Days 65, 66, 67   

April 16, 17, 2016

Why did the Hahn’s cross the road?   At 8:00 a.m. on the Atlantic coast the  temperature was in the high 80’s and there was not an Atlantic breeze to be felt.  It was HOT and going to get HOTTER!  Thank goodness it was moving day.  We traveled 15 miles north and turned left instead of right.  Fiesta Key is on the Gulf side.   Our campsite is 100 ft from the water.   We have a wonderful Northeast (Gulf) breeze.  Good Move 🙂

   Fiesta Key is a premier location Resort property that was allowed to deteriorate.  Three years ago Encore Properties bought it and started a long term restoration. That year we were at a camping show and week stays were being offered for $250.  We bought three prime season weeks.  The next year we were offered $55 a night one week minimum.  We came back for one prime season week.  No offer this year.   It is off season and our site has water, electric and cable, no sewer … $64 plus $8.50 tax … $72.50 a night. Prime season (winter) rates for this site are $115 a night. They’ve come a long way baby!
We do not have any reservations for the rest of our trip.  Unlike State Parks in the Keys, there are plenty of empty campsites this time a year at any of the many commercial campgrounds, even on weekends.
Fiesta Key did get a significant number of tent campers come in for the weekend.  This is my photo of the weekend!

Dinner our first night was at the Fiesta Key Restaurant, The Lobster Crawl Bar and Grill.   The food is good,  reasonably priced and the atmosphere is awesome.  There was a pretty good Blues/Jazz duo entertaining on the patio Saturday night.

     After supper we walked E T on a portion of the Overseas Heritage Trail out to the Channel #5 bridge.

    Overnight a storm went through and cooled the temps down and kept the steady breeze.  Perfect biking conditions.   We biked 5 miles from the Channel #2 bridge to Robbies at MM 77 in Islamorada, to feed the Tarpon.  We could have biked 7 miles from Fiesta Key, but we would have to go over the Long Key Bridge with the cars.  I’m adventurous, not  a  daredevil.  The photo below is a tarpon weighing at least 150 pounds.  They have no teeth just hard gums.  The slideshow is David and I hand feeding them.  It costs $1 per person to go out on the dock at Robbies and see these monster fish being fed.  For $3.55 you can buy a bucket with about a dozen pilchers (tarpon food) and hand feed them yourself.  Either way it is very silly and extremely entertaining.

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Photo of the Day!

Our days in the Keys have come to an end.  It’s been a great time, but time to head north.

Next Stop Jonathan Dickinson State Park  Hobe Sound, Florida

Day 63, 64

April 14, 2016

Sad morning,  we are taking Rowan to Florida City to meet one of his Grandfathers and two Aunts.  He is going to spend a few days with them in Miami before going home.

We did have time, before meeting them,  to stop in Everglades National Park and walk the Anhinga Trail.  The wild fire is under control and the trail had reopened.  What a difference the weather makes.  David and I spent a week in the park in 2014. The Anhinga Trail was loaded with wildlife.  Almost every other tree had a  nesting bird.  The parking lot had been so loaded with buzzards that you had to cover your car with a tarp to protect it.  It was like a scene from the movie The Birds.   I was very excited for Rowan to see it all.   We were lucky to see ONE Anhinga,  two alligators and maybe a dozen fish.  The culprit,  the weather.  One of the Rangers explained that January and February were so rainy that the birds could not build nests.  In some areas there were 4 inches of standing water.  The birds and other wildlife moved on.  Oh Well!  “Into each life some rain must fall.”

After dropping Rowan off we spent a couple of hours doing 7 loads of laundry.   Oh well, “Life isn’t always a bowl of cherries !”

Our last day at Curry Hammock before starting to head North we decide to do a repeat performance of a few of our favorite things.

A walk on the 7 Mile Bridge.  E T is missing Rowan!

We thought a visit to the Dolphin Research Center might cheer her up.  E T’s friend Gypsy came right over to greet her and brought a friend.

Tersi thought playing  ball would take E T’s mind off missing Rowan.

The Sea Lions were too busy napping to even give a nod, let alone a hoot!

David and I spent the afternoon kayaking out on the Atlantic.  We had the perfect conditions …light and variable winds, in shore waters, smooth.

Below is a photo of a horseshoe crab swimming below at least  3 feet of water.  The water is that crystal clear.

Another beautiful day in paradise!

Next Stop,  one of our reliable stand by’s, Fiesta Key.

April 13, 2016

Day 62

Sunrise

Rowan and David were going fishing on a Charter Boat.  I was dropping them off and then taking E T for a swim at Sombrero Beach.  The Captain cancelled the trip,  because there were not enough people.

