Today I managed to sleep in a bit. I am enjoying what I think is one of my last days of ‘luxury’ until I reach Memphis.
So I stayed in bed until 8:30 and then headed out into the key. My first stop was Fort Zachary Taylor, an old military installation that, among other things recounts the role that lack of medical knowledge played in the enormously high number of soldiers that died during the civil war. Equally amazing was reading that more Union soldiers died during this war than Rebels.
The sky was gray, and I had the park almost to myself. I wandered through all the different rooms, looking at canons, and spying on egrets as they flew by. I enjoyed walking around the rooms with brick arches, and arched windows. Towards the end of one of the buildings I peeked out one more windows to be surprised by a 3 or4 foot long iguana basking in the sun. What an awesome tropical sight.
Shortly thereafter rain started coming down. It was enough to make me seek refuge in one of the long rooms in the fort. Another guy walked in, and shortly thereafter we started talking. We had the most interesting conversation. He works for a camping products company, and worked with an athletic shoe company, and one of his main interests was supply chains, and the value that making sure that products are put together with raw materials that are acquired under fair working conditions. We talked about humanitarian work, poverty, and the fact that those who are capable of bringing about the biggest changes, live the most isolated lives. It was a fascinating morning encounter, brought about by rain.
It was even worth the parking ticket I got for misunderstanding that the area right outside the state park was not a parking lot. So, small wrinkle here, I have to send the payment in before I make it back home, where my checkbook is. Hmm. Still worth it.
Once the rain passed I wandered into the old Key West, and decided to catch lunch in the old part of town. I was looking for what might be a more local place, and ended up noticing this unassuming place that advertised the best crust in town. Yep a pizza place. I chose a calzone, with anchovy stuffing. I must say that true to their add, the crust was fantastic. But best of all, was the conversation I managed to have with the young lady who was working as a cashier and waitress. She asked me about my trip, and once again I had a chance to talk about the oppressed by human trafficking. The main point we ended talking about was that fighting seemingly enormous problems can be done by a collective effort.
I walked around some more, noticing that, like a good tropical town, chickens, hens and roosters roam freely around the streets of Key West. Yesterday I almost ran one over, but thought it was the only one. Today, I noticed they were all over the place. Talking of running over, I almost ran an baby iguana over today, after visiting the Hemingway house. There I also had a chance to meet some of the over 44 cats that live on the premises. Many of them have 6 toes, which seems to be a good luck thing for the owners.
Southmost point. No to Slavery
The end of the day came with taking the Not For Sale banner to the Southern Most Point in the country. This had been the main goal for this journey. The message? Slavery and human trafficking need to be eradicated from every corner of the country.
Tonight I am almost packed. I have an early start in the morning, and expect ten to twelve hours of riding tomorrow. Good night for now.
mmm anchovy and crust sounds excellent
so glad everything, even that which we do not plan or expect, falls into place. As Sandra says, you know who to thank for that.
And as for the roaming chickens, sounds like our parts of the world are more similar than they might seem on the map.
An encounter arranged by rain? by God, my dear.