Today it’s time to get back on the road. I have thoroughly enjoyed my stay on Conch Key, absolutely one of the best parts of my trip so far.
I decide to spend the morning back on the dock… I hope the Manatee will show up.
The gangs all here… looks like the Pelicans and Comorants are having a community meeting…
the big guy is obviously pontificating..
could be a call for industrial action…. right brothers and sisters, everybody out!!
The sardines have all gone and the bay is very still… I spot Myrtle turtle briefly
and the long nosed fish, Barracudas and Parrot fish are still here.
The cranes are over on the island and all is right with the world.
Ahhh there’s a new kid on the block…
a jellyfish… wonder if it’s a stinger?
I’m still trying to get the videos to load having finally worked out how to use the GoPro studio software so now my clips have titles and music no less… thrilled or what.
It’s a lovely day… clear blue skies..
But all to soon it’s time to leave… No Manatee which is a shame, I could go to some marine park and see them but I really prefer to see animals in the wild, I don’t entirely agree with captivity unless it is for preservation or legitimate scientific purposes.
Mr Crane comes over to say bye bye.
I have to say a big thank you to Angie, the woman in reception who has been fantastic. So helpful and friendly.. sorry if I bored you to death with my misadventure tales, that’s the problem when you have no one to talk to for days on end. Angie is a biker, although bikeless at the moment, but I think I might have re-ignited the biker grrl instinct, maybe a purchase on the horizon there!!!
I asked Angie if the sirens dotted around the Keys were to warn people to go to the hurricane shelters.
She explains that yes that’s right, but there aren’t very many of them, shelters that is. Usually anything above a category 2 they evacuate the Keys; although some people refuse to leave. It seems some of the residents don’t have cars and prefer to stay and sit it out… mad or brave I don’t know which… but there hasn’t been a major hurricane direct hit on the Keys for more than 30 years, she says.
Back on the road and as I pass through the rest of the Keys on the way out I spot a couple of interesting items..
a scuba diving Hammerhead shark…
an enormous Lobster attacking a car…
a pseudo castle…. and
well speaks for itself!
I pass through..
where I see a marine park, no doubt they will have Manatees or Manati, not sure which
other keys in this group are Upper and Lower Matecumbe, Teatable, Indian, the fabulously named Lignumvitae, Wilson, Windley, Plantation and lastly
Before long I am about to exit the Keys at Key Largo when I realise I haven’t had Key Lime Pie… OMG I can’t possibly leave without some Pie… so I turn around and stop at the first Cafe I see.. Evelyn’s. The Pie is absolutely delicious…. yummmmmy.
Back on the road and out of the Florida Keys… blub, blub..
I cross over the causeway and stop to take a photo
So how do they get over the fence??
pole vault I presume!
There’s a thunderstorm ahead… please!! No way I’m going to be able to miss this one.
Eventually I have to stop and put the jacket on, again the trousers are already wet. Of course as soon as I do that it stops, but there is plenty of surface water so I am drenched anyway.
I was going to continue up Highway 1 onto the A1A that runs along the sandbar islands next to Miami, but Angie advises me to avoid Miami altogether.. too dangerous and in fact I heard a story on the news this morning of a US Marine who was out clubbing last night returning to his car when someone jumped into the passenger seat and shot him dead! So no way Miami…
I get back onto the road I came in on…. again 45mph and no overtaking so it is slow going. I then exit Miami-Dade county and decide to take a right to bring me east to the Atlantic Ocean, Highway 1 and the A1A
Oh here we go again…
Once across this bridge I arrive at Pompano Beach.. what a lovely looking area, so well presented and the beach is lovely.
and an Irish bar to boot!
Even though I have only covered 140 miles today I decide to stop and get a room. I find a reasonably priced motel on booking.com a few miles south in Fort Lauderdale, so I make my way there and arrive at about 8pm, just as it has gotten dark.
The hotel is fine and I have a restful evening watching the TV and blogging, but am unable to upload anything because the wifi is shite. I ring reception, but she doesn’t understand.. It’s not the fault of the staff in these places, I think they just haven’t been trained. Having a good wifi connection is about as much use as a chocolate fireguard if you can’t get onto the internet. I give up as I’m not going to rush to leave again in the morning a) because I feel I have plenty of time at the moment. and b) there’s a Starbucks right across the road so hopefully good wifi/internet and coffee before I get on the road.
The exact opposite is true my friend, I loved your stories of adventure, and yes, I think I need to get myself another bike, sooner rather than later. Be safe.
Glad you weren’t bored… Thanks for the comment and yes, life is very short so get ridin’