February 24, 2014
As you probably know from previous blogs, that we’ve been using our bikes as primary means of transportation. This is a healthy means by itself, but not necessarily a way to loose weight. Helen has started going to exercise classes three times a week. I have decided
to use this time to power ride by bike around the Island. It is a ten mile circle and relatively flat terrain. My goal is to pedal in both high gears to get the best workout possible. The first two to three miles are in downtown Key West which means traffic, traffic lights and a lot of stop and go on the bike. The itinerary goes something like this: from the campground heading towards the man gate at the dock, taking a right onto Caroline St, all the way to Whitehead St. (more traffic lights and four-way stop signs), left on United St. now the going is getting better. All of the tourist traffic is behind me. The blocks are longer and I come to a rolling stop and look both ways. Next is a right on White St. toward Atlantic Blvd. Here begins the bike lane that runs the rest of the way around the Island. Now, I’m warmed up and pedaling hard. A guy about half my age, about the same
weight and riding a mountain bike goes by me and is moving. I’m thinking of by old buddy Jerry D. and his story of leaving way after his troupes started their morning run. Jerry takes off and soon passes all those young guys. Back to me on the bike. The younger guy is now about a hundred feet ahead of me. I started to crank it on until I’m directly in back of him. He has no rear view mirror, but occasionally tilts his head left and right for a glimpse of me. He knows I’m there, but can’t figure out who or what I’m doing. A mile goes by, we are now on the very wide bike path along Atlantic Blvd. Finally he stops! I whiz by him and never look back. Two more miles down the road I come to a park bench and a stop for me and a well deserved drink of water. I just had my first real workout with the bike. Two minutes later, here comes the same guy. He’s booking at top speed, I get on my bike and start pedaling. He is continually pulling away. I stopped trying after he was 500 plus feet ahead. Hey give me a break, he’s about 30 years old and I’ll be 69 years old in a month and a half. I still feel good about my first hard workout. 
On the back side of the Island, I stopped at the Home Depot for (cold water) a restroom break and especially an A/C break in the store. I walked the isles in order not to have leg cramps. It certainly is a nice place to walk and checkout what is new in the store. I am now only two miles from the campground. The new bike lane is 10 to 12 feet wide. I feel good and pour on the power. Stopping at the gate to show my ID and back to the camper. Total mileage on the odometer is 10.64 miles.
Helen caught my cold and today February 26, we did the round island circle, but at a slower pace (because of her cold). We actually reversed the course and went the other way. We stopped at many places and enjoyed the ocean views, especially watching fish just swimming by and doing their thing. This afternoon it was very hot and humid. Time to sit under the canopy and hydrate.
That is what I did and saw!
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