Florida Keys and Souther Florida over New Year

Jens said:

Hello,

we are thinking about cycling from Miami to Key West, arriving at Key
West on New Years Eve. Afterwards we would like to spend some time in
the Everglades and maybe in Miami.
First of all I have to know, if it is possible and enjoyable to cycle
the overseas Highway. Lots of people, who are cardrivers mostly, think
that it is an awfull ride and they cannot imagine to cycle there. As I
have not been there, I do not know, yet.

I have cycled the 101 and CA1 along the Californian Coast, and I
really loved that ride. The Traffic on CA1 was a lot but that didn't
impressed me at all :-)

So, who did the ride from Miami to Key West and can give me some
impressions, either good or bad ones.

Thanks for your help,

Jens.

Hope you get some answers as I've entertained doing
exactly what you are thinking as well

Have also entertained WALKING the route/bridges etc

Jens said:

we are thinking about cycling from Miami to Key West, arriving at Key
West on New Years Eve. Afterwards we would like to spend some time in
the Everglades and maybe in Miami.
First of all I have to know, if it is possible and enjoyable to cycle
the overseas Highway. Lots of people, who are cardrivers mostly, think
that it is an awfull ride and they cannot imagine to cycle there. As I
have not been there, I do not know, yet.

Ron Wallenfang's trip report to this group on 8/22/2006 is just what the
doctor ordered:

<http://groups.google.com/group/rec.bicycles.rides/msg/f797fdbffa1765c4>

--

__o Kristian Zoerhoff
_'\(,_ [email hidden]
(_)/ (_)

On Sep 6, 11:08 am, Kristian M Zoerhoff <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Jens said:

we are thinking about cycling from Miami to Key West, arriving at Key
West on New Years Eve. Afterwards we would like to spend some time in
the Everglades and maybe in Miami.
First of all I have to know, if it is possible and enjoyable to cycle
the overseas Highway. Lots of people, who are cardrivers mostly, think
that it is an awfull ride and they cannot imagine to cycle there. As I
have not been there, I do not know, yet.

Ron Wallenfang's trip report to this group on 8/22/2006 is just what the
doctor ordered:

<http://groups.google.com/group/rec.bicycles.rides/msg/f797fdbffa1765c4>

--

__o Kristian Zoerhoff
_'\(,_ [email hidden]
(_)/ (_)

To give a capsule summary of my own report, good biking in the keys;
more "iffy" from Miami to Key Largo.

Ron Wallenfang said:

To give a capsule summary of my own report, good biking in the keys;
more "iffy" from Miami to Key Largo.

So it can be done? And be done safely?

I would just want to fly to Key west and bike form
there to say Miami only.... or just short of Miami

Then fly back home to St Louis

Id do this with my girlfriend who is 41.....and I'm 49

I'm bike savvy but she is not although she is a great
runner and in good shape!

I use to have a bookmark for a page called "Biking the Florida Keys," but I
guess I finally deleted it. The reason I never did the ride is because the
article presented too many reasons not to. From the heavy, drunken traffic
and narrow roadways to the sheer intensity of the sun the entire way down,
it seems to be a die-hard only route.

Key West is a very cool place to visit, though.

Papa Tom said:

The reason I never did the ride is because the
article presented too many reasons not to. From the heavy, drunken traffic
and narrow roadways to the sheer intensity of the sun the entire way down,
it seems to be a die-hard only route.

Yep...sounds like some downsides to it form a safety
aspect

I would do it in the winter tho....so would sun
intensity still be such a problem then?

I do worry abt drunken drivers tho!

Quoted message said:

Key West is a very cool place to visit, though.

Have heard that. Never been there. That's why a bike
ride sounded so compelling

Papa Tom said:

The reason I never did the ride is because the
article presented too many reasons not to. From the heavy, drunken traffic
and narrow roadways

Doesn't there exist a partial bike/walk trail tho?
Where one could at least be off the main roads some of
the trip?

I'm 49.... so safety is a concern for me. I try to
reduce risk as much as possible.

There is a road that runs beside some of the route, to the best of my
recollection. According to people who have done this ride, though, my
memory of how far this road spans might be somewhat distorted.

