FLORIDA KEYS
February 19, 2006 Sunday Preparation
Jim Henry arrived at my house about 4:00 pm in his grey Toyota Tundra V8 ½ ton pickup truck. We loaded my wooden West River 164 kayak on a rack over the roof next to his kayak and my Trek 2120 carbon fiber bike on a trailer hitch bike rack. I cooked Thai chicken curry with rice and broccoli for dinner.
February 20, 2006 Monday Drive Columbia, MD to Manning, SC
We were up at 5:20 and on the road at 6:09 in the dark on Presidents Day. We wound our way through east Columbia to MD-32 east to I-95 south to the Washington Beltway I-495 to the Baltimore Washington Parkway I-295 to Howard Road across the Anacostia River on East Capitol Street to the Southeast Freeway I-395 across the 14th Street Bridge and back on I-95 south after crossing the beltway again.
We ran into a light snow and ice storm south of Fredericksburg, Virginia. It looked like a demolition derby with up to fifty cars and vans down over banks, turned over or smashed into each other. There were dozens of police cars and recovery vehicles with flashing lights trying to restore order and the traffic flow. It took us over two hours to go about 10 miles. Things started clearing and the traffic flowed as we continued through Richmond instead of taking the by-pass.
We cruised into Smithfield, NC exit 95 for a late lunch of chicken, dumplings, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, biscuits and iced tea at the Cracker Barrel $10.68. We gassed up at a Sunoco station with 19.7 gallons of regular at $2.179 per gallon and continued south.
We are not making very good time so we estimated where we could make it to and Jim called ahead to make motel reservations about 2:30. Crossing into South Carolina we ran into a horrific traffic accident that held us up for over an hour.
We pulled into Manning, SC exit 119 after 500.7 miles at 6:15 and checked in room 121 at the Econolodge for $40.32 considering our military, senior citizen, AARP, AAA and BJ’s discounts. We walked across the road to the highly recommended (there were no other restaurants around) Georgio’s Greek Restaurant that had no Greek food. The young waitress was pleasant, the place was clean and the food was decent for $12.25.
February 21, 2006 Tuesday Drive Manning, SC to Florida City, FL
We got up about 5:30 for the continental breakfast at 6:00. We set off from Manning, SC at 6:39 heading south on I-95. There are no traffic problems today so we make decent time. We cross Lake Marion and stop at a Sunoco station in Hardeeville, SC for 19.675 gallons of gas at $2.099 per gallon for $41.30. We pass into Georgia and then into Florida before stopping at the welcome center for orange juice and information.
We take the Jacksonville by-pass and continue south taking a lunch break at exit 268 Ormond Beach just north of Daytona Beach. The Cracker Barrel special is sirloin tips, cole slaw, red potatoes, biscuit, corn bread iced tea for $13.38. We continue to exit 201 Cocoa, FL where we stop for 19.4 gallons of gas at $2.319 per gallon for $44.99 at a Shell station.
The traffic is heavy and becomes stop and go in West Palm Beach so we cut over west to the Florida Turnpike. The traffic is still heavy but manages to keep moving past Fort Lauderdale and Miami. We stop six times to pay $6.75 in tolls before arriving at Florida City at 7:40 having driven 636 miles.
We called ahead for reservations at the Econolodge where we checked into room 243 for $79.09. Jim stayed here last year and remembered a Mexican restaurant so we headed there. I had refried beans, rice, tortillas, salsa, a chili rolleno, enchilada and iced tea at the El Toro Taco for $14.50. We talked to the owner as we left. He came to Florida City with his father in 1969 as a tomato picker. They opened the restaurant in 1973.
February 22, 2006 Wednesday Drive Florida City, FL to Key West, FL
Got up about 6:30 for a continental breakfast of orange juice, banana, bagel, cream cheese, strawberry jelly and milk. I walked 3 blocks to a 24 hour Wal Mart. I couldn’t find a Winchester pliers multi-tool for my bike, all they had were fishing multi-tools. I did find a snorkeling set with fins, snorkel and mask for $31.81.
We packed up and drove south on US-1 at 8:30. After 25 – 30 miles we crossed over onto Key Largo. We stopped at a Citgo station for 19.965 gallons of gas for $39. We stopped at John Pennekamp State Park and were told we had no chance of getting a tent site. Jim knew that the military bases do not turn away tenters so we headed for Key West. We drove south over the Islamorada Keys, Marathon Keys, Seven Mile Bridge, Big Pine and the Lower Keys to Key West.
