This was the home stretch for team A, traveling on increasingly familiar roads as we got closer to home. Although the roads were familiar, LOST was on the agenda. LOST is not a state of confusion, it's the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail which runs along the top of the Herbert Hoover dike that surrounds the lake.
The Herbert Hoover dike is in need of repair. It's basically just a big pile of dirt with no support structure. Or was, until the army corps of engineers started repairing the 143 mile long dike. The work has been going on for years, and will continue for many more.
We had to get off of LOST and onto US 98 when we got to a section of the dike that is under repair. Our speed picked up because we were sheltered from the wind once we came down from the dike.
After we left Lake Okeechobee we crossed what used to be part of the Everglades, but is now agricultural land. The major crop is sugar and there are also some sod farms.
I'm as hypocritical as the next person. Our house is built on land that also used to be part of the Everglades. I'm not just an observer, I'm part of the problem.
It was depressing to see a massive housing development as we approached West Palm Beach. The development had not been started when we left South Florida on June first. The last 40 miles were through heavily congested urban areas. The very worst roads were closest to home as we crossed Coral Springs. We know every possible route, but the sad fact is there is no bike friendly route through Coral Springs.
Our last "tourist" stop of the trip was at a national cemetery just 30 miles from our home. We had cycled past it many times before but never stopped. After all the history we have seen in the last 3 months it seemed appropriate to stop and pay our respects. The stones, arranged with military precision, were all alike, yet each told a unique story.
One that caught my eye mentioned a sailor who had proudly served on the battleship Missouri. I can't think of any 2 words than "proudly served" to sum up the story of these veterans. Their service and sacrifice for their country, along with their pride in what they accomplished, must have been the defining moment in the lives of many of these vets.
