Stepping onto the porch yesterday it was obvious it was going to be a lovely day. So when my wife, returning from her latest out of town conference texted ahead to me to get a couple of dinner ingredients I took the Vespa and did that which one often does when looking for an excuse to burn some dead dinosaurs. I went off track.
My plan then, was to ride to Winn Dixie, the Big Pine supermarket situated about five miles from my house. As I rode I figured it was too lovely a day to just go food shopping so I passed the aptly name Key Deer shopping center and kept riding north.
I could have veered north for five miles to take a ride to Port Pine Heights or No Name Key, both streets without outlets of course, wind prettily among the pines where I like to walk Cheyenne on the trails:
The old Flagler railroad has been transformed into a rather dashing paved fishing pier, pedestrian path and a bicycle route, all in one. A more forward looking state might have done as much the length of the Keys but the Sunshine State prefers to let such things deteriorate and cut income with endless sales tax loopholes.
You stand behind the white line to fish, while between the lines travel the bicycles and pedestrians in determined fashion. I love the bike pictogram with a cyclist riding properly attired in a Chinese conical hat.
After the Great Hurricane of 1935 the railroad, already losing money for lack of commercial traffic, folded and stayed closed until the state bought the rights to the rail bed and converted it all to a highway. Imagine modern tea party protests at such a waste of public monies! Yet what we take for granted today in public works were built one day in the past with tax money, in an era when this country functioned as a community. They took the rails and welded them into hand rails. Below you can see the original rusty rails now replaced by the bright modern aluminum hand rails.

Earlier this week a distracted truck driver drove his semi into the back of another eighteen wheeler stopped for construction on a bridge north of Marathon. The eighteen wheeler thus rear ended was pushed forward into the back of another semi stopped in front of him. The mess was so complicated that after they flew the culprit to Miami by helicopter, not, we are told, in danger of losing his life, the highway was closed in both directions for eight hours. Yup, eight hours on the only road into or out of town. Had you travel plans that day you would have been screwed. Welcome to my world, snow free but remember that stuff I mentioned about serpents in Paradise?
Better learn to keep hurricane supplies in your home year round because you can't eat the gorgeous views.