The Florida Keys by air

[Walt]

When I was in the navy, stationed at Key West, I took a small hop (two propped plane) up to Miami and back. I liked the low-altitude flight as you could see far more detail of the Keys; actually, much better than the quality of the views shown in the below link.

http://www.edtruthan.com/tileproxy/keys/floridakeys.htm

[DoomsDave]

That's the way to really see the Keys, or, even better by boat.

That highway is a pain in the arse; one messed up signal can back up traffic for ten miles! (How do you think I know? )

[Walt]

That's the way to really see the Keys, or, even better by boat.

That highway is a pain in the arse; one messed up signal can back up traffic for ten miles! (How do you think I know? )

Yes, I know you drove down there 2-3 years ago when you visited Florida (I wanted to invite you by my place, but I had a bad case of the flu at the time).

I know all about blocking traffic on those bridges along the Keys, because I did the blocking. I was drag racing back in May of 1971 and went through a Florida Highway Patrol radar trap, clocked at 102 MPH. I eventually buried my speedometer at 120+ MPH, losing control of my car, skidding broad side three times -- correcting and recorrecting, before finally slamming into the side of the concrete bridge rails, where I smashed the windshield of my car -- using my head (wasn't wearing my seat belt).

I was carted off to jail and paid a heavy price for my youthful indescretion, charged with willful and wanton drag racing, and under the influence of alcohol (0.13%).

The car I was drag racing stopped (while I tried to get away) and was not charged.

I still have the ticket as a memento. But I learned from that ordeal, and haven't had a ticket or accident since then -- and I always buckle up!

This was my car. I bought it new the day man first landed on the moon, in July of 1969, at the cost of $2,639.00! Of course, adjusted for inflation in 2010 dollars....

BTW, that photo was taken on what we referred to as the outer mole (break water barrier, right on the very end of it) on the Key West Naval Station. You can see it in the second to last photo in the airplane photo series. There's a cruise ship tied up to the outer mole.

[Jeff Searle]

Those were some great pictures! I just returned from being down in Key West this past monday.

I would love to take this flight down and back someday. It would be a thrill!!

[rozpalm]

That's the way to really see the Keys, or, even better by boat.

That highway is a pain in the arse; one messed up signal can back up traffic for ten miles! (How do you think I know? )

You want some real fun? Try driving an Excursion with a 42' trailer w/ a 33' boat and launching it in the lower Keys. I have several gray hairs from those trips. Stop and go traffic is my worst nightmare since you get beat to death by the surge brakes on the trailer.

[rozpalm]

That's the way to really see the Keys, or, even better by boat.

That highway is a pain in the arse; one messed up signal can back up traffic for ten miles! (How do you think I know? )

Yes, I know you drove down there 2-3 years ago when you visited Florida (I wanted to invite you by my place, but I had a bad case of the flu at the time).

I know all about blocking traffic on those bridges along the Keys, because I did the blocking. I was drag racing back in May of 1971 and went through a Florida Highway Patrol radar trap, clocked at 102 MPH. I eventually buried my speedometer at 120+ MPH, losing control of my car, skidding broad side three times -- correcting and recorrecting, before finally slamming into the side of the concrete bridge rails, where I smashed the windshield of my car -- using my head (wasn't wearing my seat belt).

I was carted off to jail and paid a heavy price for my youthful indescretion, charged with willful and wanton drag racing, and under the influence of alcohol (0.13%).

The car I was drag racing stopped (while I tried to get away) and was not charged.

I still have the ticket as a memento. But I learned from that ordeal, and haven't had a ticket or accident since then -- and I always buckle up!

This was my car. I bought it new the day man first landed on the moon, in July of 1969, at the cost of $2,639.00! Of course, adjusted for inflation in 2010 dollars....

BTW, that photo was taken on what we referred to as the outer mole (break water barrier, right on the very end of it) on the Key West Naval Station. You can see it in the second to last photo in the airplane photo series. There's a cruise ship tied up to the outer mole.

Now that is a sweet ride! I would be dead if I owned that when I was younger.

[palmcurry]

Love the pic.s on that link.

Growing up, my family and extended family would drive down to Marathon key every August for lobster season. Nothing like catching and eating a lobster the same day or any fish for that matter. Some of my fondest memories. Parts of my family still go down there with the boats and all but I live in Cali now. From what they tell me the lobster population has dwindled so much it's hardly worth the effort when you can buy it freshly caught at the local mini-mart cheap.

In college I would go down with friends on spring break for different reasons Duval street kinda scares me now when I walk down it Kinda like Hollywood in the Caribbean!