East Coast 2021:
Day 18 - Marathon, FL

	Monday, September 27, 2021: We slept in until the sun was up, and shortly afterward, Debbie noticed someone leaving something on our deck.
	The staff had brought us a basket with blueberry crumble muffins and apples for breakfast.
	There was a photo in our room of the hotel from the 1950s. It was amazing to see how much it had changed over the years.
	We checked out of the hotel around 9:30 AM, and a few minutes later we were at Blond Giraffe Key Lime Pie Factory.
	The tough thing about being here is remembering to exercise restraint. We were good, and purchased a single tub of Key lime pie meringues and two slices of Key lime pie with meringue topping.
	We took a quick look around the large garden patio area, which we hadn't seen on our previous visit. It was very large, with plenty of seating for small groups and large, and plenty of shaded areas.
	They have a huge "locks of love" display, where you can purchase a heart-shaped padlock, write something on it, and then lock it on their fence.
	Back on the road, we were enjoying all of the roadside statues and animal-themed mailboxes, like this flamingo mailbox, ...
	... and this parking lot lighthouse.
	We passed Islamorada Beer Company and Distillery. Unfortunately they weren't open yet, or we might have had to stop in for a pint.
	We have to admire the neon sign for Sid and Roxie's Green Turtle Inn. It must be fun to see at night.
	Another baby-less manatee mailbox.
	We were also enjoying the motels that were obviously from the golden age of road trips back in the 1950s and 1960s.
	And who doesn't love a business with a giant shark hanging from the sign? It's a motel that has fishing AND live bait.
	Some times it's just more efficient to plant your power poles directly in the ocean. No need to take up the limited roadside space.
	The manatee holding this mailbox was rocking a really nice sarong and had colorful red lipstick.
	There were dolphin mailboxes, ...
	... and even a manatee-with-a-hat mailbox.
	We stopped at Anne's Beach and ate our delicious pie slices before going for a walk.
	Warning! American Crocodile in the area. We cannot guarantee your safety.
	No need to fear, there are raised wooden walkways for the entire length of the beach.
	There are shelters with picnic tables spaced along the walk which would have been an even better place to eat our key lime pie slices.
	Whenever there is a shelter, there are steps down to the beach. This view shows the spacing of the shelters. It looked like a really nice place to visit.
	Look! There's a small shark patrolling in the shallows. How cool is that?!
	It was a nice visit on a beautiful cloudless day, but we had more driving to do.
	Some of the businesses were named according to their mile marker number, like this Pier 68 Boat Rental.
	Our next stop on the state park fact finding tour was Long Key State Park.
	There was no one else in the parking lot. We had this side of the park to ourselves. We love going where other people aren't.
	Check out this cool bike rack.
	Let's take a walk on the Golden Orb Nature Trail!
	Habitat 1: mangrove swamp. Check.
	One of the information signs said that there were crabs in the swamp. We were looking among the dead men's fingers, the roots of the mangrove trees that stick straight up out of the ground, when we finally spotted a fiddler crab. Do you see it?
	Here's a close-up of the crab in the photo above. They are hard to spot initially, but once you realize what you are looking for, you can't stop seeing them.
	Look at the major claw on this guy! The signs about the crabs said that the major claw may be up to 65 percent of the total weight of the crab. How do you walk with that thing?
	Speaking of walking, the trail so far had been raised wooden walkway, which was really nice. We were at the end of the mangrove swamp area, and had reached an area with enclosed picnic shelters. The trail continued to the left at the end of the wooden walkway, but it was no longer a walkway, just a sandy trail through woods. We decided that we didn't need to accumulate any more bug bites, and headed back the way we came.
	On the way back, we saw what we were pretty sure was a golden silk orbweaver spider. The trail we were on was named for the golden silk orbweaver spider, but they are very rare since Hurricane Irma swept through here in 2017.
	We also took some time to look for more crabs, and we were not disappointed.
	The path crossed this part of the swamp, where the water had a little bit of current from the tide.
	Debbie's sharp eyes saw this little tiny crab on a leaf. The leaf was drifting in the current, and the crab was paddling its legs trying to control where it was going. There were several times where the leaf stopped moving as the crab was able to generate enough motion to counteract the tide. Hang ten, baby crab!
	Debbie also spotted this hermit crab that was under the water, dragging its house from the deeper center of the water toward the edge.
	The swamp was alive with all kinds of fish, including these long skinny ones that were right under the surface. They are some kind of needlefish, maybe red needlefish, but we're not certain.
	We enjoyed watching the small minnows and other tiny fish avoid our shadows as they swam.
	While looking at the many, many tiny crabs, Debbie suddenly spotted this gigantic red one, a mangrove tree crab.
