We arrived to Austin 10 days ago and have only now taken a breathe. Classes, speakers and nonstop music, parties and nightlife are the name of the game during SXSW.
Austin City Limits
We started our week at McKinney Falls State Park where we camped for 3 days prior to the start of the festivities. Even 3 days before, the town was starting to amp up for SXSW, a huge 25,000 person conference that brings together geeks, musicians, record labels, film producers and actors in an surprisingly cohesive intersection of Interactive Media.
A Break Between Sessions
Dan from Vertical Media arrived on Friday just in time for the kick off. Our next days began at 9 for the first conference session and lasted until 2 am when the last bands were wrapping up. We didn’t want to miss anything. Each morning the three of us would discuss our strategy in order to see as many of the sessions as we could. We heard about what’s hot – Twitter, Twitter, Twitter; what’s new – Location Specific Advertising – your phone knows where you are and now Google, 4 Square and Gowalla do too; and what’s next – Neuroscience and Technology are combining in Orwellian ways – measuring your thoughts, motivations and intentions by tracking the brain’s electrical activity. 60 minutes also put together a fascinating piece for more info.
BBQ that is Worth the Wait
In between the fascinating, we also learned about more relevant topics such as web design, funding a new company, driving conversion, and remote company management. For 5 days, we all felt like we’d been drinking out of a fire hose.
Tim's Dedication to his Droid Scares Dan and I...That Name is No Coincidence
When the session doors closed at 6 pm, it was time to see the city. Google, Microsoft, Rackspace, Digg, Adobe and AOL all tried to outdo each other with free beer, food, music and “swag” (Tim won a $200 HD Zune for the cleverest Tweet about Yammer Enterprise Microblogging….Three years ago that sentence would have been complete jibberish – we’ve come a long way). Saturday was BBQ and bar hopping at Stubbs and 6th Street. Sunday we ate the hottest tacos in our entire lives: Austin’s famed Nuclear Taco, a flaming toxic concoction of habaneros and ground beef. Monday night as we bounced from stage to stage at the huge Maggie Mae’s, Tim’s Droid lit up. Quinton Tarantino had arrived, Twitter tweeted. We never saw him of course, but it was still cool to be at the same party.
Enough Said
After 5 nights of socializing, St. Patty’s Day, turned out to be relatively quiet. The Interactive and Film portions of SXSW are done and now Austin is rocking from dawn to dawn with 1500 bands. We laid low in the campground for the day and were treated to a free banquet of corned beef and cabbage put on by the campground staff. After stuffing ourselves on Irish staples, I sent Tim and Dan to hit the town while I caught up on the blog. Tomorrow Jimmy, Jimmie and Keri arrive to continue the celebration. Austin ain’t seen nothing yet.
Nuclear Tacos: This Can't be a Good Idea
During our blogging hiatus we missed several important occasions over the past several days: Happy Birthday to BJ, Leroy and Ross, and a particularly HUGE congratulations to Tim and Betsy! Yesterday after many long hours of labor, the world was finally introduced to Nicasio Cabradilla. Mom, Dad and new gorgeous baby are all doing great!
After two nights in Sam Houston Jones State Park on the edge of the Louisiana Bayou, Tim and I took to the road again. It was time to head to Texas. We had a laundry list of things to get done in Houston, a convenient stop on our way to Austin. Oil change, a tire rotation and washing 3 months of sea salt off Frank were the big priorities. So Friday night we started driving. We landed that night at Walmart – our favorite impromtu campground – in Houston. By noon on Saturday, Frank was clean and shiny and it was time to research Houston sports bars.
Spa Day for Frank
Duke and North Carolina played that evening so we needed somewhere fun, downtown so we could see the city, yet still peaceful enough to work between games. We found Homeplate Sports Bar located across the street from Minute Maid Stadium smack in the middle of Houston’s sprawling downtown.
We spent the afternoon watching basketball while Tim put together his 2010 NCAA basketball tourney site and I designed a new client website. We had a terrific waitress Kelly who was a long time Austin resident. When we told her where we were headed, she gave us a list of things to see.
7 hours later, we’d eaten our fill of bar food, and had watched the Tarheels get the snot beat out of them, and were ready to hit the town. We chatted with Kelly to find out what was fun to do in the Houston Downtown. “You’ve got to go to the Flying Saucer” she told us and offered to take us out.
The Flying Saucer is a beer connoisseur’s heaven. 250 brews grace the menu and at 1:00 am you can still order a cheese and sausage plate. We settled in and chatted with Kelly, learning all about the local scene. On our way back to the van, we heard a sound. 2 guys were smashing in the window of a car, on a clean, well lit street, in front of a high end restaurant. We called 911, put our heads down and quickly walked back to the van. That night we parked in the best lit parking lot we could find, directly across from the police station.
Sunday morning we woke up with all our windows intact. As we drove out of town, we debated breakfast options. “We could always go to Cracker Barrel,” I said, but Tim had a better idea. He looked on his new Droid (which is now permanently glued to his hand) to see what good breakfast places were in the area. Breakfast Klub was top of the list.
Breakfast Klubbin'
When we drove down to this absolute must-do in Houston, the line was already wrapping around the side of the building. The large sign overhead advertised the establishment’s featured dishes – Catfish & Grits or Waffles & Wings. We decided this would be worth the wait. 10 minutes later we were seated after having been processed by the most efficient restaurant queue I’ve ever seen. Waiting in line we had menus and someone to talk to. By the time we’d stepped foot inside someone else had taken our order. When we reached the counter to pay, our coffees were waiting for us. Our food had been cooking 5 minutes before we had even reached our table. And wow, what food. We of course had to try the specialities of the house and we weren’t disappointed. You may think Wings and Waffles are a strange combination, but in the hands of a genius, they are ambrosia.
Star of TX
Mellow Johnny's
Stuffed, we climbed back into Frank to drive to Austin. By early afternoon, we’d set up camp at McKinney State Park and driven downtown to explore. We parked on the famous 6th Street to check out the hundreds of bars, clubs and restaurants. Sunday was just a scouting mission. We can’t wait to see Austin when it’s rocking.
Tuesday night Tim and I got a treat of a lifetime. For Christmas, Leroy and Sylvia gave us a night’s stay at Nottoway Plantation, the largest remaining antibellum mansion in the southern United States. The Bradshaws have a unique connection to this home in White Castle, LA.
The original owner, John Hampden Randolph, was born in Nottoway County, VA, near Blackstone Virginia in 1813. He left his beloved Nottoway to grow sugarcane in Louisiana. When he arrived, the parcel of land on the banks of the Mississippi that he hoped to buy was not for sale. So instead he settled miles from the river and began purchasing parcels of land one acre at a time. Over the next 17 years he owned not only the parcel he originally hoped for but a total of 7000 acres. Now as a very successful farmer, he built a home that befitted his station.
A Grand Entrance
8 years and 80,000 dollars later, Nottoway Plantation was born on the banks of the Mississippi, named for Randolph’s birthplace in Virginia. The majestic house survived the Civil War with only a single cannon shot lodged in a pillar. When Union Soldiers arrived to the area, they visited the plantation with a white flag in hand. A ranking Union officer had known Randolph’s son in college and had even spent a night in their home prior to the war. He promised to keep the Plantation safe – and it was never harmed.
