Today, we committed to the tour. up early and packed out. Breakfast in the patio at the Hostel, orchestrated by Jack, our fearless leader, then lined up for starting line pictures before starting out down the boardwalk, which quickly ran out, dumping us onto the city streets of Fort Lauderdale and Miami Beach.

The pace was, for us casual tourists with a big tandem towing a 100-pound trailer, grueling. we roared down the busy streets at 16MPH or faster but stopping frequently for traffic lights, so we often lost sight of the group ahead.

Winding through the neighborhoods, we stopped at a supermarket for snacks and rest stop, then across the Venetian Causeway (much construction, with rough or no shoulders) straight into the Occupy Miami demonstration in downtown Miami. The group determined that Critical Mass was the key to survival in the brutal downtown traffic, which didn’t always work. We prudently road on the wide sidewalks past the sports stadium.

It was a relief to get out onto quieter streets toward Coconut Grove. Soon we joined the bike path, which, as advertised, was narrow, bumpy, and full of tree roots. A lunch stop about halfway was welcome.

After lunch, the bike paths improved and we made sort of good time. However, our companions made better time, and we ended up being the tail-end charlies shepherded by our patient leader, Jack. We briefly caught up with the group at the end of the bike trail system and joined them in watching a group of manatees.

We were soon out in the open country, among palm tree farms. Flat, with a mild breeze. We were flattened, still making our usual 10-12MPH, while the main group surged ahead at the same 15-16MPH pace they had maintained all day. Jack stuck with us to the bitter end.

We arrived at the Everglades Hostel, set up our tent by 5:00pm, showered, and headed for the nearest Starbucks (three blocks away–on foot). Tonight, wood-oven-fired pizza. Tomorrow is a rest day after the 58-mile metro gauntlet, and then a few shorter days of 35-50 miles each–at our own pace–into Key West. We plan to take a tour of the Everglades in the morning and rest our sore muscles from numerous starts and stops in the city and a high-speed battering by the rooted bike paths in the old towns south of Miami.