Almost the end of the year!!

I do have a lot to catch 'you all' up on!  Call it Florida time? Call it the beautiful winter weather? Or possibly its because we have been so busy??? Whatever - December has been quite a month and there is one day to go.

I will return to Nokomis (where I left the blog last) in a moment, but I must make mention of the events that played out at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut on Friday 14 December just over 2 weeks ago.
We were driving to Key West when we first heard  news of the mass killings on the radio.  Like everyone in this country and across the world we followed the unravelling events with  horror. Incomprehensible! Such sadness for so many families, friends and loved ones. How does one ever move on from such an event? It is impossible to think of the effect of that morning on those families so involved.  The outpouring of sympathy  from all around the world reflected the unbelievable tragedy.
One story which I will share with those at home. Several groups of 'comfort' dogs, mainly golden labradors -  specially picked and trained - were brought to Newtown to provide comfort to adults and children alike. One group of 9 labradors made an 800 mile trip from Illinois. I also read of people travelling to Newtown with their own dogs to provide comfort.
I am sure that much more far reaching measures will be considered, and hopefully  put in place to safeguard as much as possible against just such an event occurring again. In this case a simple thing like having a dog to hug and to weep into, makes so much sense.

So back to Nokomis where we spent a wonderfully relaxed week. We very quickly got into a routine of walking (me), swimming (Trevor), bike riding, eating and drinking, finishing each day around Jack's legendary campfire.

We rode part of the Legacy Trail, a bicycle trail which runs along a former railroad corridor between Sarasota and Venice. It passes by waterways; has rest areas and even restrooms. A bypass over Highway 41 - a beautiful spanish looking bridge - connects the trail with others in the area. The trail was an easy ride; a wonderful surface without many (any) hills. One day we did a round trip of about 15 miles without realising we had gone so far!

We were also made welcome by Jack and Betty's friends who, like Jack and Betty travel to Florida each winter from places north including from Canada. It was interesting to hear where they all came from and the arrangements they make on an annual basis.

We dined out several times including dinner at  Pop's Sunset Grill in Nokomis which overlooks  the intracoastal waterway just over the bridge from Nokomis beach. The restaurant includes waterfront seating and an area of dining tables with fire pits in the centre (of each table). I had a wonderful seafood meal which came with an Edamame Salad - green soya beans. It was delicious!


On Saturday we had a pancake breakfast at the Resort. It was so well organised. We were all waited on; the pancakes were great and it was another opportunity to meet more very friendly people. We were telling one couple about Todd's berth as a crew member on a yacht sailing in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race on Boxing Day. They are planning a trip to Australia and New Zealand next year and wanted to pick our brains - about New Zealand!! Hope we didn't lead them too far astray!

On Sunday 9 December we went out to breakfast with Jack and Betty and 2 of their friends. Again fabulous food!

In the afternoon we had visitors. Mary Lou and Courtenay from Michigan. They come south for the winter to
a resort about 30 miles away. When they learned we were staying in Nokomis they drove over.  It was so nice to see them.

A street character in Venice!

On Sunday evening, our last evening in Nokomis, Jack and Betty took us to a Mexican restaurant in Venice. The food was fantastic and so were the Margaritas!
We then went driving to look at Xmas lights at the Grace Baptist Church. Over  500,000 lights all synced to music with a one of a kind light show every 25 minutes. It displays each evening from 9-26 December and is free to all.

Nokomis, FL

We left Cedar Key on 2 December. Driving back toward the mainland on Highway 24 we then turned right (south) at Otter Creek onto highway 19 - the Magnolia Highway.  We are headed for Nokomis - south of Tampa - to visit Jack and Betty, great friends from South Dakota. They travel to Florida each year. We were guided by their experience in RV's when we were looking around to buy ours.


To break up the drive we spent a night at Cody's RV park in Weeki Wachee on the way.
We had planned to drive around Tampa and well away from heavy traffic. The GPS wants us to continue on Highway 19. I can see there is a bridge with a toll coming up. We ask at the Chamber of Commerce in New Port Richey about RV's and tolls. Do we need an EPass? No- we are good to go!

