What a day it was on Lake Okeechobee’s Levee, riding on five different segments.
We rode on five different segments, or areas of the levee, because of either gravel surfaces or road closures. We actually had to re-rack the bikes back on my truck and then drive to five different locations. All of that just to learn what areas were asphalted and what areas still had hard-packed gravel. The hard-packed gravel would have been acceptable for mountain bikes but certainly not for road bikes.
When we arrived at the next-to-last area in Moore Haven, and after we rode up the steep ramp to the top of the levee, we were met by a guard in a guard house telling us that the levee was closed at that point because of construction. He suggested that we backtrack four miles on US 27, take a left turn towards Joe’s Fish Camp, and then ride the levee from that point southward towards Clewiston.
After re-racking the bikes once again, I told Stephen to forget Joe’s Fish Camp, we’re driving my truck directly to the Tiki Bar and Grill in Clewiston for lunch. And then after we fill our bellies with food and beer, we would then ride our bikes into the 25+ mph wind all the way south to John Stretch Park and back. He
agreed – and that’s what we did.
Without a doubt, that was the toughest nine miles of biking that I have ever experienced. The wind was so strong that you dared not take one hand off the handle bars out of fear of being blown over. Just to take in some fluid, I had to bring my bike to a complete stop at mile five.
After reaching the park and then emptying out the beer and Gatorade, we soft pedaled back to Clewiston at a steady 20 mph – confirming that cyclists have a love/hate relationship with the wind.
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