Another world

Posted by on 19, Mar 2018 in 2018 - Florida to Canada, Tilly the Tandem, Uncategorized, USA

Another world

Leaving our WarmShowers hosts we set off toward Lake Okeechobee to find the first 10km were on the main dual carriageway with tiny a shoulder. We asked the Sheriff for alternatives for a bike which left him baffled. “Where’re ya headin?”

“Belle Glade” we replied

“That’s 25 miles away!”

“Yes”

“By bike!!”

“Yes”

He looked like he’d just met a green eyed alien and all he could offer was pushing the bike through the sugar cane fields. But he was very polite about it!

So we lit up the tail flashing rear light ‘Visible at 1 mile in daylight’ ( blinding at 1 meter Linda told me in no uncertain terms and certainly not politely!) And we set off.

The road was busy with huge 18 Wheeler rigs (OK I’ve no idea what that is, but there were lots of lorries and they all had lots of wheels) and almost without exception they all pulled out into the fast lane to pass us. At times there was a convoy of dozens of vehicles all in the outside Lane with the inside completely empty. It was fabulous and so polite and courteous (How do these people end up murdering more of each other than any other Western nation?)

When we turned off the main road onto the old road the traffic died away and so did our will to live. We’d been battling all day into the mother of all winds which went from relentless to ferocious very unplolitely indeed! We managed to crawl along at times managing 8kph and occasionally having to stop as the wind was just too strong for us to actually make headway without the danger of falling off due to low speed. The road, naturally, was to all intents and purposes 52km dead straight and directly into the wind. It took us 7 hours ( this would normally have taken us about 3.5 hours) with numerous stops, sometimes only 400m apart, for breathers to manage it. At one, we got our cream cheese tub out and the lid blew off and cleared the road and was well on its way to Mexico before we actually moved.

But, we rolled into Belle View and checked into our campsite with a lovely view over the river and a tent rattling away. During the night one of our chairs blew over inside the tent it was that windy!

Next time we leave our WarmShowers hosts and they say “Watch out for Tornados” we must take them more seriously!

Anyway, a hot shower, a Miller Light and a nice sausage, corn and mash meal later, with a pudding of a Curly Wurly (thanks Ali!) And we tucked up for the night and slept the sleep of gods.

2 Comments

  1. The chair blew over due to all the beans JRs been eating.

    • Well they are proper cowboy beans here Leon!

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