Litigator Gets Her Gator - Everglades City to Miccosukee Resort & Gaming (west of Miami)

Alligator Alley did not disappoint!  Two sightings - but no pictures.  Like the waterfowl, the gators may have been bothered by bicycle noise because they quickly submerged themselves.  The day began joyfully—weather was good, road was good, traffic was light.  So many different kinds of birds to enjoy, and the anticipation of seeing an alligator was exciting.  But shortly after the last spotting, we were out of the swamp, and on the Miami/Dade County portion of US 41, where the highway and its shoulders were substantially deteriorated.  Twenty miles out from our destination, Diane’s rear tire went flat. The lucky thing, we were just one block from a service station that had good air.  Thirty minutes later we were back on the highway and racing against the impending rain.  Although we were impeded by even worse highway, road construction, and increasing traffic density, we persevered and arrived at our hotel before 2:30, and more importantly, before the thunderstorm struck!  We are at the Miccosukee Resort, where we are cocooning, not gambling. 

First a short addendum to yesterday's post. After arriving in Everglade City we decided to do the blog before going to dinner.  So once we posted we opened the motel room door to see that it was beginning to rain. We quickly put on rain gear and headed to the Camellia Street Grill (which we now highly recommend). Diane begins her Grouper meal with a yummy salad.  

During dinner the rain turned to a down pour - so we waited it out over a good piece of key lime pie.A palm shimmering in the rain on our way back from dinner.  Diane bikes by the same palm the next morning as we head out to Alligator Alley.

Ok show me the gator!

No gator here.

Still no gator.

WAIT, WAIT GATOR! And it is over 6 foot long. Quick Rob get the camera. CrrrrSpash!! Darn we missed the photo. But here is one of a Florida Gar that slowlyg swam through the spot where the gator had been just a minute before.

And a photo of the Snowy Egret that watched the whole drama.

Tomorrow we enter the Keys to begin the final run to the finish of the trip. Diane and Rob

PS. It is Halloween so it's appropriate to share something a "little scary." So here goes. Diane has lost so much weight she has been telling everyone we meet. Last night at the cafe she when so far as to raise her shirt. Rob

Stats - Everglades City to Miccosukee Resort and Gaming

10/31/2011 Everglades City to Miccosukee Resort and Gaming

Mileage:   62.0

Average Speed:  11.9

Maximum Speed:  ?

Time in the saddle: 5 Hr 10Min

Time on the road:  6 Hr 15 Min

A Gray Fast Day in the Glades - Lehigh Acres to Everglade City

Today, overcast and gray, turned out to be another “getting there” day.  The wind was from the northeast, so for most of the 64 miles it was favorable.  We bucked up for the 18 miles or so of adverse winds, thus our overall stats were good.  Roads were fine, and we again were regaled by the waterfowl. And thankfully the ride was mechanically uneventful.

We knew we would be biking in alligator country, but didn’t realize we would be in the midst of Florida panther country too.  We saw numerous signs warning the public of panther crossings and in most of these both sides of the road had high fences, leaving us to wonder how they could cross the road!  We were disappointed to not spot a panther or an alligator.  Coming into Everglades City, we could hear the air boats out in the swamp, but could not see them because the road was tree-lined. 

State Highway 29 going south into the Everglades.

We're in gator country!

And panther country as well.

A pic of the panther fence (the crossing was built under the road).

Since someplace in Idaho, every day we have noticed a buzzard or two circling over head. Lately they have become much more numerous - and as this picture attests, more sullen in their demeanor - even refusing to bother to fly overhead. We only share this because tomorrow we run alligator alley :-)

Stats - Lehigh Acres to Everglades City

10/30/2011 Lehigh Acres to Everglades City

Mileage:   64.0

Average Speed:  12.8

Maximum Speed:  19.3

Time in the saddle: 5 Hr 0 Min

Time on the road:  5 Hr 50 Min

Pigged Out - Wauchula to Lehigh Acres

By this morning, our panniers and gloves were dry, but as we were preparing to clear the hotel, the rain began to lightly fall.  The innkeeper gave us four garbage bags to wrap up our panniers, which over the years have lost their ability to fully shed water.   Good solution!  We also got good air and a great breakfast just down the road, and were off for the day by 9:10.  The rain kept coming for about an hour, but unlike yesterday it never was drenching.  The rest of the day was dry (except for our sweat).  The terrain was flat, the roads superior, the traffic light and the wind was at our backs.  Even with all that good fortune, though, we were slowed by a flat on Rob’s front tire.  But our stats were still great, and it was a beautiful ride.  We knew we had about 13 miles of urban driving at the end of the day, but even that turned out to be quite manageable. Diane's bike ready to deal with any rain.

