For several weeks we have made lists, gathered the gear and purchased equipment; many trips to REI to purchase and to return, getting ready for the “trial pack”. Let’s try to do the ‘”trial pack” at least two weeks in advance; we will never know what is needed until we gather everything. Back to REI, we need more Velcro strapping. Finally, time for the pack; we get started, getting everything on the lists in one room, clothes laid out on the bed, tools and spares on the floor, cooking utensils, pots and pans, stove, tent, footprint, sleeping bag; a double from Big Agnes, 2 sleeping pads that slide into pockets in the sleeping bag, front and rear panniers for each bike, a duffel bag, 2 waterproof stuff sacks and 20 or 30 other assorted items of much needed gear. 50 pounds on each bike is the goal. We have plenty of time, it’s only Saturday; “let’s stop this and go for a ride” Christine suggests; a quick 42 miles, perfect day and we need the training, we can finish tomorrow. Sunday, another perfect day, a short ride, 25 miles after which we can finish the pack. Lunch at Weaver Street in Carrboro can be short after the ride so we can finish. Anyway we have next weekend, we’re not picking up the rental car that we will drive from Chapel Hill, North Carolina to Key West until a week from this Friday; we can finish the trial pack this week. Close; the next weekend, somehow distracted, perhaps it was Christine suggesting we ride our road bikes, it looks like everything will fit with room to spare and we have four more days to get it together. Finally the panniers are packed, the duffel is full, one waterproof stuff sack has the sleeping bag and the other has the pillows and a sheet, perfect. “Should we take a full liter of this first cold pressed oil”? “Get the scale SB, let’s see how we are doing on weight, bring it out here”. I put blue masking tape on each bag to note the weight on. This is not as planned; mine is 72 pounds and Christine’s is 60, way too heavy, we are leaving in the morning.
Off to Avis to pick up the car, wrong size, we need an SUV, two bikes and all the gear, no problem, I upgrade to a Dodge something. Load all the gear and head to Key West, 987 miles, a 20 hour drive. Not bad, a couple of short naps and keeping the left door closed on the Dodge we arrive at 9:20AM on Saturday and turn in the car. We have never ridden the bikes fully loaded; 72 pounds on mine and 60 pounds on Christine’s, we immediately conclude that we do not have the proper bikes for this kind of weight for this long of a tour. We practice in the parking garage at the Key West International Airport; “might just have to get used to the feel of a bike and gear weighting around 95 pounds”. Christine panics, what now? Let’s ride to the southernmost point of Key West, actually the Keys run east and west; see if they begin to feel like bikes we can ride 2847 miles. 7 miles to the marker that designates the southernmost point, made it and things are looking up; now only 24 miles to the first campground, Sugarloaf KOA. I’m thinking of a cold beer right after the Hammer Recoverite recovery drink. I belly up to the bar and enjoy a cold beer with Jody Payne, the lead guitarist with Willie Nelson for the past 36 years. Already cool experiences are happening; this is why we set out.
East through the Keys, perfect wind, 15-25 knots if we were going the other direction. Headwind for the next three days, 90 degrees, humid, late start; we are just learning. After 36 miles Christine is overheated, dehydrated and no longer can ride; I built her a shelter to provide shade and perhaps she can cool down in the ditch along the side of the road with the sun shade over her. After an hour of rest, 28 ounces of water, two electrolyte tablets, she feels she can go on to the next campsite, only 22 more miles, about 2 hours. We made it, a 58 mile day.
Next a 62 mile ride; we will be leaving the Keys and enter the mainland, Homestead. Great wind, unfortunately, the wrong direction again. Hotter than hell and cruising at less than 11 mph. The Seven Mile Bride is today, an opportunity to ride our bikes over the Bridge, reminisce sailing under and ponder Christine’s record run in 1992, setting a course record that held for 12 years. No record today; 25 mph headwind reducing us to 6 mph at the top. Finally we arrive at the campground around 2:30PM, great spot, next to the NASCAR track in Homestead. We are greeted by a couple of thousand mosquitoes and I mange to find a piece of wood with two nails sticking up next to our picnic table. I shall not go into the details of how I found it or what was said after I located it. “Have you have had recent tetanus”, asks Christine?
We are just learning. Today’s destination is North Miami Beach; we want to get an early start so we will pass through Miami at peak rush hour and our timing is perfect. Riding through the low country north west of Homestead around the tree farms, very cool. I’ve done a very thorough job of entering the routes and checked and rechecked the waypoints, via points and the destinations. Days of Google Earth, Garmin Mapsource, no way we can go wrong. The Garmin 76Csx GPS is accurate to within 3 meters. The arrow on the screen shows a left turn, the GPS does not lie; one problem, no road to the left and we want to go east, not west. The GPS is accurate to within 3 meters; I’ve checked and rechecked the route, 36 waypoints, 23 via points, Google Earth. Should we cross the ditch and cut through the tree farm and head the opposite way we want to go? I have flown airplanes, sailed sail boats; I’ve been trained to believe the instruments. My training kicks in, we turn right, the GPS recalculates. All is well now, the distance to our destination is decreasing, some sort of error on my part I suppose. Turn right is displayed on the screen now; I’ve been trained, heading east a right turn will put us on a south heading, Miami is north of Homestead. Again my training kicks in; we turn left heading north. I hear a voice from behind, “hey, where are you heading”? Miami. The conversation continues, “I’ll help you get out of this area”. “I don’t need guidance, I have my trusty Garmin 76Csx GPS, accurate to within 3 meters programmed to indicate every turn, all the distances and my final destination”. “Turn right at the next road” states our new best friend. “Hey, my GPS indicates a left”. “I’ll help you get out of here, your GPS is scrambled, you know Homestead Air Force Base is just west of the tree farm, they don’t want you to bomb them; I’ll help[p you get out of here”. South Miami here we come just perfect timing for the peak rush hour.
We are headed to my brother Tom and his wife Sharon’s home in Lake Worth today, a 61 mile ride. We are off at 6:00AM, tailwind today, we’re cruising; 14, 15, 16 mph. Passed a couple of road bikes north of Ft. Lauderdale, a guy on his Harley joined us for several miles with curious conversation. Arrived at Tom and Sharon’s right on schedule, 1:00PM. We are learning, left early, applied and reapplied the sunscreen, 8-28 onuce water bottles of Hammer Nutriton, great ride. A nice dinner party, 10 guests, a Cinco de Mayo celebration. Big bottle of Tequila, fortunately I know better than to drink Tequila before an 81 mile ride ending in Ft. Pierce. Rum is the answer for me. We want to leave at 5:00AM to avoid the heat, early to bed and early to rise to be in peak form for the ride. Way too much rum, bed at 11:30, 81 miles with a slight hangover, I am still leaning.
81 miles down arrived at Ft. Pierce, drank 3 beers, goodnight.
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