My bike trip to Homestead and The Everglades Hostel
and a few interesting stops along the way.
Having given up my car a couple of years ago (literally, since the guy I signed it over to never paid me for it). It was necessary to do a bit of planning to make it all the way down to homestead. I DO have access to a bike in Lauderdale and I have been using the bike racks on the front of buses for some time. I checking the transit map and saw that the bus runs well down into homestead. Further study showed that the bus ends about 7 1/2 miles from the entry to the AeroJet complex. A bit of a ride but doable. When I started calculating the time, 3 hours to Homestead, an hour to the site entrance, another hour back then 3 hours back to Lauderdale, it was was obvious this would be almost impossible as a day trip. I would have to turn around as soon as I got to the site. |
The Map turned up another interesting feature. There was a Hostel very near the end of the bus line. I think Hostels (aside from being cheaper) are much more interesting than regular hotels. The characters you meet can be much more colorful. So it was that I set out on my journey biking to the Tri-Rail station. I had confirmed that bikes were allowed on the train (Thank you). One snag came when it turned out the last station on the line was closed and I had to play it a bit by ear. I biked part of the way, longer stretches I bused. It turns out there is a lovely bike path under the southern leg of the Merto Rail track. WOW surprising it's not used more. I guess people going that way ride the Metro Rail. You can bring a bike on Metro Rail but unlike Tri-Rail you need some kind of permit so I didn't bother with that. |
The Everglades Hostel turned out to be better than I could have imagined. The grounds were really cool. There weren’t many people there because high season was over but the few I did meet were really nice. Many were going on the "wet walk" tour in the Glades (The Hostel offers many nature tours in the Glades), it sounded nice but I had other plans. There was one street kid named Dylan. He was doing some work around the place. It turned out he is the subject of a forthcoming documentary called "Dylan's Streets". Trailer on You Tube. He seems very positive and happy with his lifestyle, that contrast I suppose is what made him a good subject for the documentary. |
Patrons are permitted/encouraged to wade/swim in the waterfall pool
They have this sort or Tree Fort/Hammock/Rope Bridge thing in the trees you can hang out in.
So I spent the night at the Groovy Hostel and did my bike ride to AeroJet in the morning. 7 1/2 miles there and back plus 5 miles in and out of the complex, maybe another 4 to 5 miles amongst the buildings. If you somehow missed the previous page about AeroJet CLICK HERE to go back.
It was a pretty grueling day, The bike ride went well except the the punishing headwind I had to fight coming back in the afternoon. I still found energy to make a detour to this place. It's a strange "Flying Saucer" House, actually two of them. I happened to notice them a couple of years ago on the Google Maps when I had the "Photos" option turned on and I have wanted to stop by ever since. I think I saw a news item about this type of house or something similar many many years ago, If memory serves and I have the right story they used to deliver the shells of these by helicopter as they were very light and too wide to truck. These stand vacant and apparently abandoned though tightly boarded up. I deemed it not worth trying to go in. I was very tired and they seem like not much more than hollow shells.
It was a pretty grueling day, The bike ride went well except the the punishing headwind I had to fight coming back in the afternoon. I still found energy to make a detour to this place. It's a strange "Flying Saucer" House, actually two of them. I happened to notice them a couple of years ago on the Google Maps when I had the "Photos" option turned on and I have wanted to stop by ever since. I think I saw a news item about this type of house or something similar many many years ago, If memory serves and I have the right story they used to deliver the shells of these by helicopter as they were very light and too wide to truck. These stand vacant and apparently abandoned though tightly boarded up. I deemed it not worth trying to go in. I was very tired and they seem like not much more than hollow shells.
And then . . . A miracle happened. On my way back I stumbled across the famous "Robert is Here" fruit stand. I had not planned this though I knew Robert was somewhere in Homestead. Boy if there was ever a time and a place where I deserved a Robert is Here Smoothie THIS WAS IT. Okay the school bus full of kids that got there just ahead of me was an impediment but I persevered, boy was that thing good.
And they even had lychees. I haven't had a lychee since I was in Honduras. And I never buy mangoes in Florida but they looked so good I bought one of them to.
So here I am, a worn out traveler after about 30 miles of bike riding enjoying a lychee in the hammock out back. Life is good.
I can't believe it, I am almost caught up with my Web Log. Since my return from Taiwan it has taken me over 9 whopping months to get caught up. I have been in Florida far far longer than I expected. Keeping a slow pace but I have not been totally idol and I have take care of some important things. So to finally say I am caught up here is a kind of hodge podge page, not in chronological order. It includes my sailing class (some of you have seen already). Click the link or the Photo In and Around Ft. Lauderdale |