Bimbling On The Overseas Highway

I have been commuting Highway One, known as the Overseas Highway, since  2005 when I moved to a house on Ramrod Key at Mile Marker 27.Much of my commuting I have enjoyed on two wheels and its been pretty good most of the time as I work at night and I ride against the main traffic flow. However the highway has suffered a massive deterioration in the quality of Keys life and I am not alone in noticing this state of affairs.

What's happened is that more and more working people have moved out of Key West as house prices have spiraled up and my choice to live in the suburbs 25 miles from the city was once seen as eccentric and has now become main stream. Traffic jams on Stock island are the order of the day around eight o'clock in the morning as workers stream into the city all at the same time. Leaving Key West before five pm is a requirement if you want to avoid long back ups on the roads that lead to the one bridge out of the city.  

Once you mix into this scenario winter snowbirds who think its a good idea to move about during rush hour and tourists who are in no hurry to stop paying attention to the scenery and get on with their driving and you have a highway filled with mixed motives and motivations. The problem is that all these people are driving the only road across the county. You can't choose to drive the freeway if you are in a  hurry and the main road has to double as the scenic route at the same time.

It used to be that the jumble of cars on the highway was reserved for the winter months but nowadays it seems like we never get a break  from long lines of cars. If I want to get to the gym on time during the day I have to allow at least 50 minutes for a thirty minute journey.  Bad enough I suppose but it gets worse. People from the mainland who think passing one slow poke will solve their problems end up passing recklessly because they don't know where the passing lanes are and they don't care so you find yourself being tailgated by people who don't know how to pass on a two lane highway and crowd you. Or you find yourself stuck in a long line of cars held up by one lone slow driver with a line of cars a mile long behind them. No exaggeration. Passing one or two cars when you face 25  stuck in line makes no sense and you drag your way into Key West at 40 miles per hour.

I understand the voices of people who say it's better to slow down but finding yourself surrounded by road rage is a lot worse. There is a law on the books fining people wh "impede the flow of traffic" but I live in hope of ever seeing it enforced. Check out this sequence of photos I caught by putting my camera on the dash and shooting off  a string of pictures to edit later. I was ready for this scenario as I saw them coming and as usual I pull over when faced with being tailgated. I've paid my dues to distracted driving thanks. I let them get on with it.

 There were several cars racing and in the distance in the photo above you can see number one passing in a no passing zone and then number tow passing me as I slowed down to avoid getting caught up in an accident.

Nothing deterred he took off again determined to pass two vehicles who are already on a double yellow line with the flashing yellow light at Sugarloaf School right there.   Meanwhile boy racer number three in the red car was hot on his heels as he drove through the left turn lane ahead of us. How there wasn't a wreck I don't know.

This sort of thing happens all the time. Granted they are idiots but getting stuck ten or more  miles an hour under speed limits that are already pretty restrained gets tedious even for the more patient among us. On top of that the state keeps reducing the passing zones and it seems like not many people have been taught how to pass safely on a two lane highway so impressive lines of impatient car drivers pile up behind one inconsiderate slow poke. I never see anyone pull over to allow faster vehicles by but it doesn't stop me from doing when I find someone suddenly looming in my mirror.

Florida has a strange law called Speed Limit Plus Five which allows only for a written warning if you are stopped for speeding five over the limit. Obviously driving recklessly or too fast for conditions or any other thing can come into play but it gets tough sitting behind some dork doing 48  when he could be doing 60 and you are commuting. Holding up traffic creates road rage and it gets ugly. Lots of people are personally offended if they are passed even though they themselves have no intention of passing, yet they expect others to travel at their slow pace. Riding a scooter or motorcycle makes it worse and I no longer much enjoy riding the Overseas Highway if I'm honest. I want to get to retirement without another major wreck if possible.

There doesn't seem to be an answer to the dangers and awfulness of the modern Overseas Highway. Modern drivers seem to get no training at all in passing, managing center turn lanes, maintaining a safe distance (the two second rule), or pulling over to allow faster traffic to disperse ahead. There are too many people commuting, the number of tourists and winter residents is increasing not decreasing and the highway is as wide as it will get. I even see bicyclists ignoring the bike paths and riding o the narrow shoulder  which is their right but certainly seems to me to invite death or dismemberment considering how crappy modern driving standards have become. I can't recommend the road  really though if you come just once and choose to drive it you have been warned. It sucks.

Old Town Villas

I don't suppose affordable housing was ever an option on a piece of land a block from the fleshpots of Duval Street, also a block from the alluring waters of the Key West Bight, known as the charming Historic Seaport. I think these townhomes were offered for something close to two million dollars if the grapevine was correct. Even though the term "affordable housing" has never been properly defined in Key West these homes were nowhere close.

The reason I perked up and noticed these townhomes was the sign out front. If you want one it's too late. It appears from the picture Mercedes Benz and Porsche cars are welcome here so that disqualifies me.

