DEERING ESTATE TO FLORIDA CITY BIKE RIDE

Scott, Robert, Ron, Stephen and Sandy

Even though the wind coming off the Atlantic Ocean at a steady 18 mph with gusts to 27 mph was a huge cycling impediment, Monday’s bike ride from the Deering Estate to Florida City/Homestead and back was quite timely.
Deering Estate

Seeing as though the day before was the coldest day (43F) in South Florida so far this year, at least we didn’t have to bundle up like an Eskimo in the middle of winter. According to my Garmin Edge 500, our average temperature for this ride was somewhere around 73F. Nice, but we all know that the Garmin will record higher temps in the sun, and it was sunny almost the entire day.

After meeting up with Sandy S, Scott from the Poconos, Ron and Stephen at our local meet-up spot, we consolidated our bodies and bikes into two vehicles for the 32-mile ride down to the Deering Estate that’s located just south of Miami. Vehicular traffic was relatively minimal during our ride down because of the USA’s Presidents Day holiday. A drive that would normally take 1 ½ hours took only 45 minutes. Same thing on the return trip!

Leaving the Deering Estate around 9:45 in the morning, we pedaled our bikes through much of South Florida’s nursery and farm areas in the Redlands and then through places that I never knew existed.

We stopped for a potty break at Black Point Marina and Ocean Grill where oodles of yachts of all sizes were lured to their individual docks.  We wanted a cup of coffee, but we learned that the grill was not open for business until lunchtime.
Black-Point-Ocean-Grill-Cutler-Bay

Sandy and Robert at the Marina Ocean Grill

Continuing on through the farm lands, we eventually came upon the famed Homestead-Miami Speedway for a brief photo shoot at one of the entrances.
Homestead-Miami Speedway

While snapping our cameras, we could hear one of the race cars zipping around the track inside the large stadium. The sound of one car was deafening enough. I can’t imagine what it would sound like had several cars been racing around the oval track. Can you tell that I’m not a race car enthusiast?

Back into our own lanes, now crowded with vehicular traffic, we made our way to our favorite Mexican Restaurant in Homestead, FL.

Robert cycling in the Redlands

After enjoying our Mexican enchilada combo meals and beer at the La Quebradita Restaurant on Krome Avenue, we headed for Knaus Berry Farm for some sticky buns. Knaus Berry Farm I can’t believe that we stuffed ourselves with pecan and cinnamon sticky buns just 40 minutes after stuffing ourselves with Mexican food. We called it “fueling for the ride” instead of gluttony.

We made one more stop on the way back to the Deering Estate. Feeling exhausted after bucking the east wind since leaving Homestead, it was good to get out of the saddle one more time for a brief 20 minute break at Burr’s Berry Farm, Burr's Berry Farm where they grow their own strawberries in basket-like containers that hang on individual poles. I’ve never seen strawberries grown that way, but I can see the benefit when it comes to picking. I’d much rather pick while standing than leaning down.

Finally arriving back at the Deering Estate at 4 p.m., the starting point of the bike ride, all five of us were enormously tired from fighting the wind. The wind was our friend when cycling to Florida City and Homestead, but not when biking towards Biscayne Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.

Our average speed from the Deering Estate to the Homestead-Miami Speedway was 15.3, from the speedway back to the Deering Estate 12.3, giving us an overall riding pace of 13.7. Much of our riding was on sidewalks, narrow bike paths and places where you just can’t open up the throttle on a road bike.

It was a fun but tiring ride with a bunch of great guys. I thoroughly enjoyed the laughs and the camaraderie.

Ride Video

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/275095768