Friday October 19, 2012

Fort Lauderdale FL; 20km, 58m vertical climb

The first task today was to get hold of packaging for the bikes so we cycled to Ft Lauderdale airport to see if our airline for the return to Montreal had boxes. The first counter clerk said they no longer supplied them but fortunately the guy next to her contradicted her and went round the back to see if they had any. Luckily for us he found some so we paid for them and asked for them to be held there for pickup on tomorrow. That was our biggest problem solved so we rode back to town and moved our gear across the road to a much nicer hotel. We had to wait for a big thunderstorm to finish, then we set off to find a hardware store where we bought a roll of large strong plastic bags that will use for the rest of our luggage. With that job done we took a short break for a nice big ice cream and then set off to tour the harbour area. We rode up and down a series of parallel streets where the back gardens are separated by canals and each house has landing stage where the boats are moored. Some of the boats are bigger than some of the houses and no doubt cost a lot more.                    

The back lane

After we arrived back at the hotel TimB booked a van to takes us and the bikes to Miami airport in the morning via Ft Lauderdale airport to pick up the boxes. With that done we had the evening left for dinner at Ernie’s.    

Tim approaching a Monster

The Monster

Thursday October 18, 2012

Jupiter FL to Fort Lauderdale FL; 109km 145m vertical climb

Today was our last full day on the road.  After 20km on a busy US1 we moved over to the A1A for the rest of the way to Fort Lauderdale and passed the ritziest part of the USA we have ever seen. The A1A goes along the oceanfront and this is prime real estate all the way to Miami.  The houses were chateaus, the grass was like putting greens and the curbside hedges were lush.  We were wondering where you find so many millionaires to buy these places.  We got into Fort Lauderdale at 6 pm and checked into the Relax Inn. The gaudy colour scheme appealed to me but the inside was not so good.     

The Breakers Hotel - Palm Beach

Just a ordinary hedge

Chateau overlooking the Ocean

Mansion in Boca Ratan

The Relax Inn - Fort Lauderdale

  

Wednesday October 17, 2012

Vero Beach FL to Jupiter FL; 84 km 108 m vertical climb

The day was warm and muggy as we started out this morning.  We were 40km down the road and we had both used 2 bottles of Gatorade already.  At 60km we had lunch and the nice lady gave me a bottle full of ice and water to go. Within 10 km it was warm. The afternoon was hard work as we rode into the wind.  When we hit Jupiter at, 80km, we looked at the clouds and called it a day.  Our hotel was expensive, but it had a hot tub, a lovely view, and endless tea and coffee.  The receptionist gave us a room next to the beach, towels for the hot tub and a Tim Horton’s tea bag.  We were in the hot tub when the rain started.  Now we’re listening to the weather channel and it seems there is torrential rain in the area, with up to 4” in the area just down the road.       

View from our back window

View from our back window

Tim and Tim in hot tub

 

Tuesday October 16, 2012

Titusville to Vero Beach 118km 115m vertical climb.

As we were about to leave our motel this morning a German couple rode by and stopped to chat.  They were touring the USA and had started in San Francisco.  They rode down the west coast to San Diego and then used public transport to get to Houston.  They were stopped from riding across Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas by the extreme heat wave in the US.  They will ride to Key West and then go back up the Caribbean coast.  They are mostly camping.

We rode inland today on US route 1.  With a north wind behind us we got to our destination, Sebastian, about 3 pm.  We bypassed the first bunch of motels on the north side of town and then had trouble finding a hotel near the south side of town.  When we finally found the hotel we were looking for they had no water.  Because of the strong north wind we kept on riding to Vero Beach where we are all cleaned up and waiting for my old colleague Gary to arrive with his wife so we can go out for the evening.           

Gary and Rhonda enjoying retirement

Monday October 15, 2012

Tim @ Goodall

Daytona Beach to Titusville 96km 99m vertical climb

We were up and out to Denny’s for breakfast by 8 and were the second customers in the place. Normally at that time most people have been and gone but Daytona is very much a tourist town and it seems most people make a later than usual start. We were on the road before ten and it was still fairly quiet. A few kilometres down the road I thought I had found home – Goodall Street - of all places.    Our coastal route, A1A, does not continue south without interruption, so on the southern end of Daytona Beach, we crossed the bridge back to the mainland and continued south on US1. After 64km we pulled in to a petrol station for a break and within a few minutes we were overtaken by a very heavy shower. We stayed under the station roof drinking our pint beakers of tea and before long we were joined by a large group of Harley bikers. We enjoyed the opportunity to talk to some of them while waves over torrential rain passed by. It was over an hour before it eased up enough for us all to continue on our way. We still got wet but the great thing about the 30-degree weather here is that the rain is warm. We had trouble finding a motel in Titusville and we had to backtrack a couple of kilometres from the south side of town to find one but we still had time in hand to get the laundry done before dinner. After Taco Bell we went down the road to Jalopey`s for a beer (and now I can make a few people jealous) $2.50 for an imperial pint!!!!

Rain Break at the gas station

Sunday October 14,2012

St. Augustine to Daytona Beach; 84km 57m vertical climb

Flagler College

St. Augustine from Bridge

We toured St. Augustine during the morning.  The old fort was interesting but Flagler collage was impressive.  It is a150 year old resort that is now a community collage.  Even though the building has students, it is still in good shape. The architecture throughout the town is very Spanish.  We left St. Augustine at 11:30 and took the A1A to Daytona Beach.  Although it was only 80km, it was a hard ride with the crosswind coming off the ocean all day long.  We had a brief respite when we had trees or buildings blocking the wind off the ocean.  This is my first time in Daytona Beach and my impressions 0f Daytona Beach were confirmed when I saw the cars on the beach and the cheap hotels.  We are in the Playa Hotel, which cost only $67 a night because we don’t have to pay parking fees.  My other impression of Daytona Beach as a party town were confirmed   when the waitress told me I couldn’t stop drinking because I had a free beer coming.  

On Daytona Beach

Playa Hotel - Daytona Beach