Key West - Day 1...

If you haven't yet figured this out about me yet, I like road trips.

A lot.

I've been working so much lately, though, that I haven't really had much time to do one. At best, I'd have a day here or there to do something, but a "day trip" is one thing. A "road trip" is something altogether different.

The conclusion of my "Hell week" of shooting (nine shoots in ten days), fell on Saturday, November 21, and I had nothing on my schedule, save for Thanksgiving dinner with the family, for that entire following week. I checked the weather, and it was promising. Greg and I fixed the rear lift window in the Explorer's tailgate (the hinge had fallen apart) and I got my oil changed. The stars had aligned. It was time.

Key West.

I left the Sunday before Thanksgiving, and would return the day before Thanksgiving. It was, I surmised, the perfect length of time to readjust and rejuvenate.

I actually stayed in Marathon. It's about 45 minutes from Key West, and about 1/3 as expensive. My hotel was $79.00 a night in Marathon. Something comparable in Key West would've run almost $200.00 a night.

I got settled, changed my clothes and headed into Key West. After getting the last parking spot next to The Hog's Breath Saloon (for $30.00, no less), I found my way down to Sunset Pier. Sunset, you see, is an actual event in Key West, and every viewing point you can find is mobbed with people who just want to watch it happen. And, in their defense, it is pretty nice:

Sunset in Key West...

Even the party boats go out for a better view...

Sunset Pier. People line the railing to watch the sun sink into the Gulf of Mexico...

After watching the sunset and having my first couple of beers in Key West, I decided to walk around a little. I should point out that I'm completely of the opinion that beer is a little colder in Key West. It's a little smoother. It goes down a little easier. It's just, I dunno'... better.

My first stop was this little rock & roll memorabilia shop on Duval Street called Rock Lives On Gallery. I was greeted by art consultant Jimmy Carter, who was a very pleasant guy and extremely knowledgeable. He was actually very cool with me taking photos, although I only shot a few.

Art consultant Jimmy Carter of Rock Lives On Gallery. The guitar is a limited edition Epiphone Sheraton, used here with some Rolling Stones memorabilia...

The gallery was very cool, and it was actually nice to see a formidable collection of memorabilia that isn't owned by the Hard Rock Cafe. Jimmy and I spoke for a while, and he told me a little about the gallery's history, etal. and I found my up the street, where I happened upon the smallest bar in Key West. Seriously, that's the name, and it's no lie. It's really small:

Three stools, no dance floor...

Andrew the Bartender...

While I was there, someone walked in behind me and a heard a vaguely familiar voice. I turned around and was stunned to see my old friend Ron Dotson. I first met Ron in San Diego, when we both worked on a local blues festival. The last time I saw him, I was selling him one of my guitar amplifiers.

That was almost ten years ago.

My old buddy Ron Dotson...

Ron is now the General Manager for the Navy Exchange in Key West. He had been tracking me through Key West by using my "check ins" on Facebook; a resourceful guy, that Dotson. We spent a good deal of time catching up, and agreed to get together for dinner the following night. We had a handshake and a bro-hug and we parted ways for the evening.

From TSBIKW (clearly abbreviated), I walked up the street until I saw a place called "Capt. Tony's Saloon". On their sign it said that it was the location of the original Sloppy Joe's (more on that in a minute). How could I resist? I walked in, sat down at the bar and ordered up a beer. When this was the location of Sloppy Joe's, it was Ernest Hemingway's  favorite Key West haunt. The neat thing about it all is that it was owned by Joe Russell, who was Hemingway's boat pilot and fishing guide for a number of years

Capt. Tony's Saloon, loctaed on Greene Street...

After having a cold one (did I mention the beers are colder in Key West?) I walked over to the current Sloppy Joe's, which is on Duval Street. This is probably a bit different than Hemingway would've remembered. But it was still a fun bar, with live music and friendly people.

Sloppy Joe's Bar...

Inside Sloppy Joe's...

A friendly bartender at Sloppy Joe's...

And a happy Sloppy Joe's patron...

Sloppy Joe's is simply one of those iconic places that you have to visit when you're in Key West, if only to say you've been there. That said, though, the beer is cold (notice a theme here?), the folks are friendly and the live music is very good, so it's not like there's not a reason to stay.

As I left Sloppy Joe's, the hour was late and I still had a little bit of a drive in front of me. I found my way back to the truck, got in, started it up and sat there for a second, happy as Hell that I finally decided to make this trip...