Tuesday, March 21 - Just a quick note to let you know that we are now in Binghamton, after rambling along through the rest of Virginia, then West Virginia, then Maryland, then Pennsylvania, and now here. Traffic was busy most of the way, with the usual massive number of trucks tooling along. However, we find most of the transport drivers are very courteous and fair, giving room when necessary, letting us in when coming off a ramp...good drivers, on the whole.
As we hit Pennsylvania, we started to see snow. As we moved north, the snowbanks increased in volume. Here, they are at least a foot deep, or more in some places. It'll be awhile before they see their lawns. Anyway, we'll be home tomorrow afternoon, and hope most of the snow in our area has disappeared. Please let it be so.
See you soon. More later. Watching the Raptors get smoked by Chicago. We need Lowry back.
Stay tuned.
Tuesday 21 March 2017
Monday 20 March 2017
Monday Mar 20 - Where are we? Let's see! On the road, so hard to keep track. We started our homeward journey on Friday, heading for Statesboro, Georgia. We stuck to State roads rather than the interstates, and found it much more pleasant. No trucks to speak of, and much less traffic. Turned out, Statesboro is a very nice town.
We checked out the Wildlife Center at the Southern Georgia University Campus, and had a very nice visit there. They have a nice little wander path, which we did, then a reptile show, and a flying raptor show. Got to touch some neat snakes, and had some great raptors...redtail hawk, an Asian owl, a red shoulder hawk, flying around in an enclosed area, wings whistling over our heads as they flew from handler to handler. It was a good experience. SGU is a really nice campus, located in this rather small city of 20,000, matched by an equal number of students. A true university town.
We also found the local craft brewery, and had a good visit there. They have only been in business for a couple of years, but are producing some good brew. Bought a half-dozen for the experts at home to sample. Interesting, just as we were about to leave, a group of kids came in to get set up for some music later in the evening. Turns out they're with a local School of Rock program, the same organization that our nephew Rick is running in Ottawa. Seems to be going strong here.
Yesterday we worked our way across Georgia, again on secondary roads, and on to Rock Hill, SC. We were here on our way south, but came back because we were aware of an RV service center near the park that could do our winterizing and an oil change. Worked out just fine, as a very nice staff did their duty this morning, and left us all set to be on our way home to the sub-freezing temps.
Today, we rolled across NC, and headed up on the Blue Ridge Parkway just after we crossed the Virginia border. It's a lovely drive, quiet, uncluttered, and with some great views both east and west. We stuck with it until we reached the outskirts or Roanoke, where we bit the bullet and hooked up with route 81, which will be our highway all the way home. Tonight, we are settled into a Best Western, as we can't really camp with the r.v. winterized. We'll be into Pennsylvania tomorrow, and should be home Wednesday afternoon. Looking forward to seeing everyone.
That's it for now. Could talk about the Tea Party guy I had discussion with along the way, but can't do it. Too bothersome, the views that he expressed. So far out of sync with the way most Canadians think.
All for now. More later, when we're finally home. Stay tuned.
We checked out the Wildlife Center at the Southern Georgia University Campus, and had a very nice visit there. They have a nice little wander path, which we did, then a reptile show, and a flying raptor show. Got to touch some neat snakes, and had some great raptors...redtail hawk, an Asian owl, a red shoulder hawk, flying around in an enclosed area, wings whistling over our heads as they flew from handler to handler. It was a good experience. SGU is a really nice campus, located in this rather small city of 20,000, matched by an equal number of students. A true university town.
We also found the local craft brewery, and had a good visit there. They have only been in business for a couple of years, but are producing some good brew. Bought a half-dozen for the experts at home to sample. Interesting, just as we were about to leave, a group of kids came in to get set up for some music later in the evening. Turns out they're with a local School of Rock program, the same organization that our nephew Rick is running in Ottawa. Seems to be going strong here.
Yesterday we worked our way across Georgia, again on secondary roads, and on to Rock Hill, SC. We were here on our way south, but came back because we were aware of an RV service center near the park that could do our winterizing and an oil change. Worked out just fine, as a very nice staff did their duty this morning, and left us all set to be on our way home to the sub-freezing temps.
