Heading South - for surf, sun, sand, shrimp & suds..

[wagnerda]

Key West...

Cruised around town all day today, did lots of touristy stuff -- even had a cheeseburger at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville restaurant !!!!

Anyway, some more pics of the route down to here on the causeway thru the keys. It is only about 125 miles from Miami but you should think of that as a 4 hour drive.

Also one more pic of here at Boyd's Campground. Not tons of room, sites are tight but the big rigs are all in here somehow. I wouldn't want to have to back into some of these spots, but they got them in there somehow.

Oh, the last pic is the outside temperature (and for those of you in Michigan, Minnesota or Montana, yes, that is ABOVE zero...)

regards, Dave

[Luckyducks]

Wow! Are we jealous - great pics. It's hard to believe we just saw you a few days ago at Topsail and now you're in Key West while I'm back in the 8-5 grind. Have a great time. BTW, I just signed up for the Springstream Rally in April in Hiawassee. See you again somewhere and have a good trip home.

[SilverRanger]

Dave & Shari,
Great thread. And having once lived in Florida, I'm really enjoying the pictures.

[Wharf Rats]

Hey Dave and shari, If you're at Boyd's you should go to the Hogfish grill there on stock island. To get directions go to the West Marine store on the corner and ask. If you'd like some good cuban food try El Sibonays on the corner of Margaret and catherine streets. Few tourists, resonable, and great food. Breakfast at Pepe's down by schooner warf is always a great way to start the day. We stay at Geiger Key Marina when we're in the Keys, check it out, it's owned by the same people that own the Hogfish grill. To get there, go back up the keys to just past the NAS at boca chica to Big Coppit Key, about MM10. At the circle k on the right, turn right go about a mile and you'll find a campground tucked away. It has about 35 sites, full hookups, a bar and smokehouse with live music on the weekends. It probably has some of the best kayaking in the keys. It's definitley a local spot, but we love it. Their T'shirts say it's the backside of paradise and you can believe it. We generally spend at least a month there every summer. If you'd like some more info about the Keys PM me, I used to live there. (during the 70's but I still have good friends there). Have Fun --Mark--

[wagnerda]

Well, still just being a bum down here -- sure is nice...

Worked on my frig this morning (it's back working fine now) so I am worn out from my 1 hour's worth of work today - I will have to take it extra easy tomorrow...

Not much to update as there are only so many pictures of reclining in a beach chair and then they all start to look alike. Some of the pics below are at an old fort right at the tip of Key West island, Civil War era cannon etc. Nice stuff for History type people (I am a History major so I like to wander around old stuff).

The beach pictures are at a State Park sort of behind the old fort, and a few of the local watering holes around town - there are plenty of those - we haven't hit all of them yet, but are doing our best... Also there are some ships out in the harbor. They even have Pirates walking around down here ?

best regards, Dave & Shari

[thecatsandi]

If you have the time and funds a flight to the dry tortugas is very cool. They alos run ferrys. You can camp out there but tents only.

[salvarez]

I'm loving this thread.....feels like we're riding along with you. Love your Bambi. Thanks for the trip!

[wagnerda]

Finally had to head out of Key West going back up north... Going to stop off in Daytona Beach for a nite, then South Carolina and then back to MD. Basically right up I-95. Not much to see along the way, but it maximizes our time down south.

It was really nice at Boyd's Campground at mile post 4. Just one bridge from Key West itself and very nice people here, we will repeat, hopefully next winter.

Only had one day if drizzle while here, and that was accompanied by really strong winds - must have been 40 mph or so. Got up that morning and some people were tossing what was left of their tent into the dumpster here in the campground. The tent sites are really exposed on the point sticking out into this little bay here and their tent was a goner. The winds were strong enough to rock the Airstream and I was worried the vent lids would break off so I closed the Fantastic Fan and the rear vent and lowered the TV antenna - it was really windy.

Other than that one day it was absolutely beautiful down here. I can see why people become "snow birds" and head south for the winters.

Here is a few more pics of around town, we like to just walk and walk and see the town. Lots of really nice houses, and right next to them a couple of shacks looking like they are ready to fall over. If they ever do get a direct hit from a big hurricane I think about 1/3 of the town is going to blow away. The first pic is of a Navy jet right over the campground. There is a Naval Air Station right across the little bay from the campground and several times a day they go right over your head - and are LOUD !!!

regards, Dave & Shari

[kposey]

Thanks for the virtual trip to Key West. It is still cold here in Tennessee at 31 degrees, and supposed to drop again tonight. Don't hurry, slow down and take your time. You don't want to lose that tan you have worked so hard to get! I have been thinking about a trip to Alaska this summer, but I might have to change my mind and go south!

Be careful and we'll see you on the road!

[wagnerda]

Back at home...

Got the Bambi backed into her year-around campsite, had to use 4 wheel drive though as there was a little bit of snow piled up there. But she should be set for a couple months until it warms up properly around here. I finished winterizing it, pulled the batteries out and brought them home to leave in the garage on a trickle charge.

Pretty uneventful drive back up I-95 although I think the temperature dropped about 1 degree every 25 miles the whole way home. I kept thinking to myself that I ought to just make a U-turn and head back to Florida, but...

Totals for this trip are:

Days-- 25
Miles -- 4,480
Gas -- 354.3 gallons
Avg Mpg - 12.64

Anyway, that's about it for trips this winter - waiting now for springtime.

best regards, Dave & Shari

[Luckyducks]

That was quite a trip. Thanks for posting the pictures of the whole adventure. We hope you make the Can Opener again next year - we'll be there.