Islamorada Historical Bicycle Tour

We left off in Tavernier around the 90 mile marker going from Tavernier Creek Bridge to the Old Road. The Old Road is on the ocean side of US !. It is the old Overseas Hwy before the expanded one was built along side of it. The Old Road has a nice bike path on it all the way through Islamorada. This is where the scenery begins. The path is shaded with nice high trees on both sides. The area is residential with some pretty high end homes along the ocean. However, due to the tree line, you will not be able to see this. This part of the path is active with bicyclists, joggers, walkers and people taking their dogs for walks. You might on occasion see "Jimmy Johnson". You can tell what mile marker you are at by looking at the mailboxes, the first two numbers match up with the mile marker. Around the 88 mile marker, a lumber company called Forest Tek has a water cooler on the path for bike path patrons. There is also a place called City Hall Cafe by there if you want a great sandwich and rest stop. As you continue south, you will hit the end of the tree line and will see the new Overseas Hwy running alongside the Old Road. Just south of there, on the bay side, you will see Founders Park. By far, one of the best public parks in Florida.It is Islamorada's public park. They have an Olympic size swimming pool there open to the public. On occasion, you might see an Olympic Swimmer there training, since this has become the winter haven training location for Colleges and US athletes. Great little beach, clean rest rooms, large fields, and even a dog park. If you have a kayak, not a bad place to put it in the water a check out the bay and mangroves. As you continue south, the old road ends around the 86.5 mile marker and you have to pick up the bike path that runs on the side of Overseas Hwy. You have a choice, The Path is marked on both sides of the highway. If you are of the mindset you must go alongside with traffic, you will have to cross here at the stop-sign to the bayside. Since the path is it's own entity, you can choose to remain on the oceanside and stay on this path, but you will be going against traffic. As you go south, you will pass the weigh station and up to Snake Creek Bridge. This is the Keys last working drawbridge. If you are lucky, you will get stuck and hang out on the path on the bridge that gives you a dynamic view of the water. You might be able to see some large tarpon, boats go underneath and the Coast Guard Station with all their toys in the water. Once you get south of Snake Creek Bridge, you land back again at the Old Road by Island Grill and Hog Heaven. More to follow......

The old road goes for less than a mile and runs right into Holiday Isle. From there, you will cross over Whale Harbor Bridge. Off to the left you will see a sand bar that is very popular with the locals to hang out and get there by boat or kayak. You will also see Kite Boarders in and around the channel because it is an excellent spot to launch from. Once you get to the south side of Whale Harbor bridge, the Old Road resumes and goes all the way to the 80 mm before it picks up the bike path again along the highway. This portion of the Old Road is full of history and points of interest. For example, there is a very famous water cistern nearby popular with the pirates and salvagers and Indians from the 1500's into the 1900 century. A house where the largest drug bust occurred in Florida's history. The boat where Harry Truman vacationed on wash ashore during the 1935 hurricane. The location where the old train stop from the early 19th century was located. The national Hurricane Monument, 17 Red Cross/conch homes are located. This is where my bike tour occurs. It's two hours long and about 4 miles in distance. It is the most scenic location for bicycling in the Keys.  More to follow.