Looks worse from this vantage point!

The Sunshine Skyway bridge

The Sunshine Skyway Bridge crosses Tampa Bay with a cable stayed main span. It has a total length of 4.1 miles (6.67 kms),  is 430 ft high and has a vertical height of 191 ft above a 1200 ft wide shipping channel.

It is quite beautiful! And only $1.25 toll!

The bridge and the channel it spans have had their share of tragedy.

In January 1980, 2 ships collided in the shipping channel killing 23 crew.

In May 1980 35 people were killed when the old Sunshine Skyway bridge collapsed.  Twenty six passengers in a Greyhound bus were included in that toll. The collapse was caused by a ship, the Summit Venture striking the southbound span of the bridge in a blinding rainstorm toppling much of the southbound span into Tampa Bay.
In 1984 work began on the current bridge which was opened to traffic in April 1987.

The bridge is closed in inclement weather, most recently on 25 June this year when wind gusts reached 70mph!!

We stopped at a rest area before crossing the bridge. I made lunch.
And then we were driving over the bridge. The views were spectacular; you could see the bay on both sides of the bridge (the railings are disconcertingly low in an RV).





Then we were on I 75 South to Sarasota and on to Nokomis on Highway 41 South. We are staying at the Royal Coachman RV Resort. We were made to feel very welcome when we arrived and  ... there is a great looking pool!!  We had booked for 3 nights which we extended by a further 4 days!!




The Royal Coachman has an activity for everyone. We were given a timetable of  'December Daily Activities' - there is something happening almost every hour including exercise classes, aquacises, stretching classes, bocce, shuffleboard, horseshoes, bingo and all number of card games and lots lots more.
First we were taken sightseeing by Jack and Betty - driving into Nokomis and along Casey Key - an isolated
and exclusive enclave just out of Nokomis; only a small number of residents, no massive hotels and little else but a single road and 2 public beaches; but some of the most spectacular homes we have seen.




We then drive to Siesta Beach on Siesta Key, known as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The sand is 99% quartz. Even on the hottest day, the sand is so reflective that it feels cool underfoot.


















Then onto Sarasota where we had lunch at a restaurant overlooking St Armand Circle, a shopping area a bit like Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, California.
Sarasota is known as Florida's cultural centre, it's affluence often credited to millionaire circus owner John Ringling who invested much of his fortune in the area - the Ringling Museum complex includes the Museum of Art and a circus museum.


 We also go by Sarasota's iconic bayfront statue - Unconditional Surrender - perched along Highway 41. The statue is 26 feet tall. Artist Simon Johnson created the piece to mimic the famous photograph of a sailor kissing a nurse in Times Square, New York City, after the surrender of Japan in World War Two. The statue was in the process of being reinstalled after a motorist (driving a Mercedes) crashed into it earlier in the year knocking a 3 foot hole in the sailor's leg.

































We then drive further south to Venice to Sharkey's on the Pier, a restaurant and tiki bar which is a Venice landmark. It specialises in fresh seafood. Jack ordered a bait bucket for each of us - a Margarita with a punch!!

We have dinner at a restaurant called The Outback. It is a chain of restaurants with decor distinctly Australian and great food.
Jack introduces us to a  Bloomin' Onion - a true Outback original. The onion is handcarved, cooked until golden and served with a signature sauce. It presents looking like a flower! And tastes great!

Life is not all beer and skittles!!

In case you think we don't have the pressure of the daily grind?? I got my first puncture on my bike!!
Of course it was my fault.  I am told I ride too close to the edge of the road where there may be sharp objects including glass. It's actually a survival thing but ....?

We did not have a puncture repair kit or even a pump; obviously taking the positive view that a puncture was completely out of the question.


A very nice lady saw our predicament and miraculously produced a pump which enabled us to get back to the RV park. Trevor found a hardware store and set about fixing the puncture. And we are now the proud owners of a bike pump and repair kit.

I can't promise that I wont ride close to the edge of the road though ...

