Men Driving In Loops (USA Day 174)

Riding through cities takes more time than riding through not cities. This much we know. Given this information, we decided to leave early, make our way out of Miami via the south and beat those traffic lights before they beat us. Getting out of the city took a total age, but we made it with some of the morning still intact, and celebrated with coffee and donuts outside a supermarket. Those who say the cycle touring lifestyle is grimy and inglorious, think again. Those donuts were delicious.

The roads between Miami and the Keys are gridded and flat (surprisingly), running beside palm farms whose trees grow in strange spiny rows, beside roadside trenches that gather up the rising aquafer water, clear as a swimming pool, into unmoving channels.

At one point we heard the roaring of a jet engine and assumed we’d come across a rural airport. It was, in fact, an enormous Nascar track, with drivers warming up for a weekend of Driving In Loops. The stands that rose above the track were filling up nicely, and an announcer’s voice boomed out something bossy. We didn’t stay to watch the race because we can imagine the same activity without much trouble, but I read that it was a really important event which would crown this year’s Driving In Loops champion. Good luck to all involved. May you Drive In Many Loops this day.

The surrounding fields were filled with more RVs than should ever be in one place together. It looks like Nascar fans like to camp within earshot of their favourite cars so that they can hear when they start Driving in Loops, and get the heck over there before they Drive Too Many Loops without being watched. Thousands, perhaps billions of people had turned up for this event, to the point that the stewards directing traffic looked rather miffed that we’d decided to cycle away from it.

We settled in a Wendy’s for the last of our free burgers, then continued south through mangrove swamps and vine-tangled wetlands until we hit the coast. There are no beaches down here, just verdant bays and plenty of furtive fishermen (it’s either illegal here or you need a permit), then a big old causeway leading to the first of the Keychain, Key Largo. This means large key.

Everyone we’ve spoken to this side of Mississippi has recommended the Keys, so it’s exciting to finally be here. If we have it right, it’s full of Florida’s rich and famous, as well as some manatees and a family of bridges who decided this was a fitting place to settle. We’ve brought a snorkel. I hope this is appropriate attire.

Having not planned anywhere to sleep, mainly because the state parks charge hundreds of dollars for camping and have waiting lists of up to two years, we pottered down the main road looking for a good camping spot. On all sides, signs told us to stay on the road or be meat, so we did, until we came across a cul-de-sac and decided this was the place. On advice from some world cycle-travellers, we found the house with the most flowers outside and Amy knocked on the door. Inside were Felix and Sarah, a couple who work in healthcare, who let us camp underneath their house as if it wasn’t an odd request. Each time Felix ventured down, he had another offer. First a beer, then a couple of sleeping mats, then a shower, then an evening up by the pool, then some dinner. Finally, they caved in and offered us the spare room.

Honestly, the kindness of people.

There are one hundred miles remaining of our bike tour. This is significant.

Today: 65 Miles

Total: 7755 Miles