Marathon to Moore Haven, Florida

Wednesday we had breakfast at home, it was a windy and cool day, so we just hung out around the Moho until we headed out for lunch.  We headed out, not sure where we were going, but  we settled on a place

called 'The Dockside'.  We had a very breezy out door lunch, but the food was good and the place was rather interesting.  We went for a walk down the dock area after lunch, back to the car and headed into Sombrero beach area, touring another part of the town we hadn't ventured into yet.  Then headed up to Curry Hammock State Park to check out the camp ground and see about kayaking, but it was still too windy to do much there.  After that, further up the Keys to Cocoa Plum Beach area and actually found a protected  beach where we could walk, along with everybody else that was on it.  We finally headed home about 4:30, had a quick meal in and a couple walks with Rudy a chat with some of the people staying here and called it a night. 

 



Fire needed in the
Florida Keys is Wrong!!

Thursday was fierce winds, the Coast Guard Flags warned of Gale force winds which were pretty sustained at about 50-60 mph.....ugh.  We headed out to breakfast, finding a place in side to eat (which we didn't do too often), and settled on the 'Stuffed Pig', Brad had a crab omelet and I settled on a normal egg and sausage breakfast.....his was ok, but no need to order it again.  We headed home, tended to Rudy, then loaded up the bikes and headed up to Duck Key for a ride.  I will admit it, a
little over 1/2 mile into it, I pulled over and called uncle, I quit.  It was too hard riding in that wind and I was not having any fun.  Back to the car, load up the bikes then we settled for about a 2 mile walk, much nicer but still windy.  After that we headed into Duck Key development and did a tour...oh my, what beautiful homes.  After that we headed up to Islamorada and stopped at an interesting place called Robbie's.  We walked around there for a while, lots of local arts and crafts stands, then decided, since it was already 3:00, we should probably have lunch.  They didn't have a table in the sun, so we settled for one beside the gas fire pit....oh how nice.  The food was good and so were the beers, then another walk around the place, out to the dock to see the Tarpon, but the water was to cloudy. We hung out there until about 4:00 - 4:30, then headed out.  We had dinner in, just to hide from the wind. 

 

Friday we had a quick breakfast, a load of laundry and then we headed up the island again.  We did a little site seeing then found the 'Fish Tales' restaurant.  We have been lucky, another good find and a great recommendation from one of the regulars (non menu recommendation).  We had a good meal, then headed out back to check out a little shop, then to the pier and watch the fishing group getting ready to head out to sea.  Then  headed back home, tended to Rudy, then took the bikes and headed up the island, it was nice, we were able to head down all the little side streets, checking out the beautiful and not so beautiful homes.  After about 2 hours we headed back home, stopping at the Tiki Bar next door.  There is a boat show in town and there have been a lot of speed boats in and out of the piers, so we walked around out back, checking out some of the boats, then headed for the bar.  Now today we do not have gale force winds, but let me say, some of the boats were having a tough time docking.  We watched a sail boat come in, and when it got to the pier, it took 5 or 6 people to hold it tight until they could get it tied up.  We sat and had a couple of drinks, then decided it was time to head home for dinner.  Brad made dinner on the grill, and we settled in for the night. 

 

Well, then for Saturday....it started about midnight.  The local mice found their way into the camper

Marathon Fish Market
and Restaurant

and Rudy barked the rest of the night.  Brad was outside/inside, but no luck in trying to catch the critters, and Rudy would finally stop barking and about the time you would start to fall asleep, he would start again, chasing around the cupboards, never letting up, relentless.  Now that wouldn't have been to bad, but neither Brad nor I got any sleep.  Saturday is our last day in Marathon and we are both too tired to want to do anything.  We settled for breakfast on the grill, a load of laundry in, and started to clean up.  Brad found the mouse traps and got them set up, took down the clothes line and worked outside, while I worked inside.  About noon we headed to the grocery store, which took about 2 hours, then back home to tend to Rudy and get cleaned up for a late lunch/early dinner.  We headed up to the Marathon Fish Market where Brad had the Lobster Reuben and I had

Imagine that
Brad talked him to death
ha ha ha

the Stone Crab Claws...both were delicious.  We walked around there for a little, then ran into Malcolm and Carol one more time.  They were heading in for dinner and we were heading home, too tired to go anywhere, so home to finish packing and our last load of laundry done (what an exciting way to end vacation).  About 9:00 the traps went off, the 2 mice(rats) are caught, yea a good night in bed.......no such luck, about 3:00-4:00 in the morning, Rudy started again, more mice, but at least we got a little sleep.  Two more traps go off, so when Brad looked under the shower to get them the traps and all disappeared down the hole.....now what? 

 

Sunday there isn't much to do, but finish packing and hit the road.  We didn't get out of there until about 10:30, but were are just heading up to a CG by Okeechobee Lake.  It wasn't an uneventful ride either......  We were headed off of Key Largo, through never, never land when Brad says the 'check engine' light is on and the 'engine prot' light is lit and the stop engine light blinks.  Now lucky for us, they only flashed on and went right back off, and we still had about 50-60 miles to the closest truck stop...so we keep going.  We get there and while Brad is pumping gas, I get the manual out and it looks like we are low on antifreeze....easy fix, so we get antifreeze, load up the RV and hit the road.  Yea we make it...no more stops and we even managed to find the CG without any more problems.  We pulled in, parked

Sunset, good-night!!

and then Brad stretched out on the sofa while I fussed at him to hook up water, poor guy.  We are both tired and ready to relax for the night.  About midnight the mouse starts running around again and Rudy is after him.  Another night of sleep deprivation.  But the CG is nice, just in the middle of no where, but then again, we have no where to go. 

Thanks,
Diane and Brad