We drove to Sigsbee Point Navy base arriving at 11:45 after 130 miles of driving. We got a tent site on Trumbo Point Navy Base in downtown Key West for 7 nights at $9 per night or $63. Went to the Navy Exchange and got a khaki Navy officers shirt for $20.75.
We drive to Trumbo Point and set up Jim’s 11’ x 11” tent on site 901 in the shade of a large tree next to the swimming pool. It is warm in the 80s with a nice breeze. The bay between Sigsbee Point and Trumbo Point is near with a clear view of it across 7 tent sites and a large parking lot.
After setting up it is late and we are hungry so we biked to Mallory Square by the piers in Key West. We stop in a Cuban restaurant called Cayo Hueso. I have a Cuban mix sandwich, French fries, cole slaw and iced tea for $12.90. It is so good we vow to come back before we leave Key West.
We drive to Boca Chica Navy Airbase to get a visitors pass for me. We have some good laughs bantering with the young uniformed latino woman. We visit the club on the beech and marina damaged by the recent hurricanes and enjoy a cold Yuengling Lager each.
Back at Trumbo Point I mount tail and head lights on my bike before we bike back down to the pier at Mallory Square for sunset. We sit on the edge of the pier with our feet dangling over the water with 2 – 3000 others. A street singer sings selections from the movie “Island in the Sun” as the sun slowly sinks into the sea. He finishes precisely as the last vestige of the sun disappears at 6:23.
We walk past the Freedom Fleet kiosk and stop to talk to the woman about going to the Dry Tortugas National Park. Based on availability and weather we book a spot for Friday. Across the square we stop in Monty’s Raw Bar next to a lighted pool and fountain for a blackened grouper sandwich, French fries, cole slaw and a Yuengling Lager for $19.92. It was good but not great like the sandwiches I had biking down the keys in 1996 & 7. We biked back to camp in the dark with headlights tail lights flashing.
February 23, 2006 Thursday Key West, FL
I got up about 6:15 and ran up into the Coast Guard portion of the base. I ran out to the end of each of the 3 piers and back including the pier used by the National Park Service with its ship tied up used to support the Dry Tortugas National Park. I circled back past our tent and the main gate then around the Navy housing area back to our tent. The sun rose out of the water and it is warm already.
About 9:00 we launched our kayaks in the bay across the parking lot from our tent. We turned right and headed up the narrow channel between Key West and Fleming Key. We emerged into the open water between Wisteria Island and Key West. There are many boats anchored near Wisteria Island and some are half sunk or aground. The beach was strewn with stranded boats probably a couple dozen deposited by the recent hurricanes. We paddled through the anchored boats to the outside or gulf side of Wisteria. There was a floating pier with a boat tied up selling fishing bait. Another floating pier abandoned was loaded with sea birds mostly pelicans.
We continued around Wisteria and headed for Sunset Key. Jim was on his phone talking to his daughter who was looking up Sunset Key on the internet. She told him Sunset Key was owned by Marriot and was a high end resort. We beached our kayaks and turned to meet Heinrik a security guard with a foreign accent. He told us we had to leave but could come over on the ferry with a beach pass.
We circled the end of Sunset Key and crossed the shipping channel towards Key West. There was a very large cruise ship tied up and we were rocked by several large tour, fishing and speed boats as we crossed. We rounded the point of Key West and beached our kayaks on Fort Taylor State Park. We walked to the pavilion for an iced tea and talked to some French Canadians about their VW campers.
We returned around the point and paddled by the large cruise ship. A lady on the top deck about 100 feet up yelled down to offer us a beer. We bantered a bit and continued on past Mallory Square, across the mouth of Key West Bight, around the Coast Guard piers and back through the narrow channel to our launch site.
We biked into downtown Key West and stopped for lunch at Crabby Dick’s second floor balcony on Duvall Street. Jim remembered it from last year when he was in Key West. I had a grouper sandwich with cole slaw, French fries and iced tea for $17.54.
We drove out to Boca Chica Navy Airbase to the Runway Bar attached to the bowling alley. I had an 8” pizza with everything on it and a Yuengling Lager for $8.50.
February 24, 2006 Friday Dry Tortugas National Park
Got up at 6:00. At 6:45 we walked down to the pier in the Key West Bight for The Yankee Freedom II. We paid $124 each with our military and senior discounts. We talked to Tortuga Jack our guide and a retired airline pilot.
