2: the hole, fred the tree, turtle hospital, mount lushmore, pedicure, foil board

March 19, 2025

Big Pine Key to Marathon

Some people don't sleep well in a tent. Me? I slept for nine hours.

The first thing I noticed when I woke up was this:

After eating the chocolate chip cookie last night I placed the remnant into a paper bag and brought it inside the tent. What's particularly interesting is that the bag was about 9 inches from the tent wall and downwind from the hole. Whatever chewed the hole, an alligator probably, not only knew it was inside but exactly where it was.... downwind.

If only I had a tent repair kit.... but wait! I do! Did you forget my massive packing list already?

This is the second thing I saw this morning.

I watched a couple of these guys poking around while I ate breakfast.

Once packed and loaded I went back to the Overseas Highway, and shortly after that began riding on the Seven Mile Bridge. I'm not sure how long it is, but it's pretty long.

Within a couple of miles, around Mile Marker 42, I came to Fred the Tree, a salt-sprayed Casuarina, aka Australian pine tree, growing out of the roadbed of the historic Old Seven Mile Bridge. He started out in humble beginnings (shit dropped from the butt of a bird), but over the years he's become a living symbol of the resilience of the Keys and its people.

Fred the Tree now has a Facebook page with 41,000 followers, had a cameo in the movie Road House, a biographical children's book written by Leigh Guest, and even a line of clothing.

You might say he's a celebri-tree.

I continued along Seven Mile Bridge.

Just beyond Seven-Mile Bridge is the Turtle Hospital, a "fully functioning veterinary hospital for sick and injured sea turtles." According to their website, they rescue, rehab, and release sea turtles in the Florida Keys.

Because this is a vacation and not just a bike ride, I stopped for the tour. At $36.00 it's a bit expensive, but it was an hour long and very informative. I found it to be well worth the money.

During the tour I learned that turtles develop "bubble butt" after a propeller strike, a syndrome in which gases develop under the shell (which is cartilage). At that point they're no longer able to submerge and therefore lose their equilibrium. For treatment, weights are glued on opposite sections to counterbalance the buoyant gases. These turtles can never be released back into the wild.

You may also notice that this guy is missing a flipper. The rule is that they need to have at least two and a half flippers to be able to go back into the ocean.

The sex of the hatchlings is determined by the temperature of the sand (where the nest is) during incubation.

This is where they do surgery. A lot of them develop tumors around the eyes, so there's a veterinary ophthalmologist who comes to perform surgery.

A turtle's brain is about the size of a pencil eraser. So how do they find their way back to the exact same beach to lay their eggs? According to our tour guide, recent research (done here) shows that there's something in that tiny brain that seeks out unique magnetic signatures along the coast which allows them to determine where to go.

The shells of some of the turtles are really beautiful

Unsurprisingly, none of the turtles in the Turtle Hospital are ever there as a result of something stupid they've done after getting drunk. It's always the results of something external, and usually humans (sometimes as a result of getting drunk).

Back on the bike, I was able to locate the Overseas Pub and Grill.

At the Overseas Pub and Grill just before Mile Marker 49 I saw the folk art mural entitled "Mount Lushmore." It depicts Ernest Hemingway, Jimmy Buffett, FDR, Al Capone, and Henry Flagler. Their motto is "Drink where the famous have drunk." According to my research, all of them did drink in the Keys, but not necessarily at this bar.

And a little farther down the road: I read that at this spa you can get a pedicure from minnows nibbling away at the dead skin on your feet.

I eventually arrived at my campsite, Curry Hammock State Park.... First it was Cedar Hammock, then Rattlesnake Hammock, and now Curry Hammock. Floridians should try Silk Hammock, or even Cotton Hammock. It would be much more comfortable.

When I checked in there were, as expected, no available campsites so I was given another "emergency campsite," this time by a personable Ranger named Kayleah. When I was charged $19.00 for the campsite I asked her why the previous State Park charged me almost $50.00. She got a blank look on her face and said she had no idea. I asked her to call Bahia Honda to let them know what the cost should be for bikers. She apologized for them, and I thought about trying to get a refund but knew it would be pointless so I didn't even ask about it. I pictured her giving them a call:

"Refund?"
"Yes, refund"
"Can you spell that?"
"R.... E... F.... U... N... D..."
"Okay, got it.... R?"

It didn't take me long to get in the water.

After starting to set up my tent a "camp host" came over and apologized that I needed to move my tent to the other side of the Day Camping area. This is where I eventually set up.

I saw this guy over at one of the picnic tables and wondered what kind of contraption he had. Some kind of flying drone? I then followed him over to the water where he continued prepping, and learned it's called a foil board. I also asked about the ankle bracelet, and he said he has to wear it because he's still on parole.

After a pause, he laughed and said it repels sharks by using high radiofrequency waves. I googled it and found it's called Sharkbanz, and can be purchased for $128.00.

Here's the foil board in action:

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Today's ride: 21 miles (34 km)
Total: 60 miles (97 km)

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Steve Miller/GrampiesLove your quirky sense of humour. It shines through your writing style.
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4 weeks ago

Mark BinghamTo Steve Miller/Grampies"Quirky" is my other middle name... you know, besides "Danger." Thanks for following along.
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4 weeks ago

Carl B.I started off late, but glad I finally caught up to you(r posts)! Looking forward to following your travels, and soaking up the advice along the way.
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4 weeks ago