Roving Reports by Doug P: 2022-1 Key West Trip PART 1

2022-1

Welcome Back to the Roving Reports

Time for more travels in 2022. I have been a full-time camper for a solid 16+ years and as my last report indicated, Roving report 2021-14, I’ve purchased a small one bedroom park model home in the Shelter Cover community. Meaning that I’ll most likely spend winters back in Florida for the near future. Actually if my math is correct, this will be the start of my 18^th year on the road. And I can tell you I am getting excited to begin my travels once again.

Campground: South Bay Rv pk, Bell Glade Fl $26 + tax full hookup 30 amp. didn’t make reservations only one night stay. Very nice Palm Beach County park. Well maintained, gated.

Campground: Sigsbee Naval Air Station. $30 dry campsite (electric sites were not available)

Campground: Parking Lot Everglades City, free

Campground: Ortana South, Cross Florida Canal, LaBelle $14 Electric/Water, senior rate

Cost breakdown:

$49.00 Rv diesel (st cloud)

$25.00 propane fill, ½ tank, RV

$29.00 South bay, camping (one night)

$84.03 Rv diesel (Fl City) 13.86 mpg

$180 Sigsbee, camping 6 nights (dry camping)

Covid Restrictions.

Before I get to far into this post let me explain how covid has affected my life. Even after receiving 3 covid shots, I have been remaining relatively isolated from crowds. It wasn’t until just recently, after doing a bit of research on my own, that I discovered my not having a spleen (removed due to cancer many years ago) that I was much more vulnerable that I thought. Studies indicate that I may have as little as 25% to an overly optimistic 50% immunity having had the covid vaccines. I will be eligible to a 4^th booster shot in about a month. Hoping that will give me enough protection to actually dine inside a restaurant and be more comfortable around larger crowds. Time will only tell.

What does this all mean? For me it has hindered my ability to socialize with friends, keeping to very small groups. Covid has spread to a number of folks in my community, to include a number of friends just doors down from my new place.

Visiting with family has been a challenge, but I’ve bucked up and hope for the best. haven’t enjoyed a meal out at a restaurant in two years. Except for the occasional dining in, only if the restaurant is practically deserted. Using take out from fast food places. How boring is that after a while.

What has kept me busy?

Painting Kitchen cabinets green (see previous report)

new deck/boat dock updated ($9,000)

Christmas Palms being planted

deck work completed and stained

Stained the deck, semi clear cedar stain (after 3 month wait)
cleaned out shed and reorganized with my tools and supplies
steam cleaned wall to wall carpeting in park model
ordered and assembled two pieces of furniture, tv/fireplace unit and a side table
(Dorothy was a great help putting the tv cabinet together)
removed unwanted furniture from house
sold 5^th wheel hitch after having on internet marketplace for a couple of months
took a couple really nice camping trips during winter months (really good weather in Fla)
planted a couple things in small side garden
replaced to two sad looking trees in front of cottage with two triple Christmas Palms
had maple tree cut down on one of my rental lots
planted 5 arica palms on rental lot
So with all that said, I’m really eager to get back on the road and explore.

2022 TRAVEL SEASON BEGINS

First big Trip of the season. PART 1

Florida Keys, Key West PART 1

Everglades City, Florida PART 2

LaBelle, Florida PART 2

The first adventure of the new year and I am so excited to be on the road. Headed out around 8am (Saturday) with a goal to get to the southern end of Lake Okeechobee. Arrived at a campground I’ve stayed at before, no reservations, and was in luck as they had a spot for one night. All settled in by 12:00 noon. This is a routine I enjoy. Traveling no more than 4 hours, arrive at campsite around noon. Have lunch, relax and then check to see if there’s anything I need to explore in the area. Since this is a one night stay, I’m just planning on checking all systems in the camper and maybe going for a walk or bike ride later in the day.

South Bay Campground, full hookups, spotless campsites

what a view from on top of a viewing tour

Project: reprogram TV remote. Must have somehow deleted the code. All other Rv systems appear to be working just fine. Feels good to be back in the camper.

Florida City. A one night stand.

This was a short stop before entering the keys. I had a couple choices for parking lot overnighting. Selected the Cracker Barrel Restaurant for the night. Fine spot, not crowded after the restaurant closed. Heavy rains all night long.

Driving the keys can be a challenge for people in a hurry as the speed limits bounce between 45 and 55. One eager car passed on the right shoulder along the first long stretch just before entering the keys. He has able to get ahead all of a couple of car lengths. Note: there are police every couple of miles and they love giving out speeding tickets.

Traveling in Zippy, I feel like I’m really moving along even at 45 mph and at 55 I feel like I’m a race car. It’s all in ones perspective.

Interesting fact: I’ve read recently, even with all the thousands of new RV’s on the road each year, the average yearly use per Rv is 20 days. And you can just bet those campers are only using them on weekends.

