Sailing the Distant Horizon: Too Much of a Good Thing...

I have been working on the boat, pretty steady for about a month now. Although, I would agree it has been at a laid-back pace. It's not that there have been any major issues, because there haven't been. The engine running hot has bothered me, but It has never overheated. The chartplotter needed replacing, but then I took on the task to clean-up the binnacle. I had Keys Rigging come back to the boat and take some measurements to replace the forestay..etc. etc.

Even so, too much of a good thing is not good for you. So, today I decided to take a day off and go for a bike ride. I haven't been taking many pictures either. I took the camera on the bike too. The goal was to get some time in the saddle... a head-start on the upcoming cycling season. It's been two years since I was on my bike. So I needed this. As I sit here writing this, I can tell you... Oh did I ever need the time in the saddle.

My first stop was a 6 mile ride to Pigeon Key. I have heard of Pigeon Key, but have never seen it. To get there by bike, I had to ride 2 miles along the pedestrian bridge, which is the old seven mile bridge.

Along the way, I was greeted by pelicans soaring for their lunch. One almost hit me as he had his eye on a tasty treat below.

Pigeon Island has a few homes on it. The ramp was closed. The best I could guess was the people get there by boat. However, this was the only dock on the key.Since the ramp was closed, I took the picture from the bridge.

The pedestrian bridge is an older, dilapidated seven mile bridge, which was replaced many years ago. The new bridge now has a tall span to allow boat traffic to go underneath, which you can see in the distance. The corresponding span of the older bridge was removed. Another span was removed from the older bridge immediately after Pigeon Island. These make it impossible to ride my bike any further.

I had to return back along the pedestrian bridge. Then I turned to take the motor vehicle seven mile bridge.
The ride was going well as I crossed Bahia Honda and I decided to take a few pictures on my way back. I rode just to Big Pine Key before turning around and heading back.

My bicycle seat was getting a little uncomfortable and I decided to not stop and take pictures... just get this ride over. I've had enough time in the saddle at this point. A couple miles along the seven mile bridge, I decided that was a foolish decision; because I needed to stop. Luckily, there is no shortage of scenery in the keys.

Money Key

As if on cue, my pelican friends came soaring back, obviously not satisfied with their earlier lunch... or was it brunch?

Altogether, I did 30 miles and enjoyed some new scenery. For me, 30 miles has been a milestone. In recent years, I started getting knee troubles between 25 and 30 miles and it would take months to be able ride farther. Eric Hudson taught me a stretch for my leg which has cured the knee problem. So, even with a somewhat tender bottom side, this was a fabulous ride all the way around; not even a slight twinge from the knee.

What could be better than that? How about a cookout! Regine Brennan-Szkotak is visiting Marathon with some friends. They invited me over for a cookout tonight.