Today, we rolled across NC, and headed up on the Blue Ridge Parkway just after we crossed the Virginia border. It's a lovely drive, quiet, uncluttered, and with some great views both east and west. We stuck with it until we reached the outskirts or Roanoke, where we bit the bullet and hooked up with route 81, which will be our highway all the way home. Tonight, we are settled into a Best Western, as we can't really camp with the r.v. winterized. We'll be into Pennsylvania tomorrow, and should be home Wednesday afternoon. Looking forward to seeing everyone.
That's it for now. Could talk about the Tea Party guy I had discussion with along the way, but can't do it. Too bothersome, the views that he expressed. So far out of sync with the way most Canadians think.
All for now. More later, when we're finally home. Stay tuned.
Thursday 16 March 2017
Thursday March 16 - HAPPY BIRTHDAY GAIL, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU....
Our last night in Homosassa! Sadly! We've enjoyed it a lot here, as it's really Old Florida, laid back, low-key, rural, not at all like the major centres, with their major traffic, shopping malls, and related madness of modern urban Florida. We've had a very relaxing time, so are somewhat sorry to have to head back. However, duty calls.
Tuesday, we drove back to Inverness, and tackled another section of the Withlacoochie Trail. Gail will never forgive me, and I'll never hear the end of it, as we did 20 kms out, then had to do the 20 back. Going out was good but coming back, there was a headwind, so it was quite a lot tougher. By the time we got back, Gail was done. It was a rather tedious ride, although it was pleasant enough, through woods and countryside; but the wind made it tough for my partner.
The rest of the week has been spent dealing with the very cool weather. It's been down to near zero, with frost warnings, very unusual for Florida, and up into the 50s during the day. Once the rain ended the sun came out, and provided some relief. We could find a place out of the wind in the sun, in the afternoon, and enjoyed the warmth with a book. I did some biking each day, but you know who said 'no way' except to ride over to The Shed for our usual. Next week it'll be back up into the 70s, so if friends Ron and Marilyn Harris come this way, they'll be happy with the weather.
Today was Gail's birthday, so she enjoyed a late brunch here, then spent the afternoon in the sun while I did my bike ride. Then we rode over to the Shed, had a beer and their excellent fries, then went to the Freezer for chowder, then back to the Shed to enjoy more music. A neat guy named Fred George was doing his thing...good guitarist and fun entertainer. Some songs were definitely not PG rated.
We just had a great conversation with the kids, who are enjoying a St. Patrick's dinner tonight. We also found out today that grand-daughter Clare has been accepted to go for her third year of university in Wellington, New Zealand. Very exciting news for her, and a wonderful adventure awaiting. We will likely start planning a trip there, as we've wanted to return to see the rest of the country that we didn't see when we were there before. Hope our friends Ron and Joanna have decided to return to NZ, their winter retreat for the last number of years, as it would be great to see them in their local digs as well.
Tomorrow night we'll be in Statesboro, Georgia, where we'll stay for two nights. Then on to Rock Hill, SC, where we stayed on the way down. And we've also arranged with an r.v. service shop near the park where we'll be staying to winterize the r.v. before we go further north. Temps look pretty cold in Pennsylvania and New York State, so best to be safe rather than take a chance.
That's it. We should be home by next Wednesday, and look forward to seeing everyone. Hope the snow is all gone by the time we get back.
More later. Stay tuned.
Our last night in Homosassa! Sadly! We've enjoyed it a lot here, as it's really Old Florida, laid back, low-key, rural, not at all like the major centres, with their major traffic, shopping malls, and related madness of modern urban Florida. We've had a very relaxing time, so are somewhat sorry to have to head back. However, duty calls.
Tuesday, we drove back to Inverness, and tackled another section of the Withlacoochie Trail. Gail will never forgive me, and I'll never hear the end of it, as we did 20 kms out, then had to do the 20 back. Going out was good but coming back, there was a headwind, so it was quite a lot tougher. By the time we got back, Gail was done. It was a rather tedious ride, although it was pleasant enough, through woods and countryside; but the wind made it tough for my partner.