Only 4 people have owned the house since. Today it is owned by Sir Paul Ramsey, an Aussie, who purchased the property in 1985 for $4 million dollars. Since then he put in an additional $10 million to refurbish the property and repair the damage from Hurricane Gustav in 2008.
Beautiful Breakfast
Today the property and people are incredible. Tim and I drank Mint Julips in the Coachman Bar followed by Etoufee and Red Snapper in the new dining room. We slept in the Plantation’s oldest building, the luxurious Overseer’s Cabin, and ate breakfast under the ancient Live Oaks. We learned about the symbolism within the ornate carved crown mouldings that decorate the mansion and worked using the fastest internet we’ve had on our entire trip. No detail was overlooked.
Thank you so much to Leroy and Sylvia for this amazing experience!
Our Newest "Beach" Front Address
Today finds us deep in the bayou at Sam Houston Jones State Park. On our way here, we stopped at Mulate’s in Beaux Bridge, where a cajun band plays every night and you can find all the fried frog legs that you can eat. We stayed for the band and the Maryland/Duke Game. The manager was a born and bred Creole Duke fan, a rare combination. We traded good natured jabs and watched what ended up being an excellent game, cajun style!
On Monday, we had made our way up to the Florida Panhandle. Our destination was beautiful Grayton Beach, located 15 miles outside of Destin. Famed for its laid back attitude and pristine white sand beaches, Grayton was just our style. The town is a classic beach getaway, with charming little cottages and unique bars. Grayton has avoided the franchising that has inundated its large neighbor of Destin. Here the town is full of local shops with only a small Starbucks which has gotten its foot into the tight knit economy.
Sugar White Sands
We spent our week working through the chilly mornings and enjoying evenings outside at our campsite. We rode our bikes out to Grayton Beach to take in the sparkling white sand. Friday would be our day out on the town. While I was busy taking a new website live, Tim did errands around the town of Destin. As his 40th birthday approaches, he had to get his eyes checked for a new driver’s license. It was no surprise when the optometrist wrote him a small prescription for his first pair of glasses. Tim isn’t quite ready yet for his new moniker “Four Eyes Bradshaw” but it’s just a matter of time.
Beach Time
After his eye check, we returned to home where we settled in on the beach for the afternoon. The weather was only about 55 but the sun was warm and we soaked in the vitamin D and flew the kite.
After a beautiful red sunset, we rode our bikes to the local favorite, The Red Bar. Even during the offseason, this place is packed. Filled with red furniture, red lights, red suede, and red cheeks, it is an experience. Tim and I sat at the bar and ate blackened snapper and crab cakes. The cheddar cheese grit cake that served as a bed for the fish was so delicious, we ordered another for dessert.
All Red
While we dined, we met many of Grayton’s extremely friendly down-to-earth residents. This is another place to go on our shortlist of locations to return to.
Saturday morning we packed up again and began our 5 hour drive west. We were leaving Florida for good. After 2 months in the chilliest winter on record, our Florida experience was not what we envisioned it would be. But even without the typical 80 degree weather, we enjoyed every second of our time here.
By 3:30 Saturday afternooon, we’d pulled into the New Orleans Airport to pick up Casey. She’d flown in 2 days early for a business trip and we were going out to experience New Orleans. We first started our adventure finding our campspot….French Quarter RV Resort.
Every time we drove into our new home for the next 4 nights, we cracked up. Right on the edge of the French Quarter, in downtown NO, just 50 yards from the gravesite of voodoo queen, Marie Laveau, we parked Frank. From the street, FQRV barrier walls blend perfectly with the exterior of the neighboring 1789 St. Louis Cemetery. Inside we were treated to the nicest RV park we’d seen on our trip. Sure Highway 10 buzzed loudly overhead, but the granite bathrooms, and tiled hottub stole our hearts. A 5 minute walk to Bourbon Street sealed the deal. We’d found a home.
On the Half Shell
Saturday night, the three of us walked down to the heart ot the French Quarter making a pact to not separate for the evening. It was 6 pm. 10 hours later, the three of of us walked home- never separate and full of tales. We kicked the night off with a Hand Grenade. Next we ate 3 dozen oysters with Perry the Oyster Shucker at the Bourbon Oyster House. From there we traveled back to our favorite Old Absinthe House for a round of the formerly illegal drink. Here we heard about Fritzel’s, the best place on Bourbon Street for Jazz. On our way we stopped into Cats Meow for some hilariously questionable Karoake.
Absinthe Traditions
Testing it out Ourselves
Bourbon Street Late Night
When we got to Fritzel’s, we were led to the front of the house to the only free chairs in the room. We soaked in the smoke and music, feeling we reached the heart of New Orleans culture.
Real Jazz
The band finally called it quits and it was now time for more food. 2 Gyros later, we cruised into a cabaret for dancing. By the time the clock struck 4, we finally decided it was time to go home. We walked out onto Bourbon Street and it was still packed. New York isn’t the only city that never sleeps.
Just an Average Saturday Night
Sunday morning we rolled out of bed at 9. Even with 5 hours of sleep, we knew we needed to rouse ourselves. We had reservations at Brennans, and this was not to be missed.
Brennans
Brennans is a New Orleans cornerstone. Tim’s grandparents had come here in 1965 and gotten a menu with the handwritten recipe for Brennans signature creation Bananas Foster by the Chef. Sylvia and Leroy followed their footsteps and had a cookbook signed in 2004. On Sunday, Casey, Tim and I sat down for the best breakfast of our lives.
What to Choose?
This is the kind of place that breakfast is a 3 to 4 course affair. We started off with oyster stew and baked apples, followed with eggs hollandaise over sausage, mushrooms and tomatos respectively and then followed by 3 plates of Bananas Foster. We had brought the menu and cook book which Tim’s grandparents had purchased 50 years before. Lazone Randolph, the current executive chef, added his signature. He’d just started in the kitchen in 1965, right out of high school. It’s that kind of a place. From the Chef to the attendant in the washroom, everyone had been there for decades. It was an amazing experience.
Flaming Banana
When we wobbled full of food, out the door, the Smoking Time Jazz Band had set up in the middle of the street. We stopped and listened to the music…..entranced.
Next we decided we should see some Bayou. We drove to the Jean Lafitte National Preserve. We walked past cypress knees shrouded in spanish moss, hidden water moccasins and alligators, and a pack of raucous boy scouts in the exotic wilderness. We ended a perfect Sunday at the Acme Oyster Bar. No matter the time of day, the temperature, or the number of people in town, the Acme Oyster Bar has a line. We waited 45 minutes just out of curiousity. What could be so good?
Down On the Bayou
We found out, it was 3 things: the people who waited on you, the food, the people who waited on you. This was not elegant dining, but it was one of the most outstanding experiences you could have over a plate of food. We sat at the Oyster Bar and were helped by Magic, a gold toothed oyster shucker who charmed everyone within 15 feet. His shucking partner, Hollywood, told us the story of the origin of the enigmatic phrase “Who Dat”. I would relay that origin here…but I could only decipher about every 3rd word through his thick Cajun accent. It remains a mystery to this day….
