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.