	It was easily the biggest one in the area. It was still funny to see all of the tiny crabs with one gigantic claw running around in the shallows.
	We got one more really good look at the big red one before heading back to the van. It looks like it is wearing a leather jacket, doesn't it?
	We headed over to the other side of the park see what was over there.
	This beautiful pavilion looked like a fantastic place to have a gathering.
	Don't you want to have a picnic here? It has benches, shade, privacy, and a non-sand floor. Well done.
	After our brief but enjoyable visit at Long Key State Park, we headed south, passing more vintage businesses that probably date back 70 years or more.
	Seahorse! Chicks dig 'em.
	We had seen active Florida East Coast Railway trains near Jacksonville and at other places in Florida, but we hadn't been able to get a picture. This car is an advertisement for the local attractions.
	We knew we weren't far from the end of Marathon Key, which meant that this was the last chance for convenient food. We stopped at the last McDonald's we would see until we got to the end of the road in Key West.
	We started on Seven Mile Bridge, ...
	... noticing Pigeon Key just to the north. It is only accessible by boat or by walking or bicycling for two miles on the pedestrian-only Old Seven Mile Bridge which connects to it from Marathon Key.
	Driving this bridge is an amazing experience. The water is beautiful, and the bridge really gives you a feeling of how inaccessible the remaining Keys would be without it.
	The Old Seven Mile Bridge has several distinct sections, with the northern part being a pedestrian and/or bike trail, the middle being abandoned and/or unimproved, and the southern end being modernized into a pedestrian fishing pier.
	That's Little Money Key in the distance. It was ringed with what looked like dead mangrove trees, but the center of the little island appeared to be coming back to life.
	Sunshine Key RV Resort and Marina was hopping. It takes up the entire north side of Ohio Key.
	We crossed over the Ohio Bahia Honda channel to Bahia Honda Key, and stopped at ...
	... Bahia Honda State Park.
	This helpful sign instructed us that the correct pronunciation of the park is "BA-EE-A ONDA," and that high tide would be at 2:39 PM. That will be important for later in the trip.
	We need to be watching out for everything crossing this road.
	The park had a lovely picnic area, ...
	... and a nice beach that was easily accessible. We will have to remember this place for later.
	We continued south, passing through Big Pine Key, ...
	... and Ramrod Key, where we took a picture of the sign because we had missed it when we drove this way in 2018 and tried to photograph every sign.
	We got good shots of the Fat Albert Blimp that is tethered over Cudjoe Key. It has been hovering over the lower Keys since the 1980s, and continues to be a unique local landmark.
	This UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter appeared to be patrolling the area around the Keys.
	During our previous drive down to Key West, Debbie had photographed every Key sign we saw, but after we got home, we realized that we were missing a few. We had gotten Saddle Bunch #2, ...
	... and Saddle Bunch #3, ...
	... but we hadn't gotten Saddle Bunch #4 until now, ...
	... and we had Saddle Bunch #5. Whew. We were both very happy to have righted that wrong.
	We crossed over to Big Coppitt Key, and when we were here in 2018 they were building a new unit of these pastel colored houses. We were paying close attention as we drove by to see what color the new unit was. Drum roll, please. The new unit is ... light blue.
	We crossed over onto Boca Chica Key, which is the home of Naval Air Station Key West. We could see a pair of F-18s in the distance, turning on to final approach.
	They must be returning from a patrol of some sort, with that huge fuel tank strapped to the underside.
	Are you ready for the big finish? Six miles to go, ...
	... five, ...
	... four, ...
	... three, ...
	... two, ...
	... one mile to go, ...
	... turn right on US-1/Whitehead Street, ...
	... just a little farther, ...
	... and what the hell? The last block is a detour?! We've driven for literally 3,000 miles and the last 500 feet are closed off.
	Well, okay, there isn't exactly a street here anymore, just a big hole that they are digging. We probably should have told the state of Florida that we were doing this so that they could have delayed whatever important work this is until we were done. That's on us.
	We paid to park in the nearby post office parking lot, ...
	... said hello to the rooster ...
	... and the hen in the parking lot, ...
	... and walked the last bit of US 1. We had done it! The total distance was a little more than predicted by the historic marker in Fort Kent, but we had taken lots of side trips that easily accounted for the extra miles. Miles today: 96. Total miles from Fort Kent, ME: 3048.
	Let's do some shopping! But let's wait until after these people go by on the tram. Seriously, people?! Not a single mask in sight. You know it's still a pandemic, right?
	Apparently they have metal roosters down here too! We bought magnets and shot glasses with the Key West version of Mile 0 to match the ones that we had bought at the start of the trip in Maine.
	Then we walked back to the van to begin the last part of our trip, admiring these gorgeous plumeria blooms along the way.
