{"id":20082,"date":"2017-04-25T20:57:34","date_gmt":"2017-04-26T00:57:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tourdebocrie.com\/?p=20082"},"modified":"2017-04-26T09:19:24","modified_gmt":"2017-04-26T13:19:24","slug":"day-5-tuesday-april-25-punta-gorda-to-cape-coral-florida","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tourdebocrie.com\/?p=20082","title":{"rendered":"Day 5. Tuesday, April 25 \u2013 Punta Gorda to Cape Coral, Florida"},"content":{"rendered":"

Yesterday’s humidity was gone, so 73\u00b0 felt cool and crisp.\"\"<\/a> \u00a0The wind was still strong, but now from the west, so directly\u00a0to our side. \u00a0We caught a glimpse of the darling town of Punta Gorda as we left.\"\"<\/a> \u00a0“Savanah Style” homes (for lack of the correct architectural term) lined the streets and the shopping centers were lined with trees, very charming.<\/p>\n

Today we had the option to take a different road south, so we jumped at the chance to get off the busy highway of yesterday. As we rode by the Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park, we enjoyed the trees, decent roads and a brief sighting of our first alligators.\"\"<\/a> \u00a0As soon as\u00a0we entered Lee County, though, the\u00a0shoulder disappeared and we balanced our bikes on the narrow white line\"\"<\/a> as cars, trailers and dump trucks navigated the two lane road past us. \u00a0We were happy when we reached the turnoff to Pine Island and could get off this\u00a0road, even though the westerly trek had us facing directly into the wind. \u00a0We decided not to go all the way to Pine Island, but did stop on the causeway\"\"<\/a> for lunch\u00a0with a view.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

After lunch, we found a fabulous bike lane just off the road and were once again able to enjoy the sights and hundreds of canals.\"\"<\/a>\u00a0 The trail led us through neighborhoods, affording us a chance to see the area homes.\"\"<\/a> \u00a0Somewhere in our sightseeing we missed a turn, but we did<\/em> meet Ziggy from West Virginia;\"\"<\/a> now retired and living the dream in Florida.<\/p>\n

Our neighborhood excursion actually got us closer to our hotel than we thought. \u00a0A short ride through the pretty town (with wide bike lanes) of Cape Coral \"\"<\/a>and we\u00a0were checked in by two o’clock and at their lively Tiki Bar by three!\"\"<\/a>We found a local place around the corner, short on atmosphere, but big on food and flavor. With a weeks worth of pasta already consumed, a delicious choice of blackened Salmon with Asparagus sauce\"\"<\/a> and a Seafood Platter \"\"<\/a>was the perfect choice after a short 40 mile ride! \u00a0A slow stroll around town finished off the evening. \u00a0Tomorrow we drive (yes, in a car) to Key West;\u00a0details\u00a0later.<\/p>\n\n\t\t