We departed the condo early on Monday morning heading for Key West, about 200 miles away. Nearer home, a 200 mile journey could be completed in 3 hours or so. Google Maps predicted a little over 4 hours for this drive. But the reality was closer to five. In the Keys, roads are narrow, traffic is heavy, and speed limits are low.
Our motel room was quite nice, and had both a pleasant view and free parking (very rare in Key West, where parking is hard to find at any price), but was more than 2 miles away from the historic center of town. We had planned to walk it, but noticed that the hotel had bicycles for rent. They were similar to the bikes we rented in the Everglades, but much newer and in much better condition. It turned out to be an excellent choice. We were able to take in many more spots, and even get off the beaten track to see how people live in Key West.
One spot all the tourist guides recommend is the Southernmost Point monument. One is supposed to get a photo of oneself standing beside it, but the line to do so was a block long. So we took a picture of a couple of total strangers standing by it instead.
Similarly, there was a big ticket price to walk through Harry Truman’s “Little White House” on the grounds of the Key West Naval Station. And again, Covid made such an indoor tour unwise. So we saw the outside and enjoyed the bike ride around the historic old houses, many of which are still used as married officers’ quarters.
We visited the piers, strolled down Duvall Street, and took in the ambiance of the island, including the chickens that roam wild all over. We were told that there were many strange and interesting people here, and we did encounter a few. But mostly we saw tourists, and more tourists, of every description.
After our long afternoon of riding and walking in the heat (a humid 80+ degrees) we found an outdoor restaurant with “happy hour” specials where we could sit and consume some refreshment. Then we got on the bikes and took the long way back to the motel so that we could enjoy one of the famous Key West sunsets.
On the way home on Tuesday, we stopped at a bird sanctuary near Key Largo where injured birds of all species are cared for, and if possible, returned to the wild. Much of the interpretive program was shut down by the pandemic, but we still got to see quite a few birds.
Then we detoured to an out of the way spot south of Homestead to have lunch at the famous “Alabama Jack’s.” There was certainly a bayou atmosphere, but we aren’t certain that the food was worth the extra miles. All-in-all, it was a pleasant excursion. The Prius performed exceptionally well, averaging nearly 58 mpg on the round trip!
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