Not the Forest

There's a different vibe down to Key Largo. Camping here is nothing like camping in the National Forest. One thing to keep in mind about the Keys is that land is at a premium. Private campgrounds will squeeze you in closer together. State campgrounds have more space between sites. However, since the hurricane blew most of the greenery away, I don't know if they are that much more private anymore.

I'm told the campground I'm at was under four feet of water during the storm. They did a lot of work and the place hardly looks much different than when we were here last. Of course, this is the upper Keys, and the storm wasn't as bad as the middle Keys.

While we are packed tighter together here, people tend to be real friendly. Everybody is having a good time. That makes a huge difference. We even met up with a couple who remember us from two years ago. They said they looked for us last year, but we weren't traveling last winter. We had some fun joking around two years ago and they remember.

We finally have free wifi near the main building. Electricity and water are right at our site. I bicycled over to the nearby Publix to pick up fresh food for lunch. There are a lot of stores, restaurants and services close by. The campground has a full sized heated outdoor swimming pool. It's really pleasant to float in the pool and look up at the stars.

On the more mundane side, the first night here we did laundry. That might not sound like a thrill, but being able to do laundry within walking distance of my campsite is a pleasure. My wardrobe was getting limited. Even in paradise, the laundry has to get done.

My lovely wife was able to lock in some camping spots later in the winter. One place we hadn't been to in over 10 years so we are curious to see how it changed. She's also booked us into a place we haven't been to before. That can be hit or miss, but you don't know for sure until you try.

It's been warm but very windy. Too rough out on the water to take out the kayak the next few days. However, it will calm down, so that's good.

I've been getting a lot more exercise and eating healthy. Feeling pretty happy.


-Sixbears