It's Sweet in Clewiston

CLEWISTON, FL -- Late-morning greetings from the Sweetest City in America (that's what the welcome sign says anyway) -- Clewiston, home of the United States Sugar Corporation.

All those cavities and sugar rushes and delicious sodas and Little Debbie snacks can thank the sugar cane harvested around these here parts. I already told you about the burning cane that I passed outside Moore Haven. The smoke obscured the sun and pieces of burned plant floated by my helmet.

Everything is Sugar Realty that and Cane Field this in Clewiston and life revolves around the sugar plants that grow here.

I'm at Mile 53 and facing consistent head winds out of the east. The forecast called for mostly cloudy and 5-10 mph winds out of the northeast. But it's sunny and 81 degrees already and it feels like the wind is steady around 15 mph out of the east.

Not that I'm complaining after we experienced the hottest October in a long time (with the exception of that really cold Monday morning three weeks ago).

So, what do you think I have experienced so far:

1. Alligator roadkill on US 27
2. Truckers who have been amazingly kind and allow plenty of space when passing.
3. Six signs that said, "Beef. Real food for real people."
4. A dozen state prisoners with weed whackers trimming weeds around wooden guardrail posts on US 27.

The answer is all four. I know, trick question.

Hope to see you in Pahokee at around Mile 90 later this afternoon.