My week in the Florida Keys

I made my reservation at Geiger Key Marina over a year ago, based on recommendations from a group I belong to ....the site did not disappoint (however, getting the behemoth out of here will be a big challenge; there is not much room in the "aisle").

I started the drive on County Road 904, as it is a "scenic" drive.  This reminded me of a roller coaster ..  you go up and can't see the "down."



The drive down US 1 was a traffic nightmare ...  cars in front; cars behind.  It took  5 1/2 hours to drive the 145 miles.

There have only been a few times in my travels that it would have been nice to have a "co-pilot" -- this was one of those times.  A cold drink, maybe something to snack on, and definitely a bathroom break ....

We sat there so long people were getting out of their cars to walk the dog, or just walk awhile ... one guy ran into the bushes at one point.  I felt his pain.


There was a sign that the next day the entire road, both ways, would be closed by the Sherriff's department for 2 hours.  So glad I won't be in that!

This is my second drive to Key West and nothing is familiar.  I don't feel like I have ever been here (maybe I was traumatized by the speeding ticket I received during my first trip?).  Even the 7-mile bridge was not as I remembered.  Could it have changed that much in 10 years?  FYI:  The 7-mile bridge is the world's longest segmented bridge.


Today I drove to Grassy Key (and back over the 7-mile bridge - still not familiar) to find Flippers grave (yes, the famous Flipper) at mile marker 59.  I did not find anything indicating the grave, but there was this ... so I took it as a sign I had the right place.

I also spent part of the day in No Name Key looking for Key deer.  I drove all over the key trying to find some and this one was walking down the road as I was leaving.


I had lunch at the No Name Pub, famous for their pizza and adding a dollar bill to the walls & ceilings & rafters, and stopped at Sweet Savannah's for a piece of Key Lime pie, as it was listed as the best in the Keys. I don't know if it was good Key Lime or not .... but it was very sweet with a "pucker power" after effect.  I needed water.

Sugarloaf Key gained its name from the sugarloaf pineapples once grown in this area.  I went looking for the Bat Tower - an island landmark and a monument to the futile attempted to manipulate nature.  Built in 1929, the tower was to become home to a colony of bats intended to feed on the resident mosquito population; once the bats were released they flew away, and the mosquitoes remained.  I drove the entire length of Bat Tower Road and did not find the tower; it is permanently closed but I wanted a picture for you.  I could not find it and assumed it did not survive the last hurricane.  Oh well.

Bahia Honda State Park was the last stop of the day.  The beaches at this park have been rated by experts to be among the best in the United States.  I liked the campground at this park.  Unfortunately, the hurricanes have done damage here as well and a large part of the beach is closed.

Old Bahia Honda Bridge, built over Henry Flagler's railroad.

No trip to Key West is complete without a walk on Duval Street, or a picture in front of the Southernmost Point buoy, or a stop at Mallory Square.  I did all of these things (I visited Hemingway's house when I was here before).  I also went to the Farmers' Market and watched all the crazies having fun at the beach.  It was a good day.




If you remember back to September 2019, I was at the Maine/Canadian border for this picture of the beginning of US 1; and now, five months later, I am at the very end of that highway.  I was able to travel some of the highway on the way down but veered off to see the non-coastal areas of the states more than I stayed on Highway 1.

A big reason to be in the Keys is to do a day trip to Dry Tortugas National Park.  I'm disappointed in that I was unable to make the visit on this trip.  I guess I'll have to come back!