Sunshine Key RV Park

Lazy Lakes RV Park, Sugarloaf Key, FL:  I wanted to sleep in this morning, but Bastion was outside howling after Michelle and Doug left for work.  He wouldn’t stop howling and barking until I got up, went out there and told him to stop.  Which he did.  I had to go out one more time when he started barking again, but he finally settled down.  Considering the fact that this dog is left outside (tied) for around 12 hours when they’re working, he’s really good.  We left around noon to head up to Sunshine Key RV Park which is just before the 7-mile bridge.  The people that manage the café there we met in Door County in Wisconsin on our many trips there.  They own two restaurants in Bailey’s Harbor—two brothers and their wives.  Anyway, when we got there the one couple that we knew better were in Miami for a couple of days.  So, we had lunch there anyway.  Good food and reasonably priced.  Came back and walked Bastion around the lake.  It was pretty hot so we didn’t take him on a long walk.  Brought him back, gave him a treat and went across the road to our site and sat outside reading and enjoying this beautiful day.  Driving up through the Keys was so nice.  The water was so pretty, with a pallet of colors that only nature could provide.  There were dark greens, pale greens, turquoise hues, deep blues, and a creamy light blue.  85 today.

Bastion after his walk.

Sunshine Key RV Park

Lazy Lakes RV Park, Sugarloaf Key, FL:  A very warm and humid day today.  But it felt so good!  We went to the Galley Grill for breakfast which was packed.  A bunch of people from Lazy Lakes were there.  After breakfast we went to the flea market and walked around.  Got some spices and some wonderful looking produce from the farms up in Homestead.  Headed back and when we got back to our site there was a note on our table from our Canadian friends that we met up with on Tuesday night. They were on their way out of town and stopped to see us.  Walked over to see Esther and Gerald to see what they were up to.  They were going for a ride on their motor cycle.  We went back and I relaxed outside reading and Mike watched a basketball game.  After dinner a bunch of us went over to the KOA to see Howard Livingston and the MM24 band.  Always fun.  Danced the night away.  85 today.

They fire up this old Johnson to make a batch of margaritas.  Then they auction off the first one.  Some guy paid $4,000 tonight for that privilege.  Proceeds go to Care Camp--a charity that sends children with cancer to camp.

Howie

Lazy Lakes RV Park, Sugarloaf Key, FL:  A nice relaxing day today.  Really warm and humid.  We hung out.  Esther stopped by and Mike, Esther and I took Bastion for a walk.  I walked over to the rest room to wash my hands after bagging dog poop.  Tripped and fell.  No harm done—just a few scrapes and bruises.  Going to be sore tomorrow though.  Stopped at Esther’s place on the way back.  Came back, gave Bastion a treat, and I sat outside reading for a while.  Had an early dinner.

Lazy Lakes RV Park, Sugarloaf Key, FL:  Put our bikes on the back of the truck this morning and stopped at the Sugarloaf Lodge for breakfast.  We haven’t been here for 2 years because the restaurant has been closed for renovations.  They gutted the whole place and redid it.  It’s beautiful!  And the menu is all Italian.  The new name is ZaZa’s.  We both had Italian fennel sausage, eggs, and potatoes.  Really good.  A lot of the ingredients used are imported direct from Italy.  I want to try dinner there some night.  After breakfast we drove across Hwy. 1, parked the truck and then headed out on our bike ride.  Rode the bike path through this really nice residential area on Sugarloaf Dr. to the end and then took the old state road which is barricaded so no cars can access it.  It’s a great ride down through a lush tropical landscape with little lagoons and backwaters off both the bay side and the Atlantic side.  It dead ends at a little lake (formerly a quarry).  Walked around the lake and took the little path out to the Atlantic.  You can walk out quite a ways on this big rock ledge, and when the tide is out you can see all kinds of critters trapped in the water left behind in the hollows.  Unfortunately, the tide was coming in so we couldn’t walk out too far. Biked back with the wind at our backs.  Much easier than starting out because the wind was in our face and made for a lot more work.  Back home, put the bikes away and sat down to relax a little and Bastion woofed—wanting a walk for sure.  So we took him around the lake and down Johnson Road.  He would have gone further, but we were pooped.  Took him back to his site and gave him a treat.  Lorraine stopped by and told us all about the Mardi Gras party last night at the clubhouse.  We had grounded ourselves after Tuesday night’s revelry. After Lorraine left I took my slimy self and took another shower.  A beautiful day today.  Probably low 80s today.

Our bike ride takes us over this little channel that goes out to the Atlantic.  People jump off the bridge and swim in here.

Biking on the old state road

Bay side

Trail out to the Atlantic

Big stone ledge with the Atlantic in the background

Our neighbors, John and Sandy, all dressed up for Mardi Gras

Lazy Lakes RV Park, Sugarloaf Key, FL:  Well, as I expected, I drank way too much last night.  But, even though we didn’t get home until 2:00 a.m., I was up, showered and dressed by 10:00.  We had a great dinner at Azur complete with complimentary champagne and I had one glass of wine.  Then we headed over to the Sunrise Resort where we met up with Carolyn, her friend Donna, Carolyn’s daughter Debbie, and Debbie’s 19 year old twins.  We sat out on their balcony drinking, talking and laughing until the wee hours.  A beautiful day today—low 80s.

Waiting for our table at Azur

View looking up from our table

Bon Appetit!

Lazy Lakes RV Park, Sugarloaf Key, FL:  A beautiful morning!  We got an early start on the laundry/grocery shopping and it was already 76 at around 10:00.  We had a great dinner last night at Doug and Michelle’s.  Doug made a fire and we sat around talking, drinking, and eating.  TJ came as well from two sites down from us.  Doug and Michelle left for work before we headed to Big Pine this morning.  So when we got back and put everything away, we took Bastion for a walk around the lake.  And while we were doing the laundry, Carolyn called us and invited us over for drinks at the resort they’re staying at—across from Smathers Beach.  So, after our Valentine’s Day dinner at Azur, we’re heading over to their place for drinks.  Thought I’d post this now since I’m sure I won’t be in any shape to do it later.  Low 80s today! 

Happy Valentines Day!!!

Our hosts at last night's dinner--Douglas and Michelle

Lazy Lakes RV Park, Sugarloaf Key, FL:  Well, it did make it to 71 today.  But felt chilly with the wind.  I sat outside in the sun for a while in shorts and a tee, but changed into sweats shortly thereafter.  Got the cleaning done and Mike went over to play shoes.  Our neighbors across from us, Douglas and Michelle (Bastion’s owners), invited us over for dinner tonight.  He makes a great meat loaf.  So, while Mike was playing shoes I drove up to the Sugarloaf Bakery and bought some decadent desert for us all—red velvet cupcakes with white, creamy frosting. And driving up to Summerland Key, the water was a beautiful blue-green.  Skipping happy hour tonight.  Wow!—another alcohol-free day.  Waiting to hear from a friend of ours—Carolyn—who is driving down from Palm Bay with her sister, daughter, and a couple of grand kids.  They’re down here for 4 days.  Planning on getting together with them somewhere along the line.  Another group of Canadians.  Should be fun!

Indian Key

Another beautiful Keys sunset.