The Islamorada Street Fair was a great success for the Bike tour this weekend. We had Florida Travel and Leisure Magazine along for the ride and will do a piece on the bike tour in June. These photos were taken from the Pinder Grave Yard located on the Cheeca Lodge Property. Cheeca Lodge Beach was at one time the heart of Islamorada dating back to the mid 1800's. This graveyard is what has survived since the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935. I am going to try to do something new in March and see i...
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 I occasionaly get a phone call asking me about cycling the whole Keys. I have done it several times myself. However, I prefer to take my bike and kayak to different parts of the Keys and experience some of the State Parks, bridges and local islands. With the bike path construction underway throughout the Keys, one day soon, the bike path with the exception of a few bridges will connect the whole length of the Keys.

I will do three write ups going into detail riding the bike path from Key Lar...
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Please call to confirm if you will be taking the tour at 305-879-0390.

February 7th-10 AM at Hurricane Monument.
February 14th-10 AM at Hurricane Monument.
February 27th and 28th- 10 AM at Hurricane Monument.

Full Moon Bike ride 8 PM at Hurricane Monument by appointment last week of February.

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The proceeds from the t shirt sales go towards the Islamorada Wrestling Club.

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December's schedule will be the following:

• December 2nd Full Moon Bike Tour at 9 PM- Meet at the Hurricane Monument

• December 19th and 20th at 10 AM-  Meet at Midway Cafe
• December 26th and 27th at 10 AM- Meet at Midway Cafe
• December 30th and Jan 1st-Full Moon Bike Tour 8 PM- Meet at Hurricane Monument
  
• January 1st,2nd and 3rd at 10 AM-  Meet at Midway Cafe at 10 AM
  

Remember, bring your own bike or rent one locally. Call Mark at 305-879-0390 to hold a spot. Please do not show up without ...
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Today David Brookes and Yuhfen Lin posed on the beach at the Moorings Village with Cheeca Lodge Pier in the background. They both came from Miami for the tour. Thanks for coming and your are really great people. I hope to see you again.
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On October 2nd, 3rd and 4th, 2009 at 8:00 PM, there will be a Full Moon Historical Bike Tour. The tours will be modified to 5 miles and we will stay on the bike path the whole tour. Things to bring for this tour will be a bike, a bike light or hand held flashlight and a rear reflector. If you need, I can help you with these supplies. This should be a really comfortable ride and the view will be spectacular. Full Moons in Islamorada light up the sky. Call to reserve a spot. I am limiting it to...
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Today we had a nice crowd from Tampa, Norfolk, and Charlottesville and Richmond. We also had some locals. We are getting ready for our October 3rd and 4th bike and kayak tour out to Indian Key. I am boning up on my Indian Key history so this should be a fun event. If you would like to attend, bring your own bike and kayak or Backcountry cowboy can hook  you up. Go to Backcountrycowboy.com.  The event will start at 10 AM. Call Mark for details at 305-879-0390.  

Michelle Cacares from the Holid...
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I had a very nice group this Sunday on my bike tour. The Brooks family were in attendance from Islamorada. Also Debra Winger from the Lower Keys attended the ride.  If you have attended this bike tour and have photos, please forward them so I can post them. Every weekend has been special and the people are always fun and interesting. In fact,I keep learning something new all the time. One of our riders was staying at the Pines and Palms and gave us a tour of the place. Very nice, 1950's style...
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The dates for the bike and kayak tours are set for the first weekend in October which are the 3rd and 4th. The start time will be 10 AM. However, we will meet at the boat launching area on Indian Key fill on the bay side. The groups will be limited to 10 each day.  You can bring your own bike and kayak if you wish. We will stage on Indian Key fill and our club will have people to watch the bikes and kayaks during the tour. Once we set up, our group will ride straight to the Hurricane Monument...
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One of the nice things about running this bike tour is I get some funny stories told to me about what happens in Islamorada. If you are not familiar with the Keys, you will soon learn that crazy things happen here that really cannot occur anywhere else. I'm not sure how to add this to my tour, but it is worth mentioning.  Last week in Islamorada, a local reported a "wild cat" on their property.  An FWC official arrived to the location and spotted the wild cat in a tree in back of the house by...
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After the 1935 Hurricane in Islamorada, The Red Cross helped the locals by building hurricane proof homes.  These homes were specially designed.  The walls were 18" thick and were built with concrete and iron bars.  The ground floor was 12' above ground and the downstairs had built in cisterns designed to hold a year's worth of water. The windows had chicken wire built inside the glass to minimize debris in a storm event.  The floors, door and storm shutters were built with Dade County Pine. ...
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This stop is a location in 1994 where the largest drug bust in the Florida Keys occurred.  Over 3,500 lbs of cocaine was seized in the early morning hours in Islamorada.  A neighbor thought someone was breaking into the house and called the police.  When the police arrived they arrested five drug traffickers.  This drug ring was under investigation by the Feds for several years and they could never catch these guys.  A couple of local deputies did more in a day's work than the DEA did in thre...
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One of our stops is the Green Turtle in Islamorada.  It was originally the Rustic Inn Lodge built in the early part of the 19th century.  It survived the 35 Hurricane. Later it became the world famous Green Turtle. Several of the bodies were cremated and buried in the parking lot after the 35 Hurricane. Two years later, the ashes were removed and placed in a crypt at the Hurricane Monument a stones throw away from this picture.

My favorite story about the Green Turtle is in the 70's John Belus...
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The Islamorada Historical Bicycle Tour is a two hour tour that is 6.5 miles long. The tour starts at 10 AM and goes to 12 Noon.  It covers over 2000 years of History, including the Indian occupation, the Spaniards, the pioneer families, the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane, the Red Cross Homes, the development of the railroad, highway, the drug running days and crazy Keys stories.  It is a great way to start your vacation in Islamorada and the Keys to learn about where to go and what to see.   Call M...
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