We were exhausted by our 2 long days and we called it an early night while Bourbon Street continued to rock.
Mother's World Famous Ham
Monday was a work day for all 3 of us. The beautiful weather had blown away for a blustery rainy day. We finished up our cuilinary tour of New Orleans with another cornerstone of dining. At Mother’s we ate red beans and rice, etoufee, jambalya, ham and turnip greens and finished with bread pudding. Amazing.
Tim and I had almost bypassed New Orleans, but thanks to Casey we changed our minds. It ended up being one of the best weekends of our entire trip.
Today we find ourselves in Central Standard Time for the first time in 6 months. It’s hard to believe we’ve spent an entire half year on the East Coast. Today we’ve landed at Grayton Beach, recommended by Mel V…it’s a beautiful spot in the Florida Panhandle. But I have to confess, getting here was tough.
Friday morning, Tim and I woke up in Fort Myers with few plans. We knew 3 things for sure: 1. we needed to get on the move if we were ever going to make it to New Orleans to meet Casey in 2 weeks 2. we wanted to stay warm 3. one of these two goals would have to be sacrificed. It was no contest…so we packed up and headed north. But before we got too far along, we turned West towards Sanibel Island for an unexpected reunion.
Shelling on Sanibel
Just a few days earlier, Tim had gotten an email from our Jackson friends, Steve and Heather, asking if we were still in Florida. Tim responded yes, that we were in Fort Myers and Steve told him that they were just 10 miles away on Sanibel. It was a great coincidence. We drove over the bridge and spent a fabulous afternoon catching up with Steve, Heather and their incredibly charming 10 month old son Asa.
A Lucky Reunion
After getting the news from home and sharing some laughs, we piled back into Frank and drove about halfway up the state to Alafia River State Park. We were no where near a beach which was new for us, but Alafia River has a different draw. It is known as some of the best “mountain” biking in Florida. Tim and I were snootishly skeptical when we started our first ride. “Come on,” we said, “how tough can it be? Florida’s highest point is all of 345 feet above sea level.”
Florida Off Road Biking
2 hours later when Tim tumbled down a 15 foot hill face first into a 3 foot mucky swamp and I was pushing my bike over my 10th hill, we were humbled. This is without a doubt the most fun (even covered in swamp water) that we’d had on a bike on the entire east coast. From the Gator’s Back to the River Loop, Alafia is fabulous riding. In 24 hours, we did 3 rides and were bumped, bruised and giggling.
The Gator Back...scarier than the real thing...
Spanish Moss at Sunset
North Creek at Alafia
Over the Swamp
It was only Tim’s broken pivot screw that convinced us we needed to leave on Sunday morning. We did a quick Jamis (Tim’s Mountain Bike Creator) search and drove into nearby Tampa. On the way we got another humility check. Just outside of Alafia, we’d stopped into a gas station for some diesel. While we sat by the gas pumps, in drove an enormous, shiny black 6 doored Ford F750. Yes I said 750. I’ve never seen a truck with more attitude. Frank is typically perceived as a pretty large vehicle, but compared to this machine, Frank looked like a Mini Cooper. Out climbed a very large, very fit, very intimidating man. We immediately knew he was famous. After some googling and putting together the clues (the baseball and #52 on the mudflaps helped) we knew we’d seen Jose Contreras, a pitcher for the Philly’s, down on Spring training.
We drove away further humbled.
Long Boarding Tampa
In Tampa, we stopped at the local Jamis dealer. We had about a 1/2 hour to wait for him to return so Tim pulled out his long board to cruise the streets. This is a very cool town. Within 10 minutes of him riding, 2 separate guys had stopped (one in mid traffic) to tell him about the local skate park to try his skills. We liked this place immediately.
Tampa Vista
A few hours later we were back on the road heading towards the Florida Panhandle. It was a solid 7 hour drive and we are now officially out of the subtropics. Despite that, we are very glad we’re here. Grayton Beach is charming and we already feel like it’s home. Tonight we celebrate National Margarita Day with our favorite cocktail and look forward to another beautiful day on the beach tomorrow.
Having escaped the heavenly, yet extremely sedate, lifestyle of the Keys, Tim and I are refocused and motivated again. We arrived at Fort Myers Beach on Monday and established an exercise regime after our long hiatus. Tuesday morning we woke up and pedaled from the Mainland to Estero Island.
Strengthening the Core
Here is the beach town of Fort Myers Beach, a perfect place for some interesting road riding. We rode past the many beach houses, seafood houses and tshirt shops with the Gulf Coast Beach peeking between the hotels. After 6 miles, we reached Lovers Key, where you turn off the road and take to the sand. Hard packed yet highly challenging beach riding drains the last bit of energy from the legs.
After our ride, we got comfortable at the San Carlos RV Park where we had prime camping along the San Carlos Canal. With strong wifi, a fridge full of fresh seafood and riding opportunities out our front door, Tim and I were set for the week.
Crab Cakes bring in a Crowd
Each morning we started with a ride, followed by yoga and strength training by the water. We then put in our work day and wrapped up the evening with dinner. This white heron seemed particularly interested in our homemade crab cakes on Mardi Gras Night. While the routine may seem dull, it was just what we needed to get back on track after our Lazy Key Dayz.
For Valentine’s Day, Tim and I celebrated amongst all the romance of the Florida Everglades. Alligators, Spiders, Crocodiles and Mosquitos all add to this special day.
The Everglades
Well we wish they did…
This weekend, Florida is once again awash in an atypical cold front. With lows in the 40’s and highs barely hitting 60, even the mosquitos don’t bother to show up. The result is a very unusual Everglades experience. Bundled up our wool and sweatshirts, we’ve explored the mangrove coves, 3 foot deep manatee filled Florida Bay and gator holes. We’ve found out some surprising misconceptions about this amazing place:
1. The Everglades are not a Swamp. All the water that trickles through this wetland is on a constant move. Nothing is stagnant or still.
Ingredients of the Everglades
2. You come to the Everglades to see the Alligators. Nope. Gators are here for sure (we counted 206 in one day), but most of the travelers are here for the birds. Pink, White, Green, Blue, Tall, Small, the wading birds that feast on the fish, shrimp and bugs are vibrant, plentiful and gorgeous.
3. You’ll see Flamingos in Flamingo. Wrong again. Apparently Flamingos are tasty eating in addition to being that lovely pink color. They used to stop at Flamingo Florida, site of the current camping area in the Everglades, on their migratory path north. When Plume Hunters (bird poachers) discovered this in the early 20th century, they decimated the flocks. Flamingos aren’t dumb. They just stopped coming here, choosing safer routes. Every once in a while a Flamingo will appear here, but it’s very rare.
4. Everglades are infested with spiders, beetles, snakes and mosquitos. We’re told that this is actually true. But based on our experience (in the chilly air), it’s quite pleasant.
