a quickie ...

We left the Elks in Brandon today and are now in La Belle, FL (148 miles or so we traveled today).  The Elks was a great, warm, welcoming Lodge - the downside was the trains 24/7 ... and the construction next door that started at 7:00 AM with vehicles beep beep beeping ... We would return there for a few days tho because it was such a friendly group.  It is so interesting, as Rick says, each Lodge has their own personality .. so very true.

We thought we'd be at this campground for four nights as we are scheduled to be in the Keys on Monday.  After we arrived here we decided two nights would probably be adequate and I've checked with the campground hosts in the Keys and we can arrive two days early so that we shall do ... I need to settle in there, although both Rick and I are concerned about being in one place for six weeks.  I will definitely have to find something to do with my time other than eating and drinking.  There is a hospital just down the street (bicycle riding distance) that perhaps could use a volunteer a few hours a week.  We shall see.

So that's the quickie update ... 

More cows

Oh what a great day we had yesterday.  

Someone had told us last week about a manatee viewing area in Apollo Beach ~ about 20 miles away.  Well I think manatees are just the coolest animals ~ also referred to as sea cows.  The are so interesting to watch.  They move so very slowly and seem to not have a care in the world.  Many many of them are killed or injured by boats because of  this.

 

So yesterday we headed down to Apollo Beach.  Sir had to stay home, as dogs aren't allowed at the Manatee Viewing area and it was too hot to leave him in the car.

Here is a shot of Mama and two calves ~ love those snouts on the surface!

Here is a different Mama and calf.  The water looks dirty and gross doesn't it~ it isn't tho and it is warm which is what they like.

This viewing area was created by Tampa Electric.  Their discharge water is warm and they have created this area for the manatees.  It is barricaded at the ocean end but only so boats can't get in ~ the manatees are free to come and go as they please.  The link above has so much information about this viewing area and manatees ... it is worth looking at (well I guess it's worth it if you're interested in manatees!)

Additionally, if you can blow up this photo you will see all these bumps on the otherwise calm water ~ those bumps are manatees.

We went to a state park in, I believe, Homasasa Springs, FL where they had a manatee show - yesterday was much much better - far more manatees.  We weren't as up close to them yesterday but I like it much better.

This sign cracked me up!

And this was a "tidal walkway" at the center.  There is also a butterfly garden there!  Tampa Electric has done a great job with this area.

And this is a mangrove forest.  There is much much information on the tidal walkway and the mangrove forests on the link above.

This is what the temperature's been for the last several days in these parts.

We are suppose to be moving on tomorrow morning ~ probably to the Fort Meyer's area - which really ought to drive me crazy with all the traffic, but it will only be for a couple days ~ we are due in the Keys on Monday.

Rick and I both have sore throats and seem to be battling colds coming on ~ hopefully we'll still be moving on in the morning.

we haven't done this in years

But today we got a "Christmas Tree" ... nope it isn't real - it's one of those pre lit plastic jobs.  I always said I'd never ever have a plastic tree but ....... never say never!  For the last several years in Whitman we used our huge tropical plant aka "Mr. Plant" who had great sentimental value to us but he was much too large to travel so he's no longer with us.  Mr. Plant would get all prettied up for the holidays - with lights and gold beads ... Last year we put an ornament someone had given us on the lighted palm tree that used to be our dashboard but the palm tree finally burnt out all its lights ... so here we are this year ... it's a beauty isn't it!

isn't it wonderfull

That we can share hugs, stories and a pasta dinner!  

It was so nice to see you three.  Additionally, it was so nice that Sir Arlo behaved when he saw his Uncle Brad.

It's been a great weekend here in Brandon.  I did a little volunteering at the Lodge last night.  We did shopping for the community Christmas .... and wrapped up the rest of the Christmas to get to the post office tomorrow ... in fact I think it was a very productive weekend.  

And my bike came out yesterday ~ we headed east about 25 miles ... but there wasn't much there except tomato fields (not a bad thing for sure), strawberry fields (gee we should write a song about that ~ forever ~ am I dating myself here ... probably huh!) and the pick up truck that passed us, that was loaded to the very max of its side panels, with peppers ... red and green, how seasonally appropriately!  

And my bicycle got a couple miles on it this morning ..  shouldn't Rick have a bicycle too so he can get some miles behind the pedals .... we can "suffer" together?!?!?!? 

Not surprisingly, it looks like we'll be extending here until the end of the week ... most likely, at this point, we'll be heading south from here on Friday ... yup all subject to change.

Amanda, Marti and Brad how wonderful to break bread, share hugs, stories and memories with you .  I'm so glad you were here with us.   

Rain rain rain

Today it is pouring ~ so much for getting the bikes out!  

Our day yesterday wasn't quite what I'd planned (story to follow).  Arlo got to have a tubbie - yup he just had one last week but he needed another one as soon as possible.  For some reason he was scratching and scratching after the one last week ... don't know if he wasn't rinsed properly, if he had a reaction to the shampoo they used or a reaction to the flea and tick medicine we use after he has a tubbie.  At any rate we needed to stop the constant scratching so off to Petco we went for a do it yourself dog wash!  Yup, he's better.

We did the Arlo tubbie while Rick's bike was at the dealer getting its noise taken care of.  Check out these cattle at the dealership!  I have no clue what cattle have to do with a Harley dealer but at any rate I was pretty impressed by the racks on these guys!  Hopefully the pictures can be enlarged and ya get the "full effect"!  It is a huge dealership with a very large inventory.

