Well we were so taken with Sarasota we decided to stay another evening and spent the day driving up to Long Boat Key, Bradenton Beach and Anna-Maria Island on the Gulf of Mexico, before tackling the 35 degree incline up the Skyline bridge to St. Petersburg at 65 mile and hour with 40 mph winds and back again.
A cool day and we have now hit 1000 miles with just 3 days to go before we return the beast to Orlando.
A very beautiful little town on the shores of the sea. Quiet little streets and lovely eateries. And to celebrate life, love and anything worth celebrating we just had to have a little fizzy bubbly along with clams, snow crab, lobster and mussels.
Here we are in Port Charlotte between Naples and Sarasota on the US 41 at a little biker shack called Gatorz with cool food and even cooler music. So in rolls me and my Pillion Beeatch in full clobber with all the other bikers in shorts and flop flips.
We look so good for British bikers.
So today was riding away from the Keys up Gator Alley on the US41, the Old Dixie Highway. What a road.
It leaves Florida City and travels through lush fields of nurseries and fruit farms selling all manner of fresh grown fruit, before turning slightly to head due West right through the Everglades.
This area is beautiful. To our left were long views of the Everglades grasslands, hues of green and brown and tonnes of wildlife- birds galore including Ibis, herons, big birds of prey and loads of others I’ve no name for.
To our right we followed a tract of water. At times this felt like a canal, broad and edges well defined (not flooded tho!) at other times a small creek. Alongside the banks were trees dripping with Spanish moss. All different variances of green interspersed with air plants clung to the branches displaying tiny flowers in blood orange red.
All told a fab ride in searing heat today. Oh and a few gators along the way.
Now it’s Naples and a stint at the Village Pub. Hmm.
After a nice long run, it was time to swim, shower and then out for grub at The Village in uptown Naples, FL.
It’s been a scorching 32 degrees C today (that’s a scorching 89.6 F, smokin).
Of course we did manage to find a nice pub to sit and chill at.
We survived Gator Alley, a fantastic 90 mile stretch of road that is a dream to ride on. Mrs Fogg could see the Gators basking in the small stream at the side of the road and as you can see from the pics, they ain’t toddlers and you don’t want to hang around.
Having a breather on the US 41 North
Did you eat my cousin?
25 foot long and just watching you
Let battle commence, onward then to alligator alley. In preparation it’s Humans 1, Alligators 0, as Mrs Fogg tucks in sauted Alligator for her evening meal last night.
There’s nothing like being spontaneous. Today we decided to keep going a little more and headed to Florida City. So here we are, a day ahead of ourselves having a nice rest in a near empty pool.
Tomorrow is Gator Alley…..apparently tonnes of gators on either side of the road PLUS lots of Mosquitos.
My brave Mr Fogg , clearly having seen too many Bear Grillis documentaries is proposing to purchase duct tape so he could spring on top of an advancing gator, grab it’s mouth and tape it before it can eat me. I love this romantic gesture……or is he thinking to protect our nice shiny bike???
Yup it’s officially H*O*T 84.2 today and the only respite from the heat was a bike ride with 6 mph winds where even the wind hitting you was scorching your flesh or heating up your black helmet, jacket and trousers.
Our 75 mile journey to Florida City saw us skirt into the Everglades before tomorrow’s mammoth hike on the Tamaimi Trail or Alli Alley (gulp). I had a hair cut with Ann from New Yak as she called it and a Triple Zero buzz cut, although how you get triple zero I have no idea.
The trek tomorrow is approx 125 miles through the glades and the chance to see gators sunning themselves on the road. Tip for all you bikers out there, if you are driving near nasty hungry beasties, always carry a pillion passenger that can’t run faster than you!