Our factoids were easy to gather with our various tour guides of the weekend. Ah but I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s start at the beginning.
Camping on Picture Perfect Long Key
Thursday afternoon, Tim and I made a decision. It was time to leave the Keys. We’d spent an amazing 3 days at our favorite camp spot on Long Key. Here we had beach front camping, ocean breezes and warm weather. We could have stayed longer but we’d delayed our plans for too long already. Friday morning as we got packed up, the Camp Host swung by to ask if we were staying. “There’s high winds predicted tonight,” she said. We told her that we were leaving and she responded “Good timing.” That seemed like our cue.
We drove up through Key Largo and settled into Homestead, our reluctant basecamp throughout the last few months. Arriving at the large local Starbucks, we got comfortable for the work day.
Storms
As promised, by 5 pm the winds picked up. Suddenly the doors of the Starbucks were banging open and shut and an uprooted palm tree flew down the street. Sirens started blaring up and down Route 1 and we were glad we’d hunkered down. While we sipped on coffee and watched chaos outside, Sylvia called with some news. She and Leroy were at the Celebration of the Century of UNC Tarheels Basketball. We wish we could have been there to share the fun!
The storm blew through quickly and 2 hours later, we emerged from Starbucks, ready to tackle our “big city” errands. We grocery shopped, cleaned up Frank and finished the last of our Cracker Barrel Xmas Gift Certificates from Ann and Scott. We also learned that Cracker Barrel is happy to shelter traveling RV’s so we parked Frank for the night.
Next morning we finished our errands with a trip to the Homestead Mrs. Kleen’s Koin Laundromat. Clean and restocked, we drove 15 miles west past Key Lime pie stands and alligator farms to the entrance of the Everglades National Park.
Manatees in Florida Bay
This 1.5 million acre area is totally unique from any ecosystem in the US. We took a backcountry boat tour through the floating mangrove forests with Captain Frank. Here we saw mahogany trees, endangered manatees, pineapple-like airplants and the deadly manicheel tree. Calusa Indians used this toxic tree’s sap for their poison arrows that killed Ponce De Leon. A favorite torture was to leave unfortunate captured Spaniards tied to the tree. “Don’t eat the apples,” Captain Frank deadpanned.
Air Plants
Captain Frank was quite the character. 70 years old and still sporting an earring, he had stories of the Everglades from the early days. “We’d come out here, kill a wild pig and barbeque it with pineapple and swamp cabbage (hearts of palm)”, he’d reminisce affectionately. He also loved to pepper his stories with cliffhangers. He’d tell us, “Next, I’ll tell you about the one thing that gives life to all else here in the Everglades…Things could get interesting,” and kick the boat into overdrive for 10 minutes of silence. We were a captive audience waiting for the next installment.
Aboard the Pelican
Off the boat, we set up camp at Flamingo Campground. As promised, there were no flamingos. But we were surrounded a dozen exuberant kids that were equally entertaining.
Sunday we woke up to another chilly and blissfully mosquito free day. We decided it was finally time for a bike ride and we pedaled 4 miles up the road to Snake Bight Trail. A bight is a bay within a bay, but as we pedaled through the dense mangroves we appreciated the cleverness of the name. A few degrees warmer and I could imagine a Burmese Python dropping on us from the dense canopy overhead. Yep, Burmese Pythons are the newest local of the Everglades after multiple Floridians decided this was the best place to dump their unwanted exotic snakes.
Emerging from the forest, we reached a platform over Florida Bay. Ahead of us showy Roseate Spoonbills, snowy Great White Egrets and frisky Ibus feasted on the shrimp embedded in the mud exposed by the low tide. It was one of the most peaceful places Tim and I have seen on our trip.
River of Grass
We pedaled back to the campsite in time for a gorgeous pink Valentine’s Day sunset.
Monday we decided it was time to see some alligators. We drove to Anhinga Trailhead after hearing we may see some wildlife. That was an understatement. We walked around the side of the ranger station and saw alligators sunning themselves, anhinga peppering the trees and hundreds of herons, egrets, ibuses and ducks. It was hard to stop taking pictures of the locals.
The Anhinga
The Great Blue Heron
Ibus and the Roseate Spoonbill
On the Prowl
The Gators are no Threat...it's the Vultures!
After a delightful hour we then packed up again and drove out of the Everglades around the perimeter of the Park and back in at Shark Valley. On our bikes, we pedaled the 14 mile loop out to Shark Tower, a 60 foot tall observatory. Here we found the Everglades we expected. Pedaling down the path you would look over and there was a 12 foot alligator 2 feet away. It was a little unnerving….fortunately they were far more interested in getting some warm sun than Tim or I.
Riding through the Everglades
Gator Pecking Order
After the bike ride we made our way up to Fort Myers Beach which will be our home for the next week. We’re steadily heading north up the Gulf Coast of the Florida, even if the weather isn’t cooperating. We’ve got a date with Austin in March and we don’t want to be late!
Wednesday began the journey of 8 people from all corners of the East Coast to gather in Utah for the Fifth Annual 429 – a – palooza Ski/Superbowl Weekend. Tim and I started our trek from Miami. We took the day off from work and drove to South Beach to absorb the Superbowl Mayhem.
Miami Beach Time
We tanned in front of the ESPN announcers and walked past Kid Rock to get our coffee. Miami overflowed with all things Saints and Colts. We chuckled at the irony as we boarded the plane in Miami to fly 2000 miles watch the Superbowl in Park City.
The Best Parallel Parking Job of All Time
As we came up from the South, Chico and Mel escaped the 3 feet of snow in DC the same night. We all landed in SLC at about the same time and drove to Park City for Night One of 429-a-palooza. Having arrived after midnight, the party was decidedly tame. We popped in at the Hauschild Park City Villa to say hello to Jimmy and then headed to bed.
ESPN on South Beach
Next day we all gathered back at the Hauschild’s where we found Kevin Frazier in from Maryland and ready to ski. Chico, Mel and Frazier left for a sunny day on the slopes at the Canyons while Tim, Jimmy, Trish and I all went to our respective “offices”.
Dinner at the Red Iguana
After a productive work and ski day we all piled into our brand new (17 miles on the odometer) rental Suburban to go back to Salt Lake. We picked up Jimmie and Keri from their house and parked at the Red Iguana, home to the finest mole north of El Paso. Here we met Rick, a friend of Mel’s who very generously allows us to stay in his Park City condo each year. Many tortilla chips and margaritas later our Designated Driver, Jimmie Hauschild drove us to the airport to gather the last of our straggling travelers, Mark and Casey Weiser.
Finally 429 was reunited again. We all went home to our respective beds with visions of Alta dancing in our heads. Friday morning started with the traditional Einstein’s Bagel pickup and a trip up Cottonwood Canyon to Alta Ski Resort. It was on the car ride that we were all first introduced to The Commander. Also known as Jeff, The Commander had become intrigued with Mark’s tales of the legendary 429-a-palooza one night at a party in Arlington. He promptly booked his airline ticket. As a Naval Commander/Flight Surgeon and all around great guy with a terrific sense of humor, he fit right in.
