Rainy Ride Through South Bay

PAHOKEE, FL -- I'm on the east side of Lake Okeechobee and it's completely different weather. While it was sunny and pushing the mid-80s on the west side of The Big O, about 15 miles to the south of here I cycled through a rain shower for about 20 minutes.

It was a cooling rain, a shower that wasn't severe enough to get off the bicycle but just steady enough to be mildly annoying with my shoes getting thoroughly soaked and the slickness of the road a potential hazard.

But as I biked through South Bay and then Belle Glade in west Palm Beach County in the shadow of The Big Lake the rain began to subside and the road became more dry.

I've been noshing throughout the ride instead of eating at one big meal and that technique works terrific. I've brought along three turkey wraps, an apple, a plum, two bananas and a half-dozen granola bars and peanut-butter crackers and washing them down with water bottle water.

This is high school football country. Pahokee and its rival Belle Glade produce a host of college player and NFLers. It's other product is agriculture thanks to the fertile soil nicknamed "Black Gold."

I'm at Mile 83 now and I'm getting stronger as the trek goes on. It's 1:45 PM and I expect to wrap this ride up by 5 PM. No sense waiting for romantic sunsets when the gray sky doesn't seem destined to allow any sunshine this afternoon.

I'll be in Okeechobee before schedule and I hope to post a video or two and a few pictures later tonight.