Phase 1A – Day 1- 5/26 -30Sep 2006- 146 total miles: Key West to Homestead General Aviation Airport

Chuck and Betty at Key West's Southernmost Point

Day 1- 26 Sep 2006- 21miles today/21 total miles: Key West to Sugarloaf Key

Betty and I arrived in the keys this afternoon with our 2 dogs (Sweetie, a 17 year old poodle inherited from my mom, and Mitzie, a 1 yr old Yorkie/ShiTzu mix), along with 3 bikes, an RV and an eight year old Honda CRV. We parked the rig at Lazy Lakes Campground about 20 miles east of Key West and loaded the 2 hybrid bikes on the back of the CRV. As we drove thru Key West to the “Southern Most Point”, we scouted the route that we would ride back to the campground.

Summer in Key West is comparatively slow. We parked across from the colorful monument and unloaded. A couple of tourists from Czechoslovakia snapped a picture and we were on our way. Evidently the mayor didn’t get the news that our schedule had changed: no band, no police escort, no reporters, no “key to the city”:, no mayor, no speeches. Our 7,000 mile journey began unceremoniously, as we pedaled off to Duval Street for a picture of “Mile Marker 0”. We stayed on the bike path and managed to exit “Margaritaville” without so much as a beer.

While taking a short water break, Betty phoned a friend we had known when stationed in Germany, 33 years ago. We had last seen Shirley Mensch and Jim Wright seven years ago when we started our hike from Key West to Newfoundland. A dinner date was arranged and we picked up the pedal pace so as not to miss too much of “happy-hour”. We coasted into the campground, locked the bikes, showered and drove the monster (RV) back to Key West. Betty jumped out as we rolled thru an intersection near our car and we both drove back to the campground just in time to meet Shirley and Jim.

They took us to a quiet little place on Cudjoe Key. The “Square Grouper” has a reputation with the locals for good food and it was. We all swapped stories and got caught up on each other’s lives since we last met. It was one of those evenings when everything is “just right”: the food, the setting, the conversation, everything. Plus, Shirley insisted on treating.

Our long journey is off to a good start!

Day 2- 27Sep06- 40mi/61 total miles: to Grassy Key

Today I chose the road bike for a forty miles ride to Grassy Key. The plan was to leave the RV at the same campsite and shuttle with the CRV then take Shirley and Jim to dinner. I would ride from the RV park and later Betty would drive to Grassy Key, unload her bike and ride back to meet me.

It was a great day and my ride went well; over numerous keys and connecting bridges. Many of the bridges on the “old highway” are closed to traffic but open to bikes, pedestrians and fisherpersons. Seven Mile Bridge has wide safety lanes on both sides of the highway. I felt comfortable with the traffic but was concerned about all the debris that gets pushed to the edge of the road; broken glass, rocks, shredded tires, nuts and bolts. A hint of the culture of the Keys was revealed in the roadside debris. There were “beads”; dozens of bead necklaces were strewn along the bridge. Possibly tossed by some of those attending Fantasy Fest but not wanting to explain how they acquired them when they got home. I could only imagine the exciting delight that accompanied each strand of beads as they were exchanged.

A “beep-beep” brought my wandering mind back to the traffic on Seven Mile Bridge, Betty was passing me on her way to Grassy Key. She wanted to get there in time to bike six or seven miles before meeting me. She would then bike back to the car with me.

Soon I was off Seven Mile Bridge and into Marathon. In the opposite lane was a large sign to identify the beginning of the Seven Mile Bridge. It reminded me of seven years ago when Roger Rose and I finished hiking over the bridge and Carol Rose got a picture of us by that sign. Hiking across was much slower but we saw more sea life, especially rays and large schools of fish. This time I was focused on the traffic and the roadway directly in front of the bike. The only hints of wildlife on this crossing were the beads.

As I approached Grassy Key, my cell phone rang. It was Betty, she had a flat on her bike about four miles from the car and was walking back. I soon overtook her and rode on to the car then drove back to pick her up and load the bike. She told me Shirley had called and we were going to their place for dinner. We knew they had a beautiful home on Sugarloaf Key, several years ago, during our hike, they had invited Roger & Carol and Betty & I for dinner. This time we arrived early enough to enjoy their spa and pool before dinner. It was a beautiful tropical setting, we enjoyed a great meal with good wine and dear friends. Life is good!

