Day 16 – (05/18) Homestead, FL (Day 3)

Today was beautiful.  It was mostly sunny with a light breeze.  Temperatures reached the mid-80s again.

Yesterday we travelled the National Geographic Southern Everglades Scenic Byway (P139). 

Today we drove the National Geographic Florida Keys Scenic Highway (P141).  The 250 mile round trip followed the Overseas Highway (US 1) all the way.

On the surface, this outing appears to be just a trip to Key West for lunch.  The 9+ hour journey was much more than a lunch date.  We passed through towns with names we’ve only heard in songs, movies and books ...  towns like Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon and Key West.  We visited the Dolphin Research Center in Grassy Key, crossed the Seven Mile Bridge south of Marathon and stood on the southernmost point in the continental US.  It was pretty cool to have the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean both in view from US 1.

Atlantic Ocean on left - Gulf of Mexico on right

A number of old bridges are left in disabled state

Some cays (keys) are really small

Hurricane Memorial at Islamorada
Remembers the Great Hurricane of Sept 2, 1935

Carol at Hurricane Memorial

We stopped by the Dolphin Research Center at Grassy Key in honor of Nichole Witchey-Putnam.  Nichole is related to Carol and Dick in a way too complicated to describe here.  Nichole swam with the dolphins here years ago.  Note to Peyton and Paxton: We didn't see your special dolphins Merina and Pax, but we know they're here.

Heading south on 7 Mile Bridge (morning)

Heading north on 7 Mile Bridge (afternoon)

Croissants De France - Key West

Lunch at Croissants De France

Carol bought some jewelry pieces from Lillian

Examples of Victorian architecture in Key West

Key West Key Lime Pie Company
(Carol's favorite)

This must be the end of the road.

Did you know

Cay (noun)  - also called: key  is a small low island or bank composed of sand and coral fragments.

Multiple homes in Key West claim to be the southernmost home in the continental US.  Go figure.


Continental US extents we've seen ...
  08/16/10 - most northwestern, outside Cape Flattery, WA
  09/19/10 - most western, on Lost Coast Highway outside Ferndale, CA
  09/27/10 - most southwestern, in Imperial Beach, CA
  05/18/11 - most southern, in Key West, FL