Dec 13, Stuart, FL
I left my $50/night campground and headed south towards Sebastian Inlet, a place that many said was a beautiful place to camp. My map said that there was a government run campground there, which meant that I would save 20 bucks. The ride remained mostly easy, but this wind shifted a bit, so I had more of a headwind than a tailwind. The wind shift announced that it would be raining, and it did on and off for much of the day.
Cloudy weather
The campground is located on an island, connected by a bridge. Here is a picture taken from the bridge; the campground is the to left, and looks much the same as this.
Sabastian Inlet
The ride was uneventful otherwise–but the camping experience was awful. This is my first real experience with “no-see-ums” or “midges.” These tiny flies–small enough to fit through a normal screen–bite and leave painful, itching sores, worse than mosquitoes. DEET is only partially effective. Every part of my body that had exposed skin is now covered in red spots. My feet are raw, and I may need Benadryl to kill the itch. From now on, it’s long pants and sleeves–and long socks.
No-see-ums on the tent
It rained much of the night and I ended up pretty soggy. I left the next morning, to slightly better weather. I ran into an interesting man–Alan Snel–who used to write for the Boulder Camera. Turns out he has a well-read Blog, and I got to be the feature of yesterday’s entry!
Alan suggested an alternative route, which I took and enjoyed very much. I had arranged for a warm showers host in the town of Jupiter, but ran out of steam about 24 miles shy of the town. As such, I decided to get a cheap hotel where I could dry out my gear. On the way to the hotel, I passed a family who asked if I were on my way to “Tom’s house.” There is a fellow in the neighborhood who frequently hosts cycle tourist. I said that I was on my way to a hotel, and before I knew it, I was invited into the home of Jason, Crystal and daughter Hannah. They treated me to dinner and gave me the guest room. The three of them will be leaving in May to spend life on the road–selling their home and most of their worldly possessions. I will be leaving for Jupiter in about an hour–a 24 mile ride.
Cheers
Scott
Tortoise or turtle?
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Tortoise. It’s actually a protected species, the gopher tortoise. It lives symbiotically with rattlesnakes! There is a frog and mouse that are only found near or in its burrow. We enjoyed hosting you and hope you have a good trip south.