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07-08-02, 03:13 PM
Soon after I started Day 4 I had a flat tire and noticed my pump was missing the end piece that attaches to the tire and I couldn't seem to get it to work .Luckily I was in sight of the Sugarloaf Key Motel and Marina .Some oldtimers sitting around the marina said they had a bike pump and the owner had a better one once he opened.Anyway I changed the tube and actually got my pump to work so I thanked them and headed on.Some time later on one of the bridges just before the 7 Mile Bridge I had another flat and used my last tube so I also patched one of the flat ones. I also noticed the tire was extremely worn and had a split in it where the flats were occurring so I also tried to repair this with tube patches to get me over the 7 Mile bridge to Marathon where I could get a new tire.Anyway it worked and I got the tire but I had planned to make it all the way back in 2 days and these repeated stops were not helping.Anyway I kept riding and nstarted noticing some bike sounds /noises that I described more fully on the maintaince board.As I reached Key Largo darkness discended and I had no idea where I would camp so I kept riding on. I started thinking I would ride through Key Largo and camp somewhere along Us 1 as it crosses the Everglades to Fl. City .Then about a mile from the end of Key Largo(which is mile marker 106)as it also looked like it was going to rain I saw a middle school that looked like a good spot. As I rode in I saw a RV parked which I took as a good sign . Anyway I set up my tent under an auning next to an entrance to avoid the rain and provide good light.I had thought it was a perfest place to camp but those thoughts were quickly dashed when two police officers arrived to inquire what I was doing.Apparently one door had been left open and once they were convinced I was trying to steal anything they were very pleasent but said I had to leave.The RV turned out a part time school classroom and I was probably foolish to camp in the light in view from the main entrance area but will now definately have to rethink my camping strategy.Anyway I did approximately 90 miles based on the mile markers and by the end my feet had blisters and were definately feeling it.