My Office at the Goldminer's Daughter
Chico and The Commander
Though Friday was a work day for me, I got a taste of the mountain by setting up shop at Alta’s Goldminer’s Daughter while everyone else rode the lifts up. The snow was good and inspired Tim, Frazier, Chico and The Commander to ski Alta’s steep chutes. The Commander started his ski vacation right with an unexpected 10 foot air that he never saw coming. It was an impressive beginning.
Mel and Kevin after a good day at Alta
We gathered again at the base for Happy Hour and then drove back to Park City to meet Trish for pizza and Margaritas at the Hauschilds. The hot tub filled up immediately and the tequila flowed. 3 hours later, a quiet night at the house had turned into a raucous dance party where shirtless guys hung from the mantle and danced on the tables. While the party raged, The Commander watched amazed, looking as if he may have had second thoughts about his decision to come to Utah.
429-a-Palooza at Its Finest
It was late when we all fell asleep and Saturday morning came very early the next day. Tim and I woke up to knock on our bedroom door. Jimmy Shell had driven up from Salt Lake City for a day of skiing and wasn’t going to be deterred by our sluggishness. We rallied everyone together, revived ourselves with more bagels, hydrated with coffee and got back into the Suburban to head to the Canyons. By this time our group was 12 strong. We piled onto lifts and headed up the mountain. The snow was soft, with a few new inches on top.
Frazier and Tim's self portrait
It was the Terrain Park that got the most attention from our crowd. Jimmy Hauschild started the day with a spectacular yard sale crash off a roller. The mountain echoed from the sound of multiple helmets banging off the tabletop rail. It was my first day on skis all year after no strenuous exercise during my month in the Keys. After 3 runs I was back at the base of the hill, renting a snowboard. Much better.
Steaks on the Grill
We wrapped up the day early in order to head to the store to shop for dinner. Traditionally we always go out for a big dinner in Park City, but this year we decided to cook our feast at home. The menu began with Casey’s delicious bean dip, Tim and my bacon wrapped stuffed jalepinos, and Trish’s legendary cheese fondue. Next we grilled filet mignon, munched on Caesar salad, and devoured Mel’s twice baked mashed potatoes all washed down with Margaritas. Jose Cuervo once more made his appearance.
Who Dat?
By the end of the night Dance Party 2 was in full force. Tim and The Commander got in a Pushup Contest. It wasn’t even close. Tim did 10 pushups, which the Commander topped with his own 10 pushups. The only difference between the two sets was that the Commander completed his 10 with Mel standing – yes standing – on his back. Sorry Tim…no contest.
Clean Up
The party finally died down when The Hangover came on the television. There couldn’t have been a more fitting movie for the day.
When Superbowl Sunday dawned, Tim and I collectively decided to take the day off from the slopes. Frazier, Casey, Weis, Chico, Mel and the Commander made their way up to Deer Valley, while Jimmie, Trish, Johan, Tim and I puttered around the house getting ready for the annual Superbowl Bash.
Thin Miami Blood
Jimmie Shell and Keri drove up from Salt Lake just in time to place some bets before the game. In addition to who would win (the Saints of course) we also had to put some money down on how many times the cameras would show Kim Kardashian in the crowd and how often the newscasters referenced Hurricane Katrina among other ridiculous wagers. Vegas will place odds on anything.
The Ladies
The crowd was definitely biased towards the Saints and everybody was in a very good mood when the 4th Quarter came to a close. Kim K hadn’t made it to the game so we lost that bet, but the important ones worked out. We then wrapped up the night with our slideshow of the weekend’s greatest moments. Tim whipped it together during the second half, picking through 10 hours of video and hundreds of photos, finding the very best. It’s a great way to end a fabulous weekend.
Tonight we are back on the Keys in our favorite campground on Long Key. Casey, Weiser, Chico, Mel, Frazier and The Commander survived the blizzard and multiple delays to make it safely back to DC. Another successful 429 – a – palooza has come and gone. Only 360 days until 6.0!
After a night of covert camping beach side at Key West, Tim and I decided it was time to move on. We’d enjoyed our time in Key West but with no place to stay, it was time to go. We drove out of town without a plan until 20 miles up the road, we turned right into the Sugarloaf KOA.
Hard Day at Work
Here was, without a doubt, the friendliest, cleanest, nicest facility we’d come across in Florida. Though we thought we’d just spend Wednesday there, we ended up staying here for 3 nights. On our last evening on Friday, we struck up a conversation with our new neighbors, Kathy and Frank. They were visiting from DC and had brought their kayaks. Frank gave us some recommendations of places to see on Saturday.
Our KOA Office
We woke up early Saturday eager to explore. We’d decided we’d rent boats from the nearby Sugarloaf Marina and explore the mangrove creeks that split the Keys in all directions. We chatted with Frank and they invited us to join them on their paddle, an invitation we eagerly accepted.
Kathy and I check to see what is swimming beneath us
Mangrove Exploration
We started from the Marina with the wind at our back. We quickly left the main bay and ducked into a small channel cutting through the banks of dense foliage. This small creek was the entrance into a different world. The crystal clear water couldn’t hide the many varieties of fish, starfish, conchs that find a home here. I broke my paddle down to two pieces in order to steer through a mangrove tunnel that was no wider than my boat. Tim and I worked to keep up with Frank and Kathy as they pointed out the many varieties of wildlife we passed.
Through the Tunnel
Frank Leads us Through the Mangroves
After 2 hours of creeks, we broke through to a larger bay. Here we hugged the mangrove banks on a shark hunt. Nurse sharks will doze on the bottom of the shallow sand flats allowing a kayaker to glide right over them. This 5 foot shark not only didn’t mind us there, but seemed curious about our boats and swam to each of us investigating.
Lazy Nurse Shark
We saw black bull sharks, rays and more nurse sharks as we slowly made our way up the banks. We can’t thank Frank and Kathy enough for sharing these secret caches of amazing wildlife.
After we pulled our boats out, we said goodbye, packed up Frank and started to make our way north. We are flying out of Miami on Wednesday for our annual 429-a-palooza trek to Park City so we are slowly making our Keys escape.
We drove up to Marathon Key, the midway point of the Keys, where we planned to go to the 1st Annual Keys Traditional Music Festival. When we pulled up to the venue, we weren’t impressed. A tent in the parking lot marked the stage where about 100 folding chairs were set up. This wasn’t quite what we had in mind, so we turned around, keeping our $30 in our pocket and drove to an interesting restaurant we’d passed on our way.
Porky’s BBQ and Seafood sits right on the water. When we walked across the uneven floor and sat down next to the pelicans, we knew were in the right place. Here we ate oysters, ribs and conch fritters, sipped $6.00 pitchers of Key West Ale and listened to Rocketman, a local icon play Jimmy Buffett tunes.
3 hours later, we were still there, watching basketball and making new friends with the locals. We ended up joining them at the Hurricane, a fun bar that is hidden in plain sight on the Overseas Highway. We kicked back and listened to another good local band. We felt like we’d still gotten our share of traditional Keys Music after all.