The rest of the week has been spent dealing with the very cool weather. It's been down to near zero, with frost warnings, very unusual for Florida, and up into the 50s during the day. Once the rain ended the sun came out, and provided some relief. We could find a place out of the wind in the sun, in the afternoon, and enjoyed the warmth with a book. I did some biking each day, but you know who said 'no way' except to ride over to The Shed for our usual. Next week it'll be back up into the 70s, so if friends Ron and Marilyn Harris come this way, they'll be happy with the weather.
Today was Gail's birthday, so she enjoyed a late brunch here, then spent the afternoon in the sun while I did my bike ride. Then we rode over to the Shed, had a beer and their excellent fries, then went to the Freezer for chowder, then back to the Shed to enjoy more music. A neat guy named Fred George was doing his thing...good guitarist and fun entertainer. Some songs were definitely not PG rated.
We just had a great conversation with the kids, who are enjoying a St. Patrick's dinner tonight. We also found out today that grand-daughter Clare has been accepted to go for her third year of university in Wellington, New Zealand. Very exciting news for her, and a wonderful adventure awaiting. We will likely start planning a trip there, as we've wanted to return to see the rest of the country that we didn't see when we were there before. Hope our friends Ron and Joanna have decided to return to NZ, their winter retreat for the last number of years, as it would be great to see them in their local digs as well.
Tomorrow night we'll be in Statesboro, Georgia, where we'll stay for two nights. Then on to Rock Hill, SC, where we stayed on the way down. And we've also arranged with an r.v. service shop near the park where we'll be staying to winterize the r.v. before we go further north. Temps look pretty cold in Pennsylvania and New York State, so best to be safe rather than take a chance.
That's it. We should be home by next Wednesday, and look forward to seeing everyone. Hope the snow is all gone by the time we get back.
More later. Stay tuned.
Monday 13 March 2017
Monday March 13 - Hunkered down for most of the day, because it is actually raining. Started around 1 p.m., and is now coming down pretty heavily. Needed here, as it's been a very dry winter.
We had planned to go to "The Freezer", a local bar/restaurant in the village; but with the rain, and with our means of transport via bicycle, we have settled in and had dinner at home. We'll go for seafood tomorrow, as it's supposed to stop raining overnight. Hopefully, it'll be nice enough for us to go over to Inverness, and do some more of the Withlacoochie bike trail.
So it was a good day to do some housework, and plan our trip back. We are leaving here on Friday. But efforts to find an r.v. park near the coast didn't result in any luck, so we're booked into a site in upstate Georgia, where we'll stay for a couple of nights, to let things settle down to the north. The weather is not good at all as you move north, with cold temps the story until the end of next week back home. So we will try to get the r.v. winterized in Charlotte on Monday, with any luck, and motel it the rest of the way. No use taking a chance of damage to the system because of sub-freezing temps.
That said, we should be back by Wednesday next week. Meantime, we continue to pile up the books we've read. Never in my life have I read so many mystery-police-detective novels. Harlan Coben, W.E.B Griffin, even Dick Francis, and the usual other suspects. Some good reads, engrossing, but not a lot of morality, other than crime doesn't usually pay.
The raindrops continue. Still heavy! But tomorrow is another day. We could be in New England, where they expect up to two feet of snow. Syracuse even gets that much, they say. So we're not complaining.
More later. Stay tuned.
We had planned to go to "The Freezer", a local bar/restaurant in the village; but with the rain, and with our means of transport via bicycle, we have settled in and had dinner at home. We'll go for seafood tomorrow, as it's supposed to stop raining overnight. Hopefully, it'll be nice enough for us to go over to Inverness, and do some more of the Withlacoochie bike trail.
So it was a good day to do some housework, and plan our trip back. We are leaving here on Friday. But efforts to find an r.v. park near the coast didn't result in any luck, so we're booked into a site in upstate Georgia, where we'll stay for a couple of nights, to let things settle down to the north. The weather is not good at all as you move north, with cold temps the story until the end of next week back home. So we will try to get the r.v. winterized in Charlotte on Monday, with any luck, and motel it the rest of the way. No use taking a chance of damage to the system because of sub-freezing temps.
