BlastOff Adventures
  • About
  • Ride Reports
    • North America >
      • Canada >
        • Trans Taiga
        • Trans Labrador Highway
        • Newfoundland
      • United States >
        • XXX Attack (And the Grety GSA Goose) on the North East BDR
        • Ready, Set, TAT (Trans America Trail)
        • Corner carving in West Virginia
        • Key West, FL
        • Continental Divide
        • Old Line State (Maryland)
        • Second Sunday Sled Rides (SSSR)
    • South America >
      • Patagonian Coddiwomple 2019
      • Ecuador--Calibrating to Zero
      • Ecuador
    • Events >
      • 2019 California Superbike School
      • 2019 Roaming Rally
      • 2016 CLASS Motorcycle School At VIR
      • 2015 Roaming Rally
      • 2016 Pine Barrens 500
      • 2016 SRT Performance Driving Experience at Bondurant Racing School 2016
      • 2014 Void
      • 2014 Altrider's Conserve the Ride
      • 2014 Fundy Adventure Rally
      • 2014 GS Trophy Challenge
      • 2014 Roaming Rally
  • Bike Builds
    • BMW F700GS Dorito Roulette
    • BMW X-Country Dorito Cool Ranch
    • BMW HP2 Enduro
    • Husqvarna TE 511
    • KTM 625 SXC
    • Yamaha MT-09 Dorrito Jurassic (AKA T-rex)
    • Yamaha WR250R
  • Contact

Until next time!

3/30/2015

0 Comments

 
PictureKey West Bouncer
As all good things come to a close, so does this end of winter diversion to Key West.  We've shared in your cool Gulf Breeze and tasty ocean delights.

Picture
Turn Right at the Giant Conch!
One of the last tourista attractions we hit is the Shipwreck museum.  It was quite a nice quick diversion from modern life.  Back in it's late 1800s, the Keys saw 100 shipping vessels per week.  About 1% (e.g. 1 boat per week) would succumb to the treacherous coral.  There was look out tower manned with spotters for just such a time.  Quickly, everyone would jump onto their schooner and try to reach the marooned ship first. The first one to arrive would lay claim to the cargo.  I guess actually saving the people was less important.  The cargo would be brought ashore then auctioned.

The most notable house on the island, Earnest Hemingway house, was built by the man that had the fastest schooner.  His most notable claims was the $1M for hand carved Italian marble which was destined for one of the Florida Government buildings. When the Government found out about the auction, they went and outbid everyone.  It turns out all that marble in the belly of the ship as ballast weight, made it too deep in the water to get over the coral shoals.  

Another famous shipwreck was filled with 1M COB (Cut off the Bar) gold coins. COB coins are known for their irregular shape where they are crudely cut off an ingot then stamped.  Each coin is therefore unique.  Again, the ballast weight made the boat ride too deep. 

The last interesting story Spain had 10+ ships all leave on Friday 13th.  Nearly all the ships were ravaged by a storm and littered the Florida east coast.  Spain spent the next 3 years recovering the coins.  They actually recovered more goods that was on the manifests, since allowing stowaway cargo was normal.
Picture
The Dive Helmet that Revolutionized Salvage Diving
Picture
Make no mistake that many have lost their lives in Key West.
I tried to convince Bruce that these trees were only 6 months old...given the fact that everything grows so fast in Florida swampland
Picture
Picture
Notice the concrete embedded
Have come all this way, we finally located and procured "precious".  Mile marker 0 photo op and the replica pannier sticker.
Picture
I've been to Key West, and most Sun Rises and Sunsets are underwhelming.  I can't explain why, but most of the time you just never get a vivid red sky and crisp view.  However, we did snag this gem on the way out on the overseas highway. 'Til Next Time.....
Picture
0 Comments

Southernmost Point...I don't understand you!

