Around Key West

Date: 
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Miles: 
25
Bike: 
Soma Saga

Arrived in Key West early and did a loop of the town before checking in to the hostel. There is about two miles of really nice beach. 

Hundreds of bicycles on the roads. You can rent one just about everywhere. Everything from rusty old beach cruisers to new fat bikes and Electra townies. Also motor scooters and tiny electric cars. That combined with the trollies and tour buses and the streets were a free for all. Bicycles have the right-of-way and pretty much just cruise through intersections regardless of the light. 

There are thousands of tourists and probably hundreds of homeless, although I only met four of them. They were the friendliest people, and probably the happiest. I mean if your going to be homeless Key West is certainly the place to be. 

Since all of the homeless ride around on bicycles with all their stuff in a basket, the indiscerning tourists were not able to distinguish between me and the homeless. My high end touring bike and quality gear escaped the casual viewers, although there were a few people who knew their bikes and chatted with me about mine. 

I did not enjoy the hostel. Sleeping was fine. My bunk mates were quiet and I slept well. It was all the smokers that drove me out of the otherwise lovely common area courtyard. Makes me appreciate Oregon's no smoking laws. 

Day two was hot and windy. I walked down to the beach to take a swim but the water was uninviting and I skipped it. Played my ukulele for the passerbyers along the beach walk. Once again my biggest fan was a homeless guy. 

Ride up and down Duval street and then made my way to the ferry. It's about a 3 and a half hour ride, at high speed. Past through the rain during the ride and it had stopped by the time we landed. Found the spot right next to the terminal that Rob from Australia had told me about and set up my tent at about 10:30. 

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Having a beer in Key West
The good life in Key West.