That said, we should be back by Wednesday next week. Meantime, we continue to pile up the books we've read. Never in my life have I read so many mystery-police-detective novels. Harlan Coben, W.E.B Griffin, even Dick Francis, and the usual other suspects. Some good reads, engrossing, but not a lot of morality, other than crime doesn't usually pay.
The raindrops continue. Still heavy! But tomorrow is another day. We could be in New England, where they expect up to two feet of snow. Syracuse even gets that much, they say. So we're not complaining.
More later. Stay tuned.
Sunday 12 March 2017
Sunday, March 12 - Been busy, I guess, so haven't posted for awhile. Looking at the weather at home, we aren't looking forward to the trek back, unless things pick up. May have to get the r.v. winterized, given the conditions at home for the next week. Maybe it'll warm up for us as we head north.
We've been active, doing some biking, particularly on Thursday, when we did part of the Withlacoochie Trail. It's a 46 mile trail, centered in Inverness. We found ourselves starting in hill country, in the Citrus Hills area, which is most unusual for Florida. But the first 8 or 10 kilometers were definitely up and down, with some good slopes. Not bad going with the wind behind us, but against a 20 mile an hour wind right in our faces, it was pretty tough coming back. However, we had a nice lunch in Inverness at a neat restaurant called Stumpknockers, so were fortified for the arduous return trip. Quite spent by the time we got back to the starting point, after a 40 km total. Will go back to Inverness this week to do most of the rest of the trail, which is very nice once off into the woods away from main roads. Inverness is a charming town, by the way, surrounded by lakes. Worth a visit for sure. Another little known Florida treasure, which we always look for. Much preferable to the heavily populated areas, which abound all over the state.
Yesterday we rented a canoe, and spent nearly 4 hours on the water. We paddled up to the Wildlife Park in search of manatees, and although we were again faced with wind on the way out, we got a break by going up a couple of very quiet and lovely sidestreams or canals, which were very peaceful. Loads of people were at the end-point in front of the park, swimming, hollering, having a good time, and no doubt scaring off the manatees. Saturday, so lots of people. Going back was a lot easier with the wind behind us, so we coasted along, and enjoyed having a manatee right beside, then under our canoe, not once, but twice. A big one, but not at all menacing, as they are very gentle and quiet creatures. We ended up in front of The Shed, watching the pelicans, numerous in number as they are there. They sit on piers and posts waiting for the fishermen to come in to clean their catch right at the Shed. As the guts are tossed into the water, there will be 30 or 40 pelicans there scrapping to get a scrap. Major tug-of-wars often ensue when a sizable carcass is tossed to them. It's a neat way to dispose of the fishguts.
Every day so far, we've ended up at our favorite spot at the Shed, looking out over the water, enjoying good music (live bands Thursday to Sunday), sipping a Killian or two, watching the people in their varied forms. Lots of senior bikers, regulars, and temporaries like us from all over. Quite a mix of people. Then bike home to have dinner and a quiet evening. Not a bad life. We really like it here in Homosassa, so are glad we decided to stay an extra week.
Cloudy today, with showers predicted. And also tomorrow. Then sunny and cooler for the rest of the week. Beats what's happening up the coast. So we'll have to enjoy these last few days before we bite the bullet. Glad Ed and Sandy got home safely. Won't be long until we're sharing some stories. Looking forward to being back in the 'hood, and catching up with the MacKay clan, especially with the big wedding only 13 days away. Wish the weather were better during March Break for our Belleville family, but I'm sure they'll find ways to enjoy the week.
That's it. Brier final today, Koe and Gushue. Hadwin has a four shot lead...hope he wins. Raps lost another one. More later. Stay tuned.
We've been active, doing some biking, particularly on Thursday, when we did part of the Withlacoochie Trail. It's a 46 mile trail, centered in Inverness. We found ourselves starting in hill country, in the Citrus Hills area, which is most unusual for Florida. But the first 8 or 10 kilometers were definitely up and down, with some good slopes. Not bad going with the wind behind us, but against a 20 mile an hour wind right in our faces, it was pretty tough coming back. However, we had a nice lunch in Inverness at a neat restaurant called Stumpknockers, so were fortified for the arduous return trip. Quite spent by the time we got back to the starting point, after a 40 km total. Will go back to Inverness this week to do most of the rest of the trail, which is very nice once off into the woods away from main roads. Inverness is a charming town, by the way, surrounded by lakes. Worth a visit for sure. Another little known Florida treasure, which we always look for. Much preferable to the heavily populated areas, which abound all over the state.
