Key West, baby! Wow, how cool is that?! It's even more awesome when you happen across a deal like we did. I love stories like this....it just goes to show that there are still some really geunine, caring, giving, spirited people left out there in the world.
We had to pick up a bike at Big Pine Key, Florida. This is the large key just before Key West. We left Homestead, FL and headed south on US Hwy 1, the Overseas Highway. I had called pick up guy and let him know we were heading his way. He said just to come on down, and watch for mile marker 30....they measure everything by mile marker along the Keys.
I was in awe as we went through Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, etc. and all the channels. We went over Seven Mile Bridge, and was able to see the old railroad tracks that run along beside the bridge.
When we got to Big Pine Key, we went to our pick up guy's house. We mentioned we were hungry and he sent us a place called No Name Pub that's just around the corner from his house. Click here to read my post on No Name Pub. With our bellies full, we went back to his house and loaded up the bike and sidecar. He had several friends there, so there was lots of help. One friend asked if we were going on to Key West. We told him we were thinking real seriously about it. He said we probably didn't want to take the trailer down to Key West....parking is a premium. He offered to see if pick up guy would let us leave the trailer there and just take the truck down. Pick up guy was just a genuinely good person. Not only did he not care if we left the trailer at his house....he offered for us to leave the whole rig there and take his 2001 Road King.....AND, he just happened to have a boat docked that we could stay at. Is this for real?!
Nedless to say, we took him up on his offer. Who would pass up an offer like that?! A Harley to take to Key West, and a boat to stay on while there. Wow! When we got ready to leave, pick up guy and one of his friends got on their bikes, too, and escorted us to the boat where we unloaded our stuff. He showed us around, showed us how to work the lights, toilets, etc. Then we all jumped on the bikes and took off for the real action! Pick up guy took us around on highway A1A which runs right along the shore. We went by the bouy that is the southernmost point in the United States and around to Duval Street. He rode with us down Duval Street, pointed out where we could park the bike.......told us to have a good time, see ya tomorrow, but if not, I'll know you stayed another night; hell, stay as long as we wanted, and see ya later! That was it, we were on our own.
First thing we did was go to Mallory Square since it was almost sunset. We had perfect timing to see the sunset. That's the most awesome thing......you watch the sun sinking down, then all of a sudden, it's just gone. It's like it falls the last few feet and it's a faint orange glow way out there. When the sun goes down, the celebration begins. There were dog acts, cat acts, magic acts, one man bands.....you name it, it was there. Just people set up around the square, performing their acts, with a hat turned upside down to collect money. You have to wonder how much these people make in a given night of performing?
We walked along the pier down past Mallory Square. We walked about half way up Duval Street and then back down. We were just kind of wandering around; sightseeing and taking it all in. This was Saturday night, so there was lots of drinking and music and singing. It was also playoffs weekend, so most bars had the game on. We stopped in at one little bar and had virgin strawberry dacquaris and watched the game for a little bit.
We had supper at Red Fish Blue Fish. Click here to read my post. After that, we were pretty worn out and ready to go back to the boat. When we got back to the boat, it kind of sank in that we were staying on a boat in Key West, Florida!
Here's where I say that I've never slept on a boat before. The only boats I've been on are pretty much tourist type boats and bass boats. When we tried to operate the toilet, the incinerator kept burining and the bathroom started looking a little smoky. I got worried and called pick up guy, but got his voicemail. So, we unplugged the toilet and the smoke cleared out. Now, with that done, it did cross my mind that there was an incinerator (hence fire) that wasn't working right, on the boat. That might make you just a little uneasy. Combine that with the rocking and swaying of the boat, and I had a hard time getting to sleep. I did eventually get to sleep and slept good after that.....right up until the rooster crowed at 6:00 am. What is up with those chickens?
