Driving Home

After eating 18 oysters, a dozen shrimp and 6 steamed clams, we biked
the last mile to the parking lot. It was padlocked but Teresa gave us
the combination.

We took Card Sound Road and discovered it is totally unsuitable for
biking. What's worse, it has a large cleared lane that would be
perfect for a bike path. The Florida government clearly never imagined
that anyone would want to get to Key Largo any way but by car. Cycling
is not in their conception.

Many sections of this route lack the attention to detail (or any
attention at all, sometimes) that would transform this route from
sketchy to safe. There is lots of debris in some patches and scattered
hazards throughout. A cyclist has to focus on the road at the expense
of the scenery.

It's a shame because we passed beautiful scenes: four-foot lizards
sunbathing, guys pulling snapper out of the water in dozens, cranes by
the water, which was many shades from green to purple. It is
worthwhile to stop and admire where there is an outlook or safe spot
because the rest of the time the margin of error is a slim shoulder on
US1.

In fairness there were dedicated bike paths and quiet side-roads. Some
were great and others were crumbled. Some ended abruptly without a
sign. Others started without our noticing. It was particularily hard
to tell if a path would cross a bridge or if we'd had to use the
highway. But the good ones are great. The best are the side roads in
Tavernier and Key Largo and the paths on Islamorada.

There are lots of great places to eat along this route. It is a fish
lover's paradise. Get the 36 spice yellowtail if you find it. Conch
chowder and key lime pie are "musts." The prices are great, too, and
there are lots of specials in the late off season.

Motels are cheap but campgrounds are plentiful, too. I hear the
campgrounds fill in advance but that's secondhand. Hotwire got us a
great price the first night: we paid the same the last night for a
less nice place we booked on the phone. Key West can be expensive but
there are deals there too if you are willing to compromise or able to
bargain.

The weather was great except the wind is strong and it's direction is
unpredictable. Our timing didn't vary much according to the wind but
our comfort and fatigue did. But hey you can't beat South Florida for
sunshine in December!

Overall this was a great trip. Our timing was perfect for a satisfying
experience. The Keys are so chill and pretty. Check 'em out if you can!