February 8, 2016
Everglades City to Miami
A chill morning that warmed quickly. I talked Happy out of his leg warmers before we headed for breakfast, 1-1/2 miles away in the heart of town. It took some doing to find it (breakfast), but we did. And it was good!
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Not to trash our accommodations too much, but it would have been better if 1) the Wi-Fi worked, 2) the hot water heater lasted longer than five minutes (maybe ten, but who's counting?), 3) they had the promised laundry service, and 4) it was closer to town (this I lay at our feet!). If it had been warmer and not raining, I guess I would not complain . . . much. But it wasn't cheap either. Write me for details!
Breakfast, on the other hand, was everything we wanted. Good food, the right price, delightful service, and a good view.
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It was about five more miles to our first of two turns for today's 78-mile ride! It was going to be US 41 all the way into Miami. A good part of that, the majority in fact, would be through various parts of the Everglades National Park. It was beautiful on many levels. Traffic was light, the scenery was quite varied, it warmed up to a perfect mid-sixties, and we had a tailwind. Cycling Nirvana!
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While we had no problems biking this part of US 41, there are plans afoot to make the experience even better. The River of Grass Greenway (ROGG) project will build a hard-surfaced 12-14 foot wide trail parallel to the highway (which is also known as the Tamiami Trail). It will extend from Naples/Marco Island all the way to Krome Avenue in Miami. It will also include a three-mile extension into Everglades City. However, there is some opposition from the locals:
The trail would certainly improve access to the park and make it safer for those not in motorized vehicles. Traffic picked up as we got closer to Miami, as evidenced by the roadway "improvements" we saw as we crossed the Miami-Dade County Line:
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But it wasn't all bad, and eventually returned to some sense of normality, particularly where the Tamiami Canal gets wider and runs parallel to US 41 on the north side.
Then, at about MP 52, I was directed to the north side of US 41 and discovered a parallel trail on the far side of the canal, one at the canal level and one on top of the levee. It was basically a dirt road with loose gravel of varying size, but I thought I'd give it a shot . . . and ended up riding it for about 11 miles. Mostly just to be away from the traffic for a change (we were much closer to Miami now) and also for the great view on the far side of the levee. I had also been making great time up to this point and could afford to slow down a bit.
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The only people I saw were two nice guys in an SUV with mountain bikes on the back who were hunting for pythons! I (and they, up till then) had not seen any. After a nice chat, I continued on my way, passing some interesting structures and finally meeting the infamous Krome Avenue! It was a mixed bag from that point east. Mixed bag, meaning some shoulder, some bike lane, some sidewalk, and some lane riding. Not the best way into the city. If I had laid it out, we would have dropped south into the city grid and taken 24th and 26th Streets. That be as it may . . . I still booked along at a pretty good pace, hitting 20-22 mph at times.
It was also time for a haircut! I was passing many barber shops and finally told myself the next one on my side of the street is mine. Hence, I met Tony, who did me just fine.
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That was only two miles from our hotel, the ChateauBleau (night shot, after dinner).
Then dinner at Seven Dials. Excellent, even for a "British"-style pub:
Then, a good night's rest. I had done 78 miles and averaged 14.1 mph. Not bad given the conditions (tailwind, dirt/gravel road, and city traffic). I deserve a rest!
Today's ride: 79 miles (127 km)
Total: 1,540 miles (2,478 km)
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