First stop- Grassy Key, Marathon.

So we get the Canadians settled and head south for the Keys.

The Keys are an island archipelago extending from the tip of southeastern Florida.  Total land area is approx. 137 square miles in 1700 (not a typo!)  islands- most of them within the Florida Straits between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.  There are 42 bridges in the 113 miles between Miami and Key West, the longest being the 7 mile bridge in Marathon.  And the water is blue and green and beautiful!

We will need to spend one night on the road before we can check in at our reserved spot at Grassy Key in Marathon.  So its a leisurely drive and the first one with Little blue tagging along.  A little dreary rain, but otherwise no issues. We stop for the night at a Rest area on SR 75 near Homestead Fl. The State police barracks are at the same location and one trooper was actually parked right in front of the rest area building.  Not sure if that's good news or bad news...Nice to have them there, but Why it's necessary is what's bothering me.... A few trucks and one other RV join us for the night. No wonder we like Harvests Hosts!

RV Lesson #1- if you want to stay in a tourist area in high season, book early! Way back in August Alan tried to reserve us a parking spot for the month of Dec that was close to Mecca...I mean Key West- No luck as  all the desired places were sold out. So we backed up the road a bit to Mile Marker  58.7 and scored the nice waterfront spot at Grassy Key in Marathon.

Lesson #2- don't believe everything the resorts tell you on the phone (book now, we are filling up fast, the best sites are almost gone etc..)  We get there expecting a full house and the park which only has about 30 spaces, is basically half are empty...   For grins we hop in the Jeep and check out some other parks (including our first choice- which was "full").  A bunch of people must be paying for spots they aren't using.... but we have a front row here and the view is great.

Anyway we like it here, its well landscaped (check out those Traveler Palms shading the pool)  and well maintained, relatively convenient to the grocery, fish markets and other shops, not to mention the numerous  tropical style watering holes.  Its quiet and the view is great out to the Gulf of Mexico.  Across the street is the Atlantic.  The pool is heated and cooled! 

Major isn't crazy about the lack of grass- its messy  to roll around in the sand.... and the gravel everywhere is hard on the feet.... but he manages to chill out anyway by staying cool in the shade or just soaking up some sun....