A1A is the road that follows Florida's Atlantic edge, and between Ormond Beach and Flagler Beach it does so with unusual honesty: there is the ocean on one side and the dunes and low houses on the other, and almost nothing in between. The road runs a few metres from the sand, with sea oats waving along the dunes, pelicans skimming the waves and the smell of salt and sunscreen in the air. The sea is a warm green-grey, the horizon is perfectly flat, and the light, especially in the early morning, is luminous.
This is old beach country. Hard-packed sand along this coast made natural racetracks in the early twentieth century, and drivers from around the world came to Ormond and Daytona to set speed records, in the days before high-speed circuits. A stretch of this history is still visible in monuments and museums. Today the beaches are quieter, though Daytona's famous sand a few miles south still allows cars in places, and the sea turtles that nest here between May and October are protected, with lights and activity restricted on some beaches at night.
For a rider it is a relaxed coastal cruise rather than a technical road. The surface is flat and generally smooth, with long straight runs and occasional gentle curves around the dunes. Traffic can be heavy at weekends and during holidays, with beach-goers, cyclists and tourists, and speed limits are strictly enforced in the small towns. Wind off the Atlantic can be strong, and salt spray and blown sand can make the road slippery near the beach access points, so take care. Winter and spring offer the best conditions, with clear skies and mild temperatures; summer is hot, with afternoon thunderstorms and the occasional tropical storm.
There are plenty of places to stop. Small cafés, seafood shacks and ice cream stands appear along the road, and Flagler Beach has a wooden pier where you can walk out and watch surfers and anglers. Ormond Beach, with over forty thousand people, has fuel stations, supermarkets and restaurants, and smaller towns along the route have the basics, so it is easy to fill the tank.
Stop on the pier at sunset if you can. The water goes pink and the pelicans keep fishing.