April 12, 2016

Day 61

We spent the morning at the Dolphin Research Center.  When it’s time to leave, E T does not want to go.  As soon as we get near the exit she stops and won’t walk.

After lunch David dropped Rowan and I off at the Bus Stop.  The Lower Keys Shuttle (bus) system is great way to get to Key West without driving.  ($1.50 one way senior /  $2.00 student).   No trip to the Keys is complete without spending time in Key West.  David and     E T will drive in later and join us for a trip to Fort  Zachary Taylor Historic Park and dinner. After all the years we have been coming to the Keys this will be our first time at the Fort.

First Stop … Mallory Square and the Key West Historic Memorial Sculpture Garden.

Next Stop Ernest Hemingway’s House ($13 per person CASH only)

Then across the street to tour the Key West Lighthouse (88 steps to the top) and Keepers Quarters Museum. ($9 senior / $5 student).

Fresnel Lens

We met David and E T at the corner of Truman and Whitehead a couple miles from Fort Zachary Taylor.

So, here is my story of the day!  There is a very nice partially shaded hiking trail around the Fort.   As we’re walking, David spots this very cool bird in the trees. I’d never seen one like it before.   It’s a little climb down and between some branches, but I finagle my way to a good position to take a photo.  David and Rowan leave me there.  They have both had enough of my “birding”.   I’m getting the camera ready and I feel something on my head (hat).  It’s not slithering,  it’s kind of like a tapping.  I step away and look up.  It’s another bird, just like the one I’m trying to photograph.  It was was pecking at my hat.  Well,  I was a bit startled and did kind of a hop and jump move down into the rocks and brush.  Nope,  not a snake … Iguanas.  I don’t know how many,  but they took off every which way.  They scared the dickens out of me, but I didn’t run.  I wanted a photo of the bird that was pecking on my head 🙂

We decided not to stay in Key West for dinner.  On the way to Marathon, in Big Pine, there is a VERY dog friendly restaurant, Boondocks.  Rowan and I had the best Mac and Cheese ever, David had a Burger and Fries, E T had 2 Bacon Beggin’ Strips 🙂

Another Fabulous Day !

April 10, 2016.
Days 60

Rowan is an  early bird and was up at dawn every morning to catch the sunrise from his favorite perch.

This is Rowan’s third time coming to the Keys with us.  Like us,  he has his favorite things to do.

While Rowan and David took care of some business on the beach, I did some bird watching.

Rowan and I biked a portion of the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail.  This is a 106.5 mile asphalt rail trail that goes from Key Largo to Key West.   We were always on the lookout for what I call Iguanas and Rowan informed me  were “Pigeons of the South”.

During both of Rowan’s  previous trips to Marathon we took him to The Dolphin Research Center (DRC) to swim with the Dolphins.  This time he passed on swimming with them, but had a lot of fun introducing E T to them.  DRC is VERY dog friendly.  We went back twice with Rowan and ET.  It is a wonderful refuge center and College.  Louie, my favorite dolphin was rescued from the BP oil spill in Louisiana.  He had a 5% chance of making it and today is thriving at DRC.   The Dolphins were as interested in E T as she was in them, as you’ll see in the slideshow.

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After dinner,  we relaxed on the beach at Curry Hammock and were entertained by a couple of Kite Boarders.

April 6 – 10,  2016.
Days 55, 56, 57, 58, 59
I missed my family, friends, washer, dryer and dishwasher.  It was time for a break.  Leaving on a Jet Plane,  David and ET drove me to Miami International Airport.  They stayed in sunny Florida. I was only going home home for a few days.
The GPS tells us it’s two hours from Marathon to Miami.  If GPS says two hours, it’s at least three hours Florida Traffic Time.  We leave at 5:30 a.m., cruise through the Upper Keys and then BAM, hit the mainland traffic.  Three hours and twenty minutes later we’re at the airport.
Flying has never bothered me.  I’ve been up and down the East Coast many times, to the West Coast and Canada a few.  I have a one stop flight from Miami to Charlotte, N.C. and then on to Hartford, CT.  By the time I get to Charlotte I’m All Shook Up!  The plane was Shake, Rattle and Roll -ing most of the flight.  At one point a teenage boy got up from his seat and started walking toward the back.  Someone SCREAMED “What are you doing? Get back in your seat!  It’s DANGEROUS to be walking around!”  My first thought after hearing that was “I hope that was one of his parents not a flight attendant.
From Charlotte to Hartford wasn’t much better. Hartford arrival time 4:30 p.m.  It was a looooong tedious day of travel and I still had another hour ride home.  RVing has really spoiled me.
The flight was worth it!  I spent the next three and 1/2 fun filled days with family and friends.  I recharged and headed back.  My 17 yr old Grandson, Rowan, flew back with me for Spring Break.  It was a nice traffic-less 1/2 hour drive from her house to Bradley International.  Our non stop flight from Hartford to Miami was nice and smooth.  We even arrived 15 minutes early. What A Difference A Day Makes!

