Not that I don't like road cycling.
But I like looking at nature and all her glory than some dude's butt in spandex or a narrow road tire.
Plus, I like to stop whenever I want to gaze at a sky or cloud or ocean.
And maybe to snap off a few photos.
Here, I'm racing a storm around sunset north of Vero Beach as a bike on the hard-packed dirt road known as Jungle Trail along the Intracoastal.
Then, there's the sunrises. I'll often bike south on A1A toward Fort Pierce and the big orange ball is usually peaking over the eastern horizon of the Atlantic Ocean.
It has an official name. But I call the bridge that spans the Intracoastal in Vero Beach simple the State Road 60 bridge. Go in the opposite direction and you can take it clear across the state to Clearwater Beach and the Gulf of Mexico. The views looking west after sunset are lovely.
I like taking the Surly Pugsley out for night-time rides. The lights get motorists' attention so that they don't run me over.
One of the most amazing roads in Florida is a 16-mile stretch along the mainland Intracoastal called Indian River Drive in St. Lucie County between Jensen Beach and Fort Pierce. I never do it justice in a photo -- it's always a lot prettier than this.
And then, there are the signs -- there are some good ones around Florida. Like this one for the J&S Fish Camp on Lake Okeechobee.
Lake Okeechobee is Florida's third coast -- I do an annual bike-around Lake O ride just to keep me sharp at least one day out of the year.
One of the great inlets in Florida is Sebastian. The water is a stunning tone of green and the bridge gives you perspective.
One of the best places to bike to is Dodgertown, maybe a mile or so from my house in Vero.
Old people, pavements, a stormy sky -- and of course a human-powered device. That's Florida.
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