We boarded at 7:50 and were off at 8:00 on the 100’ catamaran that travels over 30 miles per hour. We headed west along a string of keys passing in and out of fog banks. We enjoyed a buffet continental breakfast consisting of bagels, muffins, hot and cold cereals, fruit, juices, milk and hot drinks. We spotted the Dry Tortugas from several miles away easily recognizing the outline of Fort Jefferson. We docked next to the fort 68 miles from Key West at 10:30.
There were several seaplanes parked on the beach with more arriving. Saw two men carrying kayaks from the catamaran. Tortuga Jack lead a walking tour of the fort narrating the history, the mission and the difficulty in building the largest masonry fort ever built by the US. During the Civil War and after the fort served as a Union prison camp and Doctor Samuel Mudd spent 4 years here for setting John Wilkes Booth’s broken leg after Booth assassinated President Lincoln.
We enjoyed a buffet lunch of cold drinks, Dagwood sandwich, potato, pasta and other salads, cookies, etc.
We went snorkeling along the fort wall. The water was cold getting in but fine once you were wet. I saw large purple sea fans, brain and tree corals, schools of fish, numerous large and small tropical fish of every color scheme and design. I swam out a ways over a coral ridge spotting some fish but not particularly interesting.
Visited the museum, book store and Dr Mudd’s cell before returning to the boat which departed at 3:00. I watched with envy as two kayaks were going out to the next key. I also spotted the lighthouse on another Dry Tortuga key. The weather is brilliant as we return through the Marquesas where Mel Fisher found on over $400 million in gold, silver and jewels on sunken Spanish ships. We passed the small remains of a lighthouse that was removed by the last hurricane. We passed an impressive house on a key the only inhabited one west of Key West. The owner apparently owns half of Key West and managed to get a 99 year lease on the key from the government. We docked in Key West at 5:30. The tour lady recommended B.O.s across the parking lot for dinner. It is a roof surrounded by junk and serves seafood. I have a blackened grouper, French fries, cole slaw and a Rolling Rock for $17.58. When we get back to camp there is a tent set up almost abutting our tent. Not a good sign.
February 25, 2006 Saturday Key West, FL
We were awakened at 3:00 by Jack and Bob our two drunken neighbors who were laughing and talking loud, playing the car radio loud and drinking several beers for over an hour. They repeated the same stories concerning getting thrown out of a bar, running over a cat and being stopped by the police.
I got up at 6:00 and ran toward the Coast Guard piers. I turned right and crossed a bridge onto Fleming Key. I turned left to circle the waste water treatment plant before heading out along the beach for about a mile and a half. I passed a Navay Research building associated with the one down on the C&O Canal and Potomac River outside Washington. I stopped at the building and sign for the Special Forces Underwater Training facility. I returned the way I came along the shore and watched a beautiful sunrise.
It is a beautiful morning as we slipped our kayaks into the bay and turned right along the shore about 9:00. We slip through a narrow inlet entering a large inland waterway called Garrison Bight. We paddle a ways before slipping through another narrow inlet under Palm Drive into a smaller bight bounded by Palm Drive, Eisenhower Street and US-1. We beach beside US-1 and walk across it to a Burger King. Since I missed breakfast I have a bagel with egg and sausage with orange juice for $4.35.
We launch again and work our way back to the large bay turning right along the shore. We pull into a cozy little bight near Sigsbee Point and decide to return to camp. We head straight across the bay to where we put in.
We bike into town and find the Cafe a vegetarian restaurant. I have a veggie burger, beans and ice tea for $17.87.
We drove to Publix and I bought $35 of fruit, breakfast stuff, juice, milk and seafood. We returned to camp and Jim cooked a mussel and shrimp pasta with wine.
February 26, 2006 Sunday Key West, FL
Got up at 6:00 and ran the same route as yesterday out on Fleming Key. Back at camp I had a glass of orange juice, cantalope, a banana, bagel with blueberry cream cheese and a glass of milk all bought yesterday at Publix. I showered, shaved and donned Burmuda shorts with a golf shirt the first time out of swim shorts and T-shirt since arriving in Key West.
I biked south on Eisenhower and Leon Street to left on Flagler Ave headed east for several blocks to 2610 and Peace Covenant Presbyterian Church. I parked my bike inside the stone wall and headed for a bench in the shade as I was early. I was hailed by a man who invited me to join the Sunday school class taught by the pastor. They were talking about the Book of Joshua. Church service began at 11:00 about 15 minutes after Sunday school ended. The church was small but very pretty with stained glass windows. I sat next to a man and his wife who lived in Des Moines, Iowa and owned a house in Key West splitting their time between the two.
