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This one is for the conchs

billanole

Veteran Seminole Insider
Mar 5, 2005
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How boutcha, @runkpanole




So in 1885, Flagler connected a series of disjointed railroads along Florida's Atlantic Coast from Jacksonville, at Florida's northern end, to Miami, near the state's southern tip. Miami should have been the end of the line, but when the US began construction on the Panama Canal in 1904, Flagler saw tremendous potential for Key West – the US' closest piece of land to the Canal and the deepest port in the Southeast US. The bustling hub was already flourishing thanks to the cigar, sponging and fishing industries (Key West was Florida's largest city until 1900), but the island's remote location made it difficult and expensive to move goods north.
Therefore, Flagler decided to extend his track 156 miles south to Key West, mostly over open sea. This so-called Key West Extension was considered impossible by many of his contemporaries, and his vision was labelled "Flagler's Folly" by his critics. Between 1905 and 1912, three hurricanes battered the construction site, killing more than 100 workers. Undeterred, Flagler pushed ahead. It took seven years; $50m ($1.56bn today); and 4,000 African American, Bahamian and European immigrants to build the railroad – all of whom had to contend with alligators, scorpions and snakes as they toiled in harsh conditions.
 
My record was 1hr and 59 mins from my girlfriends house in Kendall to my folks front door in Key West. And that was with the old 7 mile bridge. Drove that round trip about 8 or 9 times in the summer of 71.
Dang. That is moving along. You averaged over 60 MPH, including the city streets portion. What were you steering?
My old man used to call it “flying low”.
 
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68 Mustang. Best place to pass or make time was on the long bridges.
This is F4 Gary, flying those McDonnel Douglass newest technology F-4s to their limits, I'm sure. Although Kendall was a pretty long haul down Hwy 1 from Homestead the training base back then. But if you're driving from Key West, travel time was probably half what it is now.
 
This is F4 Gary, flying those McDonnel Douglass newest technology F-4s to their limits, I'm sure. Although Kendall was a pretty long haul down Hwy 1 from Homestead the training base back then. But if you're driving from Key West, travel time was probably half what it is now.
I was a junior at FSU.
 
When I was young conch harvesting was permitted in the keys

Key west trips were yearly excursions for schools

A lot has changed in the keys like lots of other places

I am a native Floridian and wonder how many “ actual” conchs are still down there

I mean those born and raised there not transplants

As an adult I stopped at a bar on card sound road for a beer

Went to take a leak

While at the urinal a biker chick ponied up to the stall next to me and peed standing up

They say it’s a rowdy biker bar as it gets dark

Don’t remember the name

I love the keys!
 
We have a couple of “mature” former football players from KW.
Salty and tough but good folks. 😤
 
Key West changed a ton when the cruise ships started docking there. It was a regular spot for us in the mid to late 70s. Now, when those ships aren't in port, it still has that funky small town feel.

KW needs to pull a Vienna and ban the behemoths.
 
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