During Spring 2015, a group of friends and I will be touring the entire east coast from Key West, Florida to Bar Harbor, Maine, approximately 2,500 miles in total, following the Atlantic Coast route created by the Adventure Cycling Association. This will be a self contained fully loaded bike tour which means I'll be carrying around 45 lbs. or so. I'm looking forward to experiencing the east coast like never before. With this blog, I plan to post pictures as we progress using the BlogPress APP on my mobile phone. Let's see how it goes and wish me luck. On a bike tour such as this, our daily challenges and not necessarily in this order, will be our physical condition, food, shelter, traffic, navigation, and weather. The above picture was taken during my Southern Tier crossing of the U.S. in spring of 2008. Bike touring requires a specific mind set and a passion.
Onward to Miami's South Beach area, what a great way to visit a region, by bike that is. Yes there is traffic, rides along highways, and bike paths that aren't always the best, but the adventure of travel by bicycle can't be beat. After 70 miles plus, we ended our day in an old historic Art Deco hostel in Miami's infamous South Beach district on a Saturday evening off busy Collins Avenue. Needless to say, the energy surrounding us was very high with people and traffic everywhere which only heighten our own excitement. First on our agenda was the beach for a quick dip in the Atlantic Ocean, which we then followed with an outstanding Peruvian dinner. Life is good.
It's mighty hot under the Floridian high noon sun. Use suntan lotion, lots of it and drink plenty of water. Do that and you'll enjoy the ride. Today's ride was just over fifty miles and at times, we rode with the Florida Bay in view to our left and the Atlantic Ocean on our right. The views are uniquely Floridian where life is about the water, a "salt life" as they like say. If you live along the coast, owning a boat of some type is a must and as common as owning a car. Here's some pic from the day.
Pictures from our first day to Marathon, mostly along US 1. Needless to say there was traffic but the scenery made it worthwhile. At the end of day, we are now 9 riders as 3 more join us in Marathon, the group is now complete.
We started with three in Ft. Myers Beach and now three more have joined us in Key West. Tomorrow, the six of us will begin our tour with a 50-mile ride to Marathon. We celebrated the gathering with dinner at El Siboney, a great local Cuban restaurant.
Sunsets at Mallory Square are a major daily informal event drawing 1000's of people and street performers to work the crowds, real entertainers and those that just want to be seen. Don't forget to donate for the cause! Here, "on the west coast" of Florida, the sun sets over water which is unique sight for many since they are from the northeast. Who knows when it began, but it's a daily event for visitors these days.
"I want my bicycle, I want to ride." The best way to get around the tourist district is the bicycle, so you can avoid traffic jams and parking issues. Most locals and visitors know this, so there are all matters of bicycles found everywhere. We started our day early exploring the downtown area by bicycle. Beyond noon, the crowds and traffic made getting around more difficult, especially since it was St. Patrick's Day when the partying starts early. If nothing else, cycling generates a breeze that keeps you cooler in the hot tropical sun.