Yesterday we rented a canoe, and spent nearly 4 hours on the water. We paddled up to the Wildlife Park in search of manatees, and although we were again faced with wind on the way out, we got a break by going up a couple of very quiet and lovely sidestreams or canals, which were very peaceful. Loads of people were at the end-point in front of the park, swimming, hollering, having a good time, and no doubt scaring off the manatees. Saturday, so lots of people. Going back was a lot easier with the wind behind us, so we coasted along, and enjoyed having a manatee right beside, then under our canoe, not once, but twice. A big one, but not at all menacing, as they are very gentle and quiet creatures. We ended up in front of The Shed, watching the pelicans, numerous in number as they are there. They sit on piers and posts waiting for the fishermen to come in to clean their catch right at the Shed. As the guts are tossed into the water, there will be 30 or 40 pelicans there scrapping to get a scrap. Major tug-of-wars often ensue when a sizable carcass is tossed to them. It's a neat way to dispose of the fishguts.
Every day so far, we've ended up at our favorite spot at the Shed, looking out over the water, enjoying good music (live bands Thursday to Sunday), sipping a Killian or two, watching the people in their varied forms. Lots of senior bikers, regulars, and temporaries like us from all over. Quite a mix of people. Then bike home to have dinner and a quiet evening. Not a bad life. We really like it here in Homosassa, so are glad we decided to stay an extra week.
Cloudy today, with showers predicted. And also tomorrow. Then sunny and cooler for the rest of the week. Beats what's happening up the coast. So we'll have to enjoy these last few days before we bite the bullet. Glad Ed and Sandy got home safely. Won't be long until we're sharing some stories. Looking forward to being back in the 'hood, and catching up with the MacKay clan, especially with the big wedding only 13 days away. Wish the weather were better during March Break for our Belleville family, but I'm sure they'll find ways to enjoy the week.
That's it. Brier final today, Koe and Gushue. Hadwin has a four shot lead...hope he wins. Raps lost another one. More later. Stay tuned.
Tuesday 7 March 2017
Tuesday - March 7 - Tuesday night, watching Big Bang (oldies). We are now in Homosassa, having arrived on Sunday. No luck getting Gail's tire repaired on Saturday, as none of the bike shops in Largo seem to open on the week-end. So we had to wait until Monday, when we found a shop in Crystal River.
Before leaving Largo, we looked up the bus schedule on Saturday that would get us to the County Botanical Garden. Turned out to be a nice visit, although the florals weren't at their peak, it being a little early for some, late for others. But it's a very nice site, and we enjoyed it. There is a Wedding Center in the middle of the property, which was hosting a big wedding that evening. It was interesting to float by the various preparations being made by the caterers, including the set-up for the bar. When we asked if the bartender was taking orders, we got a rather pained reaction. Think he'd heard that line before? No luck there!
The drive up 19 on Sunday was traffic light after traffic light, until we got to within 15 miles of our turn-off. But still better than taking 75. And there was a good ABC liquor store along the way, where we stocked up. Should be good to last well into spring.
Why do we like Homosassa? It's off the beaten path. It's not chockablock full of cars, malls and masses of people. There's a great wild-life park just down the road. And one of our favorite bars, The Shed, is also down the road in the village. We've already been there twice for a beer (2 bucks), and great French Fries. Plus, there are dozens of brown pelicans floating around, waiting for the fishermen to come in. Then it's total havoc. Fun to watch.
Yesterday, while we were getting the flat tire fixed, we met a couple from Ohio, who clued us into local bike trails. So once the tire was fixed, and after another visit to the local Beall's, we found a neat bike path that runs along the former Cross Florida Barge Canal to the Gulf. Great trail, only 15 kms return, so a nice little work-out. Other trails await.