The Sea King is a new business/boat that David had gone out on last week.  He liked the Captain and Mate.  He also caught a lot of fish with them.  They just don’t have a good reputation yet and don’t advertise widely enough.  So,  we went down the road and signed them up for an afternoon charter on the Sea Dog.  This is a tourist favorite.  David isn’t real fond of going with them.  Reason being,  tourists aren’t usually serious about fishing,  it’s mostly about the boat ride.  When the Captain and Mate sense this, they don’t always try to hard to find fish.   My favorite part of going to the Sea Dog dock is the parrot.  I’ve posted his photo before.  As soon as we got there I started looking for him.  A worker asked me if I was looking for the rest room.  I said “No, the parrot!”  “Oh! he’s in the garbage can”, I’m told.  Sure enough! There he was picking through the trash.  He had taken quite a liking to a Budweiser Beer Can Box and was very entertaining.  When we left he surprised us by say “Bye”!

So, we all took E T to Sombrero Beach for her morning dip.    When we got back to Curry Hammock we spent the morning Kayaking.  We started out in the canal, went through the mangroves and out into the Atlantic Ocean.  This is a fun paddle trail.  Check out the slideshow.

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David and Rowan had a great time fishing all afternoon.   #1 they caught a lot of fish … 16 keepers!  #2 They saw 2 sea turtles, a pod of dolphin and a huge bull shark. #3 It was a beautiful calm day out on the water.  No photos, because their ace #1 photographer was back at the ranch blogging  🙂

After supper we headed down to Sunset Beach in Key Colony Beach … to watch the sunset.

A beautiful ending to a beautiful day.

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.

We have been extremely busy during our nine days in the area.  It was my first Easter,  that I remember, not being with my family.  My son, Richie, and his family were vacationing in Orlando and our plan was to meet them.  It’s According to the GPS it’s about a 3 1/2 hour drive from here.  I drove 4 hours  to meet them in New Orleans without a second thought.  The traffic,  starting in Destin, Florida  traveling south has progressively gotten more congested.   If you’ve been reading my blogs we have changed plans many times  because of the traffic.  My daughter-in-law told me the Orlando traffic was terrible.  I am flying home the first week of April. Grandaughter,  Emily Rose, is performing in her first play, Peter Pan and Grandson, Rowan is flying back to the Keys with me.  So, I let traffic change our plans, AGAIN!

Easter Sunday … more traffic!  This time we did NOT turn around. We were on our way to Church, 7 miles from the campground. It took us over a half hour to get close.  We parked on the side of the road and walked about 1/4 – 1/2 mile to Our Lady of Light Catholic Church.  There were two 10:30 a.m. Masses being said simultaneously, one in the Church, one in the Community  Center.  Standing room only in both.  I counted over 600 seats filled in the Community Center.   My guess, well over 1,000 people attended this one Mass.

Besides dodging traffic we did a lot both in the area and at Koreshan.

We attended a concert at the Koreshan Arts Building.  During the winter months they have a concert series featuring local talent.  Singer, Songwriter Sarah Hadeka put on a fabulous show.

We have been doing a lot of local shopping.  Every Sunday there is a Farmers Market at Koreshan.  One very nice aspect of being in the South this time of year is the fresh fruits and vegetables.  One of our purchases is  this beautiful Hibiscus Tree.  It’s traveling well in the shower 🙂

If you want to have a great meal and excellent service bring your dog to the Shrimp Shack!  The food was great and every waiter and waitress in the place stopped by our table.   Quite a few customers too.  David and I were laughing.  Wouldn’t it be funny if we could get E T to sit up in a chair.

Florida is loaded with biking/pedestrian trails.  The tough part is finding one with shade.  We found one of the three trail heads for the 10 mile John Yarbrough Linear Park on Six Mile Cypress in Fort Meyers.  David and I laughed at how much having ET has changed our choices in what we do.  Before ET we would have biked the 10 miles.  Now ET has us walking and she lets us now how far.  When she’s ready to turn around she stops and holds her ground until we turn around.  My guesstimate was a three mile walk.

Captive Island is adjacent to Sanibel.  It is VERY “Hi Brow”!  The “shabbier” residences that we could see from the road resembled “Governor’s Mansions”.  David wanted me to take him to lunch at one of the “fine dining” restaurants.  I was quick to remind him how much he enjoyed picnics.

We did a drive through of Lovers Key State Park.   When David and I first started going to the Keys we took a side trip here with our bicycles.  It is a great park for biking and kayaking.  This time we couldn’t  find a parking place.  We put it on our list of “get there earlier’s”.

David was very disappointed that we ran out of time before kayaking the Estero River,  AKA the Mosquito River.  I’m not kidding, the original name of this River was the Mosquito River.  My guess is someone involved in “tourist attracting” changed the name 🙂    We had actually been all “sprayed” with insect repellant and on the way to the boat launch one afternoon,  when a  thunderstorm came through and turned us around.   Oh Drats!

Next Stop … Key Largo!