Travel – Page 13 – TORsAdventures

Memorial Day – 2016

May 30, 2016June 6, 2016

To some Memorial Day is just a 3 day weekend and some extra time to spend with family. I do agree and I did just that when I flew up to Chicago to see my family and celebrate my grandmothers 90th birthday. But it also has another meaning to me. Sometimes it helps to stop and smell the roses and be thankful for those men and women who gave their lives so that we could have a BBQ and do cannon balls into the pool. My husband is active duty and I have come to know many other service members active and retired. Some wear a cap for what ship they were on or others change out of their uniform before going to the grocery store because they are not doing the job for a pat on the back or the free food given to them on Memorial Day and Veterans Day. It was nice to be at O’Hare airport and see all of the flags hanging so proudly. It was a good reminder of why I had a 3 day weekend and was able to spend some extra time with my friends and family. Wherever you are or whatever your doing just know that there are and will always be people service this great country of ours.

I will leave you with the happy and fun photos of my and my friend Amy tanning in the pool and me and my friend Jesse jumping into the pool after a few Red, White and Blue shots!

Jake Owen in Key West!

March 10, 2016March 10, 2016

After hearing about Jake Owen’s journey from Nashville to Key West I definitely wanted to try and see him while he was here. The story goes something like this: last week he bought a 1966 VW Bus in North Carolina and decided to drive it from Nashville to Key West and promote his new song “American Country Love Song” the first song on his new upcoming album. Yesterday I kept looking for VW Busses. Who knew there were so many and blue too! He posted a video on his Facebook page this morning saying that they were shooting some scenes for the video and was looking for people for this afternoon. Since I have lived in Key West for a few years I immediately knew where he was from the video. Scott and I walked that beach so many mornings in search of turtle nests ( see my blog about turtles) I hopped in my car and drove down to Smathers Beach. Before I could even find a parking spot I spotted the van so I knew I was in the right place.

As I walked up I saw him sitting in the bus and they were filming part of the video. After they were done they let us come over and I got to say Hi to him and take a photo. Two of the people that were with him said that they were going to be filming the other parts later today. Later in the afternoon he posted on Facebook saying that he was at Andy’s Cabana having a beer and inviting people to join him. Once again I hopped into my car and went down there. He was there hanging out have a beer and then he picked up his guitar and played “Beachin” and “Barefoot Blue Jean Night”. What an awesome day! What a great guy!

Today has been a day that I will never forget and now I am even more excited for this year’s Key West Songwriters Festival since Jake Owen has been announced as the headliner! If you would like to see more photos and videos be sure to check out my Twitter and Instagram accounts. By the way……………. he retweeted the picture of us on the beach from this morning!!!

Higgs Beach

March 8, 2016March 8, 2016

After doing some research I have found that Higgs Beach is actually owned by Monroe County. It is located on the Atlantic Ocean next to the Casa Marina Resort.

I have spent many mornings walking Higgs Beach at dawn to look for Sea Turtles. I volunteered for the Sea Turtle Rescue Organization for a few years in Key West. Usually because of the other amenities on the beach and the large numbers of people hanging out we rarely found a turtle nest. But……..it,s clear turquoise waters and its beautiful sandy beaches and its tropical vegetation, Higgs Beach is one of the most inviting public beach parks in Florida because of its diverse array of activities and offerings. Within the Park, you will find: a Civil War Era Fort listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Salute! On the Beach, and reportedly, the largest African Refugee Burial Ground in this hemisphere as well as one of the largest Aids Memorials in the Country.

Higgs Beach is truly unique because it allows you access to the only shore-accessible underwater marine park in the United States and is also the end of the Florida Overseas Heritage Trail, one of only 31 nationally designated All American Highways in the United States.

Activities available to park users include swimming, snorkeling, sunbathing, beach volleyball and a playground. Additionally, the historic civil war era fort known as the West Martello has served as the home of the Key West Garden Club for over 50 years and offers free self-guided tours of almost 2 acres of beautiful gardens with an ocean breeze and view. For animal lovers, the Park hosts a large and actively utilized dog park with separate runs for small and large dogs.

Some content is from the official Monroe County Website.

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