Today we went to the Ellie Schiller Wildlife park. We've been there twice before, but we enjoy it a lot, as there is a good variety of birds, some animals such as the Florida panther, bobcats, and so on. There's also Lu, the hippo, and a few alligators. Re the latter, the staff are training the gators to respond to "Come", just like your pet dog. Reason: when a hurricane hit last September, there was a big storm surge that flooded the park, to the extent that the alligators were almost able to escape over the enclosure fences. Training them to respond to a call to come will enable the staff to secure the animals for their own safety, and the safety of the general population. It was pretty neat to see the gators swim over when called, opening their gaping jaws to receive small rewards. Sort of like the pelicans waiting for scraps from the fish cleaners. Also saw lots of manatees, so it was a good day.
We've checked the weather at home, and have decided to stay here until the 17th, rather than try to track down another park north of here. So we'll be here for nearly 2 weeks by the time we leave, a record for us. Then we head home, looking forward to seeing friends and family, and hoping for above zero weather.
That's it for now! Stay tuned. More later.
Before leaving Largo, we looked up the bus schedule on Saturday that would get us to the County Botanical Garden. Turned out to be a nice visit, although the florals weren't at their peak, it being a little early for some, late for others. But it's a very nice site, and we enjoyed it. There is a Wedding Center in the middle of the property, which was hosting a big wedding that evening. It was interesting to float by the various preparations being made by the caterers, including the set-up for the bar. When we asked if the bartender was taking orders, we got a rather pained reaction. Think he'd heard that line before? No luck there!
The drive up 19 on Sunday was traffic light after traffic light, until we got to within 15 miles of our turn-off. But still better than taking 75. And there was a good ABC liquor store along the way, where we stocked up. Should be good to last well into spring.
Why do we like Homosassa? It's off the beaten path. It's not chockablock full of cars, malls and masses of people. There's a great wild-life park just down the road. And one of our favorite bars, The Shed, is also down the road in the village. We've already been there twice for a beer (2 bucks), and great French Fries. Plus, there are dozens of brown pelicans floating around, waiting for the fishermen to come in. Then it's total havoc. Fun to watch.
Yesterday, while we were getting the flat tire fixed, we met a couple from Ohio, who clued us into local bike trails. So once the tire was fixed, and after another visit to the local Beall's, we found a neat bike path that runs along the former Cross Florida Barge Canal to the Gulf. Great trail, only 15 kms return, so a nice little work-out. Other trails await.
Today we went to the Ellie Schiller Wildlife park. We've been there twice before, but we enjoy it a lot, as there is a good variety of birds, some animals such as the Florida panther, bobcats, and so on. There's also Lu, the hippo, and a few alligators. Re the latter, the staff are training the gators to respond to "Come", just like your pet dog. Reason: when a hurricane hit last September, there was a big storm surge that flooded the park, to the extent that the alligators were almost able to escape over the enclosure fences. Training them to respond to a call to come will enable the staff to secure the animals for their own safety, and the safety of the general population. It was pretty neat to see the gators swim over when called, opening their gaping jaws to receive small rewards. Sort of like the pelicans waiting for scraps from the fish cleaners. Also saw lots of manatees, so it was a good day.
We've checked the weather at home, and have decided to stay here until the 17th, rather than try to track down another park north of here. So we'll be here for nearly 2 weeks by the time we leave, a record for us. Then we head home, looking forward to seeing friends and family, and hoping for above zero weather.
That's it for now! Stay tuned. More later.
Friday 3 March 2017
Friday, March 3 - From being told we should be on our way home because spring has arrived, we now learn that winter has returned. So as is typical this time of year, you never know what you're going to get from one day to the next. Except here, although it did cool down to the mid 70s today. And even coolish tonight. So we're content to stick around the warm weather for another couple of weeks before we head home.
Yesterday was a cool-down day...did some grocery shopping, read a lot, played some cards. I've got G's number with gin rummy, winning 6 straight. But the cribbage is a different story. Normally I'm fairly well ahead, but this trip we're tied at 10 games each. Casey Ward will be glad to hear about that. She loves to see me lose.