3/29/2015

0 Comments

 
We had driven by the Southernmost Point...earlier in the day.  There were people packed all around the monument.  So Bruce and decided we would get up before day break and have the place to ourselves.   While there was still a straggler or 2, we did get the iconic photo.  For the record, the monument is apparently in the incorrect location, and the navy base apparently holds the title.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
There are some trips were we can't seem to stumble onto a bad meal.  Others we seem to starve for any morsel of sustenance.  This trip was fortuitously the former.  Earlier in the morning, we had scoped out this place.  Happy hour has anything on the first page of the menu 1/2 priced.
We sat on the harbor side, which is important because the Gulf breeze can be a bit brutal.  We had dinner with these guys. It seems the fishing charters return and begin cleaning their day's riches.  The non desirable bits are tossed to the pelicans and the huge Tunas in the harbor!
Picture
I don't normally like the signature dessert, Key Lime Pie as it has a wicked sour aftertaste.  However, I felt it was obligatory for Bruce to try some.  This pie was amazing...and I will be back for more!

Picture
The rest of menu was fab too!
Picture
Shrimp Linguinie
Picture
Steamer Clams
0 Comments

Into the Weirdness...NASCRAB!

3/29/2015

0 Comments

 
I have not a doubt that Key West has been attracting the loons for centuries.  The city center is not lacking any character as we stroll down the 1/2 mile.
Picture
Uniqiue Artisan Work Abounds
Picture
It was never more obvious that here, that the open container law means most folks are happily drinking by high noon...or earlier.
Picture
Spend a Buck?
Picture
Picture
Coconut Beverage Holder
Picture
All that drinking sure does give some folks the munchies. These cookies are larger than my hand!
This place is for the dogs! (And the Golf Carts for that matter)
Picture
Picture
Looks closely at the dog riding in the footwell of the scooter....it's BLUE!
Picture
Plenty of Free Ranging Dog Toys Around too!
Picture
NASCRAB! Only in Key West....
0 Comments

Island Breeze..

3/29/2015

0 Comments

 
Since it's been nothing but blustery and cold in Maryland, we should take a moment to talk about the weather.  It's perfect. Mid-70s and the iconic island winds.  The winds come in from the Gulf side. The Atlantic side are much more calm, and therefore host most of the fancy-smancy resorts. 

Bruce and I have quickly acclimated to this place. We've learned to park our "scooters" correctly
Picture
Does that sign make my butt look big?
Picture
Apparently, the locals disapproved of that maneuver
Picture
The GSA played on the beach befriending a 3 Mast Pirate Ship!
Picture
I don't think that this HorseShoe Crab is very happy
0 Comments

Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitude

3/28/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
Some Navy Lodges are quite old and miserable.  This one however rivals that of a Marriott, and clearly will serve us well as a basecamp on this trip and in the future.  As we pull in late at night, the squall has knocked out power.  However, it must happen quite regularly since Generators are powering quite a bit of the property. As an interesting aside, power was first brought the island 1920s, but the fresh water was not available until the US Navy finished the pipeline from Miami.  Today, all the fresh water still comes in from Miami.  Nonetheless, we are tired travelers and won't need but bit of power to dance with the sandman.  All was fine by the following daybreak.

The next morning we ask the front desk for recommendations for breakfast.  Harpoon Harry's is a bit off the beaten path, but it does not disappoint!
Picture
How Does One Make This Pattern of Ty Dye?
Picture
Crab Cake Eggs Benedict...Scrumptious!
Honestly, we had no idea how close we were going to be to Old Town/Duval Street.  With that, we take the HarborWalk Boardwalk a few more blocks and step back a moment in time.
Picture
Harbor Walk
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Oddly Shaped
Picture
Dinner Cruise Catamaran
Picture
ParaSailing Anyone?
Picture
Hitch Point for Parachutes
0 Comments

Some Feel the Rain, Others Just Get Wet

3/27/2015

0 Comments

 
By all accounts, it appears to be a full fledged version of the 'perfect storm' movie.  The normally tranquil ocean is choppy as far as the eye can see.  The horizon is full of ominous dark clouds, which are producing one of the most magnificent electrical storms I've seen in 2 decades, mostly due to the deceiving line of sight.

Mother nature would be beautiful on the first week of spring, if i wasn't on a motorcycle surrounded on all sides by water traveling the last 100 miles on the Overseas Highway.   There was no turning off and no safe haven as the wind gained momentum faster than a dog on a bacon crumb.  As with all tropical storms, the rain drops were not drop-sized at all.  I think I could have solved all of Californian's drought by collecting just a handful of these rain drops. 

