Posted by Capt. Capsize on January 28, 2002 at 17:03:47:
In Reply to: INTRUDN's challenge posted by ken on January 26, 2002 at 18:23:14:
Yesterday my sweet wife and I went for our weekly ride. It was cool 65-70 deg F cloudy, no wind. After dodging traffic (snow birds are here) we left Merritt Island (Florida) and headed up US1 through Titusville across the Indian River (a 1-5 mile wide brack water lagoon) hundreds of people were or had launched small boats at the ramp by the bridge. Now we are on a 2 lane black top road on Kennedy Space Center property, miles of low scrub and wildlife, not very attractive.
Now we are on a smooth 2 lane b-top road going north to Oakhill. Over the draw bridge at Haulover canal. We stopped on top of the bridge to marvel at the boat traffic. I still don't know what was so special about the day to draw so many boaters. It was the opposite for bikers, we would normally have seen 2 dozen bikes by now but only have seen 3-4.
We made it to Oakhill (a one horse town, only business I saw was a (not jiffy mart type) combination gas,food,short order cookery, bait/tackle repair and whatever else you need) store. We rested our buns here before heading west on a 1 1/2 lane b-top road that cut a straight path through cypress swamps for miles and miles. There were numerous patches of higher ground in the swamp that had a dumping looking house or trailer on it and 3 cars on blocks in the front yard (3 cars indicates upper class) and trash laying all around (I never did understand that).
After about 8 miles of this scenery, the road suddenly turned to dirt (somewhat hard packed). A sign at the beginning of the dirt road said "dangerous road next 10 miles". I felt my wife stiffen when she saw the sign and she started protesting. After I calmed her and convinced her I knew what I was doing, she relaxed as the little Suki buzzed along at 40 mph. I was thinking it is good to have a reliable little scoot rather than some firebreathing beast from my past. We came to a little bridge over a creek lined with moss draped cypress trees. We stopped and rested and took some cool looking pictures. Clara said, reminds her of the movie Deliverance. I had to agree and suggested we come back at another time with a canoe and the pickup and after hearing a gator grunting just 50 feet away, my .357 3". So after 15 minutes of rest and identifying various animal foot prints we headed off towards civilization. A few more miles and the road was b-top again and homes among the trees appeared.
So we had made it to Osteen, Fl. now heading south on a busy 2 lane to Sanford. Where we had lunch at a fast food southern cooking restaurant where you could get a pork roast, collard greens, black-eyed peas, corn bread and peach cobbler dinner for $5.00! We are now stuffed and beginning to get weary from hours of riding. So we opt to take the most direct route home where a nap awaits us. Some 45 minutes later we are cruising rather briskly through a woodsy and upscale residential section when a SUV coming towards us gives me the headlight blink warning of a radar trap ahead. I turn the wick down immediately to get down to the 30 mph speed limit and just in time. There sat a T-ville cop taking pictures. Bless that guy in the SUV, he saved me well over a hundred bucks and
a ruined day. Well, that close shave made getting home quickly not quite so important.
Made it home without any more excitement, noted the bug collection on the windshield and decided it could wait for tomorrow. Four and a half hours in the saddle is all we want in one day. I dream of cruising the US on a big road bike when we retire but I wonder if it is only a dream. I try to extend our rides each time but we seem to have hit the wall at 4 1/2 hours. I am also running out of new routes to take each time to keep it interesting.
Well, enough rambling on, I have things I need to do before I head for the salt mines at 4:00 pm.
Happy trails.