Today, we did 42 kms on the bikes. We started out with breakfast at a nice bakery down the road, and continued on another 3 kilometers to the Piniella County Bike trail. It's a very nice trail, a Roads to Trail concept that runs from Clearwater for about 50 kms to St. Pete's. We rode up to Clearwater, then back a few kms past our starting point, then back to the starting point, which is about 5 kms from our park. We stopped in at Beals, looking for bargains. Didn't find many, and needing so little at our stage of life, didn't buy much. We came out of the store to find Gail had a flat tire. So she had to walk her bike about 2 kms back to our park. Bummer!!! Swim and hot tub felt good after our exertions.
However, we've searched out a couple of bike shops within a mile or so. Guess who'll walk the bike tomorrow to the shop to get the tire repaired? Only fair that I do that. We finished off the day walking, somewhat stiffly after the long ride, to a Mexican restaurant down the road. It was okay. We don't go out for dinner much, so it was a treat. Food was only okay. Not a big Mexican food fan, but it's a nice change once in awhile.
That's it for now. Glad to note, by the way, via the Countylive website, that there are finally plans to do something to upgrade our own Millenium Trail. It's such a potential treasure. Let's all get behind it. More later. Stay tuned.
Yesterday was a cool-down day...did some grocery shopping, read a lot, played some cards. I've got G's number with gin rummy, winning 6 straight. But the cribbage is a different story. Normally I'm fairly well ahead, but this trip we're tied at 10 games each. Casey Ward will be glad to hear about that. She loves to see me lose.
Today, we did 42 kms on the bikes. We started out with breakfast at a nice bakery down the road, and continued on another 3 kilometers to the Piniella County Bike trail. It's a very nice trail, a Roads to Trail concept that runs from Clearwater for about 50 kms to St. Pete's. We rode up to Clearwater, then back a few kms past our starting point, then back to the starting point, which is about 5 kms from our park. We stopped in at Beals, looking for bargains. Didn't find many, and needing so little at our stage of life, didn't buy much. We came out of the store to find Gail had a flat tire. So she had to walk her bike about 2 kms back to our park. Bummer!!! Swim and hot tub felt good after our exertions.
However, we've searched out a couple of bike shops within a mile or so. Guess who'll walk the bike tomorrow to the shop to get the tire repaired? Only fair that I do that. We finished off the day walking, somewhat stiffly after the long ride, to a Mexican restaurant down the road. It was okay. We don't go out for dinner much, so it was a treat. Food was only okay. Not a big Mexican food fan, but it's a nice change once in awhile.
That's it for now. Glad to note, by the way, via the Countylive website, that there are finally plans to do something to upgrade our own Millenium Trail. It's such a potential treasure. Let's all get behind it. More later. Stay tuned.
Thursday 2 March 2017
Thursday March 2 - What are we doing down here, spending our hard-earned Canuck bucks on Yankee dollars, when the temps back home are in the plus double digit range? Not sure, but maybe because here it's plus 30C today, sunny skies, just plain hot, which the person I'm travelling with likes very much. Sweat it out Lar,,,,
Yesterday was moving day. But before that, we had a pretty nice stay in the Naples park, crowded though it be. Good facilities, nice pool and hot tub, so okay. We did two excursions, to Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary on Monday, which was great. They have a 2.25 mile boardwalk that winds through the swamp, ending up in the Lettuce Lake area, in which there were loads of birds and alligators, living in lovely harmony. Except when one of the gators went on the prowl, and got the native birds a little uneasy. Not sure if he met his appetite needs or not, but just after we left, we heard a great commotion and lots of squawking, so maybe he got lucky.
Tuesday, we drove to Marco Island, just to have a look, and to maybe spend a little time on the beach. Forget that. High end area, with most of the beachfront taken up by high-rise exclusive resorts. And no place to park...anywhere on the island. So we did our drive-around, and left. Turns out, so our neighbour from Michigan told us when we got back, you can pay 5 bucks to one of the resorts, and they'll let you park on their lot. Not sure they'd have welcomed a 25 footer.
So we headed back, and stopped in at an Aquatic Center we'd noticed on the way to the Island. It houses an education center on, you guessed it, aquatic biology. Good displays. We did a little hike through the scrubland adjacent to the center, and got eaten by bugs. Gail tried to do the 4 minute kilometer. Couldn't keep up with her. Benadryl saved her, as she gets bad reactions to the no-see-ums down here. They don't bother me, but no sense, no feeling, I guess. We'd hoped to see manatee or sharks in the river that runs by the center, but no such luck.
