AQBieEVi0ou4Zj8d5b8j10nI45wzE3JOTdXUUGyEpqXLptoV4hKcembCUkKestAfwb2tWHXQH8DHSm99K-1T_7-iS3So_E9NFd94AbtJcALobB1r8TAyc9aa36FCgVuKsLHO5Rxh-lPDagblaM2IXSQ5ZquBuokBUTWj5OnQNevHTaNb1yuW_lgbD4UfDRAG965fjS4cvYECg4SLusuJ_AipmQtbO7jxz3t_zBEkOeLbDA

Keys Disease

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.

Another Sunset in the Keys

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.

Bahia Honda State Park

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 Roosters of Key West

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.

Bahia Honda Beach Time

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.

Sunset on Old Bahia Honda Bridge

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 at the Beach - Key West

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.

Great Day for Saling

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.

Turns on the Buoy

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.

Prelimaries at Key West Race Week

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

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.

Home

Fort Zachary's Sculpture Garden...feels like home

Comments (7):

  1. Melinda

    January 17, 2010 at 9:53 pm

    I’ve been anxious for your next installment…..this was worth the wait! And thanks for all the great pictures, too!

  2. Dad

    January 18, 2010 at 4:09 am

    WOW!!!!!! Photography is GEORGEOUS!!!

    MORE! MORE! MORE!

    Love the ring shots!

  3. Ann

    January 18, 2010 at 11:17 am

    Glad you made it to the seafood festival. I didn’t learn about this until yesterday afternoon (after the fact) or would have made sure ML knew it was coming up! We are making our own trek southward and looking forward to seeing you in a few days.

  4. rhett bain

    January 18, 2010 at 1:31 pm

    What a winter to skip so far…………ICY, ICY, ICY!! Still waiting for the dumperewski!!

    Big Pine is where my favorite place is to hunt them big ol tarpons!!

    Remember ” the road goes on forever and the party never ends”

    The key to the conquering the disease is cold beer, oysters and lots of rum!!

  5. Tim

    January 18, 2010 at 2:02 pm

    Thanks Rhett!! I’ve tried these medicines but they only treat the symptoms, not the disease itself, and in fact often prolong the disease…

  6. Dad & Lisa

    January 21, 2010 at 9:05 pm

    wow…….what great pictures…..as always Tim you have out-done yourself!!!!

    The ring is as spectacular as the lady who now wears it and her betrothed!!!!
    we are soooooo happy for the two of you and welcome to the family Tim…..as if you weren’t already a part of it!!! 🙂

    We are guessing that you are enjoying the beach sooooooooo much that the 17th was our last update and today being the 21st…..you have definately come down with “the disease” !!! 🙂 Hey…..sounds like a great disease to come down with……hope your weather keeps up! Hugggss to you both….give the conch a toot for us and don’t forget……

    we love you,
    Dad & Lisa

  7. rhett

    January 24, 2010 at 3:57 pm

    we gots the dumperewski……….finally!!! 5 feet

Leave a Reply

%d bloggers like this: