Key Worst

First off, let me say we're a damn sight closer to Cuba than I thought. We're staying at an RV park 39 miles north of Key West and it's filled with Miami Cubans down for the weekend. A weekend of partying, bright lights, loud music, lots of color and Latin blood gone wild. But there's a strict quiet period policy from 11PM to 8AM and everyone observes that. Let me say also that most of these RV resorts tend to be rather old, staid and stodgy and this was something of a breath of fresh air.

Before our comments about Key West, we want to tell you about Daisy's latest encounter with Florida wildlife. I stopped by the historic Smallwood Store in Chokoloskee at the edge of the Everglades and while I was inside Paul sneaked Daisy into the water for a swim. A woman came out and said, "You want to watch it. There are alligators in that water." He reeled her in like a prized fish just as a six-footer popped to the surface. Daisy, out of the water, was unfazed and went about eating debris on the beach. We met a guy whose friend's dog was snatched and eaten by an alligator just two weeks ago. Down here it's a serious problem.

While Daisy was doing battle with alligators, I took an airboat tour of the Everglades. It's something I've been wanting to do. Paul had done it several times before and passed on it this time. Let me tell you it's a hoot and a half, zipping along at about 40 miles an hour through this shallow sea of sawgrass and mangroves. My boat was filled with Japanese tourists who agreed it was a hoot and a harf (that's a joke. Get it?). They couldn't take enough pictures.

And so we moved on and achieved our goal. We made it to Key West, the southernmost point in the continental U.S. Cuba's just 90 miles south.

This is "the" spot every Key West visitor wants a photo of. Land's end. After that, you basically turn around and head home.

A couple of comments about Key West. It's so packed with tourists you can't find a public place to park and private parking's expensive so you keep driving and take what pictures you can from the car. Not terribly flattering pictures like a bunch of motorcyclists flipping us off.

Personally, while I'm glad we made it I'm rather happy to leave it. It's a bit overdone, too crowded and while charming in the historic district for the most part it's like any other city filled with stores like Ross Dress for Less and Home Depot.

I doubt I'll come back again. As they say, been there, done that.

Across the highway from our RV park we found a beach and let Daisy have at it.

No fear of alligators in this salty water but kept her on a short leash nonetheless since we're afraid she'd just keep going and wind up in Cuba with the other party animals.

Today we leave the Keys, head north and overnight in Lake Worth north of Miami and will be visiting my longtime friend Suzanne and her husband Bill. Looking forward to that.

From there might go to Orlando to visit the mouse and then follow the sun back to Sedona.
More "driving Miss Daisy" later. It's all about the dog.