G.A.S.P.

I made a few reservations before I left camp the next morning (2-25).  Most importantly, I booked passage on a boat that goes from Key West to Dry Tortugas National Park (70 miles offshore).  The cost is $98, but that includes breakfast and lunch and an all-day trip (8:00 – 5:30) to the Park.  I didn’t think the price was out of line. 

I also made a reservation for staying two nights at the only RV Park/Campground in Key West – the Rip Toff Campground (name changed to protect the innocent).  It will cost me $46 per night (plus tax) just to set up my tent on a little piece of their real estate.  Ouch!

Lastly, I reserved a spot at a State Park campground near Jacksonville where I will meet my friend from home, Gene Meyers, on March 7^th.  Given the trouble I’ve had with Florida State Parks, I thought I had better make the reservation.  It wouldn’t be a good start for Gene on his journey to have to spend the first night sleeping in somebody’s tomato field.

My ride today was just from Florida City to Long Key (about 60 miles), a point just about halfway to Key West.  I had a stiff and favorable wind today (almost always blows from the east through the Keys). I couldn’t help but think how ugly it might be on the return trip.  I’m staying at another expensive campground ($45), but it is nice and the cost of food and drink at their restaurant is quite reasonable.  If someone came here and camped for a week, the price would seem to be a bargain (especially versus motels at about $150 per night), but it’s painful to pay that much for just a place to sleep.

The most interesting part of the day was trying to dodge the reflectors on the stretch of U.S. 1 from Florida City to Key Largo (about 20 miles).  There is a nice shoulder on the highway, but the Florida D.O.T. has seen fit to place rows of four reflectors across it (the shoulder) about every 40 feet.  The reflectors in each row are spaced only 4 or 5 inches apart and are “raised” about 1” (with a sloping face, at least).  Hitting a reflector results in a bit of a bump, nothing dangerous mind you, but quite annoying nonetheless.  So I tried to miss as many as I could.  The best I was able to do was to successfully navigate through 105 consecutive sets (about ¾ of a mile) without hitting any.  Not bad, you say.  Not bad, my eye!  I’m claiming it as a world record until I hear from someone who has done better.

The disappointment of the day was that I didn’t get to see much water in this upper section of the Keys.  That will come tomorrow, however, as I cross the famous seven-mile bridge as well as many other bridges.