rain while we were having our coffee so we decided to have another cup and wait it out. It finally stopped raining so we headed back to the hotel to load our bikes and get ready to leave.
Although it had stopped raining, there was still a lot of water on the roads and our bikes began to get pretty dirty. We decided to take Route 1 instead of Card Sound Road as it would take about 8 miles off our trip. It turned out to be a pretty good decision as the road was rebuilt over the last couple of years and now it has a nice wide shoulder that was usually about 5 feet wide. Card Sound road does not have a shoulder at all.

Rte 1 with the wide shoulder.

About 18 miles into the ride I got the 2nd flat of the ride. Again it was the rear wheel. I tried to remove the wheel but it wouldn't come off. I took the quick release pin out of the axle and discovered that the spring that is normally on the quick release had somehow become wedged between the axle and the frame. I was able to use my Leatherman tool's screwdriver to pry them apart. After that it was a simple matter to fix the flat. A piece of wire from a blown truck tire had punctured the tire and caused the flat. I started heading north again to rejoin Keith.
The route alternated between North and East as we zig zagged around Homestead Air Force base. We passed through large nurseries which grow the palms and other tropical plants for sale. The wind was out of the Northwest today so it was a head wind on the North leg and a tailwind on the East leg. It wasn't too bad.

Tree farm

Eventually we made it back to the Old Cutter Road bike path. This path is really rough and rattles both the bike and body. We made it back to the hotel we had stayed on the way down but it was filled so we continued down to the Hampton Inn which the clerk said was the next hotel but we spotted the Gable Inn on the way. It was old but clean and $50 cheaper so we stayed there.
We walked to a TGI Fridays for dinner and it felt like it was free because of our hotel savings!

Tuesday Oct 22 Marathon to Key Largo 51 miles - 322 cum

We were a little late in waking up today as yesterday was pretty tiring. We still managed to get on the road and head for a restaurant by 8:30AM. We found a little breakfast and lunch only place just about a mile up the road. We both had the deluxe oatmeal for breakfast which comes with bananas, blueberries, walnuts and brown sugar plus lots of coffee. It was delicious and very filling.

Keith looks a little tuckered!

We continued on the road towards Key Largo. It was hot but not quite as hot as yesterday. We stopped at a bus shelter after crossing one of the bridges and found it very pleasant in the shade with the breeze coming off the ocean. In fact we stayed for quite a while , just relaxing in the shade. Finally we reluctantly continued on.
We began to get hungry and started looking for a place to have lunch. We noticed a little place called the Halfway Cafe. It is located halfway between Key West and Miami. It is just a tiny little place, about 12 feet wide and 40 feet long. The owner has painted it in various island colors and it is very attractive. She said she had just bought the place but it was a restaurant for about 25 years. In fact, she worked as a waitress for 6 or 7 years before she bought. The food is excellent. You should give it a try if you are down in the Keys. It is at mile marker 80.

My lunch at the Halfway cafe.

It started to get hotter as we left but we knew we only had another 20 miles to go so we pushed on and made it around 4:30PM. We checked in, took showers and went to the Tiki bar for a cooling drink. After our drinks we went to a restaurant on the docks for dinner. We sat outside on a 2nd story balcony overlooking the water and along came the African Queen from the movie starring Bogart and Hepburn. It has been restored and now operates as a tour boat. It looks like it did in the movie. and is docked by the Holiday Inn. A few years ago you could see it but not take a ride. I wish we had more time so we could have gone out on it. Tomorrow we leave the Keys

One of the many bridges

Water looks refreshing!

Inlet at the Holdiay Inn where the African Queen is berthed.

Monday Oct 21, 2013 Key West to Marathon - 51 miles - 271 miles cum

Today is the day to start heading north. Keith and I got, packed and got ready to leave. We wanted to leave right after breakfast. Breakfast started serving at 8:30A.M. and we were sitting at the table exactly at 8:30 AM. The La Te Da serves the best breakfast as part of it's package. Today was not an exception. We also had the experience of sitting next to a couple of "women". The only problem was one of the women was obviously a man in drag. He was over 6' tall, wearing a lot of perfume and was pretty ugly. Keith and I talked about them all the way home.

North bound!

We finished loading the bikes and were on our way by 9:30AM. We had to negotiate some construction for a mile or so but then we were out on the highway and headed to Marathon. We were making pretty good time but it was getting hotter by the minute. The humidity was very high it made the actual temperature of 86 feel like 98. We were sweating constantly. We were drinking a lot of water in addition to some Gatorade we bought. We found a very nice restaurant to have lunch. It was open air and with the ocean breezes and the overhead fans made if very pleasant. We relaxed and had a nice lunch.
We finished lunch and the waitress filled our water bottles with ice and water and we headed for the bikes. That is when I discovered that I had the first flat tire of the trip. I took the back wheel off and removed the tire and tube. When I went to get the spare tube out of my front bag, I discovered that I had left the spares in the trailer bag. I had to open up the big bag and dig down to get my spares. Eventually I fixed the flat. It was a wire puncture. I found the hole but the wire was gone.
We made it to Marathon and checked into the same motel we used on the way down. Although we liked the Hurricane restaurant the last time, we decided to go across the road to the steak house across the street.
We had a very good steak dinner and shared a bottle of wine. Very nice end to a good cycling day.

