Driving to Marco Island from Key West...and the FLAT Tire in the Everglades

Today (Thursday the 17th) was a pretty good day. My friends ended up doing the wave runner/jet-ski excursion...and I didn't. I ended up driving and sightseeing more of Key West.

I also took more pictures...as if I didn't already. But, I did get some pictures of the Jeep Liberty at the end/beginning of US 1, etc. I also went shopping for souvenirs such as magnets, shirts, etc. The place where I purchased the items was one which tried to rip me off and I was not impressed. I was going to actually not buy anything, but the store decided to take ten dollars off my order. Then it was back to pick my friends up from their wave runner excursion. They said it was okay...the water was choppy and they weren't impressed with the guide.

We got the Jeep and the small trailer (with it's right fender falling apart, but attached with bungee cords) all packed up and off we went. We drove and drove and drove....up the Keys on US 1. We actually got a chance to see what we didn't see driving in the night coming to Key West on Monday. I will admit the Keys are very pretty...the water is too. I noticed quite a few older bridges still standing adjacent to the ones being used. The one in particular which was interesting was the seven-mile bridge. I noticed trees actually growing on top of the older "seven-mile bridge" and that was interesting. At the end of the bridge (which is at Pigeon Key), we stopped and did some sight-seeing.

Not too long after leaving the bridge, it was time for lunch since it was about 2 PM or so. We stopped at a neat little place called Porky's Bayside BBQ in Marathon. It reminded me of the quaint restaurants in Southport which I've visited during Memorial Day weekend. And yes, pictures were taken there. I actually don't go anywhere without the camera, do I?

We stayed at Porky's a little too long because we were to be at Marco Island by 7 PM where the brother of one of my friends traveling with us lives. Yes, it is Marco Island, NOT San or Saint Marco Island as I've probably stated before even though there actually is a San Marco Road at Marco Island. Weird???

Driving to Marco Island (which is about 250 miles from Key West) was an adventure. We drove through Homestead (which has many produce farms in season) during twilight...and onto long dark roads through the swampy Everglades. That was when the trailer decided to try to kill itself.

After traveling about forty or so miles on Highway 41 through Indian Villages, the Everglades...somewhere (I really don't know where we were, but I know it was in the middle of nowhere), the right fender on the trailer finally flew off, barely missing the car behind us. I pulled off the side of the road, not to find the fender (it was lost in the darkness), but to survey the damage. The tire on the right side of the trailer actually was leaking air. The portable GPS unit stated the nearest gas station was about twenty or so miles away. That was about 7:15 PM.

I knew the tire needed to be changed. Fortunately, there was a campground just a mile ahead and we pulled in there to change the tire. Also, fortunately, there was a building with light and restrooms. The light helped us in changing the tire and we used the CLEAN restrooms. Fortunately, I had a spare tire with the trailer!!! Praise God!

We got the tire changed and off to Marco Island we went. We arrived about 8:20 PM. My friend's brother had dinner for us waiting. We had skirt steak (not common in North Carolina), broccoli, deviled eggs, roasted potatoes (seasoned nicely), crudite, etc. For dessert, we had some pumpkin bread and fresh watermelon (in season!). There was talk of us still doing some more things in the Everglades, etc.

After dinner, two of my friends and I took a dip in the hot tub and swimming pool (outside). I also checked the weather for the Raleigh area and saw that it has been COLD there. What a good time of the year for me to go to Key West and Marco Island, huh??? I almost want to move to Florida...and I have since June of 1984 when my parents, sister, and I went to Disney World, EPCOT Center, Kennedy Space Center, and Sea World. (I almost could stay. I have my Jeep Liberty as well as some clothes with me. I did hear from some people in Key West that's what they did. Their vacation - or something else - inspired them to move there. Cool!)

Well, I'll close this post for now. Time to go to bed. I'll post again later.