The ride was through swampy areas full of birds - cranes, herons, ducks, egrets, hawks and even vultures. And while the birds would go about their business as trucks whizzed by, our bikes seemed to spook them and no photos were possible. So as a substitue for your viewing pleasure - cows (who show their obvious brahman heritage).

We both enjoyed the ride and Diane was back to her old sunny self - check that smile in the mirror 

 Ok this last photo is completely gross but bear with us. The special at the cafe adjacent to our hotel was a "whole pig roast" so we gave it a try. The meal was very good and the pig (at first) was fairly artistically presented. But while we were there a hoard of senior citizens descended on the cafe and consumed the pig - the aftermath is pictured below.

We’re luxuriating in a nice room at the Microtel Inn (after the pig out dinner at the café next door). Tomorrow we are off to Everglades City - and alligators maybe. 

Fast, Hot, Wet and Unhappy - Zephyrhills to Wauchula.

 It was raining when we awoke, but by the time we mounted the bikes, the rain had stopped. Still, we were not destined for a dry ride. During the last 30 miles we rode in steadily increasing rainfall.  Fortunately, it was not the chilling drenching rain we experienced our last day in Idaho.  We were still able to enjoy the sights – different kinds of waterfowl and orange groves marked the day.  Rob took a spill today—low speed collision with a camouflaged rock drove him into the curb.  The force bent the front fork, but luckily Rob was not injured in the tumble.  Plus, he was able to straighten the fork to the point where we are able continue moving toward the Keys.  As final kicker to the day, Rob also had a rear wheel spoke break – again luckily, due to the way Sun Tour designed their cluster sprockets in the 1980s, he was able to “snake” the new spoke into the wheel hub without having to remove the tire from the rim.    We had a surprisingly tasty Chinese dinner at a small take-out/eat-in restaurant in the strip mall near our hotel (and did our laundry at the Laundromat in the same mall).

Traveling a Florida county road prior to the rain.

The ride was fast, wet and at times hot from the humidity.

 The usually sunny Diane not happy with the rain.

Broken spoke.

With the spoke replaced the bike was hung in the shower so Rob could true up the rear wheel.

With the spoke fixed the bikes were turned into cloth-lines to deal with wet bags, etc.

Tomorrow we may again have to suffer with rain but every mile brings us closer to “alligator alley.”

PS To give the reader an idea on the damaged suffered by Rob's take a look at the two pics below. The first is a photo Diane's bike and second photo is Rob's bike after the mishap. For context both share the same "touring geometry" and each were set up with the same spare water bottle hung behind the front wheel. As you can see Diane's bottle clears the front wheel's fender.  But now with the forks bent on his bike the bottle clearly will not fit.

Everything is copasetic.

Not the case here - drat!

Early in the ride we passed through commercial strawberry fields seen above.  Later we passed a large phosphate mine/processing operation followed by citrus groves - but by that time rain was heavy and the camera stayed in its bag. 

Friday's Post (redux)

Katherine here:

The two mobile posts on Friday posted in reverse chronological order across multiple entries.  For those, like me, who were confused at first, here are the posts in proper chronological order.

_________________________________

In Wauchula Fl . Rode in rain today but still put in a fast ride. Rob took a very slow speed tumble in the grass in town when he hit a piece of loose asphalt which threw him into the curb. He is fine but the crash bent his front fork. Full of adrenline and frustration he jerked off the wheel, turned bikeupside down and pulled the fork enough forward that we could continue the ride. His bike also broke spoke but again it was ridableWe will do a full blog entree tomorrow. 

_________________________________

But rest assured I am going to finish his ride on my old faithful bike. 

