Key Colony Beach Days

3-6-16   

I don’t remember if I blogged that Last Mango got a mooring ball late Sunday. This is particularly welcome considering that we’re due for gale force to near gale force winds for the next several days. We feel great about our Mantus Anchor, but question many boats that have come in over the past few days. The anchorage has really filled in and got crowded due to the upcoming weather. Our new address is Boot Key Harbor Ball L9. Upon arriving at our new address we were greeted with many Dolphins and Rays, I believe this is due to our new location being near an entrance to a creek that has a good tidal flow.

Sunset at our new address

Today is Key Colony Beach Days so Karen and I decided to bicycle up a couple of miles and check it out. I’m so glad we pedaled our butts up there rather than drive, the traffic was terrible. I really didn’t need to comment about traffic because traffic is bad anywhere in the keys from what I can tell, far too many cars and far too little land.

Upon entering the fest I was astonished at the number of old people, I mean almost everyone was sitting on their walkers or looking for a place to sit. I’m very accustomed to Florida being full of seniors but this was as if the minimum age for entry to the fest was 70 or better. The people were very friendly probably because Karen was the youngest and hottest female these guys have seen since they entered their Florida home for the aged. I have been reminded that I’m closer to the end than the beginning and I accept this. It was kinda cool to see all these gray hairs out enjoying themselves, I guess it gives me something to look forward too. I was a bit disappointed at how small the venue was but without assistance the majority of the attendees would not be able to navigate the whole fest. Key Colony Days really is a large craft fair with a good deal of fundraising for local groups and charities. It was good and my favorite fund raiser was the Barracuda Races. They had numbered lanes of water with a starting gate, we can lay money down on a numbered lane and the gates opened, if your Barracuda is first to cross the line you are returned 4 times your bet. Very fun to watch.

Karen surveying dinner options

Betting on Barracuda's, Very big money maker for them.

I was making a comment to Karen on how slow people are down here, I’ve even slowed down. I think there’s something about crossing the Florida State line you immediately age 10 years. I need to note, Karen does not agree with this.  This general rule of mine applies to people walking or riding bikes. Put these same gray hairs in a car and look out, they are coming like lightning. My rule was broken as I chuckled while watching 2 women gray hair covered with large brimmed sun hats in a new black Camaro convertible (top down) round the corner a 2 MPH while we waited for the signal to cross. Karen noticed the smile on my face and asked what I found funny, I told her and she laughed. She stated she was laughing because in the back seat of the Camaro there were 2 walkers. Funny stuff, but at least they’re out enjoying themselves and showing all us aging folk that there’s hope and fun in our future.

I was told you can never have enough beautiful sunset picts.