There is a certain uniformity to the design though the ground floor parking would be useful and might reduce parking complaints from irritated people who buy expensive homes and then discover they can't park close by. They call 911 oftentimes to complain so I know that situation bugs them.

 I'm not sure who the generator is for butit is raised properly as a reminder this area floods.

 And the sidewalk got torn up too. This section of Greene Street is a hive of activity.

 The townhomes dominate the horizon a bit.

 And yet lobster pots are still stored here in defiance of all modern attempts to deindustrialize Key West's waterfront. They can be smelly things lobster pots. I wonder how long they will last.

 Lots of people out booking boat trips. The townhomes are squarely where the action is.

Sammy Creek

I saved these images for a nice slow Saturday layout, more pictures fewer words.

 I like Sammy Creek on Sugarloaf  as Rusty does his thing and I get to point the camera.

 The canal that goes up into the island produces a very satisfactory current under the road bridge.

 Teaching the next generation the important life skills to live in the Keys:

 Seagrass:

 They have a billboard showing the original house on the land which the family donated to the state to create the park. Oddly enough I remember the building but never photographed it myself:

 The creek recently disturbed by a boat:

 Rusty exploring the road. There are a couple of houses the other side of the bridge.

 The road ends about a mile further along. These empty roads are where youngsters come at night to let off steam and burn rubber: 

 Rusty the headless dog:

It doesn't take much to keep my dog and I amused on a sunny afternoon.

Sugarloaf Hike

The skies look a bit bland during periods of overcast but there is an absurd little filter on the camera that increases the drama. It was dramatic enough at ground level hot and sweaty with hardly a  breeze blowing over he mangroves.

Rusty was there dodging through the shady bits checking out the stuff dog check out. I was off that night so I wanted to take him on a long walk and go home ready for both of us to sleep and I ended up putting myself out at least. And in the morning let it be noted it was I that woke the dog up at fully 8:30,  two and a half hours after he usually sticks his snout in my face ready for a walk. A success then, this nearly three mile walk.

As you can see it was a calm afternoon, the ponds among the mangroves were flat and still. It was quite beautiful. The trail is at the very end of Sugarloaf Boulevard at the opposite to the more well known and frequented Sugarloaf Loop wherein lies the jumping bridge.

In the distance to the north I could just make out Highway One shimmering in the heat.

There's not really much to photograph in this wilderness especially as the greenery tends to tower over the trail and cuts off any possible views at sea level.

It was hot and sweaty, which I like especially if the alternative is snow or frost or fog.

I wanted to prove to myself I could walk a decent distance as i have been feeling more secure on my feet. So I took my cane and ambled my way about a mile and a half out, and it was rambling, as the walk took an hour and a half each way.

You make your fun where you find it. And pretty soon it found me. Rusty came back to me quivering with excitement and stared down the trail expectantly. I had no idea what was coming but sure enough a man and his dog appeared up ahead. We exchanged pleasantries and the dogs did the same and he walked off in the direction I had come. He spoke as though he knew the trail and had his plans to walk all figured out. Rusty and I pressed on toward the car. I wasn't walking that fast and sure enough the stranger and his dog caught up and we started talking. My limp brought up the motorcycle accident and he told me about all the bones he has broken over the years. It was a long and horrendous list of arms legs shoulders and ancillary parts. We then shared commiserations on the standard of driving on Highway One, and the young man told me a horrendous story about a car brake checking him on his sport bike and causing a three vehicle accident on the highway. 

Oddly enough as we walked and talked we found a connection to Santa Cruz where I used to live and where his father graduated university in California. The other truly odd thing was he recognized my voice from calling 911. That was slightly freakish I have to say. We were alone on the trail and it was a pleasant way to spend a few minutes in company when I had expected to be alone. He had a nice young dog too which I forgot to photograph. The sad pat of the story from my perspective was his acceptance that to deploy his own university degree he was going to have to leave the Keys where he grew up. But, as he pointed out hey will always be there to come back to.

A big gin and tonic and a short drive home. And we were both done.

Key West Bight

I was without Rusty, imagine that, and I decided to take the camera for a walk downtown, and before I got back to the car I took a few steps along the waterfront. 

In the distance the Galleon resort defines the northern edge of the enclosed waters which are known as the "Bight." In nautical terms a bight is an indentation in a coastline suitable for use as an anchorage. Which definition was not pleasing to city authorities so they came up with the term "historic seaport" which is what the advertisers call the Bight these days. 

It is where you go to get your pictures, boats and stuff always look good on vacation.

I noticed a splash of stickers on the wall of Jimmy Buffett's music studio which would also overlook the water if it had any windows. He got his start in Key West but most of the time he struts a larger stage than Key West can provide these days.

The stone monument on the left below is in memory of the man who created the Bight as a harbor originally for the shrimping fleet. Norberg Thompson was a Key West big  shot at the time even though you don't see his name much nowadays. I doubt anyone notices him on the monument even though he once created a ton of jobs in town. He lived from 1884  to 1951.