I biked back downtown and turned on Jim’s two way radio. I finally contacted Jim and we met at the coffee house on Duvall Street that was closed. We decided to return to Cayo Hueso. The weather is beautiful so we locked our bikes to the railing and sat outside next to our bikes with chickens running around everywhere. I ordered ice tea and a Cuban mix sandwich with French fries and cole slaw for $11.94 tax and tip. Jim ordered a sandwich and plantain chips. When he took his first bite there was blood on his sandwich, his fingers and napkin. He was really upset figuring he had eaten someone’s blood in Key West with the prevalent aids. He called the waiter and returned the sandwich. The waiter returned with a new sandwich saying no one had cut themselves in the kitchen so it must have been chicken blood, very comforting!!! AS Jim was finishing his sandwich he discovered more blood and realized he had cut his lip on the plantain chips. We both relaxed and had a good laugh about the whole incident.
We left our bikes locked at the restaurant and walked around town checking out several places and neighborhoods. It clouded over and started raining sporadically. Then it came down in torrents causing some minor street flooding. Jim wanted to look in the large St Paul’s Episcopal Church on Duvall Street. We saw a poster outside advising of a concert at 4:00. We returned for the free concert by the Keys Chamber Orchestra a 35 piece orchestra of accomplished professional musicians. We listened to J. S. Bach’s “Concerto for Violin and Oboe in c minor”, Haydn’s “Symphony No. 103” and Dvorak’s “Czech Suite” surrounded by 29 beautiful stained glass windows. The acoustics were terrific. We had to leave about 5:30 as it had stopped raining but it was getting dark and the wind was picking up. I gave a $5 donation.
We drove to Stock Key and the recommended Hurricane Joe’s for a fish sandwich. We walked upstairs to the subdued half empty restaurant for a blackened grouper sandwich with two orders of cole slaw and ice tea for $17.36. We returned to camp to see Jim’s 11’ x 11” tent almost flattened on one side looking a bit like the Nike trademark such that we couldn’t get in the tent. The tent was exposed to the open bay and the reported 35 mile per hour wind. Jim pulled his truck on the windward side of the tent blocking the wind such that it flapped a lot but maintained it’s shape.
February 27, 2006 Monday Key West, FL
The wind blew very strong all night. It was so strong that I couldn’t run in the morning as my route was exposed and going against the wind for half the route. I am ejoying my breakfasts of orange juice, cantalope, a banana, bagel with blueberry cream cheese and a glass of milk. It is too windy to kayak or bike so we decide to drive to Marathon Key.
We parked and walked around Marathon out on the old 7 Mile Bridge. The woman in the visitor’s center recommended the Keys Fisheries for lunch. We walked there and waited in line to order lobster bisque, a blackened Mahi sandwich, French fries, cole slaw and ice tea for $12.31. We sat beside the water and I enjoyed my first truly outstanding bisque and fish sandwich on this trip.
We started back and drove around Big Pine Key and No Name Key, We walked the beach and saw some of the small key deer. We stopped by the jammed No Name Pub which has changed considerably since I was last here in 1997. There were thousands of dollars plastered everywhere and hanging down from the ceiling. Jim was duly impressed by the place.
Back at camp Jim parked the truck blocking the wind and cooked salmon and clams pasta, bread, broccoli, salad and wine for supper.
February 28, 2006 Tuesday Key West, FL
It is still windy but not that bad. I got up at 6:15 and ran my route on Fleming Key. Back at camp I have my breakfast of orange juice, cantalope, a banana, bagel with blueberry cream cheese and a glass of milk.
We biked into downtown Key West. We discovered that we couldn’t take the shuttle to Marriott’s Sunset Key and walk around. We stop in the Creperie on Duvall Street for a fruit crepe and milk for $11. We talk to the lady owner who is from Normandy, France. She is a kayaker and we tell her it is too windy to kayak in the open sea. She suggests we go to Geiger Key and kayak in the protected Geiger Creek. We decide to bike around Key West following the water and then go kayaking on Geiger Key.
