Cheeseburgers in Paradise
5am Launch. With daylight savings time, we didn’t see daybreak until 7:15. We were nearly to Miami by then. I wouldn’t have done it any other way. We missed the morning commute traffic out of Cape Coral and there was virtually no one traveling I-75 to Naples. Bliss. Ran with my brights on down Highway 41 not wanting to hit any black bears or panthers, but we saw nothing. We had a lone alligator sighting in a canal at daybreak.
Key Largo Conch House is the place for breakfast today. We had a number of recommendations for local egg and pancake places, but I am bound and determined to start the trip with local flavor. I am having conch fritters and Gerard settles on shrimp eggs Benedict. If I only liked eggs… it looks scrumptious. I am more than happy with my choice.
There is so much to see and do down here. I don’t want to fill every second with stops. I want Gerard to have some down time. He isn’t great with filling every moment with sight seeing. I heard feeding the tarpon at Robbie’s Marina is an absolute must. So we stop. Seriously?! I can’t imagine trying to reel one of these in on a fishing line. Many of the tarpon are longer than I am. i saw one that was nearing 7 feet!
Just as we roll into Long Key State Park, I get a cancellation notice for John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park for Friday. It is what I have been waiting for. Can this trip get any more perfect?! They have full hook-ups where we can take care of our sanitizing chore and enjoy snorkeling at a coral reef and at a nearly impossible park to get into!!!
This park is on its namesake– Long Key and it is narrow. The only thing taking from absolute nirvana is the sound of Highway 1, just yards away. Can’t see it, but certainly can hear the traffic. Our camp site is directly on the Atlantic Ocean. Any closer and the ZiOs mobile would be in the water. It is breezy and in the low 80s. We are here for the next 3 nights.
There is a boat, that floated in that is abandoned. Apparently, it broke loose from somewhere and has been adrift for some time. We have also been told that there are stingrays, sea urchins and Portuguese man-o-war to watch out for. The water is shallow for quite some distance so you can see everything around you. Let's talk about the water! The color is extraordinary–bright and beautiful turquoise and clean and clear. The cleanest water I have seen in the U.S. I intend to snorkel on this trip even though temps are dropping to unseasonably cool... cool enough to run the furnace at night... just to take the chill off. The winds are creating some major chop on the Gulf side, but we are protected over here on the Atlantic and the sun is warm.
Tonight we indulge in Roasted Butternut Squash, Pecans, Cranberry and Black Rice salad. A glass of wine at sunset is perfect. Tomorrow we head to Key West.
KEY WEST
8am departure and we are headed to the southern most point in the U.S. An hour and 20 minute drive and we are searching for a place to park our 24 feet (including our attached stowaway). There is already a line, albeit a short one, to get a pic taken. From here we set out to explore Duval Street. This is just not Gerard’s thing. So few quick pics of resident roosters and we walk the neighborhoods with an abundance of shotgun houses bordered with vibrant bougainvillea. With cool temps, it feels more like New Orleans than what I thought Key West would be like, but what do I know it’s my first time here. We set off in search of what we heard is the best Key Lime Pie at Blue Heaven. I dare say it is the tastiest Key Lime I have ever had!
It is “bike week” in Daytona and they are making their way down the Overseas Highway. I am overwhelmed by the noise… Harleys and delivery trucks and hoards of people. Did I mention, it is also spring break? As far as I can tell there are no cruise ships in port. So, I can’t even fathom what it is like when the ship lets loose 3000 people.
Note to self: don’t come to the Keys in-season. It becomes clear, we won’t spend the rest of the day waiting for sunset. Low level clouds and we’re not sure we will even be offered sunset by mother nature. No sunset celebration in Mallory Square for us… maybe next time.
Back up the highway we stop to see the Perky Bat Tower. It was constructed in 1929 by Richter C. Perky in an attempt at mosquito control for his fishing camp. The attempt was a huge fail, but this huge wooden structure still stands. Rumor has it that the mosquitos ate the bats! I think it’s amazing that this thing with stood hurricanes.
In Sugarloaf Key we veer off the road into protected habitat for Key Deer. Sitka is larger than this species. Tiniest little creatures. Key deer are found only in the Florida Keys. The Key deer is the smallest subspecies of white-tailed deer. The largest bucks grow to less than a yard high at the shoulders and weigh about 80 pounds. The does are 24 to 28 inches at the shoulders and weigh about 65 pounds.
As we travel north, we are so grateful to be heading this direction as traffic going south is at a near stand still. Remember, there is only one road in and one road out of this place. I am wondering where they are all going to park when they reach Key West.
Heading over the Seven Mile Bridge, I realize the pelicans are flying at 50mph and we are trying to keep up. This is THE famous bridge in the Florida Keys. It connects Knight's Key (part of the city of Marathon, Florida) in the Middle Keys to Little Duck Key in the Lower Keys. Among the longest bridges in existence when it was built, it is part of the Overseas Highway in the Keys, which is part of the 2,369-mile U.S. Route 1.
The walking part of this bridge is closed for repair, just our luck. Glad we put in the paces in Key West.
We fill the tank and head back to our campsite. I wanted to eat out, but just didn’t feel like fussing with the crowds. We have ocean view seating at our site. On the menu is saffron risotto with spinach and for me a glass of wine while we watch the crabs scurry at low tide.
"Makin' the best of every virtue and vice Worth every damn bit of sacrifice To get a cheeseburger in paradise"