Friends and Family in the Florida Keys
Waking Up Early and Exploring Key Largo
We started our day bright and early in Key Largo, eager to make the most of our time in the Florida Keys. After a quick stop at a nearby gas station, we headed out on the road, eager to explore the area. The morning flew by as we walked along the side of the road, taking in the beautiful scenery.
Finding Hidden Gems
As we made our way through Key Largo, we stumbled upon a hidden gem - the Pinecrest Bakery. This Colombian bakery was a welcome surprise, offering some of the best treats and savory items we've ever tasted. We couldn't resist stopping in and grabbing some late breakfast. The iguana in the tree was absolutely massive, and we couldn't help but wonder how hard it would be to make those delicious pastries.
Meeting Family and Friends
After leaving the bakery, we continued along the sidewalk, just eating our goodies while we walked. Moments like this really feel like you're living the dream. We eventually stumbled upon Slide's brother, Eric, who was sitting out in a sun chair, reading a book. It felt like we had just stopped off for a break, but we still joined him in the parking lot and sat in the shade of his vehicle for a little bit.
Exploring the Park
After leaving Eric, we continued along the sidewalk, just eating our goodies while we walked. We eventually made our way to a nearby park, where we watched massive iguanas crawl around. It was a really nice park with a beach access, and we sat at some stone picnic tables and enjoyed the view.
Meeting a Friend
In the afternoon, we were talking about reaching out to Eric just to see where he was and what he was doing. And then like clockwork, we just stumbled upon him on the side of the road sometime in the next half an hour. It was a really cool encounter, and we were grateful to see him.
Planning for the Future
After leaving the park, we kept our heads down for the next few hours. We were continuing along a sidewalk and making our way toward Islamorada. We would be passing through the small town and meeting up with Frog somewhere. We're also planning on tagging on a little bit of additional mileage somewhere today.
Finding a Place to Stay
When we got through Islamorada, we stopped at a gas station and grabbed a couple drinks. Then we veered off course and decided just to go out to a park near the beach. It worked out perfectly and added on a couple miles. And it was a really nice place to head toward and had bathrooms.
A Small World
Just maybe an hour or so prior to this, we had lined everything up perfectly to meet up with Slide's friend Frog. She met us in a parking lot when we were veering slightly off course to go out to the beach. She met us with coffee, Key lime pie, pastries, and all kinds of goodies. It was really nice getting to hang out for a while and talk with her.
A Cool Encounter
Around 4:45 PM, we were walking through Islamorada on the sidewalk and a truck pulled over right in front of us. The interaction that followed actually wound up being the coolest most "small world" encounter ever. The guy got out of his truck and introduced himself as Ed, a man who I actually met back in January! It was really cool to see him again, and we talked for a while.
Finding a Place to Stay
When we left there, we continued walking along the sidewalk and not long after that we heard from Frog. She had reached out to Long Key State Park to ask about camping. They were completely booked, but they said they could hold space for Florida Trail hikers and ECT hikers. We were told that we could come in and were able to camp for the night. It was a huge relief to have that figured out, and we were grateful for Frog's help.
A Beautiful Sunset
One of the best parts about the end of our day was that we had gotten to watch the sunset over the ocean. We just happened to be going over one of these short bridges in the keys around 6:30 PM when the sun was almost completely gone. It just made for a really beautiful last bit of daylight.
Arriving at the State Park
It must've been sometime after 8 PM when we arrived at Long Key State Park. Then we just walked into the park and went toward the camping area that the person on the phone had told us to stay at for the night. We didn't wind up seeing anyone in the park as we made our way there. Then we found a great place to get our tents set up and get comfortable for the night.