This morning we woke up after another covert camping escapade, wanting something a little more “permanent”. We love to be able to camp almost anywhere, but there is something to be said for a place to come home to. And Marathon, though fun for the night, is not a particularly attractive town. We drove away, passing two gold helmeted motorcyclists sporting matching “Jesus is Lord” leather jackets. Time to get going.
Fixing a Flat With an Amazing View
It was one of those days where we had no expectations. We didn’t have plans or reservations anywhere. We just decided to see what would come our way. 10 miles outside of Marathon, we noticed some amazing camp sites that were right on the ocean. We kept driving and came across the entrance for Long Key State Park. We pulled in to see what we’d find.
Long Key Camping
We couldn’t believe our luck when the host told us that for the first time in weeks, they had a few empty sites. “This is the best camping in the Keys”, she said. We agree. We drove in and parked Frank 10 feet from the Atlantic Ocean under a palm tree.
Floridays
Here we had one of the best days we’ve had on our trip. We made a delicious crab quesadilla for lunch, went biking on a hard packed sand trail through the hardwood “hammock”, and then grilled over a camp fire 5 feet away from the Atlantic Ocean. We love Floridays.
We Started Driving US1 in Maine...We've finally came to the End of the Road
After a blog break, there is much to catch up on. We’ll start on Thursday with our arrival to Key West. We pulled into town early in the morning and Frank was making a horrible racket. Armstrong Ford had told us that the van just needed some new bushings and could be driven with no problem, but when we clunked and clang across town, we decided to get a second opinion.
Frank's Broken Axle
We found Duncan Ford and Dean their service manager walked out of the office to take a look. “Hmmm,” he said, “smells like axle fluid.” 3 hours later Frank’s wheels were off…again. They’d pulled the rear axle and sure enough our axle bearings were bad. Not only that, the bad bearings has worn a perfect groove into the axle. Had we continued to drive, it would have snapped and the wheel would have come off. So two completely wrong diagnoses later, we finally had our clanking solved. The next day Frank was running quietly as a mouse…ok a big deisel mouse, but he was definitely way quieter. It’s a huge relief.
Sign at the Coffee Plantation - Everything in Key West Comes at a Price
Meanwhile while Frank was finally getting treatment, we met up with Ann and Scott. They’d driven down for a long weekend from Fort Lauderdale and brought beautiful weather with them. We spent the next two days hanging out by their condo’s beautiful pool, enjoying great Key West meals and sunsets and even better Jackson Hole company.
Lunch Break
Sunsets are Their Specialty
Mark and Christine, our friends from Connecticut, came down on Saturday and we spent two very fun nights dancing to the nonstop party on Duval Street. Sunday was dedicated to beach time and they too realized the dangerous pull of Keys Disease.
Mallory Square Jesters
Monday we were back at the condo with Ann and Scott where we relaxed and recovered. We ended the night with the final slices of Mrs. Mac’s Key Lime Pie, washed down with the last sips of the Bourne’s Limoncello. It was the perfect farewell to Key West.
Farewell to Another Beautiful Day
Today everyone has left. After a bit more exploring of the gorgeous Key West Gardens and the Hemingway house, Tim and I are camping by the ocean on the A1A. We’ll miss everyone dearly, but we console ourselves with the last two Key Lime Beingets left over from breakfast this morning. Now if the Tarheels could just pull out a win!
Exotic Palms
Hemingway's
Due to our long break, we are also overdue in wishing many birthdays! Warm belated tidings to Pat, Sylvia, John, and DC. We love you guys!
We’d been warned…but I think we may have caught it despite ourselves. Tim and I seem to come down with a serious case of Keys Disease. Folks say it’s a state of mind, and I’d have to agree, once on the Florida Keys, you just don’t want to leave.
Sunrise on the Keys
After a week of cold temperatures and work, we finally began to understand the draw when the sun broke out, and the thermometer read 78 on Friday. Frank’s doors stayed open all day to let in the warm air.
Looking out to Bahia Honda
Saturday was our day to play so we started early. Though showers were in the forecast, we didn’t let that deter us. After a light breakfast we got on our bikes and road 7 miles to nearby Big Pine Key. Here 300 tiny Key Deer rule the roads. Speed limits are posted at 35 to make sure no endangered Key Deer is lost. We spotted 2 of these dog sized fawns while pedaling through town. We then biked out to No Name Key.
Feral Rooster or Tasty Alligator Snack
No Name Key is a largely undeveloped area that demonstrates what the Keys would look like without a developer’s intervention. Swampy muddy mangrove forests, and coral beaches are the Florida Key’s true side. These sanctuaries support an amazing variety of birds, as well as alligators, deer, feral iguana, snakes, and scorpions. It’s not for the faint of heart.
Sunshine on Bahia Honda
We spent our morning riding throughout No Name, pedaling until our trails petered out in some boggy mess. By noon, we were tired, hot and sweaty and ready for beach time. We rode back to the Sunshine Key and packed up Frank. Our next destination was Bahia Honda, the one “true” beach in the Keys. No sand was ever transferred here. Both the bayside and ocean side beaches are natural and gorgeous. Our afternoon was spent napping on warm sand. The water is still frigid from the week’s cold weather so there is no swimming to be done, but we still thoroughly enjoyed our beach time.
The Old Bridge across Bahia Honda
As the sun went down we walked up on the old Bahia Honda bridge. As you can see, sections have been removed to keep people off, but the silhouette is still beautiful in the sunset.
After a near perfect Key day, we weren’t done. We then went in search of the area’s 5th Annual Seafood Festival. We weren’t quite sure where it was, but after driving up and down Big Pine Key, we realized it was down the road 30 miles in Key West. We were hungry and had no plans for the evening so we took Highway 1 all the way south.
We drove to Bayview Park and stuffed ourselves on rock lobster, conch fritters and grouper. The crowd was mostly locals and it was really fun to see a different side of Key West than Duval Street. We hung out and listened to music while the Festival wound down. We chatted with a few residents and discovered that camping next to the park wouldn’t be a problem. With our sleeping arrangements solved, we walked downtown.
It doesn’t seem to matter what time of year it is, Key West is always hopping. We toured the local bars, watched football, sipped margaritas and even danced until late into the night.
Frank by the Beach
We woke up early the next morning hoping to get a little more beach time. On the advice of a local, we skipped the fake man-made beaches and instead drove to Fort Zachery Taylor where we found the best beach we’d seen yet. If you are in Key West, this is THE beach.
A Perfect Day for a Sail
Tim and I parked Frank with perfect seaside views and watched as the morning storms rolled through. By noon the rain cleared and we started to chat with a fellow beach comber. Bob from Miami, told us that the many sailboats that we saw on the horizon were part of the Key West Race Week. We got more and more excited as we heard that world class competitors would be in Key West all week racing. Today they were practicing and getting their crews lined out, before Monday’s races began.
Fast Around the Buoy
The wind was blowing hard, and we watched in awe as the boats cruised across the waves. Many of the boats are completely flat bottomed with only a spear like 20 foot long keel and rudder. This makes them incredibly fast. We couldn’t believe how quickly they circled the buoys. Frank couldn’t make a turn that fast. It was an inspiring afternoon.