Okay, now for the story part ... I had intended to do some shopping, hair etc. yesterday.  I went to pay for the dog wash and the credit card was declined.  Well Capitol One has done that to us three times this year - they don't quite get the concept that we travel and therefore the card will be used everywhere not just in one geographical area.  In order to get it squared away, once again, Rick has to call and deal with trying to speak with someone who actually speaks English and has the ability to comprehend spoken English ... always a challenge in these days of outsourcing.  

Well come to find out it wasn't the use in a different area this time.  It was huge amounts of on line purchases ~ made by ???? who the hell knows!  So we are now waiting for our new cards to arrive .... great time of year for this.  We do everything on that account - all fuel, all food, all shopping, all campgrounds ~ everything.  Talk about frustrating, angry, feeling violated UGH do you think?  What the hell is wrong with people that someone would really and truly do that?  People will never cease to amaze me ~ thankfully I am amazed more often by the good in people not crap like this!

What do you think?

What do you think of when you think of Florida ~ if you think of Florida?  Do you think of Mickey and Minnie?  Do you think of beautiful sandy beaches?  Do you think of freshly picked oranges, grapefruits, lemons and limes?  

Do you think of the beautiful country side in central Florida with all these horse farms?  Huge horse farms on many many acres?  Or vast open, undeveloped acres ~ thousand upon thousands upon thousands of open acres that developers haven't touched?

Just look at this countryside.  We really fell in love with this area - we were struck with the vast  amount of undeveloped land when we were here in January and struck again this time ~ I don't think either we ever thought of Florida as having quite this kind of beauty.  

So our 96.9 mile journey yesterday from Summerfield to Brandon was through much of this nice country side ~ it was a great travel day.

We arrived at the Brandon Elks Lodge where we will be for at least a week.  We thought probably five days or so but, as often happens, looks like we may extend our stay some.  

When we were in the Lodge last night there is a "community Christmas" board so Rick and I chose a nine year old girl to buy for.  The wrapping party is next Wednesday and I would kind of like to be here for that ... 

Also in the Lodge last night they had card night ~ all kinds of games etc. so we played "bar poker" ~ never heard of it before but it sure was fun ...

Especially if you WIN!

As we both did!

Rick keeps calling me a winner ~ yeah I'm a real winner HUH!

This seems to be a very active Lodge ~ and a very very friendly Lodge ... some are some aren't and this one sure is!

Oh, by the way ..... there is a train track right behind the Lodge ....

Thankfully they didn't run last night but started around 5 this morning ..... we sure can pick 'em can't we!!  I used to really like trains.... now, well not so much!

So today we are off to the Harley dealer ~ Rick's bike has developed some kind of noise that needs to be tended to.  I also saw there is a Krispy Kreme near the dealership (Krispy Kreme just another one of my not so good for me weaknesses!).  Then we need to shop for a vacuum to replace the one that burnt out/burnt up at Paul's house (along with the battery tender, the drill charger and Paul's vacuum!)  Then I think I'll do the community Christmas shopping as well as find a hairdresser - my roots are about 1 1/2 inches by now and I look like I have a skunk stripe ~ very attractive I'm sure!

The sights and sounds of Summerfield

Tomorrow we will be leaving the "campground" where we've been for the last week.  I use the term campground with caution as there aren't really campgrounds in these parts ~ here are rv parks and most don't allow tents or campfires or any of the other things I think constitute a campground.  We have enjoyed the park we've been at but Rick didn't want to extend our stay here by a few days so we are heading, I think, about 100 miles south to an Elks Lodge in Brandon, FL.

Anyway, today we went out to lunch with our friends Dana and Wendy (who are leaving on yet another cruise on Wednesday ~ have fun guys).  On the way to their house we came up next to this truck at a traffic light ~ tis the season for citrus harvests in these parts.  There are fresh citrus fruit stands everywhere.  It seemed odd to me to see Christmas decorations in the shopping center to the left but see a truck full of freshly picked oranges!

This is a photo of the beginning of their driveway ... just love those old oaks with the moss.  It is a very long driveway - maybe 1/2 mile and narrow, sandy with low trees and the turn to their property is a sharp narrow one with a gate on either side.  The first time we were down here a few years ago (on our way back from the Daytona Bike Week one October) we took the coach down this driveway!  OOOOPS.  Then last year we road our bikes down the sand driveway ... OOOOPS.  Ever since then we take the car in four wheel drive down their driveway! 

But look at this piece of property (and this is only part of their side yard!)  It is so worth the driveway in any vehicle to get to this beautiful, secluded property.  Just gorgeous and peaceful and quiet.

We went to lunch in "The Villages" ~ which is a huge planned community nearby.  I seriously can't imagine why anyone would want to live in a planned community but obviously thousands upon thousands of people do ... check out the statistics on that link ~ it blew me away.  The photo to the left is some of the thousands of golf carts parked in one of the "town centers" here.  The next photo is them parked amongst the cars at one of the shopping centers .... they have their own tunnels, their own overpasses and their own roads ... some of them however are street legal.  Keep in mind we are talking about a fairly geriatric community!  YIKES

And lastly for today is yet another old oak tree.  This one, however is dead - the green that you see is mistletoe!   Rick wouldn't even get out of the car and go out into the field to "get me under the mistletoe" ~ what's up with that guy anyway?