I was completely psyched to do this ride about 5-6 years ago. I don't want
to talk you out of it, because it's a great destination and a nice goal to
set. However, it didn't take long for other riders (many much younger and
more serious than I) to talk me out of it. The drunk drivers seem to be an
issue over the 100 mile stretch, as does the unbearable direct sun. I'm not
sure if it mellows out over the winter, but I don't think so. I was in Key
West on business in January and it was just as hot as ever.

FYI, I toured Key West itself by bicycle and was somewhat disappointed.
It's a place to mellow out and drink and drink and drink...not really a
place to take a hot bike ride. Also, once you get away from the tourist
area, it gets a little bit seedy in some spots.

If you do go, be sure to dip your bike in the ocean and buy a "Southernmost
Rider" T-shirt!

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Papa Tom said:

The reason I never did the ride is because the
article presented too many reasons not to. From the heavy, drunken
traffic
and narrow roadways

Doesn't there exist a partial bike/walk trail tho?
Where one could at least be off the main roads some of
the trip?

I'm 49.... so safety is a concern for me. I try to
reduce risk as much as possible.

Quoted message said:

Ron Wallenfang said:

To give a capsule summary of my own report, good biking in the keys;
more "iffy" from Miami to Key Largo.

So it can be done? And be done safely?

I would just want to fly to Key west and bike form
there to say Miami only.... or just short of Miami

Then fly back home to St Louis

Id do this with my girlfriend who is 41.....and I'm 49

I'm bike savvy but she is not although she is a great
runner and in good shape!

If I were to do that ride again, I'd investigate alternative routes to
US 1 going south from downtown Miami. As my report reflects, US 1 is
not comfortable riding there. Further south on US 1, there was a few
feet of paved shoulder area, but it did have raised reflectors in it
that you have to be alert to dodge. From Key Largo south, I
considered it good biking.

All right,

thanks for your answers so far. As I'm not too woried about traffic,
and as the sun is what I'm actually seraching in the winter, it still
sounds great for me.
I still have not decided if that's a good idea, but at least I will go
on with a little planning:
I now wonder how to put this into a tour of about two weeks.
Arriving in Miami on the 27. I have four days to cycle to Key West to
spend New Years Eve there. That sounds like no problem.

Quoted message said:

From there I would love to take the ferry because I don't want to

cycle the same way back.
But how to go on? The ferry will bring me to Miami, Marco Island or
Fort Myers. How to built a nice tour for 5 or 6 riding days (plus some
sightseeing), that brings me back to Miami?
It would be great to see a little of Everglades during that, but that
might be too dificult by bike.

Can you help me out planning the rest of the tour?

Thanks,

Jens.

Jens said:

All right,

thanks for your answers so far. As I'm not too woried about traffic,
and as the sun is what I'm actually seraching in the winter, it still
sounds great for me.
I still have not decided if that's a good idea, but at least I will go
on with a little planning:
I now wonder how to put this into a tour of about two weeks.
Arriving in Miami on the 27. I have four days to cycle to Key West to
spend New Years Eve there. That sounds like no problem.>From there I would love to take the ferry because I don't want to

cycle the same way back.
But how to go on? The ferry will bring me to Miami, Marco Island or
Fort Myers. How to built a nice tour for 5 or 6 riding days (plus some
sightseeing), that brings me back to Miami?
It would be great to see a little of Everglades during that, but that
might be too dificult by bike.

Can you help me out planning the rest of the tour?

Thanks,

Jens.

Here is an older couple's blog on riding from Key West to Canada.
http://faithandpeter.blogs.com/utterfolly/2004/12/a_minor_change.html
They took the East Coast http://www.greenway.org/ , Peter now works
for this organization.
The planes into Key West are small and it is hard to take oversize
boxes.

Papa Tom said:

I was completely psyched to do this ride about 5-6 years ago. I don't want
to talk you out of it, because it's a great destination and a nice goal to
set. However, it didn't take long for other riders (many much younger and
more serious than I) to talk me out of it. The drunk drivers seem to be an
issue over the 100 mile stretch, as does the unbearable direct sun. I'm not
sure if it mellows out over the winter, but I don't think so. I was in Key
West on business in January and it was just as hot as ever.

Wow!! That hot even in January huh? That just seems
incredible to me as I live in north Missouri and its
miserable cold here in Jan!!