We got up and got rolling around. They pipe water from the mainland down to the Keys, which is about 120 miles the water has to travel. The natural water around the Keys smells like sulphur or rotting eggs. This is due to the release of sulphuric gases, which is a natural process in Florida Bay. I say this to say that I didn't feel or smell just showered fresh after my shower, and that I decided to wait till we got out and about for a cup of coffee.
Pick Up Guy returned my call from the night before and I told him that we were thinking of staying another night. Once again, he said to stay all week, he didn't care!
We went back along A1A to the bouy at the souternmost point in the United States - we needed pictures. To do this, take A1A south off of US Hwy 1 (Overseas Highway)....there's a stoplight there, so it's not hard to find. A1A runs right along the coast and has some breathtaking views. This is where you see people out riding bicycles, walking their dogs, power walking, picnicing, etc. After rounding a sharp corner to the right, go up and take a left on Atlantic Blvd. After a few blocks, take a left on South Street......the bouy is just down the road....you can't miss it.
We went on down to Duval Street and parked the bike. We had brunch at a place called Two Friends Patio Restaurant. Click here to read my post. We really enjoyed this place and felt like their prices were reasonable for Key West.
We spent most of the day walking around Duval Street. We went in and out of all the shops, just to see what they had to offer. We went down on the pier beyond Mallory Square and saw an enormous cruise ship, the Disney Magic, docked. This ship was just massive. There was a smaller cruise ship, the Costa Mediterranean, docked behind the Disney Magic....it looked small up next to the Disney ship. We sat on the pier and just watched the people and the boats. It was very relaxing. What a great way to relax on a Sunday afternoon.
We stopped in Willie T's for a virgin raspberry dacquari while we watched the end of the first game. We had been walking for several hours and needed to get off our feet for a little bit. They were excellent and hit the spot perfectly.
We walked on down Front Street to the Historic Seaport District and watched all of the boats coming and going in the marina. There were boats just coming back from fishing and they would clean the fish right there next to the dock. The restaurants along there will cook your fish for you, "you hook 'em, we cook 'em" is their slogan. We stopped and got a soda and a Red Bull at a little waterfront restaurant/bar. Chris also ordered oysters and shrimp......he said it was the best shrimp he had ever eaten. It's also notable that there is a little market down at the end of the historic seaport district. Dining out can get rather expensive, so if you're staying a day or two and have a way to prepare meals, it might be worth it to grab some supplies from the market.
We walked back over toward Duval Street and back to the pier......just kind of seeing what else we could see. We happened on a little store on the west end of Front Street, just kind of catty corner to Duval Street, where they had people standing at the doors yelling 'everything must go - everything is $5.00'. Well, can't miss out on a $5.00 sale! I got a Key West shirt, Key West sweats, and some flip flops.....Chris got a Key West shirt and a 2008 calendar.....we spent $26.00.
We went back to Two Friends Patio and Restaurant (click here for post), for supper and to watch the game. We sat in there and enjoyed coffee (and to rest our feet) for quite a while before heading back out for one last minute glimpse of Key West. We stopped in a couple more little shops, then back to the bike and back to the boat.
We went around A1A and stopped to walk along one of the piers........it was a nice quiet walk. It was there that we discovered the Key West Aids Memorial. We walked around that for a few minutes, but didn't find a plaque or anything that gave us any information about it.
Back at the boat, we relaxed for a couple hours, then tried to get some sleep. I thought I could fall right to sleep, after all that walking, despite the swaying of the boat.....but it didn't happen. I had a hard time falling asleep and so did Chris. We both tossed and turned most of the night.....and just when I would doze off, a confused rooster would crow that it was morning.....nope. You know how it is, you finally get to sleeping good about the time your alarm goes off.
We bought bottled water for coffee, so that was much better and a good way to start the day and head back to the mainland.
If you ever get the opportunity, go to Key West......which is actually part of the Caribbean and has tropical temperatures, beautiful turquoise waters, snorkeling, snuba diving, scuba diving, boat tours........what a way to spend a couple days in paradise!
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