Flank Steak with many delicious sides was a perfect meal the night before the first day of riding and Erin kept the hits coming after dinner with some strawberry shortcake. Spoiled we are I tell you, spoiled we are. This meal put me to sleep like a baby and before I knew it, it was 4:00 am and that meant it was time to get up and start preparing for our departure. I was quick to get ready and gave Erin some last goodbyes before stepping out of WL.

Folker and I snuck out way before sunrise since we did not want any trouble with the base security since he, along with all Dutch cyclists outside of their road racers, does not wear a helmet. Poor Folker!

It was a pleasant stroll out of Key West. The smells of the ocean were being forced upon us via a stout headwind that was present the entire day. I was prepared for this treat as it was forecasted as 20-30 mph winds out of the east. We refused to let this stop us from making our way slowly towards our destination for the day.

During the predawn hours, I spotted the first road kill of the trip and it was a crab. This spectacle was definitely a first for me. It was way better than the raccoon I saw a little down the road. Perhaps these creatures should find some mentorship from the Iguana family as those lizards are super fast and seem smart enough to not get in the road while they sunbath in the grass. They apparently are a little skeptical of cyclists as numerous of these creatures crashed into the vegetation as we passed.

Speaking of Iguanas, we met the most interesting human found during Day 1 just after stopping for a break at Kickin Back Mart. After Folker finished his coffee and I drank my first yoo-hoo of the trip, we packed up and was about to saddle up when we saw a man with three large weapons laying against his truck. He clearly had my attention.

Come to find out, this gentleman and his partner are the only business in town that helps take care of the invasive Iguanas. They offer guided hunts, removal services, and handmade souvenirs. Apparently, if he would give his partner a little more time, she could even get that recipe book done and provide us all with some delicious Iguanas meal ideas.

They use a 25mm caliber round in these air rifles and it seems to do the trick. From his Iguana foot proudly hanging off his necklace to the scoped out weapons of Iguana destruction, I could not help to think that if it is not even 8:00 am on the first day and this couple has been brought into my life, how good is this adventure going to be for God’s sake?

Back on the road and the only obstacle today outside of winds was a bridge known as Seven Mile Bridge leading into Marathon. Having now ridden a bike across said bridge I can ensure that if any of you are interested in collecting road side treasures including screws, bolts and nails then this is the honey hole of your dreams. These sharp treasures kept my head down and eyes open as I truly did not want to use my tires to gather these locally neglected objects.

Once over this long bridge it was time to visit Island Fish Co. Restaurant and Tiki Bar for lunch and I quickly ordered the Mahi-Mahi grilled sandwich. It was super delicious and was exactly the type of food I was so looking forward to while in the Florida Keys. Having my belly full for the last stretch to our mangrove swamp campsite at Long Key State Park was just what I needed.

We arrived soon enough to our campsite and quickly sought out some shade to just relax and listen to the wind blow through the mangrove trees. It was an amazing day and I feel very fortunate to have been able to enjoy the Florida Keys while pedaling. We will make it to the mainland tomorrow after being able to enjoy a little more of this magical place in our country.