Shifting Gears

Season 2 Episode 27 (10/24-10/26): The Keys to Life. Miami to Key Largo to Marathon to Key West –  10/24 Miami to Key Largo. 66 miles and flat.  Heading south, I forgot since last being here how far the city extends below Miami Beach. It was an enjoyable ride through old Miami without the glitz. We started off along the Commodore Trail (5 miles) and very pleasant Old Cutler Trail (13 miles). It soon became gritty on the MPass Trail.  We biked through the U of Miami campus. The modern campus felt different from most other schools I’ve seen. This might be because I’ve not seen any other college on a day when it’s 80 degrees and sunny, so students are in shorts, flip flops and tees.  I don’t think I could  possibly attend class where it feels like July. On campus, we rode over Fate Bridge, a 210’ pedestrian (cyclists too?) walkway over Lake Osceola. There is a quote etched in stone at both ends that spoke loudly to me.  I knew it was familiar to me but could not place it. A quick Google s

Season 2 Episode 26 (10/20-10/23): Meaningful Human Connections. Cocoa Beach to Fort Pierce to Lantana to Boca to Miami –  10/20 Cocoa Beach to Fort Pierce. 80 miles and flat.  Leaving town, I needed to stop at the “I Dream of Jeannie” Street. Cocoa Beach is where the show of that name in the 60’s was set. Who among my generation didn’t love Barbara Eden? (Maybe those who loved Elizabeth Montgomery as Samantha in Bewitched?) Yesterday and this morning I was humming and whistling the show’s theme song, to Heather’s great displeasure.  As we stopped at I Dream of Jeannie Street, my wish for a beautiful sunrise was granted. Sebastian Inlet State Park lunch stop on the coast. As if the birds are reading the sign and deciding to stay out of the water. As we entered Vero Beach, a sign welcomed us to the tropics as this latitude point is a demarcation from subtropical climate to tropical. They claim to be the start of South Florida.  We would face several open drawbridges over a few days. Wha