In Jupiter, Florida Hwy 1 and Hwy A1A passed over the Loxahatchee River which opens into Jupiter Inlet. Just passed the bridge I spotted the sign to the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Restaurant and Market. The first Bubba Gump restaurant opened on Cannery Row in Monterey, California in 1996 and now there's restaurants throughout the US and in other countries like Mexico, Malaysia, China, Bali and Japan. It was 1994 when the drama-romantic-comedy movie Forest Gump hit theatres the same year when I moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia and commenced my chiropractic practice.
Highway A1A along Jupiter Beach had a generous shoulder most of the way. There were several people out running and cycling. I waved a hello to most of them but the vast majority either didn't see me or were in there own world of oblivious effort. The few individuals who did wave back did so with big smiles that reflected the idyllic surroundings.
I was close to where A1A leaves Jupiter Beach and joins Highway 1 when a cyclist came up beside me. He gave me and my loaded bike a long glance.
"Are you just starting out or have you been on a long trip?"
"Hey there man! I've been on the road awhile. I started in Brantford, Ontario and I'm on my way to Key West."
"Wow. That's great."
Bob was retired and living in the area. We rode side by side, chatting. He told me that when he was younger, he cycled competitively. I was thankful for his company and the fact that he matched a comfortable speed for me.
I rested for a long time at the Starbucks and rehydrated with 2 Venti Green Tea Iced Teas and 2 Venti Ice waters. When I looked at this photo of myself, I noticed the weight that I've lost since the start of the bicycle tour. Yesterday I got on a scale that was in the entrance of the Publix Grocery Store in Stuart Beach. I'm down just over 20 lbs. The other thing that I've noticed is how slow it seems for my body to gain muscle mass... All a part of aging, I've concluded.
Back on Highway A1A through West Palm Beach I passed big, ornate mansions with well manicured grass, hedges and gardens. I noticed several of these mirrors placed to allow people to exit their driveways safely. There was no shoulder or bike lane through much of this section of A1A, but people driving past me were patient to wait for a safe time to pass.
I cycled past beautiful homes, resorts, golf clubs and marinas. The heat was once again taking a toll and I was surprised by the lack of variety stores or shopping plazas. I had plenty of water with me and I constantly drank, but I couldn't seem to quench my thirst. Finally, in Manalapan, just south of South Palm Beach, like a desert oasis, I coasted into a Plaza Del Mar that had a shop called "Ice Cream and Yogurt Club." I sat in the shade drinking water and a large mango-peach fruit smoothie that helped me to recover.
I visited with Elize, a nice lady who had recently moved from New York City to the area to teach. The heat of the day stopped her from enjoying the beach and seeking shelter at the same Ice Cream spot. Elize seemed to be relishing what looked like a cup of mint chocolate swirl ice cream - one of my favourites. She told me that the school was in a difficult neighbourhood with 90% of the kids on school lunch programs. We spoke of the importance of getting the kids to learn to read at a young age. The difficulty with her class of kids is that for most of them Spanish is their first language at home and there is usually little parental support for them to learn to read english.
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