Saturday, April 25, 2015

Fort Lauderdale to Jupiter

Lost a post in here somewhere but now we are in Vero Beach.


Won't be riding across any drawbridges while in the "up" position


The tour has been spectacular, my riding not so much. I did 33 miles yesterday and 22 today but today I added in a walk over two big bridges.  Not because I didn't think I could do the climb (I could, probably 6%) but because I wanted to stretch the muscles that were tight (quads) and limber and strengthen the ones I don't use on the bike (glutes, calves, hips, back).  I think it worked pretty well but it was work.  I added in some complexity by alternating walking normally with walking pigeon-toed and walking like a duck.  Probably a good thing there was a barrier between the road and the sidewalk - wouldn't want to cause  too many accidents.  This bridge also featured a two lane bike path.

Florida does have some nice bike-friendly laws/policies.  We've been on bike lanes most of the time and it is a LAW here that drivers observe the 3-foot rule.  That occasionally means that they get in the way of traffic coming the other way, but they stay clear of us.

The weather has been alternating between hot, wet and hot plus wet.  We havn't been rained on too often, but it is constantly threatening.  I am loving the flowers, the blue skies, the new birds and animals.  I watched pelicans fishing today, taking off from the water together and then diving as if they were in a water ballet.  Didn't see them catch anything, but maybe they were waiting for tips and/or applause.  I have not seen a manatee (a good chance tomorrow though) but I have seen three manatee mailboxes.  Yeah I know,  hard concept to grasp, I'll try to post a picture.

My fantastic, supportive friends at home are taking beautiful care of my house and the cats, I wouldn't have been able to do this without them.  Thank you so much, Barb, Roger,  Erin, Chris and especially Kim.  You have no idea how much this means to me.



PORT ORANGE - Saturday, April 25

Have had some computer issues, thus the double post.  The bridge calisthenics seem  to have been helpful.  I managed 45 miles today mostly at 14-16 mph (there may have been a little tailwind).  I was able to keep up with the big girls and that was a nice feeling.


Still no manatee but we did see an Osprey nest up close and a farther away picture of some kind of something on Cape Canaveral.  I would have loved going on that tour but this is as close as we got.  Might have to come back.

Osprey nest

Cape Canaveral

As with the Southern Tier, a great group of women.  This time learning names is easier because we only have a few that haven't been on other tours, so if you are wondering who someone is, someone near you probably knows.  A very strong group of riders, so I will have plenty of role models.

St. Augustine tomorrow and then a rest day.  It will be nice to actually SEE the town, last time we were here, it rained 10" in 18 hours.  I'm keeping the fenders on the bike because I think that is the magic talisman that is keeping the rain off our heads.


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