	Okay. Let's just keep driving US 1 until we get back to Maine.
	Just kidding.
	After 3,000 miles of disregarding our navigation system, we were finally able to use it to get to our next destination, which was kind of a treat. It took us past this art deco building which still appears to be a movie theater.
	Check out the cool pineapple cutouts on this picket fence!
	We passed Trumbo Point, which is the home of the Coast Guard in Key West.
	There were still statues letting you know there were tropical oceans around, like this marlin on the Key West City Marina sign, ...
	... and this giant conch statue at this Shell station. Get it?
	You know you have a lot of excess cash when you want an SUV and decide to buy a Lamborghini Urus.
	Thanks, Key West. We'll let you know if we're coming back.
	We had to celebrate another mileage-based milestone while we were driving. Septimus, our beloved minivan, turned over 80085 miles. If you don't know why we are celebrating that mileage, ask fourteen-year-old Tom to put that number in his calculator and tell you what it spells.
	We passed over the Shark Channel and the Saddlebunch Keys, ...
	... and then passed the Sugarloaf Key/Key West KOA Holiday. We had a reservation to stay here in a beachfront spot when this was going to be an RV trip. It hurt a lot to cancel that reservation.
	At 2:30 PM, we were back at the Old Bahia Honda Bridge.
	The bridge was originally a rail bridge connecting Bahia Honda Key with Spanish Harbor Key, and then it was converted to automobile traffic after the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane (before they named hurricanes). When the new (current) bridge was built in 1972, the two spans of the old bridge were removed to prevent pedestrians from accessing the unsafe parts of the bridge, and to allow boat traffic to safely enter the bay.
	Calusa Beach and Loggerhead Beach sure look inviting.
	Hey! There's camping here! It looks like a great place to stay, and it's right on the ocean. We'll have to remember that if we ever need to camp in the Florida Keys.
	We had been talking about going back to this state park since we left it this morning. Let's do it!
	We slowed down to let the ibis cross the road.
	We took a look at the beach on the bay side and decided against it. We both wanted to be in the ocean proper. We deserved it.
	In addition to having a lovely state park and beach, this historical marker told us that Bahia Honda Key is famous for having plants brought here from birds and hurricanes. Nice.
	This looks like a great spot. We got changed in the back of the van, and headed right out to the ocean.
	Debbie is always a happy woman when she can be in a tropical ocean.
	Tom loves it too!
	Looking to the south, it was obvious that the only land in that direction was Cuba, approximately 100 miles away.
	Debbie did some camera snorkeling. That's where she just puts the waterproof camera under water and takes photos. It is a much drier way to snorkel.
	There was a pronounced ridge where the seagrass met the sand. It was almost like stepping from hardwood floor to a very thick shag carpet.
	This helicopter did several slow circles over the highway and the state park, and then flew off.
	Doesn't bother Tom. It's your helicopter. Fly it however you want.
	About five minutes later, the helicopter returned, repeating the slow circles over the park and the road. Odd.
	After more than an hour of thoroughly enjoying being in the ocean, we decided that we should get going to our hotel.
	A little while later, we finally got a photo of the Ohio Key sign. We didn't have one from our previous trip, and there isn't a sign on the southbound side of the road, so we couldn't get one earlier. We were still missing a sign for Missouri Key, but there doesn't appear to be one on either side of the road.
	We could see Seven Mile Bridge in the distance.
	That's Money Key out there. It got its name because they found pirate loot on it.
	Welcome (back) to Marathon!
	At 4:30 PM, we pulled into the Fairfield Inn and Suites. Debbie went inside to check in, and found out that our corner balcony suite was in the next building to the south, right on the ocean.
	This luxurious suite was our reward for driving all of US 1. It had a desk, kitchen with sink, microwave, and mini-fridge, ...
	... another sitting area with a separate dining table, ...
	... a balcony that faced south toward the ocean and the pool, ...
	... did I mention the separate sitting area with big screen TV, ...
	... a comfy king bed, ...
	... and another door to the balcony that wrapped around to the east.
	Here's the south-facing part of the balcony overlooking the pool, ...
	... and here's the east-facing part. Please ignore our swimming stuff that is out to dry.
	Here's a view to the east if you sit in the chair in the previous picture. It was a really, really, really nice room.
	Dinner was from the Island Fish Company, which was right across the street.
	Debbie got the shrimp tacos (right) and Tom got the fish tacos (top). We also got an order of shrimp ceviche (bottom), which we saved for later.
	It's only right to drink local beers when you have them. Cheers!
	We sat on the balcony drinking beer and talking about the trip so far, planning for tomorrow's drive, and watching the sea birds fly over.
	We watched the sunset, ...
	... drank a little more, ...
	... and then headed inside. It had been another really great day. Day 19 >