13: crossings, floridetour, seals, weight loss

March 30, 2025

Fort Pierce to Vero Beach

Shortly after starting my ride I came across this guy. He doesn't appear to be a fastidious eater, attacking the grass as if it's going to escape if he doesn't snatch it.

The next three signs were all within close proximity.

At first I thought it was a gopher and tortoise area, but it's a gopher tortoise area, and the tortoise I saw earlier appears to be one.

Here we go again. I should call this section of the trip the Floridetour ride.

I had to circle back and head back south to get onto the correct path.

The next three days will be short because I'd like to stay with my friends, Jon and Carolyn, but they won't be back until 1 April. That means I have three days to ride the sixty miles to Indialantic.

Today's short day allows me to stop at the Navy SEAL Museum. The museum's motto is "If you got any closer you would have to enlist."

When I arrived, I parked my bike outside and got in the short line to buy a ticket. My plan was to ask if I could bring my bike in, or at least the panniers, but when I heard the cashier tell the woman in front of me that she wouldn't be able to take her backpack in I knew it was be a lost cause. If they're worried about an explosive in a 60-year-old woman's small backpack I know they won't be allowing four large panniers.

"Hi. I'm really interested in seeing this museum, but don't know what to do with my bike and bags. I'm traveling from Key West to Canada, and I'm afraid to leave them outside."

"Aww, yeah, just bring'em on in."

And that was it. I locked my bike up outside in the same location where the volunteers who commute by bicycle do and lugged in four panniers and a handlebar bag. He led me to the staff break room where I placed them in a corner.

Each person is given a map and a brief overview of the museum by one of the volunteers. I was told that the next movie would start at 2:00.
"That should give you just enough time to make it through the museum."
I looked at my watch: 12:40.
"You mean 1:00?"
"No, 2:00."
I seriously doubted it would take that long.

As expected, there was a lot of weaponry. I was curious about whether the museum would glorify war, but it didn’t. It was informative, not just about the history, but about specific missions, some of which admittedly failed, and how they learned from them. No chest thumping, which fit with the Special Forces patients I met through work, all of whom were highly intelligent with a certain depth of character, and considered in their actions.

Here are a few pictures.

I know very little about guns, but this underwater pistol (HK P11) sounds like something James Bond would use. The Wiki article is interesting.

Osama bin Laden's compound. This exhibit gives specifics about the mission.

"...guided by the very principles that I serve to defend." I hope those principles don't change.

By the time I finished touring the museum it was just a few minutes before 2:00. Not 1:00, as I had anticipated, but 2:00, so I sat down and watched the movie. It was quite lengthy so I left just before 3:00.

There was definitely some interesting information, but my favorite tidbit is the fact that these badasses wear pantyhose. It prevents leeches from attaching when wading through waist-deep swamps.

It rained heavily while I was inside, but stopped by the time I left. After collecting my bags and loading them onto the bike, I started riding again.

It was one of those days where it’s so humid that the sweat drips from your forehead to your eyebrows to your eyelashes. If you blink it away, it lands on your glasses and drips down the inside, leaving a gray streak.

I sprinted across this bridge. Miraculously, although the traffic was heavy there was a break just long enough for me to get almost over.

I found my hotel easily enough, but not the entrance to my room. I stayed at a Howard Johnson's, commonly called HoJo's, which was just about the only hotel I remember staying in when I was growing up.

Once settled in, I walked across the street to the Walmart and bought my dinner. No need to get breakfast because it's included with the cost of the room.

One odd thing I've noticed: if you recall from an earlier post, when I left for my trip I weighed 170 lbs/77.1 kg. Although not more than I've ever weighed, it's as much as I've ever weighed. What I haven't been able to understand is why I don't appear to be losing any weight on this trip.

Oh, and also, I have a new favorite ice cream.

I would've felt really bad letting this go to waste.

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Today's ride: 21 miles (34 km)
Total: 359 miles (578 km)

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C. B.My great-aunt and great-uncle lived in Vero Beach for a long time. All of my childhood recollections of salty water and ocean beaches are from there. Hope you enjoyed.
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