The Keys

October 26th/09 - Key Largo, FL
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
Mileage: 35 Km
Total mileage: 6,570 km

We left this morning south on Hwy 1 from Florida City. Very busy hwy. Everyone who wants to go to the Keys has to use this road, and Miami being so close, you can imagine the traffic. We made it to Key Largo and it's a good feeling to be so close to our final destination.

Met two other cyclists in the park this evening. Jesse and Angelina had just left Miami and in a round about way were headed for Oregon. They were heading to Key West first and then taking a boat to Fort Myers. From there they were going north through Florida and then west to California. From California, north to Oregon.

They looked a little ill prepared and confused at the end of their first day as they struggled to put up their tent in the dark. I tried to share some wisdom with Jesse as to what to expect in days to come as they travelled. Such things as equipment failures, repairs, maintenance, weather, campgrounds, or lack thereof, don't get discouraged, things always get better, yada, yada, yada. I could tell he really wasn't listening. He had become brainwashed by well intentioned bicycle shop employees.

A rare few bicycle shop employees ever tour. They may have taken a trip on a bike, but an expedition is a whole different story. They may cycle 50 km everyday after work in preparation for a 100 km race on the weekend, but it's not the same! To make an expedition easier you have to listen to people who have done it before.

I felt I had to do something for Jesse and Angelina, but I couldn't figure out what. I thought of at least giving him my Walmart spare tire, Deby and I being so close to the end of our journey. Then I looked at the onion skin rear tire on my bike and thought otherwise. I might need that spare in the next 100 miles. In the end, Deby and I gave Jess and Angelina $20 each with a word of encouragement. It had meant so much to us when times were dark that there were people out there that knew we could do it.