Back to moving day. We had thoughts that it would be nice to visit Sanibel Island, as there is a wild-life refuge there that was highly recommended by a birder we met in the swamp. Six bucks, and over a big beautiful bridge onto the island entrance and much traffic. They actually have young guys at key intersections directing traffic, which seems to help a little. We did an 8 mile route on our bikes, which was great, and found a couple of flocks of white pelicans, and a lovely mother osprey and her chick. Back in the van by 3, back into much traffic, over to route 75, and on our way to Largo, which is next to St. Pete's. Breezed along until we ran into an 8 mile traffic snarl caused by road-work, and another 4 mile back-up near Sarasota. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: "There are just too damned many people in Florida!!!"
Result: we were over an hour past our e.t.a., so arrived to find we had to park in the late-arrivals area next to the office. I was a little ticked, but it worked out fine. Right across from us were super clean bathrooms and a hot tub, so were soon in the tub with a beer in hand. Later, we wandered about, and ran into a bunch of people enjoying a sing-along. Ray from New Brunswick adopted us, and we had a great chat. The majority of the people here are full seasonals, and from the Canadian Maritimes. Friendly as all get out. So our three days here should be just fine. We're now parked right beside a lovely pond, with good space around us, and a lovely day.
That's it. More later. Stay tuned.
Yesterday was moving day. But before that, we had a pretty nice stay in the Naples park, crowded though it be. Good facilities, nice pool and hot tub, so okay. We did two excursions, to Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary on Monday, which was great. They have a 2.25 mile boardwalk that winds through the swamp, ending up in the Lettuce Lake area, in which there were loads of birds and alligators, living in lovely harmony. Except when one of the gators went on the prowl, and got the native birds a little uneasy. Not sure if he met his appetite needs or not, but just after we left, we heard a great commotion and lots of squawking, so maybe he got lucky.
Tuesday, we drove to Marco Island, just to have a look, and to maybe spend a little time on the beach. Forget that. High end area, with most of the beachfront taken up by high-rise exclusive resorts. And no place to park...anywhere on the island. So we did our drive-around, and left. Turns out, so our neighbour from Michigan told us when we got back, you can pay 5 bucks to one of the resorts, and they'll let you park on their lot. Not sure they'd have welcomed a 25 footer.
So we headed back, and stopped in at an Aquatic Center we'd noticed on the way to the Island. It houses an education center on, you guessed it, aquatic biology. Good displays. We did a little hike through the scrubland adjacent to the center, and got eaten by bugs. Gail tried to do the 4 minute kilometer. Couldn't keep up with her. Benadryl saved her, as she gets bad reactions to the no-see-ums down here. They don't bother me, but no sense, no feeling, I guess. We'd hoped to see manatee or sharks in the river that runs by the center, but no such luck.
Back to moving day. We had thoughts that it would be nice to visit Sanibel Island, as there is a wild-life refuge there that was highly recommended by a birder we met in the swamp. Six bucks, and over a big beautiful bridge onto the island entrance and much traffic. They actually have young guys at key intersections directing traffic, which seems to help a little. We did an 8 mile route on our bikes, which was great, and found a couple of flocks of white pelicans, and a lovely mother osprey and her chick. Back in the van by 3, back into much traffic, over to route 75, and on our way to Largo, which is next to St. Pete's. Breezed along until we ran into an 8 mile traffic snarl caused by road-work, and another 4 mile back-up near Sarasota. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: "There are just too damned many people in Florida!!!"
Result: we were over an hour past our e.t.a., so arrived to find we had to park in the late-arrivals area next to the office. I was a little ticked, but it worked out fine. Right across from us were super clean bathrooms and a hot tub, so were soon in the tub with a beer in hand. Later, we wandered about, and ran into a bunch of people enjoying a sing-along. Ray from New Brunswick adopted us, and we had a great chat. The majority of the people here are full seasonals, and from the Canadian Maritimes. Friendly as all get out. So our three days here should be just fine. We're now parked right beside a lovely pond, with good space around us, and a lovely day.
That's it. More later. Stay tuned.
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