Day 3- 28Sep06- 45mi/106 total: to Key Largo

The first task of the day was to repair the front flat tire on Betty’s bike. The plan was to drive the RV, with car in tow, to Key Largo and leave the car at Grassy Key as we pass by the point we stopped at yesterday. Then I would ride back from Key Largo to the car at Grassy Key, load the bike and drive to Key Largo to link up with Betty.

Repairing the flat and some other bike adjustments made for a late start, we dropped the car and headed for Key Largo. As we passed Tavernier, we stopped to rent a Wave Runner. It was our first time on one of these machines. For an hour we took turns driving and hanging on; it was a blast. By the time we got to the Key Largo Campground and hooked up the water, sewer and electric it was 4pm. Maybe still time to pedal the 45 miles back to the car at Grassy Key before dark. Betty planned to ride the first 5 miles with me then return to the campground as I raced on to Grassy Key. The sun was down and it was nearly dark as I arrived at the car. Let’s not do that again.

Day 4- 29Sep06- 30mi/136 total: to SR 9336

A slow leak left the rear tire of my hybrid flat. This creates a good opportunity to replace the defective tube with a thorn resistant tube and a Tuffy liner. This may provide some protection from roadside debris, especially the broken glass and sharp metal.

Betty drove me north on US 1 to Florida City then west toward Flamingo on State Road 9336 and dropped me at Canal 111. The Everglades Trail , a gravel bike trail runs south along the west side of the canal to US 1, 12 miles. The bike trail, called the Everglades Trail, continues north along canals for more than 30 miles to US 41 near the Casino. I rode south along the canal and continued south on US 1. There is little or no shoulder along this stretch of highway. Fortunately, construction crews are widening this portion of US 1 to four lanes. It is late on a Friday afternoon and nearly all work has stopped making a beautiful “fat tire” riding area. Over piles of dirt and gravel, around parked heavy equipment, through large puddles, the miles went quickly. As I rode on to Key Largo, Betty met me and we rode on to the campground.

Earlier we had seen a graphics shop on Key Largo and now we went there to have signs designed that would identify the CRV and the RV as support vehicles for our Key West to Alaska Bike Trip. We will be leaving these vehicles in many unusual places while we shuttle bikes and riders along the way. In the past, we have found that signs explaining what we are doing and providing contact information make it easier to obtain permission to temporarily park vehicles. Rod, at ATG (All Things Graphic) was interested in our trip and immediately started working on design ideas.

Day 5- 30Sep06- 10mi/146 total miles: to Homestead General Aviation Airport

We spent the morning with the folks at All Things Graphic. Rod, Tami and all the ATG staff had hustled to have some ideas for graphics that they could show us before we departed the Keys. We were impressed with their work. With only a few “tweaks”, we asked them to prepare a “see thru” sign for the back glass of the CRV and a “stick on” sign to place high on the rear of the RV. They also agreed to experiment with a few tee shirts. All this would be mailed to us as we continued north in Florida.

We drove the RV to a heavy equipment parking area near a large farm about a mile from yesterday’s ending point. Then, with our bikes loaded on the CRV, drove it north to a point near the C111 Canal back of the Homestead General Aviation Airport(about 5 miles west of Homestead). Leaving the CRV parked along the road we rode the bikes to the gravel trail along the west side of the C111 Canal and then south on the trail to SR 9336 and east a mile to the RV.

The ride along the canal was very pleasant. This entire bike trail along the canals from US 1 to US 41 (nearly 50 miles) is isolated, passing through long stretches of everglades and sometimes bordering large farm fields. Gators, wading birds, hawks, osprey and eagles are commonly seen. During the three days on the canal bike trail, I did not see another biker or hiker on the trail. Sometimes the riding is a little bumpy but it is easily negotiated with a fat tire bike.

Now back to the logistics. We loaded the bikes on the RV and drove it to where we had left the car, then towed it to the Casino parking lot at the corner of US 41 and Krome Avenue.

The Casino parking lot is a common stopover for us and lots of other RVers and truckers.  As usual, we ate in their restaurant; steak and lobster for $6.95. Life is good!

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