Then there is the continuing shower issue. Trevor believes I approach the bathrooms at  RV parks with a negative attitude and I probably do a bit. I just really enjoy the shower in our RV.
The bathrooms were great at the Sunset Isle RV park; they  had murals painted on the walls - scenes of trees and flowers and birds - very colourful.
On our first morning there Trevor went off to shower and reported back that No1 shower was the one he used - great! When I got there it was occupied so I went to No2 shower. I placed my things (carefully), got undressed and turned on the hot tap - no hot water.  So I got dressed, collected up my things and went to No3 shower. This time the taps threw me a bit - they were sort of handles - which was hot and which cold? which way do they turn? Same routine. I was all set and ... no hot water.
So I pack up again, get dressed and found that No 1 shower was vacant so I took that one.  Wonderful shower and plenty of hot water. I get out of the shower and find I have left my towel in No 3 shower which is now occupied!  Coffee please!

So just a few of the trials we have to cope with!

Cedar Key, Florida

If you are ever in need of a place to kick back and not worry about the rest of the world leaving you behind; where one day flows seamlessly into the next and where time has stood still for the last 50 years, Cedar Key Florida is the place for you. We stayed for a week!!
Cedar Key is referred to as "Old Florida' ... a quiet island community 4 miles out into the Gulf of Mexico accessed by Highway 24, the only road coming into town. It crosses over salt marshes and channels on 4 small low bridges. Cedar Key, the town is on Way Key. There are a number of islands which collectively make up the Cedar Keys.

Cedar Key has a small town feel; there are approximately 800 full time residents;  no high rise buildings or apartment complexes and no chain stores of any kind. No ... definitely no Starbucks!  However we found a great little cafe overlooking the gulf, which made superb double espresso and other delightful morsels.

We stayed at the Sunset Isle RV park which is 1.3 miles out of town. It was just the place to fully recover from the flu! The bikes came off the bus and we settled into a daily pattern of riding into town; morning coffee overlooking the water; then exploring the island museums and other  places of interest including the part the Cedar Keys played in the Civil War.

Afternoons were spent lazing and reading. At 4.30ish a short walk to a Tiki Bar about 200 yards down the road at the Low Key Motel! A small structure made of what looked like driftwood and old bottles! A neat place with so much character. Interestingly among the memorabilia adorning the walls were a full set of Australian motor vehicle number plates - one from each state and territory!

Main Street

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Dock Street

Winter temps range from 60-70 degrees during the day and the 40's at night.


















The area was settled in the early 1840's. The original town was established on Atsena Otie Key. Cedar Key however was flourishing in 1861 when a railroad from Fernandina on Florida's east coast to the port in Cedar Key was completed. Cedar Key was a major supplier of seafood and timber products. In 1862 during the Civil War, a federal force attacked the area by sea and captured Cedar Key which by then was an important and valuable seaport and rail terminal.
After the war, lumbering again flourished. Pine and cypress were cut as well as cedar for pencil manufacturing. Remember Faber pencils? They were produced at the Eberhart Faber Mill on Atsena Otie Key. The Eagle Pencil Company mill was later built on Way Key.
In the late 19th century there was a general economic decline as other centres in Florida started to compete. A hurricane and tidal surge in  1896 devastated the area.
By the start of the 20th century fishing, sponge hooking and oystering were the major industries.

On 1 July 1995 a state wide ban on large scale net fishing went into effect. In an effort to keep Cedar Key viable, a government retraining program helped many fishermen begin farming clams.Today Cedar Key's clam based aquaculture is a multi million dollar industry

Cedar Key is an old fashioned fishing village with several regionally famous seafood restaurants including Tony's World Champion Clam Chowder. Today it is a haven for artists, writers and tourists.

We had a wonderful week. One highlight was a flight (in a very small 4 seater plane) over the area and the Gulf. I had not realised just how small was the area of land that we were on. We could see the thin ribbon of road that comes into Cedar Key stretching out into the Gulf. We also saw (we think) the areas which are being clam farmed.

The Red Baron!