Rob

______________________________

[Then again, maybe Mom and Dad  were  trying to be like Quentin Tarantino and intentionally posted out of order] 

Stats - Wauchula to Lehigh Acres

10/29/2011 Wauchula to Lehigh Acres

Mileage:   80.9

Average Speed:  14.2

Maximum Speed:  18

Time in the saddle: 5 Hr 37 Min

Time on the road:  7 Hr 08 Min

Stats - Zephyrhills to Wauchula

10/28/2011  Zephyrhills to Wauchula

Mileage:   64.1

Average Speed:  13.0

Maximum Speed:  20

Time in the saddle: 4 Hr 54 Min

Time on the road:  6 Hr 38 Min

We will do a full blog entree tomorrow. But rest assured I am going to finish his ride on my old faithful bike. Rob

upside down and pulled the fork enough forward that we could continue the ride. His bike also broke spoke but again it was ridable

alt which threw him into the curb. He is fine but the crash bent his front fork. Full of adrenline and frustration he jerked off the wheel, turned bike

In Wauchula Fl. Rode in rain today but still put in a fast ride. Rob took a very slow speed tumble in the grass in town when he hit a piece of loose asph

Stats - Dunnellon to Zephyrhills

10/27/2011 Dunnellon to Zephyrhills

Mileage:   62.1

Average Speed:  11.8

Maximum Speed:  19.8

Time in the saddle:  5 Hr 13 Min

Time on the road:  6 Hr 35 Min

Toddling with the Tortoises then Trying Traffic - Dunnellon to Zephyrhills

Our ride began with a short jaunt of highway, and then we were on the magnificent Withlacoochee State Trail for 46 miles.  We were disappointed that we did not come across any alligators, but we did see half a dozen gopher tortoises .  We also saw one horned owl and a flock of wild turkeys, and again heard several different songs of birds that we don’t recognize.   It was a great ride - until the last 12 miles of highway 39 with its moderately heavy urban traffic, and sometimes disappearing shoulder.  And somehow, we found the hilly part of Florida, between Dade City and Zephyrhills, but we are pleased to report that Rob’s derailleur held up well. 

Diane prepares a breakfast of hard boiled eggs, cuban rice and beans with brown rice toast - while Rob.....

 goes over the bikes and we then say.....

...goodbye to our house Gecko.

Rolling down the Withlacooche trail....

...by lakes.....

.....advoiding the local traffic ...

....with a break for lunch....

...and other necessities.

                                       

Diane was hoping for the thrill of a gator.

"Could there be one in that swamp?"

But she had to settle for the terror of traffic going through Dade City into Zephyrhills.

Here she is shown fleeing the scene of an accident.

Safely hidden in her room Diane finishs the day by doing a little laundry. Please note her new invention - the hand held drying machine. 

Once again, we are adjusting our route.  Tomorrow we will be riding to Wauchula.  Weather reports say we have a 60% chance of rain, but we are committed to the ride.  The McDaniels are now in the heart of Florida!

Happy (bike) Trails to You - Cross City to Dunnellon

Cross City to Dunnellon.  We began our day on the Nature Coast State Trail, going south on 21 miles of tree-lined broad smooth asphalt.  We heard a variety of birds, and saw squirrels scampering about gathering hazel nuts.  On occasion we heard larger animals in the mixed hardwood, pine and palm tree forest but did not see them. 

Then it was back to US 98 for another 27 miles into the wind, but, again it was a good tree-lined divided four lane highway.   Then for the last 14 miles we turned off on a county road, and then another, which were almost like the first 21 miles of the day. The road was smooth and the traffic was light.   We ended the day with a great Cuban dinner (Rob is nuts for plantains), and pink stucco accommodations at the Two Rivers Inn.

Slipping down the Coast Trail in the early morning.

Rolling by magestic harwoods draped in Spanish Moss.

In the aftternoon we cruised down County Road 336 into Dunnellon through a swampy state forest inhabited by wild animals and feral pigs.  And after our fine Cuban dinner we retired to the Inn, but rumor has it the AGO Team hit the town with the Blues Brothers who hang out in Dunnellon on occassion.

