4CT Tour - Day One - Friday, June 5th. 08

Tour Day: One
Day/Date: Friday, June 6th, 2008
Time Started: 5:45 AM EDST
Time Ended: 3:30 PM EDST
Ending Location: Madison, FL
Total Miles Today: 601
Cumulative Miles: 1867
Low Temp: 82F - Key West, FL
High Temp: 100F - Lakeland, FL
Highest Gas Price: $4.29 Key West, FL
Lowest Gas Price: $3.72 Port St. Lucie, FL
States: FL (4)

The day started with a quick trip to the gas station and the Post Office to officially start the tour. My timing could not have been any better as the sun was just starting to show as I left Key West. For the next hundred miles I was treated to one picture perfect view after another.

I did find a couple of tropical showers along the way that served only to cool things off a bit.

I listened to my common sense and heeded the advice of my Floridian friends and stayed on The Florida Turnpike as I rode north. I could not justify the chance I might get snarled up in a traffic jam on I-75 due to the bridge accident. Normally I have an aversion to riding the same road both ways.

Traffic in the Fort Lauderdale/Miami area was tough to put it mildly. In one section the traffic was at a walking pace for nearly ten miles. When I finally got up to the blockage it was simply four state troopers sitting on the side of the highway with their lights on. No other visible problem. I am always amazed how how little it takes to snarl traffic in large cities.

The heat today was a real test. By late morning it was in the high nineties and reached 100 f by the time I made it back to Wildwood at I 75. I was determined to get my 600 miles in so I pushed on.

I learned another valuable lesson today ... In Florida, if you do not want it burned.. don't leave it exposed. I have a red circle around my wrists where I let my gloves slip down. All the Gear All the Time was tested to the max today. I stayed in my coat and pants no matter how hot it got.

Again I am in a Holiday Inn with the wrong kind of wireless. Wrong for my laptop at least. That means, again, I am on the lobby computer and I will not be able to load any pictures. Pictures were few and far between today once I left the Keys.

Tomorrow I am going to get a bit earlier start to avoid some of the heat. Other than that, all is well and going as planned.


To view my entire trip map page "Click Here"

To view the 24 hour SPOT map "Click Here"

"If you are not willing to change it, then you must be willing to endure it. "