We started riding from the hotel in Marathon at about 8am. The weather was the typical 79 degrees with winds of 23 mph out of the ENE with gusts of 30 mph. We stayed together as a group much of the beginning of the ride so that we could cross the Seven Mile Bridge with more visibility. After crossing the bridge, Alan and I were mostly on our own, however we were never really that far apart from the rest of the riders. I was glad to finish the Seven Mile Bridge because such a long stretch plays on my fear of heights. Further down the road, we all met up at the first SAG stop at Boondocks restaurant. Alan and I opted to purchase lunch and skip the SAG snacks. It was a good way to enjoy some shade as well.
Much of the day entailed crossing bridges and moving from one side of the highway to the other to avoid closed section or construction. At one point in the ride when we crossed the road, the pink arrow markers, that the crew puts on the pavement to help navigation for the riders, had been moved by some unknown local. The five riders ahead of us turned the wrong way (following the direction of the arrows). I thought something was not right, but before we had determined the prank, the other riders were on the way back and were just a bit frustrated. These arrows are biodegradable and decompose with the first rainfall, so they really cause no harm. I am not sure what would motivate someone to stop in the middle of a trail and road, to turn the direction of arrows clearly placed down to help bike riders. We eventually all met up at the second SAG stop at Baby’s Coffee & Roasting House. It was started in 1991 and is the southern most coffee roaster in America.
The riding day ended at about 2:30pm with similar winds as the morning and a total of 50 miles. My weather app indicated a temperature of only 81, but it sure felt warmer in the sun. Later in the evening the group had dinner at the resort’s restaurant.
A section of the old Seven Mile Bridge.
Group photo before the start of Day 3.
A tree grows along the old Seven Mile Bridge. The tree, an Australian Pine is named Fred. and survived Hurricane Irma in 2017.All of the riders stopped on the bridge to take a photo.
Fred the tree in the background of this photo.
We did not see Key Deer on this day.
Boondocks was the location for the first SAG stop. Alan and I opted for a full lunch inside the restaurant.
“Customers” inside of Boondocks.
A section of the trail nestled among mangroves and other trees.
Baby’s Coffee was the second SAG stop for the day. Alan opted for a coffee inside the shop.
More vegetation along the shore as we approach the Key West area.
A photo of one of the bridges we crossed on this day. After crossing, we actually went under the bridge to get to the trail on the other side of the road. From time to time we have to move from one side of the highway to the other.
A photo going under the bridge (from the prior photo).
Entering the resort that we stayed at Wednesday and Thursday nights.
At the end of the ride a cool drink awaited us once again.
Dinner at the Yellow Fin located at the Ocean’s Edge Resort.
After several cloudy evenings, we were treated to a colorful sunset on this evening.