2022: Pigeon Key via 7 Mile Bridge Bike Trail

 20 January 2022

Walking through the pilot house today, Clark noticed that the bilge pump light was on continuously. He pulled up the hatch cover to the bilge to check it out and found no water in the bilge, but the pump was still running. He wiggled it and got it to stop running and then decided he better check for a leak. He found a drip of fresh water coming from the water pressure meter located at bottom of the expansion tank. 

Since he did not have a replacement gauge, he removed the gauge and replaced it with a plug to stop the leak and ordered a new gauge from NAPA Auto Parts. 

Old part

After the "excitement" of the water pressure gauge, Clark went back to polishing the boat. It appears to be a never-ending task.

Yet more polishing of the boat

Busy with the polisher, Clark yelled for me to come with a camera to grab tonight's sunset pictures.

21 January 2022

Since it is very hot work, the sunny weather with a lack of wind did not suit Clark's purposes for polishing the boat. He asked me what I planned for today, and I said I wanted to bike the newly-opened 7 Mile Bridge bike trail to Pigeon Key. Admission is free to Pigeon Key via the trail until the 1st of February. 

The round trip excursion, according to Google Maps, equals 9 miles of distance. We decided to go in the morning to avoid the hotter part of the day. As we biked the new trail, both Clark and I were busy with the cameras on our phones!

The parking lot was full with cars waiting for spots to become available when we arrived at the park. Although not clear from the photos below, there were quite a few folks walking or biking the bridge. The weather proved to be perfect for the outing.

View of entrance from edge of parking lot

Speed limit 15 mph
No Fishing from Bridge

Mile markers are painted to show distance covered
along the way

The lanes are clearly marked for bicycles. However, pedestrians were inconsistent in their use of the trail. Some kept to the right. Others weaved in and out of the bike lane as they strolled along. Couples sometimes walked with one to the right and the other half in the bike lane. I saw one pedestrian walking along the yellow line playing a game on his phone. I guess it was easier to make sure he stayed going straight if he followed the yellow line! Another one walked along reading a book. All I could do was shake my head in wonder.

Pigeon Key in the distance

View from bike trail of the Pigeon Key Ferry at dock

Ferry and boaters' dock

End of the finished trail

View of bridge section beyond the
scope of the new bike trail
(Included as a "Before" picture)

Distance on bridge itself is
2 miles from start to finish

Entry to Pigeon Key
Large sign: No Pets Whatsoever Allowed
Smaller sign: Free admittance until 1st Feb 2022

View from bottom of ramp into 
Pigeon Key

Welcoming Bench

Insignia: 
Florida East Coast Railroad 
Flagler System

Normal admission fee: $12 each

View of bridge old and new where new = blue

We walked our bikes around with us as we explored the grounds. The only people we saw besides visitors were workers working on fixing buildings damaged by the last hurricane or two.

"Paint Forman's House 1912"

"Bridge Tenders House 1912"

"Assistant Bridge Tenders House 1912"

The Assistant Bridge Tender's House now serves as the Pigeon Key Museum.

A few years back a group of us from Faro Blanco decided to come by ferry to see Pigeon Key. Even so, Clark and I decided to pop into the museum to refresh our memories on what was inside. As soon as I stepped into the building, I remembered the exhibits.

Before leaving I wanted to use the restroom. After going inside, I remembered this building as well.

Under construction - man painting the outside of
this building.

Off to one side, we saw a large group of school-aged children listening to a lecture. We stayed away so as not to disturb their session.

We got to see the refurbished bridge from lots of different angles and perspectives. 

Having seen everything there was to see, we left Pigeon Key around 11:30 for the ride back to the marina. As we passed Faro Blanco at 12:15, Clark said, "Do you want to stop by to say hello?" I adamantly declined saying, "We need to eat lunch, and if we stop, you'll be there 2 hours, and I'll faint from hunger. No thank you." We kept going!

When we got back to the boat, Clark called NAPA to find out if the part he ordered arrived. They said the part was in. I told him that I could pick it up on Saturday when I was out shopping, but he seemed excited to go get it. As an incentive to get me to go with him to NAPA, he offered to stop at Sweet Savannah's for ice cream. 

Not even that could persuade me to ride to the store. After biking the 9 miles on the Pigeon Key outing, I did not feel like biking another 9 miles to go pick up a pressure gauge. When I checked on distances, it turned our that NAPA is as far east of us and Pigeon Key is west of us! I passed on the trip; he went. I enjoyed time for myself on the boat. 

Clark returned from the store excited to tell me about the helicopter that kept circling the Marathon airport. It flew low to the ground and turned sharply. Clark kept thinking about the mess it would make if it crashed.

Plane taxiing at airport while the helicopter is 
flying in circles nearby.

He did manage to collect the new pressure gauge from NAPA. However, busy with  other activities, Clark has yet to install the new gauge.

New Part

Clark told me that as he biked to NAPA the wind picked up in intensity. The bike to NAPA turned out to be more strenuous than the trip back to the marina from Pigeon Key even though both trips were in the easterly direction. Hearing that, I was even happier I had declined the invite to join him on the ride.

A boat in this marina has the name "Sweet Caroline" with musical notes surrounding the name. Clark discovered that the owner plays guitar. After talking for a while, they agreed to meet by the marina's lookout tower with guitars in hand at 5:30 to play some songs together. Clark came back to the boat after dark. It must have been a good session.