Surviving an Everglades storm

Here’s the next instalment of my 5 day, 1000 mile motorbike trip around Florida. If you missed part 1 then you can find it here.

Day 2: Key West to Naples – 250 miles

Today’s route, back to Miami and through the everglades to Naples on the west coast.

I’ll let the quotes do most of the talking as this was by far my most memorable day on a motorbike.

What a difference a day makes; there was no hanging around today. My kit was stowed properly, and my pockets were empty. I had various things in them yesterday that I thought I might use and the bulkiness wasn’t comfortable. Today I decided to ignore the 55mph speed limit and literally force a path though the traffic. Every time I met some traffic I’d stomp down with my left foot and drop to 4th, find a gap, roll on the power, glide past then back into 5th. Always with the words “show me your licence & registration” at the back of my mind!

You end up getting into a rhythm: every now and then look down at the mirrors to check if there’s any Billy Bobs tailgating you and that the luggage is still okay. I sometimes put my hand back to double check. Shift the ass, shift the feet, alternate from two hands to one – various body parts were already starting to get sore by 9:45! Open your hands for a while to let the air into the palms. Pull my helmet back straight as the air at 60+ pushes it back. And repeat for hours…

The Seven Mile Bridge was a different experience today. With no place to be by a certain time I had that sense of freedom that gravitates me to road trips. I genuinely had a lump in my throat – the sun was bright, the bike was perfect, no worries about kit being loose. Just me, the bike, the open road and a pre-booked hotel way off in the distance. If I could get paid to do this I would…

I stopped for a fan boat trip of the everglades ran by Native Americans called the Miccosukee. My first time up close and personal with alligators.

There should have only been an hours ride left to Naples but things took a turn for the worst…

The heavens then opened and I couldn’t distinguish road from sky. Lightning was striking in the distance like something out of a film. There was so much rain on my goggles that I was genuinely hoping I was still between the lines. Why not stop you’re wondering? I did a couple of times but I was on route 90 through the Everglades – it’s totally barren apart from the odd tourist thing here and there. Why get wet travelling no distance; best to push on.

Just when I thought it can’t get any worse, the fuel light came on. On the one hand, I was happy to know I had a fuel light. On the other, I’d only seen one gas station on the entire road and there was still 50 miles to Naples and I had no idea how many miles was left in the tank.

I was quite literally drenched. My boots were filled up, clothes soaked through, water had pooled in my crotch, but the worst part was that I couldn’t see well at all. It was pretty dark and my goggles are tinted. They had rain on them and they were fogging up. My bandanna was so wet that I literally had to suck and drink the water as I was basically being waterboarded! I dropped down to 40mph as I was beginning to feel uncomfortable and the rain bulleting off my face was more bearable at that speed.

I braved the 2 miles [to the gas station] in high gear and low revs as I had no idea if the gas would last. I got passed by a biker on a scrambler, good to know I’m not the only nutter out here!! Finally I reached the gas station; look who was here – the other biker; Shawn.

I got fuel, a Subway and a coffee. The storm subsided where we were but we could see it around us. Here was two drenched bikers chatting away and having a laugh, talking about life and our storm experiences outside a gas station in the Everglades with lightning striking pretty close around us.

Shawn had a full face helmet and offered to ride to Naples and let me tail him in. He had a weather radar app and said that we’d be going through short but intense rain. I thought – that’s very gracious – but was a little concerned when he popped a wheelie out the forecourt! No worries though, he kept a good speed on and I was able to follow.

He wasn’t wrong about the rain. It came on pretty gradually to start with then was the worst that it’s been. Shawn was just a black outline against the grey even though he was only 40 meters in front. I followed his track in the tarmac and had to concentrate, very hard! My goggles made visibility virtually zero. The tinting, the rain outside but the fogging inside was unbearable. I had to hold them a few millimetres from my face to allow air to pass & de-fog them using the same hand that previously sheltered my face from the biting rain. I had to tense my entire face as that somehow lessened the pain. I was sucking and drinking the bandanna water at an increased rate. Breath a lungful, suck a mouthful. Keep Shawn in sight. Don’t put too much steering input, avoid the painted lines – all with one hand.

At one point it was so bad that I lost sight of Shawn and genuinely couldn’t make out road from sky. My instinct was to stop but sense dictated that the greater danger was [the cars] to the rear so I held the throttle on. 20 seconds or so, there was Shawn, sigh of relief, keep sucking & drinking…

10 minutes later we came out the other side and the sun started to break through. No more wet bandanna and I could see at last! Shawn pulled over outside Naples and we stopped for a chat. You bond instantly with someone through a little hardship. He was heading further north to a campsite so we parted ways.

As I said, my most unforgettable day on a motorbike. That’s what life is all about…riding the miles, collecting adventures and meeting like minded people. You can read the last instalment of the trip here.

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