I saw the two flags high over the proceedings below and it always makes me smile to see Key West associated with piracy. There were no pirates in a  town that had no decent harbor, no water, no wood and no- let's be honest here - women. When they got kicked out of Providence Island off Nicaragua they moved to New Providence Island in the Bahamas which put them in a good position to intercept bullion convoys coming out of Havana. Key West was the US Navy base for Commodore David Porter's anti-piracy patrols. But that makes a terrible story for all the pirates cheering up the tourists.

And they line up to go sailing around the harbor, do the visitors.

I was surprised to see so many people lining up for boat tours on such a thundery day.

A tropical wave in the northern Gulf of Mexico brought a ton of rain and thunder this week to the Keys. It dumped a bunch of rain on the panhandle and then went inland. It's hard to image we aren't going to see a bunch of storm activity this year but keeping one's fingers crossed is all you can really do until we reach December. Sometimes the Western Caribbean will spit out a hurricane even in December if the waters are warm enough. Great stuff.

Making my way back to the car I passed Schooner  Wharf the bar that advertises itself as the last little piece of old Key West, and consequently does a land sale business.

There's always a lot of coming and going around here; people who live on boats self importantly and self consciously landing their dinghies and coming ashore  to be among mere mortal landlubbers for a while. Bums passing another boring day with nothing to do. The well-to-do slumming it at the waterfront tasting the Bohemian life before rushing back to table cloths and waiters and reliable air conditioning. It all happens here.

In the shrubbery below lies another landmark, Buddy Owens' Fish Wagon, an open air restaurant, what could also be described as another ast little piece of old Key West. 

Enough of Bohemia, I needed to get back to my own middle class air conditioning and my impatient dog always eager for attention or a walk. 

Sloppy Joe's

I found myself caught in a crowd on the sidewalk in front of the world's most iconic bar...It sounds like the opening line of a joke, and if Sloppy Joe's isn't the world's most iconic it is certainly Key West's. I know this because a woman in the knot of people watching a Conch Tour Trolley getting stuck in front of an obstinate driver afraid of backing up, said loudly in my ear:" Now I can get a Sloppy Joe's t-shirt," with the sort of excitement mixed with reverence I have heard among crowds attending a Papal Blessing in St Peter's Square. I was a bit surprised.

After the red car backed up enough to release the extremely patient professional driving the trolley the crowd started moving but not before several more people around me muttered"Sloppy Joe's" in various tones of excitement. Really? I hesitate to admit it but I have never had a drink far less food at Sloppy Joe's, nor do I really want to as I am not a fan of crowds nor am I very inspired by the sort of food offered to a transient customer base. It seems the bar has done a bang up job of advertising itself.

Sloppy Joe Russell has gone down in history as Ernest Hemingway's buddy in Key West. He ran a bar that wasn't, it was a speakeasy as during prohibition places selling alcohol were not allowed. As odd as that sounds I have wondered from time to time how life might be if the intemperate and incompetent weren't encouraged in their social stupidity by the lubrication of alcohol. I'm not complaining really as they are a form of job security for me, even as they sow discord in families and danger on the roads. Moderation is not a word one associates with Key West and alcohol unfortunately. 

Sloppy Joe created the Blind Pig  which he opened May 5th 1933 when prohibition ended and he became legitimate. That place was located where Captain Tony's is today and that's the reason they claim to be the original Sloppy Joe's... In 1937, by when he had changed the name to the Silver Slipper his landlord increased the rent from three to four dollars  a month and they say he bought the current building for twenty five hundred dollars in 1937.

One of the other legends about Sloppy Joe's involves how all the patrons of the Silver Slipper helped Joe Russell pack up the bar and hauled the entire contents up Greene Street to the current location. The Hemingway House used to tell the story, and still may for all I know that the urinal used as a flower pot in the garden was an artifact from the Silver Slipper on Greene Street taken during the move. Apocryphal but a cute story.

Then the name is anther story. Apparently there was a Jose Garcia who kept a bar called Rio Havana and it was known for being a mess with melted ice all over the floor and Hemingway suggested that place as the inspiration for the name Sloppy Joe's, not directly attributable to Joe Russell directly then. Who knew?

The funny thing to me is how durable the place is and bars around it come and go. The Lazy Gecko apparently had a landlord falling out and  a place that seemed as stable disappeared. IC Doubles claims to have entered into an extended vacation which has prompted Facebook speculation that it isn't coming back and so it goes.

I saw these pigeons keeping the Bull and Whistle (and Garden of Eden, the clothes optional bar on the roof) under observation. Rick's, Irish Kevin's Captain Tony's and Hog's Breath are part of that grouping of apparently permanent bars in downtown. 

But for some reason Sloppy Joe's is the one as Hemingway's pull is as strong as ever.  I remain astonished by the power of the writer's name not least because he only lived in Key West twelve years and claimed his home in Havana as his favorite place to be, which you can see here, Finca Vigia, from an essay I wrote in 2009.