Old railroad bridge with old highway on top.

Another view of the old railroad bridge with roadway on top.

Would be nice to vacation here!

Sunday in Key West

Today is our last day in Key West. Keith and I met for breakfast at 8:30 then gathered up our dirty laundry and went to find a laundramat. After washing our clothes we headed back to our rooms and got the bikes out. We washed them and cleaned and lubed the chains so we are ready to ride in the morning.
After our chores were done we went sightseeing again. First stop was the Key West Light house. Pretty interesting to see. We climbed up to the top of the tower. It was pretty tiring but we managed to get up. We enjoyed reading about the families of the keepers over the years.

View from the Lighthouse

Next stop was Ernest Hemingway's house which was across the street. We found out some things about Hemingway which we were not aware of. I was amazed with the size of his house and grounds. I thought it was small but it was a good size. The other amazing thing was the number of cats on the premises. A lot of them had six toes. They all have names and when they die, they are buried on the propery. They put their names on a monument.
We walked quite a bit all over Key West and started back to our hotel where much to our surprise, a party was in full swing celebrating the Zombie parade which was taking place this evening.

Party at our hotel

Zombie parade

The parade was supposed to start at 4:30 from a point a few miles from us. This is a bicycle parade. We found out that there were going to be 4,000 riders. Anyway a strong rainstorm came up and delayed the start so we walked to dinner. Were going to a cuban restaurant which our waiter at lunch had recommeded. When we got there it was closed! We found another place which wasn't cuban but was very good, We started walking back and found that the zombies had arrived. They were all over the place. Between the zombies and other folks dressed up as pirates we found ourselves in the middle of a great halloween party. We finally made it back to the hotel. We will be leaving after breakfast.

Dogs have the life!

Hemingway's pool

One of the cats at Hemingway's house

Saturday - in Key West

The Goombay festival

It was nice to wake up and not be dressed to ride today. The temperature was in the 80's at 8:00AM. Nice and tropical. Keith was already up and had been to the beach. We went up the street and had coffee at a little shop and then went back to the hotel for breakfast. It was very good.
After breakfast we decided to walk down to see what the Goombay celebration was all about. One of the streets was blocked off and all of the vendors had their booths set up. It was primarily island food along with a lot of rum drinks. There was a guy cutting the ends off of coconuts and them giving them to the bartender to make Mai Tai's They looked very refreashing. We sampled some of the food and then headed down to Mallory Square to see the cruise ship that was in port. While we were down there a bus tried to cut the corner and ran into a balcony that pushed the bus over and wedged it in. We stayed around to see howthey were going to get it out. They eventually dragged the back end of the bus over to clear the building with a big tow truck.

Bus stuck

We headed back towards Duval street for something to drink and waited for sunset. We returned to Mallory Square for a gorgeous sunset and then went a crab place for dinner. I had the Stone Crabs which just came into season and Keith had the local lobster. We were going to share but decided that our food was too good to share.
We continued up the street and enjoyed the various vendors and costumes. As it is getting closer to Halloween, a lot of people are dressing up.
I watched a little TV and then turned in for a pretty good night's rest.

Chickens in Key West - have the right of way!

Dutch Cruise ship in port!

Sunset!

Marathon to Key West 50 miles - 220 cum

Ready to Ride!

Well we made it to Key West. We had a little bit of a rough start. We got up and packed and then rode about 1 mile or so towards Key West for breakfast. After we finished breakfast, Keith remembered our water bottles so it was back to the motel to get them. Again we got under way.

Old 7 mile bridge

The first three miles were through Marathon and then we started across the seven mile bridge. As we approched the bridge, we down to the old bridge and talked to a volunteer who was collecting signatures for a petition to stop the Transportation Department from closing the old bridge. Now, it is open for about a mile or so to Pigeon Key where the bridge superintendent use to have his home. I have been out there before and it is an interesting place to visit. We signed the petition and started across. Again the wind was at our backs so we made pretty good time going across. The view from the bridge is pretty impressive.
The day seemed more hot and humid than previous days and we were sweating pretty good. We stopped a little restaurant for some liquids and a snack. The waitress was quite acharacter. She said she used to ride her bike the 31 miles from there to Key West in about 45 minutes! I wish I could have been there when she did that!

New 7 mile bridge - old bridge on left

The bike paths were torn up for a water pipe project along the way from this point on. Sometimes they were brand new with nice pavement, other times they were rough. The paths were not marked very well yet. They also switched back and forth several times. It definitely kept us on our toes.

We finally made it to Key West around 3:00PM and checked into the La-Te-Da hotel. We quickly took showers and met at the outdoor bar where the Margaritas were excellent and enjoyed out first moments in paradise!
We went down to see the sunset at Mallory Square but the clouds had rolled in so no sunset.
Today, saturday, we are going to explore Key West. There is a festival going with supposedly outstanding food, we are going to give it a try!

Some of the scenery

Boat at Sunset