Tomorrow it is another day of bike trail cruising followed by laundry at the next the hotel. Diane and Rob

Stats - Cross City to Dunnellon

10/26/2011 Cross City to Dunnellon

Mileage:   62.1

Average Speed:  11.8

Maximum Speed:  19.8

Time in the saddle:  5 Hr 13 Min

Time on the road:  6 Hr 35 Min

Hold the Mayo - St. Marks to Cross City

We awoke rested and joyful.  Breakfast in our little cabin comprised scrambled eggs and grits, plus coffee for Diane and milk and cookies for Rob.  We got back on that lovely trail and biked three miles to US 98, and headed on to Perry.  Good highway and shoulder, and very light traffic.  The road was straight as an arrow and was wooded on both sides of the road, with lots of palm trees and various deciduous trees.  There were no hills, but we did gain elevation of 36 feet.

At Perry, we changed our route to take advantage of promised northwesterly winds.  When we began the day’s ride, we planned to continue on east of Perry to Mayo, but faced northeasterly winds during the 44 miles between St. Marks and Perry.  When we got to Perry around 12:40, the wind had shifted to northwesterly, so it made sense to turn south toward Cross City, which was only another 45 miles.  Shortly after we committed to this approach, though, the wind shifted again, and once again we were biking into headwinds.  Nonetheless, we hunkered down and by 5:20 arrived in Cross City.   This part of the ride was on alternate US 27, a divided four-lane highway.  Again, it was good highway and good shoulder, with light traffic.  Portions of it were shaded, and pleasant, but we were generally focused on strong biking, since the scenery was pretty much the same throughout the day.

After arriving at the Carriage Inn, we had a Chinese dinner and settled in for the evening. Dawn on the St Mark River from our cabin.

Hwy 98 towards Perry, FL.

We stop for a snack looking off in the woods.

Pushing through the wind into Cross City.

We’ve booked accommodations in Dunnellon for tomorrow, and will begin our ride on another lovely bike trail for the first 21 miles of the morning. Diane and Rob

Stats - St. Marks to Cross City

10/25/2011 St. Marks to Cross City

Mileage:   89.1

Average Speed:  12.8

Maximum Speed:  16.7

Time in the saddle:  6 Hr 55 Min

Time on the road:  8 Hr 45 Min

Stats - Tallahassee to St. Marks

10/24/2011 Tallahassee to St. Marks

Mileage:   28.2

Average Speed:  11.1

Maximum Speed:  25.7

Time in the saddle:  2 Hr 32 Min

Time on the road:  3 Hr 26 Min

Back on the Road Again - Tallahassee to St. Marks

Wow!  Quadruple Wow!  First, Rob was able to fix his derailleur at the motel, once he was able to borrow a hammer and heavy duty wrench.  It’s not perfect but we think it will suffice to complete our bicycle journey.  Second, we booked our return flight to Seatac – Saturday evening, November 5, since we plan to arrive Key West on Thursday, November 3.  Third, we used the day to (successfully) test drive Rob’s derailleur, taking the beautiful Tallahassee/St. Mark Historic Railroad State Trail, for most of the 28-mile ride, ending at the Shell Island Fish Camp, situated on the mouth of the St. Marks River, which feeds into the Gulf.   Shortly before arriving at the Fish Camp, we had a great early seafood dinner at the Riverside Café and bought breakfast supplies at Miss Joy’s (aka Bo Lynn’s Grocery) in St. Marks.  Fourth, at dinner we met a foursome, bicyclists in their 70s.  They live in Georgia, and had come down to Tallahassee to attend a funeral, and added in a bicycling trip on the same trail we took.  They are also staying at the Fish Camp. 

On the bike trail out of Tallahassee. Rob over shot the trail and then took the bikes down a sharp enbankment to the path. He successfully got his bike down to the trail. (No picture exists of him on his face and Diane's bike upside down when Rob was unsuccessful in getting her bike safely down the embankment. Neither the bike nor Rob was hurt - at least that he will admit.)

Part of the trail into St. Marks.

The trail was gorgeous.

And as the AGO Team noted, palm trees were everywhere.

Always looking for the

quintessential bike photo of the trip.

Diane enjoys her first Grouper on the trip. Yummm!

Buying food for breakfast and the road at Miss Joy's.

Our "park model" cabin at Shell Fish Camp. House cats are optional.

Tomorrow, we head east out of the Florida panhandle, and turn south toward the Keys.  Yippee!