getting there

March 11, 2025 to March 16, 2025

I'll try to keep this section mercifully short, and just give the highlights. I opted to get to the starting point by renting a car instead of flying. That way, I was able to spend some time with my sister, Wanda. I don't get to visit with her nearly enough.

We spent the first night in St. Louis with Kevin and Pamela, just like I did in 2021 on my way to my New Orleans trip.

This is Kevin, seconds before his cat ripped open his throat and he bled out.

The second night we stayed with my Cycleblazer friends, Jeff Lee and Joy Santee in Kentucky. They also have a cat, but they're not dead. Yet.

Just as a reminder, one of these two people rode more than 320 miles in a single day... TWICE. (hint: it's not me)

The third night was supposed to be with my friend from high school, Ben (about whom you can read in my 1982 journal), but I wasn't able to get in touch with him. So, instead, we stayed in hotels for the rest of the trip. Google maps plotted the total drive time at 28 hours, which ballooned to 35+ hours because of the 12-13 car accidents en route.

Some pictures along the way:

No, I don't believe I will. And thank you for selling pecans instead of nuts.

A few minutes prior, I saw a road named "Cedar Hammock" and thought "Jeez, that would be really uncomfortable." Then I saw this one.

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For anyone considering this route, I should mention lodging in Key West.

When I began preparing for this trip I thought it might be nice to spend a couple of days in Key West enjoying the town before starting out.... then I started looking at the cost of a hotel. Be aware: if you want to start a trip at the southern tip of Florida around this time of the year, you'll likely be coughing up more than $400 for lodgings which are the equivalent of a Motel 6. The Key West hotels listed on the Adventure Cycling Association's map, which are usually the cheapest in the area, cost $410, $360, $400, and $410. Other hotels are even more expensive.

AirBnB was my next option, although I wasn't expecting to have much luck. I found rooms ranging from $268.00 to $689.00, and averaging around $600.00. Of course, since it's AirBnB, that doesn't include the hidden costs such as cleaning, service fees, etc.

I also looked for a Warm Showers host, and found two listed for Key West. The first one is "currently splitting my time between Key West in the Winter and Martha's Vineyard for Summers. Unfortunately neither living situation is currently workable for hosting." The other person hasn't hosted anyone since 2013, at least according to the reviews.

At that point, I decided to look at campsites. Fort Zachary Taylor State Park is in Key West, but it doesn't allow camping and can only be used during the daytime. Dry Tortugas is a National Park, but it's 70 miles off the coast and takes 2 hours and 15 minutes to get there..... and it costs $260.00 for the ferry ride and campsite (only $250 for seniors!).

Sigsbee Military RV Park is only available to members of the military and their families, so that's not an option. Sugar Loaf Campground has no available sites for tent camping, and Boyd's, only five miles down the road, will set me back almost $100.00 for a primitive campsite with no electricity or showers.

Ultimately, I realized I'm just too cheap to spend that much money on lodging, which meant that instead of hanging out in Key West for another day I'd need to leave early enough to ride the 38 miles to Bahia Honda State Park.

A month later, on the off chance I might've missed something I took another look at AirBnB and came across one that I somehow missed previously, possibly because it wasn't in Key West - it was out in the middle of the water.

As it turns out, it's on a yacht anchored out in the water, and for only $120.00, I snatched it up.

The only downside, to some people, is the sleeping quarters. If you don't like to bunk with strangers, it might not be for you. I slept great.

The curtains made it surprisingly dark, and there were outlets for AC, USB-A, and USB-C.

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Just out of curiosity, I looked up the cost of real estate and the first place I looked at, a 500-square foot house (46.5 square meters) built in 1933, costs $850,000.00.

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Gregory GarceauCongratulations on finding such a unique accommodation. I'd have to say a Boat B&B beats the heck out of an Air B&B. Did they pick you up at a dock? Are there barf bags available in case of rough waters?

I'm not sure I could handle sleeping in such close proximity to others, but I AM sure it would be more comfortable than sleeping in a Rattlesnake Hammock.
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1 month ago

Mark BinghamTo Gregory GarceauWe paid for a shuttle to go each way, and there were probably barf bags but fortunately no one on the boat needed them. Interestingly, Captain Ryan said he gets seasick if it gets really rough, but he just sticks with it. Medication doesn't work. I asked about what he does when a hurricane comes through and he said it's a tough decision to make... do you stay or go? and at what point? If it's just very high winds, you simply stay with your ship and ride it out.
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1 month ago