Flight was good. Traffic wasn’t bad, maybe because it was a Sunday 🙂   We arrived in Miami at 2:15 p.m.  Still plenty of daylight to Let the Good Times Roll!
In this case Catch a Little Fire Under Our Feet!   Our first stop was Everglades National Park in Homestead, Fl.  We wanted to take Rowan for a short (.8 mile) hike on one of my favorite trails The Anhinga.  At the entrance to the park we’re told the trail is closed because of a fire.  We were disappointed, but I had a back up plan.  Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park in Islamorada, Fl.  We arrive at 5:15 p.m. and the park is closed.  We are Striking Out big time!  It’s supper time anyway!  What can go wrong here?  It’s called “Authentic Mexican Food”.  Not a good choice for a 17 year old that considers Taco Bell five star cuisine.  We did score a run with doing take out and making dinner a Picnic at Anne’s Beach 🙂

Everyday is a new Adventure!

Days 52, 53, 54

April  2 – 14, 2016

There is only one Florida State Park that we like better than Curry Hammock,  Bahia Honda in Big Pine, FL.   Each have their own character.  Curry is very laid back and relaxing.  Bahia Honda is activity filled.  Both are very, very difficult to get campground reservations.  We were very, very lucky to get site #20 in Curry Hammock for two weeks.   This is one of the best sites we’ve ever had in any campground.  It is huge, private,  level,  partially shaded, mostly gravel.  It is L shaped and has a special area for our  screen house and picnic table.  It is also close to the showers and dish washing station.  We do not have full hook up.  Water and electric only ($38 a night).

We do have a strange green neighbor.

The beach/picnic/kayak areas here are  beautiful.  The water is 80 degrees and crystal clear.

As in all Florida State Parks, Dogs are not allowed on the beache or in the water.  Less than two miles away is  Dog Friendly,  Cocoa Plum Beach.

One of our favorite places to walk E T is the Seven Mile Bridge.  On this visit we were entertained by schools of Tarpon swimming in  and jumping out of the water.

We stopped at the Salty Dog to check on fishing charters and met some friends. Polly is real,  the pirates aren’t 🙂

April 3, 2016

Last year we saw the Blue Angels perform at the Pensacola Naval Base.   We were very excited when we found out that they were going to be at a show in Key West,  when we were going to be in the area.  This was a full blown Air Show featuring the Blue Angels.   It was our first Air Show and won’t be the last.  We had a great time.  It was an all day affair with Vendors,  Sponsors,  Advertisers … David and I enjoy Women’s Roller Derby.  A couple of Key West Derby Dames were at the show promoting an upcoming event.  Unfortunately, we won’t be in the area on the 23rd otherwise we would have gone.  But, I did get a photo with a couple of the Dames!   It’s in the slideshow below,  as well as,  only a few of the highlights of the show.    It was another hazy, hot, overcast day so the air photos aren’t anywhere near as representative of the spectacular maneuvers.  The wing walker is a female Police Sergent.

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March 30 – April 2,  2016

Days  49, 50, 51

We are in the “Keys” my number one vacation destination.   Yes,  there is traffic here.  Yes, it’s hot here.  BUT none of that matters.  We’re in the KEYS!

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park (mile marker 102.5) is the premier tourist attraction in Key Largo.  The campground lives up to our Florida State Park expectations.  It  is not our first time camping here, but it’s been a couple of years.   Both of our campsites, 44 and 45 (we had to change sites for one day of our reservations) are huge and partially shaded (full hook up, 50 amp $38).   We have all the windows open and are breathing fresh Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico breezes.

The campground host and hostess are bigger and uglier than I remember!

Snorkeling and Diving are the big attractions here,  but the kayak trails are pretty “cool”!   We couldn’t have had better conditions with slight breezes and very calm water on the mangrove trails and on the ocean.  It was so nice there were quite a few paddleboarders out.  The water is crystal clear.  I wish I could have gotten photos of the dozens of  Parrot Fish that we saw.  They are the prettiest fish.

Of course we had to keep E T entertained.  The closest dog friendly beach to us is one of our favorites in Islamorada, Anne’s Beach.

Next Stop … Curry Hammock State Park in Marathon.