March 2
Sunday was a day of rest and catching up on boat chores. Yesterday Don assembled the big bikes and we took off for Rte 1 along the Atlantic coast at 9:30. We stopped at East Martello Tower, but the $9.00 entrance fee deterred us from entering. Back across the highway we peddled past Smathers Beach, the ocean backdrop filling our senses. Arriving at West Martello Tower Don paused in the shade to call his Mom in New Mexico, mindful of the two hour time difference. I took the opportunity to stroll the lovely gardens once again! It was volunteer day and everywhere was a beehive of activity. From painting the gazebo to fixing gutters, weeding, planting and transplanting, mulching and office work. A veritable army had descended on the place. Happy, smiling people surrounded me, clearly dedicated to keeping this treasure beautiful. A convenient bathroom break and I joined Don in time to enjoy a chat with Carole before we pushed on down the coast. The wonderful, wide boardwalk ended after Higgs Beach and we were forced to navigate city streets, still hugging the shoreline as much as possible. Passing the Southernmost Point and the US Naval Reservation, we zigzagged through Bahama Village. Reaching Petronia St., the live music emanating from behind the fence at the Blue Heaven restaurant drew us in. A fun and funky site met our eyes when we finally found the entrance to the courtyard. The wait for lunch would be close to an hour, but we were ready to rest for awhile. Don grabbed a Bloody Mary from the bar and we found a small table to rest and enjoy just off the bandstand. There was a couple playing ping pong, an artist painting in the corner, his work lining the fences, a fortune teller awaiting clients and a chair masseuse behind the baryon tree. The three piece band was very good and played great background music that encouraged conversation instead of drowning it out. Loved the old Johnny Cash songs. Check out the history of Blue Heaven on their website, fascinating story of an entrepreneurial spirit that transformed an 1892 spirit store to modern day restaurant with roots in 1992 when a young couple with a baby living on a boat behind Christmas Tree Island motored in daily to build up their business. Don chose eggs, pancakes and sausage and I had bananas sautéed in brown sugar and rum over banana bread served with French vanilla ice cream. Love being able to order desert for my meal! We finally moved on to our destination and after being chased off the naval base found our way to Fort Zachary Taylor State Park. The fort is one of a series that was built in the mid 1800's to protect the southeastern coastline. Check their website for historical data. We strolled around, up, down and through the old brick structure, marveling at the vast quantity of bricks used. We learned from West Martello Tower that these bricks were imported from Georgia and Maine! Historical tidbits were displayed on bulletin boards in various areas. An impressive amount of cannons were on display leading up to the final one that was virtually intact on wheeled cart. The board here had photos with a reenactment of the steps used to fire the cannon. An hour later we headed through the pine hammock to the coral beach. People here were lazing in hammocks strung from convenient trees, enjoying the ocean view in blissful comfort. The beach stretched down and around a point but knowing we still had many miles before us we opted to climb back in the saddle and mosey on. The shady ride up Fleming St was interesting, gardens and historical houses lining it. Palm Ave was a bit busier and N. Roosevelt Blvd teemed with vehicles, still with views go Garrison Bight and later the Gulf of Mexico. An unscheduled stop at The Stoned Crab Restaurant brought a much appreciated respite. Over beer and stone crab we watched the dockside fish swim around. My favorite was the baby nurse shark with it's very own ramora, not much smaller than it. We arrived along with the 4:30 shuttle, making our 11 mile adventure in 7 hours. I sank under the sail shade in a padded chair conveniently placed just before E dock, our home on Stock Island. Still holding my bike, Don pried my fingers off and stowed it in the bike rack for me. Meeting Carl and Melissa we had a pleasant chat and made plans for a game of LCR later. After fixing pasta salad for dinner my aching body had other plans for me and Don conveyed our regrets as we settled in for a quiet night while the ibuprofen took effect.