July 20, 2003 - Miami, FL

Forecast: 95 degrees, extremely humid

Road Condition: Good. 1-95 S to Miami, Florida

Fuel: Super Unleaded $1.78

Miles Traveled: Ocala, Florida to Miami, Florida: 280 (Total 5,227)

Bike Update: Running good

Road Trip Log Update: The morning showers came as predicted and we were fortunate enough to watch the downpour from the comfort of our hotel room. Before the rains began, the thunder caught our attention with the sound of a big drum roll followed by what sounded like someone breaking dishes. The sky let loose and the flood began. JillMarie stood at the window and could only say, “Holy Beejeezers, look at that!” In Oregon when it rains we get a couple of days of drizzle. In Florida they get it all in 45 minutes. We took the opportunity to catch up on sending Mark some fresh pictures for the website. Tim used a highchair in the lobby as his office. On this trip, we take the Internet where we can find it! When the showers lifted it was safe to ride, and the weather was once again beautiful. What a great day to ride. Our next stop was Orlando to visit with our good friends Don & Janet Shearer. “Since we were in the neighborhood we thought we would just stop by….” The Shearer’s gave us great travel advice for our next destination of Miami. We took the turnpike toll road to I-95S, which was well maintained with minimal construction. Tim swore he saw a five-foot “Wally Gator” on the roadside. The only wildlife we can confirm with photos would be the bugs we collect as we go. There are a lot of bikes in Florida, as the weather is perfect for riding. The humidity is tolerable as long as the bikes are moving, which means we will be taking shorter pit stops and making better miles. We are in the land of beautiful sunsets and tropical breezes, and we are enjoying both.

Morning showers
After the heavy rain
High Speed High Tech High Chair	Ironman finds a stowaway along for the ride
Our friends Don and Janet Shearer
Click to see July 19, 2003	Click to see July 21, 2003