We bike 12.8 miles then drive to Geiger Key. We have trouble finding the launch area because it is off US-1 a few miles on back roads requiring a turn. We finally launch in Geiger Creek and turn left up the mangove lined creek. We enter an open bay with a few bulkheaded houses on our left and we could see the US-1 bridges in the distance. It is windy in the bay but not too bad. We soon turn left under a road bridge we crossed driving in and again are in a narrow mangrove lined channel with fish. Again we emerge into a large inland lake with virtually no development. It is windy again but we paddle past some mangrove islands about three quarters the length of the lake and decide to turn back. We realize that we have to paddle back against a good wind and if the tide drops too much we could run aground full of coral at a few places in the lake. We retrace our route back past Jim’s truck following the stream around past more houses to the marina we stopped at for directions. Several people hail us we pass turning left between two mangrove islands. We see some double kayaks ahead with an instructor yelling instructions and demonstrating technique. We passed behind them into a narrow channel for some distance before ended. We had to back out until we could turn our kayaks to retrace our route back to the truck.
We drove to the marina and talked to two retired men, one from Pennsylvania and the other from Maine. Everyone raved about the Geiger Key Marina restaurant so we decide to stay for dinner. I have a Yuengling Lager, blackened grouper sandwich with French fries and cole slaw for $24.78, my second outstanding fish on this trip. We filled the truck up with gas at Sigsbee Naval Base for 18.2 gallons at $2.48 per gallon.
March 1, 2006 Wednesday Drive Key West, FL to Brunswick, GA
We were up at 5:00 to break camp and pack up. We drove off at 6:39 heading north up the keys on US-1. We picked up the Florida turnpike at Florida City and continued north paying $5 in tolls before exiting in Pompano Beach to pick up I-95 north.
We are cruising with no holdups until we stop in Stuart, Florida. I have chicken and dumplings, mashed potatoes with gravy, green beans, biscits and ice tea for $15.20 at the Cracker Barrel. We fill up with 15.67 gallons of gas for $36.50.
We continue north around Jacksonville before stopping for 19.3 gallons of gas costing $40.04 at the Florida/Georgia state line. We stop in Brunswick, Georgia at 5:46 and check into room 143 at the Sleep Inn for $57.68. We walk to Sony’s barbecue for a salad bar, pulled pork sandwich, baked potato and ice tea for $13.40. The motel served hot chocolate chip cookies and milk in the lobby at 8:00.
March 2, 2006 Thursday Drive Brunswick, GA to Columbia, MD
We were up at 5:30 for a good buffet continental breakfast in the lobby at 6:00. We drove north on I-95 at 6:25. We stop in Manning, SC for 15.0 gallons of gas at $1.99 per gallon. We stop at a Cracker Barrel in Fayetteville, NC for lunch of grilled catfish, mashed potatoes, slaw and ice tea for $10.77. We stop for 19.1 gallons of gas for $41.25 in Chester, VA on the Richmond by-pass. We continued north without a hitch breezing through Washington and into Columbia, MD at 6:55. We unload my gear, kayak and bike and Jim headed home.
COSTS
| Gas | 388.92/2 | $194.46 |
| Lodging | 240.09/2 | $120.05 |
| Tolls | 11.80/2 | $5.90 |
| Food | $300.09 | |
| Purchases | $52.56 | |
| Dry Tortugas | $124.00 | |
| Concert | $5.00 | |
| Church | $20.00 | |
| Total | $822.05 |
Drove 2770 miles on 176 gallons of gas averaging 15.741 miles per gallon.
PACKING LIST
| Running | Miscellaneous | ||
| Shoes | Money | ||
| Socks (3) | Cards | ||
| Shorts | MC | ||
| T shirts (3) | Visa | ||
| Sweat suit | Money card | ||
| Bike | Medicare | ||
| Bike | GEHA | ||
| Helmut | NP Pass | ||
| Shoes | Bible | ||
| Socks (3) | Keys Travel Section | ||
| Shorts (3) | Log & pens | ||
| Shirts (3) | Camera | ||
| Gloves | Batteries | ||
| Glasses | Towel | ||
| Altimeter watch | Wash cloth | ||
| Water bottles | Laundry Soap | ||
| Kayak | Shaving kit | ||
| Kayak | |||
| Paddle | Razor | ||
| Dry bag | Shaving Cream | ||
| Skirt | Blades | ||
| PFD | Toothbrush | ||
| Sandals | Paste | ||
| Swim trunks | Deodorant | ||
| T shirts (3) | Shampoo | ||
| GPS | Soap | ||
| Clothes | Scissors | ||
| Burmudas (3) | Razor comb | ||
| Socks (3) | Comb | ||
| Underwear (6) | Brush | ||
| Shirts (3) | Battery Razor | ||
| Pants | |||
| Shoes | |||
| Rain/windbreaker | |||
| Camp | |||
| Sleeping bag | |||
| Liner | |||
| Air mat | |||
| Pillow & case |
Last updated March 11, 2006