Key West/Fort Jefferson Visit

We headed south to thaw out a bit.  We figured when you start thinking 20degF is 'warm', you've been in the cold too long.

After a brief visit to Miami Strictly Sail, mainly to look at boats we can't afford and say hi! to people we are starting to get to know 'in the circuit', we pointed the car south.

The first 75 minutes of our trip consisted of Tim having to listen to me alternately yell how every last driver in Miami needs to be shot with OH SHIT WE ARE GOING TO DIE.  We finally saw that beacon of hope:  Florida City-Gateway to the Keys.

The rest of the trip was uneventful until Key West.  Not much exciting we did in Key West other than eat too much, find our NEW favorite happy hour spot. Seriously: ANY WINE, ANY BEER, ANY LIQUOR half price and all small plate/appetizers half off.  After fresh shrimp, fresh smoked fish dip, at least a bottle and half worth of wine and 4 beers I think our check was around $35.  Our new secret hidey hole?  Alonzo's Oyster Bar on the Key West Bight.

We find another cool boutique hotel to stay at, also run by the Historic Inns of Key West.  All the rooms were modern, but the buildings themselves were built in 1888-ish. When you think of all the hurricanes and tropical storms, these old Conch houses are built pretty impressively to last.  (We won't get into the fires....)

The next day after we received our first souvenir from the fine folks at the City of Key West Parking Department.  (Whoops, blondie messed up her days when she bought her parking pass) we headed over to check the storage unit.  Everything is there, in good shape, and we discovered that the storage place routine WD-40s our lock for us to prevent rust.  Nice.

While over there, we had found out there was a new marina and at the marina there was reported to be a fantastic food truck.  Rock on.  Marina in good shape.  Food truck... AWESOME.

Shrimp Road Grille

Pulled pork queso fresco, fresh cilantro and chef's slaw.
Housemade pineapple/coconut jerk barbecue on the side.
The spouse had Mahi.

Our lunch companions were a flock of Guinea Hens, to which my spouse said:  How the HELL did you know what those damn things were?  Hello? Lived in rural Kansas for 6 years....I knows my poultry.  They also had a community garden that the marina live aboards and locals tended to. Did I take pictures?  Of course not, I get too much in this lookie lookie mode and not enough into clickie clickie mode.

Of course, here's the requisite Key West sunset shot.
Ummm, the earth is normal, I was.....not so much.
So, the schooner is NOT sailing uphill.