Moving Quick
We then rode to town for some more football and to split a Sloppy Grouper. This enormous sandwich starts with fresh caught fried grouper on a toasted hoagy roll. The kitchen then tops it with pickles, lettuce, tomato, coleslaw, bacon, FRENCH FRIES, and tarter sauce. We split one of these delicious messes and were stuffed. It’s yet another Must Do on the Key West list.
Heading Home
Our last errand for the day was to pick up a Conch Shell for Frank so that we can now participate in the Sunset Key 5:00 pm Conch Blow. With Conch in hand we drove back to our site, after a fabulous Key weekend.
Finally the chill of winter is wearing off the Conch Republic. Though still in the 50’s, the sun is out and the Northern wind has ceased. Soon we hope to feel those famous warm temps!
Meanwhile Tim and I have stayed busy working and living on the Sunshine Key. We are surrounded by Snow Birds who flock to the Keys each year for sunshine and camaraderie. Though we are some of the youngest around, everyone greets us like old friends. It’s truly the friendliest small town in America, even if everyone’s “homes” are on wheels.
Restless Native
Today’s work day was halted abruptly when a guy who found an iguana hanging out in a tree above his RV brought him around the camp to show off. Tim and I piled out of the van for evidence of exoticness in our chilly home. Surely with an iguana in camp there must be warmer weather around the corner?
Fewer Layers, Getting Warmer
Our work day was again paused as 5:00 rolled around. Over the last two days as the clock strikes Happy Hour, we hear a distant sound:
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
In the quiet evening, the faint tune is joined by another…and another. At 5:00 the residents of the Sunshine Key raise their conchs and toast the end of another day. Cocktail hour follows as folks emerge from their RV’s to meet and greet their neighbors.
By Request, a Gratuitous Ring Shot
Next on the agenda is a spectacular sunset that lights up the sky with reds, purples, and golds. Tim and I have discovered our favorite spot for the day’s encore pageant. We head out of a mangrove forest to the end of a secluded pier overlooking Bahia Honda to the West. From our box seats we watch as cranes glide inches above the water, schools of fish dart between the mangrove roots and the sun sets behind the distant palm trees.
Sun Sets on the Conch Republic
The longer we stay, the longer we push out any other plans. We may never leave.
As we huddle in Frank on the Sunshine Key while 30 mph Northern winds blast above us, Tim and I reflect on the dubious records we’ve been a part of over the last 5 months. Though our trip was designed to escape Wyoming Winter, we feel like we have a stormy stalker.
The Palm Trees Blow
For the period between October-December, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia have set records for the most rain EVER since they began recording 115 years ago. Our October-December was spent in…you guessed it: Delaware, Maryland and Virginia.
This November alone was Virginia’s 2nd wettest in 115 years. December was the wettest. Yeah we were here then too.
Snow in S. Fla? Miami Speculates
While we were in Miami, the coldest Orange Bowl ever was played. Today the temperatures dropped to 35 degrees, coldest since 1970.
Even in the Sunshine Key, Jackson Hole is Represented
Now we can’t really complain since our home of Jackson has been facing -20 degrees every night, but come on…we’d be ecstatic with even an AVERAGE low. But all that being said, we’re grateful for what we’ve got, at 55 degrees we are warmer than just about everywhere else in the States.
Wintery Keys Sunset
We hope the chilly weather will break by Thursday and we’ll see 70 degrees for the first time since we’ve begun our trip. Meanwhile, we’ll turn the heater on and snuggle in for a wintery evening in the Keys.
Tonight we spend another night in Homestead, Florida. Frank’s new hubs have been ordered from Sportsmobile. They are slated for arrival tomorrow morning, at which time Armstrong Ford will move like lightening to get them installed and get us out of here. We’ve become like family and just like family sometimes can be, they’ll be glad to see us leave.
Palm Tree Paradise
We’ve spent the last two nights shuttling between our hotel room at the Floridian and the Starbucks across the street. Though not luxurious with its orange and green tropical motif, the Floridian has all the required attributes for a hotel: stone’s throw from a Starbucks, easy walking distance to groceries, fridge in the room, kitty corner to the Ford shop, and cheap. After bleeding money for 2 weeks, cheap is very welcome.
Room 234 at the Floridian Hotel
We’re ready to head south. Tomorrow the temperatures continue their slow creep towards 70 degrees. It’s not a moment too soon. This morning I went to turn on the heat in the room.
“What’s that smell?” Tim asked.
A trickle of smoke came out of the heater as 5 years of unburned dust smoldered in the rarely used unit. The trickle built momentum. We decided that though it was probably fine – just some dust – we didn’t have a fire extinguisher if things got out of hand, so we better turn it off.
Instead we continue our southern Florida experience in sweatshirts and jeans, hoping for some good news tomorrow. I see our luck turning!
Tonight on our last night in South Beach, we reflect on the moments of this unusual but hilarious, chilly vacation. Frank’s still in the shop and in the meantime we’ve traveled to South Beach Miami in a UHaul Cargo van for an unexpected 4 day detour from our stay in the Keys. We all packed for traditional Southern Florida weather, so this week was all about adaptability as the temperature plunged to damp 30’s at night and brisk 50’s – 60’s during the day.
Chilly South Beach
Here we share our highlights:
Bradshaw and Shell Reunited Again
Steelers Win! And what a game it was. The pregame tailgate was about 65% Steeler fans and their momentum carried the team. Other than Green Bay, I am not sure you will ever see such a loyal fan base. Even die-hard Miami fans had never seen their stadium taken over like they did on Sunday.
Landshark Panaroma
Steelers Victory
Delano Hotel. Just 6 blocks down from our humble Carlton, towers the Delano, Madonna’s inspired South Beach icon. We’ve all been to nice properties, but as Keri and I walked through filmy curtains to elbow out Georgio Armani models to get our 7$ Coronas at the bar, this was very very different.
Beach Paths and Palm Trees. Even as Arctic winds blazed across the sand, the beauty of this place shines through. Tim and Jimmie were disappointed that the famed bathing bikini beauties stayed inside, but there was no doubt that the beaches, architecture and physiques of South Beach are incredible.
Miami Sunrise
Avatar in 3D. Okay, this isn’t a Miami exclusive experience, but what an experience that movie is. We donned our snazzy 3D glasses and sat back for the best use of a half billion dollars since the Bear Stearns bailout. Obama only wishes his money went so far. We all went to bed exhausted after feeling like we’d run miles through Pandora’s jungles.
3D Never Looked Better
Tomorrow, we’ll sadly drop Jimmie and Keri at the Miami Airport and then return to Homestead where Frank sits waiting for his new hubs. Hopefully Friday we’ll be on the road again, we’ve had a great time in South Beach, but it will be good to be reunited with our home once more.
Since the Ball dropped on America, our lives have become more and more surreal.
After our Black Eyed Pea Breakfast, we packed up and went to the beach. The weather report called for rain, but the sun was sparkling and the temperature in the 70’s. It was cool for the locals but just right for us thick blooded Rocky Mountain folk.
