September 11 Crossing America

Key West – Islamorada a distance of 74 miles.
Total miles traveled through today 4,815, on my bike 4,147 of them.

It was difficult to leave Tom and Judy’s place this morning as they are such gracious hosts.  Once again I feel like I’m leaving family, I guess in a way I am as my journey has become my home and the all the wonderful folks I met are my new extended family.  Life is good!

Since Mark is acting as a SAG driver for the next two days, I’m able to ride without carrying 70+ pounds of gear which will allow me to travel faster and much much easier.  I’ll be riding to the Boy Scout of America Sea Base on the south end of Islamorada about the middle section of the Keys.  On the way down from Mark’s place I decided to give the Sea Base a call and see if they would allow this Old Guy who had served the Boys Scouts as an adult leader in various capacities for almost 20 years a place to stay for a night.  Steve Willis the Program Director welcomed the opportunity to host us for the night in one of the staff quarters.  I thought we’d be staying in one of the dorm style rooms so it was quite a surprise to have a nice room with private bath.   Thank you Steve and thank you to the Boy Scouts of America for providing this Old Guy with a place to stay, I greatly appreciated being appreciated.

The miles went by relatively fast due to the flatness of the Keys and even considering there was a 10+ mph headwind for the first 40 miles and a 15-20 mph headwind for the final 34 miles.  I think I’m going to put headwinds in the same category as hills, I can do without both.  Highlights of the day were  seeing a giant 6 foot Iguana on a bike path.   There was also another lizard, green and about 3 foot long which I don’t the species of along the trail.  I can
tell you this neither was cooperative to allow me a chance to take a good
picture of them.  Following is the best I could take of the Iguana.

Front half of Iguana, sorry he wasn't very cooperative to have his picture taken

Crossing through the endangered Key Deer habitat, I was delighted to see three of themcrossing the roadway.  In my excitement to see these tiny little deer and wanting a picture of them I neglected to pay attention to a Signal Light which had turned red and ran through it.  Of course, as my luck goes I crossed in  front of a sheriff’s deputy in his patrol car.  I apologized for my blunder which must have been sufficient as he didn’t stop me and issue a citation.   I was probably lucky the deer were in the middle of the road and the deputy was more concerned they didn’t get run over then me?

At the end of the day I was a little sore, due to I’d only ridden my bike once in the last two weeks but still pretty good shape.  I had twisted my ankle in Key West and it did give me some pain but bearable.  Tomorrow my plan is to ride 90 miles.  I’ll ride the S-Works my fast bike for that stretch and hope all goes well for my body to hold up  to the big miles.  I didn’t like doing big miles day in and day out with the Bike the US for MS and now I’m having to do it myself to make up the days I lost on the West Coast.  Oh well, that’s life. I’ll survive.

Speaking of surviving today is the 10^th Anniversary of the “Second Day of
Infamy” for the USA.  My heart was saddened by not only our loss of human life that day but by the fact extreme Muslims want us dead.  If they only knew
the goodness in the heart of the folks who are America, after all they and we
are humans and actually came from the same beginnings thousands of years
ago.  Please, we are all brothers and sisters let live in peace and harmony.
This is my wish for the human species.

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