Gator Country Hell Week Day 1: Paradise Found

"I just can't get over palm trees with Christmas lights."

That's what Gloria B. said last night when we walked over to Edison Mall in Fort Myers for a group dinner. Hailing from Wisconsin, palm trees are no doubt a rare sight. Never mind the Christmas lights.

As the sun set over Fort Myers, riders were excited about the prospect of cycling in warmth and sunshine. After all, 23 of the 28 riders came from points north to escape winter's wrath. And Day 1 did not disappoint anyone.

As Becky, Mark (my brother) and I headed out to load gear and cook breakfast at 6:15, a light fog hung over Fort Myers. The temperature was a nippy 46 degrees, but we could see the moon poking through the fog. Things were looking good, and the weatherguessers promised highs in the mid-70s.

By 7:30 the fog had lifted, and the sun started doing its thing quickly. Breakfast was served right there in the parking lot amid the din of inbound traffic on Colonial Parkway. At 8:15 we had the obligatory pre-ride chat and pictures, and by 8:30 the first group headed out. Group 2 followed at 8:42.

Our routing this year is 75% new from the "old route" we used our first 8 years here. This time we used bike lanes and paths the first 14 miles, avoiding the hustle and bustle of Fort Myers quite nicely. Once past the airport we could safely rejoin the roadway, and headed to Lehigh Acres where the first sag stop was located.

Temps were rising quickly at this time (roughly 26 miles by a little after 10), so the "shed clothes" box was full to overflowing. We reloaded bottles and gorged on a variety of snacks and fruits, and headed toward Alva and Labelle.

The roads are flat in this part of Florida, and the only "hills" we encountered were the drawbridges over the Caloosahatchee River in both Alva and Labelle. Otherwise it was tabletop flat. We had to remind ourselves to stand periodically to stretch muscles and relieve the pressure on our sit bones.

After lunch in Labelle our route headed south 11 miles, where we then headed east into some of the loneliest countryside in the state. This area was crossed by Hurricane Wilma last autumn, but there was nary a sign of damage.

That's because there's nothing to damage out there.

By early afternoon we were all in summer cycling gear, and anyone who hadn't the foresight to lather up with sunscreen was in for a surprise come evening. It was warm. It was sunny. And the south wind was starting to twist around to the southwest.

In cycling terms, it doesn't get much better than this.

And so as we headed to our motel in Clewiston, the wind pushed us into the low-20s. We talked. We laughed. And we had a great time. The miles flew by as fresh tan lines slowly etched their way onto our arms, legs, and faces.

It was one of the best first day rides we've ever had at Gator Country. Everyone finished within an hour and 15 minute window. All told, we notched 103 miles. While the elevation gain was negligible, our spirits soared in the Florida weather. Yes, there will probably be a few sore muscles tonight (that happens when you average 19-20 mph), but tomorow's another day.

Maybe we'll take it down a notch or two. Maybe we'll look up a little more instead of following the other guy's wheel. Then again, maybe we'll just ride hard, forgetting about winter back home and driveways that must be shoveled.

But that's why we came here in the first place.

Dr "Frostproof" Gerlich