2022 Spring Adventure
Hollywood, Florida Tuesday, February 1, 2022
Larry and I enjoyed our travels south to Hollywood, Florida where we met up with Jay and Kim at the Hollywood KOA for our first night of our 2022 adventure. We enjoyed an evening of making music with two of the finest musicians that we know.
Key West, Florida Wednesday, February 2-Thursday, February 10, 2022
The Conch Republic is a micronation, declared as a tongue-in-cheek secession, of the city of Key West, Florida, from the United States on April 23, 1982. It has been maintained as a tourism booster for the city.
Leaving at sunrise, we set out on our journey...our destination....Key West
We enjoyed the drive over the bridges viewing stunning clear waters that connected the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.
We arrived at Boyd's Campground, the closest campground to Key West.
We enjoyed staying at Boyd's. We scootered into town as well as rode our bikes everyday.
Just hanging out at the pool was relaxing.
We rode the scooter into Key West the first morning to catch the boat to Dry Tortugas National Park.
Yankee Freedom was awaiting her passengers to take them to Dry Tortugas National Park... a two and half hour boat ride out into the Gulf of Mexico.
We were greeted by the most interesting birds...Frigates. They seemed to just float in the wind.
We didn't waste any time heading ashore to spend our four and half hours on this remarkable island.
Fort Jefferson is the largest brick structure in North America. The bricks were made in Pensacola and shipped into this tiny island called Garden Key. It has been called the Gibralter of the Gulf of Mexico. It began in 1846 and was built to defend the Gulf from potential enemies and safeguard the U.S. trade routes between the Mississippi River and the Atlantic Ocean. Over 200 ships wrecked in the area. Key West residents often recovered the riches from these ship wrecks making them one of the richest towns in America back in the day.
The fort was never finished, even though construction, mostly by slaves and the prisoners housed there during the Civil War, continued for 30 years.
A moat surrounds Fort Jefferson.
Inside the fort were numerous brick archways. The masonry work was very professionally crafted.
The beaches at Dry Tortugas were picturesque.
The second day began with a colorful sunrise.
We stopped by the original Margaritaville on Duval Street in downtown Key West.
Larry and Jay spotted one of the seven limos that president Truman had parked
around the United States, at the the Little White House in Key West. A 1949 Lincoln.
We stopped by the Green Parrot Bar, known for acoustic music.
The Key West Lighthouse and keepers house were built in 1825. It had 15 lights with 15 inch reflectors. It became automated in 1915.
We bicycled past Hemingway's home...right across the street from the old light house.
We enjoyed lunch at Sloppy Joe's, Ernest Hemingway's hangout.
Roosters, hens and chicks were everywhere. They are a living mascot for Key West.
was surprising to have some of the local campers stop by to listen for the evening
The next day we rode our Vespa scooter while Jay and Kim rode their motorcycles north on Route 1.
We stopped to have lunch at Sunrise Grill on Marathon Key.
After lunch, we walked the newly renovated overseas railway out over the aqua waters. The views were terrific in the late afternoon sun.
Our stroll was invigorating in the afternoon...
but it was refreshing to go down by the water in the shade.
Larry and I enjoyed biking all over Key West. Traveling by bicycle was faster than by car due to all the traffic.
We stopped at the Little White House and took a tour of the Truman Key West home...the Camp David for
the Truman presidential term. President Kennedy and President Johnson also stayed at the home as a getaway.
Lots of white picket fences and...
wrap around porches with tropical gardens enhanced the small expensive homes...property is quite expensive in this vacation town.
Larry and I still have a bit of a heart throb for all the VW vans that we see while on the road.
Our second home in Key West
The infamous Duval Street was so full of bright lights and excitement...it was a thrill to bicycle this strip dodging all the cars, scooters, tourist trains and buses, especially at night!
Key West offered the first international air service in 1927. Pan American flew the first overseas flight to Havana, Cuba.
The Old National Weather Station turned into an Inn
We biked to Zachary Taylor Historic State Park. It is the southernmost state park in continental USA. Although we did not go into the park, (we decided to save this for our next visit to Key West) we were told that it houses the largest cache of Civil War Armament in the world. The park is said to have the prettiest beach in Key West.
In the Truman's Park you can tour a coast guard ship.
The oldest house in Key West
The day was perfect for a terrific bike ride over the ajoining waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.
What gorgeous water views!
The newly refurbish roadway ran right beside the seven mile bridge and ended on Pigeon Key, a bird sanctuary. The island originally housed the 400 men who actually built the original Flagler overseas railway back between 1905 and 1912.
The railway foreman's house
The railway's assistant foreman's house
After the bike ride we continued our drive while viewing the gorgeous Caribbean waters to
our next destination, Hollywood, Florida.
Hollywood, Florida February 10-February 14, 2022
We arrived at our comfortable Hollywood Airbnb.
'Larry and I enjoyed biking around Hollywood during the day.
Hollywood Boulevard, lined with great palms and fabulous homes, led us right to the Hollywood Beach.
Can you spot the iguana? He was sunning himself as we cross the intercoastal waterway.
Biking down Hollywood boardwalk was a blast!
A spot to gander at the Hallandale Beach...lots of high rise motels and no seaside boardwalk.
Young's Circle was a great park with a big amphitheater.
Webster, Florida Monday, February 14, 2022
We drove through Ocala on the way to Webster and had a wonderful visit with Aunt Ruth and Uncle Stu.
We arrived at Oak Alley, unloaded the bicycles and the scooter just in time to meet our friends for a Valentine surprise dinner.
What a blast we had!
A gorgeous sunset occurred that evening.
We enjoyed playing music the second night with Alister, a young chap from England who Tom sent over our way after visiting Orlando.
A neighboring camper brought her accordion over and joined us.
What a GREAT night of music!
at the Rodeheaver Boys Ranch ....
where we watched lots of profession musicians like...
Rhonda Vincent and her band, The Rage, and
the Gibson Brothers.
After the Thursday evening performances we played music till the wee hours in the parking lot. A couple of Larry Stephenson's band members joined us. It was exciting to play with such awesome musicians.
The full moon with clouds and parking lot pickin and grinnin!
The next morning we rode our bicycles with Jay and Kim down to the Saint Johns River that runs from Jacksonville and inland several miles.
Kim and I enjoyed the Spanish Moss that was growing profusely in many of the trees.
Music making midmorning is delightful.
Larry enjoyed playing Tom's 1937 Martin.
Tom was relaxing from the jam session in the shade of his tail gate.
After jamming on Saturday night, Larry and I packed up and hit the road Sunday morning at 7:00am. Our destination....Austin, Texas to visit our friends, Mike and Linda Simms.