Beach time in 2010
We spent the entire afternoon with good music and sunshine, watching the kite boarders off in the distance. Clouds rolled in at about 3 so we went back to camp for showers. By the time we’d pulled in, the sprinkles began. 15 minutes later we were drenched with rain. Tim and I took shelter in our tent as the water pooled up around the sides. The deluge ended about an hour later and we emerged to a beautiful sunset. We cleaned ourselves up and cabbed back to town for fish sandwiches at BO’s Fish Wagon and hilarious entertainment at Captain Tony’s, Florida’s oldest Bar. Here Buffett got his start. Hemingway, John Kennedy, and Pacino have all graced its dingy doors. It’s a mecca to not be missed.
Saturday morning Tim and I woke up early with a plan. Today we hoped to pick up fixed Frank in Homestead and then find a place to give Jimmie and Keri their surprise Christmas present. We packed up camp, visited the US’s Southernmost Point and were on the road by 9 heading to Miami.
Key West's Famous Southern Most Point
After traffic jams all the way up the Keys, we arrived back to Armstrong Ford. Frank’s hubs were getting remachined and were on the way back to dealer as we arrived. Time was ticking. The rental car had to be returned by 3 if Frank was going to be ready. But if the hubs didn’t work, we had to keep the car through the weekend. It was 2:45 pm when the hubs arrived. All the mechanics gathered around to look at the work and agreed these were going to work. Tim hopped in the car and returned the car to Enterprise just as Enterprise closed up for the weekend. Keri and I went to the grocery store to restock our supplies for Frank.
As we stood in line for the checkout, I noticed my phone had 8 messages. DON’T BUY ANYTHING, Jimmie Shell said. The hubs didn’t work. The bolts were slightly offset and Frank’s wheels still didn’t fit. Now we had no place to stay, no car, and nobody in Homestead was open.
We needed a little morale lift for the troops so Tim unveiled Jimmie and Keri’s Christmas present. We had 4 tickets for Sunday’s Steelers/Miami game at Landshark Stadium. We had to get north.
Frank's Sub
It was time to get even craftier. With no rental car places open on Saturday, we took the next best thing. A UHaul Cargo Van. We loaded up everything we’d need for a tailgate and made a reservation for South Beach Miami and got on the road.
The King in his Castle
South Beach on a Saturday is rocking. After checking into the Carlton Hotel, we hit the streets to explore. We settled into a pizzeria on the corner of Empasado and Washington and people watched, ate delicious thin crust pizzas and toasted to Frank’s substitute and good friends.
Dinner on the Boulevard
Despite our plans being turned upside down, our Florida posse has bounced back. Now we sit in the parking lot of Landshark Stadium with our $19.95 a day UHaul cargo van celebrating the Steelers. We’ll need more New Year’s luck for Frank on Monday, but today we are enjoying a beautiful day in Miami!
We’d been told. No we’d been WARNED. Key West on New Years is wild. As we sit in the sun after our New Years Day breakfast of Cowboy Omelet, Black eyed peas, Collard Greens and Bloody Marys, we have to agree.
“I think I’m gaining weight by the hour” Jimmie informed us. But with all the fun we’d had, it was worth it.
Per Scott's Recommendation, we had to pick up the best Key Lime Pie in the Keys
Yesterday we started the festivities on our drive across the Keys in our rented Ford Taurus. Each of us reflected on the best parts of 2009. Tim and I agreed that our highlight was our engagement and all our travels and time with friends and family. For Jimmie and Keri it was their trip to Morocco. Talladega was also on the list for the guys and we reminisced about the funniest times of each of our highlights.
The Sun Goes Down on 2009
In good spirits despite the notable missing member (Frank) of our party, we arrived to Boyds Campground in Key West. Here we wasted no time getting ready and heading to town. We walked back out to the front of the campground to catch a cab and David the Cabbie pulled in front of us at about 50 mph.
“Did you call for a cab?” he shouted.
“No, but we need one”, we said.
“Get in! Get in!” and just like that we were on our way. David gave us the rundown on the 3 “drops” of Key West: the Conch Shell, the Slipper (which holds the Drag Queen Miss Sushi ), and the Wench. He also told us where we’d find the best Burger and the Best Margarita in town. Luckily these establishments are right across the street from each other so this became our immediate destination.
The Real Queens of Key West
After Irish tunes and margaritas, we hit the streets and joined the throng of people. We saw girls wrapped in boa constrictors, got showered with beads, and shared New Years kisses as the Conch dropped. After that we had to go see Key West’s famed Garden of Eden. Seeing is truly believing.
Happy New Year!
By 2am and one sketchy cab ride later we were safe and sound back at Boyds, pitching our new $30 Walmart Tent. What a way to ring in the New Year.
As Tim, Jimmie, Keri and I drove down the road to Florida City, we noticed a noise.
“What is that grinding?” Tim asked. We all listened.
A few minutes later, I said, “I don’t know, but it’s getting worse.”
Frank's New Year's Hospital Bed
We drove the last 10 miles to our destination listening as a light thump became a grind. We had problems. We parked in Walmart and started googling the nearest Ford Dealer. 2 miles back up the road was Armstrong Ford. It was here our Divine Comedy began.
Wednesday morning we drove into the dealership. Jimmie had already diagnosed our problem: bad wheel bearings. Edgar our mechanic confirmed it. They ordered new hubs from Miami that morning and we figured we’d still make our Key West reservation that night.
After working all day inside in the waiting room, we found out the news. The ordered hubs from Miami had come in. And they were the WRONG size. It would be another hour drive north to pick up a new set. We wouldn’t be getting our hubs until Thursday morning.
Well it was a minor setback, we said. We got a room at the Floridian next door and drank margaritas at Ruby Tuesday celebrating the fact that this hadn’t happened a day later in Key West.
Thursday morning we were up early and walked back to Armstrong. The hubs had arrived and Edgar was incentived with a $50 tip to get us back on the road by 10 am. He got the hubs out and stopped. Our custom wheels had extra large lugs. The hubs weren’t going to fit. They needed to be custom machined to work.
Edgar then began the search for a machine shop that would customize these hubs on New Years Eve asap. Just down the road we found the place. The machining went well but they struggled getting the bolts out of the old hub to move to the new. Edgar located new bolts and took them over and the machine shop went to work.
By 2 pm the hubs were ready. With only an hour required to get them on, we would make our new goal of 3 pm to hit the road. Edgar unwrapped the hubs….and groaned.
The machine shop had spent all afternoon putting the wrong bolts on. Our wrecked bolts were now attached to the sparkling new hubs, and our new bolts were still in their bag.
Well when faced with adversity, it was time to be crafty. We all pulled our things out of the van, rented a car and drove to Walmart. We are now armed with $14 sleeping bags, a new tent and driving to Key West, with or without Frank. We hope to get him Saturday or Monday…but until then the 4 of us will have a great New Year “roughing it” in the Keys. It may rain but at 70 degrees we’ll survive. See you all in 2010!
Recent Comments