Day 9 – Tuesday June 8th – Pensacola to Fort Lauderdale

Miles travelled = 614

So how was your day at the office dear?. Well, not bad. I think I’ll have to ask my boss for a new chair, as my butt went into a protest session about mid-day. However, I made some seat adjustments, and it was OK after that. How about you?.

It was a long day riding down Florida. It is a great State to visit for recreation, with Disney, Universal and the beaches, but the scenery tends to be a bit blah. The weather is great though, sunny (not too hot) and no humidity (well to-day anyway).
Leaving Pensacola pre-dawn was fantastic riding, with the sky just lightening with red streaks, crossing a couple of patches of water. It was quite cool and I closed up my jacket. When the sun started to break the horizon, just for a few seconds it was the most incredible color of deep blood red, and then cleared into view and was yellow. I tried to stop and get a shot, but too late, it was so quick. Quite extraordinary. The first couple of hours were cool riding, but no scenery. It was just riding for miles down an avenue of trees, with no glimpse of beyond. I did cross the original Suwannee River though.
After about three hundred miles I said goodbye to my old friend I10, and hello to a new one I75. Now heading south. I have entered Florida from the north before, and always considered it a north/south State. One forgets there is a large chunk, mainly swamp I guess, up north.

Goodbye I10 - hello I75

I met a British expat from Sheffield at a gas station, and talked about various routes. I also talked about it to another local biker. It seems the common consensus from the locals is to take the turnpike south, which I did. Most out of state traffic disappeared after the Orlando turnoff, and only locals remained. I eventually turned off myself to find a bed, ending up in Fort Lauderdale. The skies ahead had turned a nasty shade of grey (and black) so I  thought it was time to get out of here.

So tomorrow, it is south to Key West, then I get to ride it all the way back north again. Maybe I'll take I95 or I75 instead. We'll see how the day goes.