Arriving at Sigsbee Naval housing and campground, I was pleasantly surprised to see I didn't have to go through a checkpoint and was able to drive directly to the campground office for check-in. An easy process since I had printed out all the required documentation needed.

My campsite is one row from the gulf side. No shade. But with strong breezes the sun and heat aren’t really to difficult to deal with. I’ve only run the generator and ac a couple of times for an hour or so. This after noon, though it was quite warm out 86 degrees, I found that sitting outside on the shared side of the camper was quite comfortable and inside was ok as long as I had doors and blinds closed on the sunny side of the camper. Those breezes coming through open windows has been quite nice.

I’ve ridden my e-bike into town a couple of times. At 4 miles long and 1 ½ miles wide, it’s pretty easy to get around. Even with all the traffic. Cars, mopeds, and bikes somehow seem to be able to avoid one another quite well. Road signs even tell bike they can ride in the middle of their lane (for safely actually)…

southern most spot, 40+ people lined up to take their pics in front of marker

a great way to get your bearings for exploring later in the day

a city of flowers and exotic palms

heavy traffic, cars, scooters, and bikes somehow
area able to use the same roads without incident

lots of museums and historic sites to visit

fishing, boating, scuba diving, every water sport

I took the Conch Train which is always a great way to start in a historic town like Key west. It helps one get their bearings as to where things are. Our driver/guide was a bit testy, but I probably would be as well what with having to talk over the passenger conversing (which he did not tolerate one bit) and the constant change in routing required do to traffic, roads blocked, etc.

An interesting tidbit, the island was only about half it’s current size until the Navy came into town. Initially to stop the salvagers/pirates from looting ships run aground. The Navy, once it decided to stay dredged up sludge from the shallow waters and created more than half the island. The island I’m on is actually called Dredge Island. And Google earth photo will let you see clearly the areas the Navy dug up around Key west to create more land and provide navigable channels.

I’m fascinated by Flaglers Railroad. He was one of the richest people in America being partners in Standard Oil and it was his dream to extend the railroads along the east coast of Florida. Eventually all the way to Key West. The first train to arrive in KW was on January22, 1912. It survived for 23 years before a couple of hurricanes wiped it out. The bridges all survived and the government decided to build a road over the top of the rail line. Using the tracks as guard rails along the bridges.

Side note: in 1980, I drove one last section of the old bridge (the seven mile bridge) before they opened the newly built modern bridge. It was very narrow and really scary to drive.

1980, I drove on this section of the old 7 mile bridge
it closed in 1982

Many of the historic homes are being updated. Often the entire insides are gutted, only the shell of the house remains. My dear friend Eric took on such a project years ago and I was able to see the empty shell up close, standing on a second balcony looking down into an open cavern.

this historic house has been completely gutted
only the exterior is original and intact

The cruise ships are once again docking in Key West. Causing tons of people to flood the town around Mallory Square. Mid morning I try to head out further from the main chaos. They also block the sunset views from Mallory Square. (sad)

My Navy campground left me note today, I have to remove everything from my campsite tomorrow as they will be cutting the grass. Including the camper. Fortunately, I’m planing a day trip to Marathon and Pigeon Key.

Drove back up the keys to Marathon where I parked Zippy at the Pigeon Key Visitors Center. Picked up a light long sleeve shirt for the bike ride. Either that or tons of sunscreen required. What a super nice bike ride to Pigeon Island where I picked up more information on the building of the famous Overseas Railroad, built by Henry M Flagler. I would strongly urge reading any one of the biographies on this famous guy.

Overseas highway built between 1905 and 22 Jan 1912.
Over 20,000 men built it. Average 2,000 workers a day. Many quitting before their first day of work. Very harsh conditions, heat, mosquitoes. 2 deaths a day.
Built 25 bridges connecting the chain of islands/keys
In operation for 23 years
Flagler was able to ride the first train into Key West. He had accomplished the new 8^th wonder of the world
Miami to Key West Cost $4.25 with a stay in Key West up to 6 day limit
Miami to Key West Day trip, $2.50 (round trip price)
1935 the Labor Day hurricane destroyed the railroad.
1938 the Fed Government began work on converting it to a roadway

But the most interesting fact to me was that the Overseas Railroad was more than a trip to Key West. As one could get on a train in New York, never leaving the train and end up in Havana Cuba. The train stopping in Key West for Cuba would have included not only the coaches but also a Parlor observation car, Pullman cars and one could even have their car transported on the auto & Train car ferries. A 6 hour ride from Key West to Havana. Now That’s a Trip!

What imagination and determination Flagler had.

So here I am on Pigeon Key, a staging area for the building of the oversea railroad. Today it is a marine research and museum grounds. With most of the original buildings used during the building of the railroad. I can hardly contain myself as I walk around the island, step out onto the boat dock and watch sting rays gliding by in the multi-colored aqua blue and green gulf waters. Drinking in the island life I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying for many years during my working years in Orlando. Driving or flying into the keys whenever I could afford the time off.