Thanks for the heads up on the drink drivers. That's
too bad. was hoping someway to make the ride OFF the
main road and away form any drivers

Ron Wallenfang said:

If I were to do that ride again, I'd investigate alternative routes to
US 1 going south from downtown Miami. As my report reflects, US 1 is
not comfortable riding there. Further south on US 1, there was a few
feet of paved shoulder area, but it did have raised reflectors in it
that you have to be alert to dodge. From Key Largo south, I
considered it good biking.

OK.... maybe best to just start at Key largo then and
forget starting at Miami?

Can a person take a cab or something form Miami airport
to key west and haul all gear needed in process?

Quoted message said:

Ron Wallenfang said:

If I were to do that ride again, I'd investigate alternative routes to
US 1 going south from downtown Miami. As my report reflects, US 1 is
not comfortable riding there. Further south on US 1, there was a few
feet of paved shoulder area, but it did have raised reflectors in it
that you have to be alert to dodge. From Key Largo south, I
considered it good biking.

OK.... maybe best to just start at Key largo then and
forget starting at Miami?

Can a person take a cab or something form Miami airport
to key west and haul all gear needed in process?

I biked through the area that one time and otherwise have never been
there. Hopefully other posters who know the area will have advice on
the best other activities to make a week's trip of it; local public
transportation, and the like. I would suggest having motel rooms
lined up ahead of time. There were fewer options in the keys than I
expected.

Even without ever being there in the winter, I am skeptical that heat
would be a problem. Proximity to the water is a big time temperature
moderator.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

>Even without ever being there in the winter, I am skeptical that heat
>would be a problem. Proximity to the water is a big time temperature
>moderator<<<<<

From what I've heard, the problem is not so much the heat, but the direct
rays of the sun. Remember, you're pretty close to the equator down there.
So, whether the water creates a buffer for the heat or not, you've still got
some pretty heavy UV beating down on your neck as you ride down A1A.

Papa Tom said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

>> Even without ever being there in the winter, I am skeptical that heat
>> would be a problem. Proximity to the water is a big time temperature
>> moderator<<<<<
>>

From what I've heard, the problem is not so much the heat, but the direct
rays of the sun. Remember, you're pretty close to the equator down there.
So, whether the water creates a buffer for the heat or not, you've still got
some pretty heavy UV beating down on your neck as you ride down A1A.

Florida is *not* pretty close to the equator. And at that time of year,
the sun is very far south, over the southern tropic of Capricorn. The
angle of the sun at noon (on Jan 1) is less than 45º, about the same
angle it would be on a mid-summer day in Barrow Alaska. Direct,
overhead, sunlight is not a problem.

--
*****************************
Chuck Anderson • Boulder, CO
http://www.CycleTourist.com
*****************************

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

>>Florida is *not* pretty close to the equator... sunlight is not a
>>problem.<<<<<<<

I stand corrected. It's a lot closer to the equator than where I live in
New York, anyway.

Regardless, it was still hot as hell in Key West when I went down there for
business a couple of Januarys ago. Much hotter than when I went there on
vacation during an April break.

Jens, ignore everything I say from now on and enjoy your ride!

"Chuck Anderson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Papa Tom said:

Quoted message said:

>>> Even without ever being there in the winter, I am skeptical that heat
>>> would be a problem. Proximity to the water is a big time temperature
>>> moderator<<<<<
>>>

From what I've heard, the problem is not so much the heat, but the direct
rays of the sun. Remember, you're pretty close to the equator down
there. So, whether the water creates a buffer for the heat or not, you've
still got some pretty heavy UV beating down on your neck as you ride down
A1A.

Florida is *not* pretty close to the equator. And at that time of year,
the sun is very far south, over the southern tropic of Capricorn. The
angle of the sun at noon (on Jan 1) is less than 45º, about the same angle
it would be on a mid-summer day in Barrow Alaska. Direct, overhead,
sunlight is not a problem.

--
*****************************
Chuck Anderson • Boulder, CO
http://www.CycleTourist.com
*****************************

Quoted message said:

Jens, ignore everything I say from now on and enjoy your ride!

All right, I will ignore it ;-)

At the moment me and my tourmate are very motivated to do the ride, so
we've started to check fligths from Germany.

Does anyone have experience in riding the 41 from Naples to Miami or
the 9336 to Flamingo Visitor Center / Campground into the everglades?
I would like to do some Everglades Sightseeing after the Keys-Ride.

Thanks,

Jens.