I pedaled through New Town for lunch, once again.
I bicycled across town to have lunch with Keith my former colleague. It was a good time at Hurricane Hole on Stock Island. We ate hugely, I had blackened hogfish in a Mexican bowl as they called it while he had jambalaya.
It was a sunny afternoon with a breeze and we talked politics and travel on the waterfront. And drank Jameson and ginger ale. “I remember you from last time,” the absurdly youthful Eastern European server said. “The drinks.” Well yes we had a few but we were well behaved.
Keith is pondering his own retirement possibilities in four years and nine months. GANNET2 has convinced him sleeping in a vehicle isn’t all bad. He took five weeks off this year and drive around. Pretty slick. Then back to answering 911.
I decided to give the bicycle another try and so it was I applied done fearsome strength to the seat post mounting bracket to stop the seat swiveling or worse slipping down while riding. I did a good job too. The bicycle, horrid machine, did a good job as I left South Street and took Staples Avenue to the footbridge. There I nearly got run down by an enthusiastic tricycle piloted with verve but not much skill. A rather portly lady with a cellphone glued to her ear glared at me as I negotiated a path between her hips and the bridge railing. I was probably as wobbly as the tricycle. Not what you want to see coming at you at twelve miles per hour:
I rode past the old West Isle Apartments on Duck Avenue, now renamed by some marketing imbecile as “Arrive” in the manner of a airport arrivals board.
The best luxury living in Key West my arse. A while ago the rental restrictions on the complex ran out and they can now charge what they want. I suppose that makes luxury living in this town. Having a place of your own is a luxury these days. It doesn’t look too luxurious does it?
Further down I also passed this classy front yard ornament! Gotta laugh.
I was early so at twelve thirty after I had pedaled the length of Duck Avenue on my one speed straight into the gusty east wind I turned right on South Roosevelt and went to look at Cow Key Channel. 
Over there is Stock Island already under massive redevelopment. Over here is the east end of the runway at Key West airport. And there is a gray beard pausing his run to do a great deal too many push ups. A drinking town with an exercise problem.
Free housing in the channel. When they call 911, and they do as alcohol can easily break up the tightest friendship the question becomes are they anchored on the Key West (police) side of the channel or Stock Island (sheriff) side?
Spandex tour de Key West meets bicycle live aboard. Old versus new:
Here’s an up close look at the free housing in the channel. Not exactly travel ready. They call themselves sailors but they are really occupiers of derelicts. In this town sad but necessary.
Hurricanes take their toll too:
And this one, below, carefully tied up in the mangroves between the city and Thompson Island got sunk despite the precaution. The irony here is that Thompson Island was owned before his death by Ed McKnight the developer who got rid of Houseboat Row to remove an “eyesore” that would have devalued the townhouse development he was planning. Seaside Court hot built with the units now selling for nearly two million bucks but the houseboat community got broken up with most of the vessels getting a berth in Garrison Bight Marina. Another piece of picturesque Key West gone. Now Thompson Island has its own piece of picturesque debris. And the island isn’t in the city as McKnight didn’t want to pay city taxes. He had a lot of influence. 
On the ride back I took a picture at the canal that runs under the Staples Avenue Footbridge. Quite the mural decoration:
I also caught a glimpse of a Conch Tour Train going to bed at the Roundhouse on Staples at George Street.
And after all that Ivan and Paula threw together a fabulous spread on the grill.
The next day after all that labor I rested in their hammock.
I don’t think it was Sunday but every day is a day off for me when I need it to be.
