First Trillium trek is our annual Keys pilgrimage

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Leaving from work at noon.
More to come...

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First fill-up 3pm at Ashburn, GA. 15.3 mpg

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Just now we were rolling along the Fla. turnpike below Orlando and overtook a 17ish Casita with Michigan plates. As we came around him I recognized the truck and bicycle. It's our friend Richard that we're going to meet at Big Pine Key.

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At 8am Saturday, it's official
Crossing toll bridge to upper Key Largo via Card Sound rd. now it's time for breakfast. I highly recommend Doc's diner. The Flagler Train Wreck qualifies as brunch, don't think we'll be hungry anytime soon!

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Lower Matecumbe Key

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Here we are at Big Pine Key Fishing lodge, catching up with friends from years past and meeting new ones. We came in yesterday afternoon after stopping at Scout Key to paddle.

Taking care of morning housekeeping chores

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. Sorry, pic failed to load last post. Slow internet is the price you pay for this:

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Today is our 23rd anniversary. Love you, darlin'

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Paddled middle Torch Key this afternoon. Things could be much worse. .
Dinner at No Name Pub. Third year consecutive on our day

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Casita makes a good neighbor. That's Richard from Michigan that we met on the turnpike friday night.

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While I wait for our lunch, I'll try to recount poor Richard's tale of woe. Poor guy was on the way from Michigan to BigPine for nearly a month.
Somewhere in south Georgia, the clutch slave cylinder on his Ranger failed, and it's one of those concentric ones. Mainly what that means is that you have to remove the transmission to replace it.

Well, while he's trying to limp it to the next exit. , the local barney pulls him over for going too slow and insists on calling the hook. Now he has a big tow bill and is parked behind a local garage while they order the part. Because of the freakish weather we've been getting in the south, it ends up taking a week and a half to get the stuff. So they put the transmission back in and he's off again.

It gets worse...

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Actually, the worst part is that we've been neighbors and friends at BPKFL for the past 2 years and hadn't exchanged phone numbers. He was only 3-4 hrs south of me, i would've towed him back to my place and fixed him up pronto. Now we've at least remedied that oversight.

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So, to continue Richard's story...

After getting the clutch squared away, he later stops for fuel and notices the water pump leaking. It's not a big job on his little engine, just three bolts. No big deal, right?

... Unless one of the three bolts breaks off! So that takes another day of wrangling , but is finally overcome. Ready to ride again, but wait! What's wring with the brakes??

Seems that sometime during all the activity underhood he nudged a rusty steel brake line. Now there's that to find and install. Another day or two...

So when we overtake him on the turnpike on 2/22, he's been enroute from Michigan since 1/24! Talk about a trip to remember!

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Tomorrow we move down to Boyd's for the weekend. Here's camp after a few days of scavenging

[Pam Garlow]

As I sit here in snowy, cold Michigan, I'm enjoying your photos and feeling a little of that warm Florida sunshine

Thanks for posting! What a great winter trip!

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Life is good !

Goodbye to Big Pine Key Fishing Lodge for now.
We're off to the bitter end, Key West for the weekend. Conch Festival time!

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Our new campsite is a little tight

But the view is first rate

Off we go to paddle the Key West Marina...

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Up for the Sunday sunrise