With traffic on all sides of us on this two lane bridge, there was nothing to do but push forward.  Every Key is named something whimsical.  As we exit what seemed to be really be endless bridge to nowhere, we are now 'safely' on Rufuge Key.  However, this must be some sort of literary term, because 2 lonely bikers in a squall find nothing.   No pull off, no overhangs. Just nothing.  At this point, I don't think I can see but 50ft.  The gusts of wind combined with the pond of water sheeting off the road has made piloting the bike sporting.  And then the helmet comms go dead, as we are now on hour 14 of the ride for the day. As soon as we exit the bridge, the next key is    We ran into this Tee the next day, and boy did it ring true!

Picture
No matter how impossible the ride seemed at that moment, it still wont compare to the night in Ecuador trying to descend off a mountain, using nothing other than a single (mighty?) DR200SE headlight for two bikes.  In Ecuador, a decent marking for a construction zone has only 20ft of 'tape used to mark crime scenes in the US.  Instead, this 3" wide plastic tape says "Peligro".  It marks a 20ft deep ditch.  Not a starlight nor streetlamp...or and cars for that matter.  Slow is smooth, smooth is fast. 

Bruce and i found  an old watering trough, The Fish House Key, from our scuba diving days.  yep, still scrumptious today.
  About 2 miles on the northbound side of RT 1 after Amy Slates Dive Resort.  The shrimp were the size of small lobsters!
Picture
It's been a rough few hours starting after dinner. Bruce who was in the middle of a long train of traffic, nearly hits a 3ft long iguana.  Apparently it was giving chase on me, but not before playing roulette with Bruce as it retreated into the scrubby bush.  It certainly took us longer to cover the last 60 miles than one would have hoped.  But, the previous 13 hours had little (iguana and poor lane change) excitement.  All in all nearly 900 miles, of which it seems to be all in state of Flatisan.  Many years of jousting with the left lane drivers of Maryland has prepared us we'll to leap frog the grey-hairs.  In fact there were cars we traveled with for hours that started trailing our right-center-right lane pattern.  Perhaps the most concerning driving was the fact they can't even navigate a slight overpass incline without losing at least 1/3 of the posted speed. 

We decided the highest point in Florida was certainly the mountains of household waste.  As the thermometer neared 85F in Miami, I was both relieved to be freed of my winter shackles, but also petrified that I might melt. 
0 Comments

Lodging

3/26/2015

0 Comments

 
High season for lodging in Key West is 1 Dec-31 March.  Needless to say, $500/night for a bed didn't exactly excite me.  Instead, there are 6 options for staying on the Navy Bases:

Trumbo Point.  This is the closest to Old Town (e.g. Duval Street).  A few blocks walking.
  • The Navy Getaway Lodge ($30-90/night) depending on room.  Shared bath room, standard room, suite or VIP.  Modern and renovated.
NAVAL AIR STATION KEY WEST
VQ BLDG 2076 CHEVALIER AVE.
KEY WEST, FL 33040
1-877-NAVY-BED

MWR runs these facilities from 1 Nov-30 May (Non-Hurricane season)
  • 3-bedroom Townhouses ($115/night)
  • 2-bedroom Mobile homes ($75/night)
  • The Overflow RV Parking Lot ($13/night). Primitive, but right on the water.  Pool also avail.

Further away is Sigsbee Annex.
  • Tent Camping right on the water, full bath house with laundry facilities.
  • Long term RV parking
813 Sigsbee rd, Key West, FL 33040
305-293-4432

0 Comments

A Fourth Corner?

3/25/2015

0 Comments

 
About the time Bruce was recovering from the horrific foot injury of 2013, he longed to be back in the saddle.  The days past with him wunderlusting about escaping the monotony of hobbling around and being free...free somewhere like Key West.   While it took another 2 years to bring the plan to fruition, it made the journey all the more vivid.

Last year, we started the season with March Moto Madness.  As the weather was abominable, we decided not to repeat it after the coldest winter in history. 
Picture
Sleet on the bikes returning from MMM
Instead, we plotted a path to Key West, Florida!  Key West is an icon to motorcyclist for the Mile Marker 0...where US 1 officially starts the overseas highway.
0 Comments
Proudly powered by Weebly