If You Want to Go Further SE the Bikes Need Pontoons - Marathon to Key West

In Key West at the Atlantic seawall.

We have reached the end of the journey.  Yesterday’s ride was quite thrilling—crossing a seven mile bridge, and several shorter ones.  The views were spectacular, and with the wind at our backs, we quickly covered the 50 miles.  We reached Key West shortly before 12:30 p.m., turned south to circumnavigate the island and headed to the Atlantic Ocean, where we snapped a self portrait.  We then continued on to the southernmost point in the continental USA, only 90 miles from Cuba.  People were lined up to take pictures at the buoy marking the point, and we joined them.  After that, we headed on downtown for a quick stop at Kermit’s Key West  Key Lime Shoppe and then had lunch at Sandy’s Café.  From there we biked to PakMail, were we dropped off our bikes and gear, which will be shipped to Olympia.  That left us with our partially-loaded panniers, and what we thought was a .3- mile walk to our hotel.   Instead, it was a two-mile walk, but we arrived in fine form.  On the way we picked up a small bottle of Myers’s Rum, which is our Friday night date night drink of choice, and celebrated one day early! 

A series of photos across the 7 mile bridge.

Other views along the way to Key West.

We ARRIVE!

The southernmost point. (Note, Rob is in his parrot-head jersey.)

The end of US 1.

AGO Team want to start the tourist thing.

But the McDaniels opt for lunch!!!!

Then it was off to ship the faithful bikes home. (Diane's drive train was sounding like it was slowly grinding coffee and Rob's bike had been turned into a beach cruiser - but the bikes made it!)

Our ceremonial last biking meal - pork & beans, left-over Cuban lunch, Fritos, cheese and our favorite island rum by Myers!

Our thanks to everyone that helped make this trip of a life-time possible. A special thanks to Dana, Jerry, Erika, Debra, Mike G., Dave the bike mechanic, Judy and Gene and Kent, for finding us on the road to Bliss, and adding to our joy, and to Frank and Angela for their "above and beyond" priceless contributions, and to Nony for her special prayers. And of course another special thanks to the strangers along the way that came to our rescue at times of extreme heat or trouble on the road.

Love to All from Diane and Rob.