Carrabelle on the Gulf at Ho Hum RV Resort

 Ho Hum RV park on the gulf side a stone's t

Shopcat stalking birds.

This is God's masterpiece. Beautiful view here and all along the gulf coast of white sand.

At the elbow of Florida is the lost coast along the gulf via highway 98.  For miles you drive right next to the beach.  Newer beach houses are on silts with parking underneath (new ordinances).  Oyster House restaurants abound as the locals say this is the oyster capital of the US. 

We stayed at the Ho Hum RV park on the recommendation and pier picture at sunset from a couple at Cedar Key.  Susan and maintenance man, Dave were beyond nice.  The gravel parking lot was crushed oyster shells. 4 cats on leases!  Down home folks share stories of their pet, the fishing, food and their travels.  One fellow was shucking oysters by the pier and offered me some.  He used Tabasco, but his wife uses cocktail sauce. Mike loves them raw too.  I'm not that brave yet. 

The historic part of CARABELLE is this beach is where the army practiced for D-Day, the invasion of Normandy.  I may have better facts after a visit to the WWII museum, but the fellow Ho-hummers said 160,000 were stationed here led by General Marshal  They had the Landing boats on dog island and practiced their landing covering the half mile to the gulf coast.  Streets are named after states where troops were stationed.  Probably what experience they didn't get was the severity of the wind and waves of the English Channel. 

Clearwater and St. Pete's with Brett

Clearwater is only 133 miles away but took all of 3 hours to get down there going the "scenic way".

Here's a town with a motto..."Swimming our tails off since 19.."   The only city of live mermaids where you can watch through  glass as these mermaids perform underwater in a spring for 30 minutes.  I wonder if any use that for their talent in the Weeki Wachee Pageant.  Well, MT had a gal on horseback at Miss America until the horse fell in the orchestra pit and animals are no longer allowed in the talent competition.

Brett, a co-worker and friend of Pam's and a real foodie, has fabulous Chinese carved furniture that his dad collected. Mike met him at Pam's where he prepared a fabulous dinner for Mike's family.   His round chopping island of maple would be the envy of any chef.  It reminded me of buying hamburger in Erongaricuaro, Michuacan, Mexico.  We'd take our bowl to the town square and go to the butcher with the flag for beef and ask for a half a kilo of burger.  The butcher would cut a hunk of meat off the hanging carcass, put it on the waist-high tree trunk and chop it up with his cleaver and scrape it into our bowl. Many days our uncle Mateo would stand in the doorway when Cecelia and I would order, to be sure we got a good cut of meat.

Back to the beach.  Brett jumped in with us and played navigator as he steered us to Clearwater Beach and favorite dives.   We headed south to St. Pete's and ate at a favorite BBQ place on the beach at Postcard Inn.  He steered  us to the beach where we ordered beers and appetizers:  Homemade chips with blu cheese and balsamic vinegar, Bacon wrapped grilled shrimp, doubleback bacon, and cornbread with jalapeno butter.  While the guys had a cigar, I headed to the beach picking up seashells.  Not a lot of people cuz was only 64 for the high.  The bar was covered with license plates, one from U MT.

Belly up to the bar, beach side.  Brett's favorite tiki bars are three in a row along this beach and the Tidewater Hotel, an icon, is restored south of here.  This Postcard Inn  is quaint 50s style  that  Brett stays at when fishing in the area.  They were setting up for a wedding on the beach with a reception poolside with lanterns hung from the big tree branches..  

Lots of shells on the beach.  I filled up my drink cup.  Hope to embed
them in cement walkway at the cabin

Getting your picture taken in these big beach chairs is a tourist highlight.

We toured Fort De Soto Park $5 entry fee but we said we were just doing a drivethrough so got our money back with receipt 20 minutes later ( reluctantly by ranger).  Biking, walking kayaking paradise  at the south end of the point. We hope to get Brett to MT as he's a carnivore and would love the good beef.

RV life

A typical day for a long term RVer, not running off to a tourist attraction, starts with exercises for the ladies.  This ambitious campground starts exercising to a walking video by Sue at 7:30 AM.  That's 5:30 mountain time so I was late the first two days.  This group doesn't do the weights but I think it's the same gal, different video as the Daytona Beach KOA that started at 9 AM.  Everyone is very friendly.  Even though it's a 3 mile workout (about 40 minutes) it only registers 4000 steps on my pedometer.  Cindy Mac said she and her husband clocked the distance to the cemetery at 3 miles that my pedometer read as  9000 steps     I can tell you my scalp is sweating by the time i'm done with the workout.

Monday nights is Bingo here. The calendar said to bring a candy bar. I checked in with Delores, my neighbor but she had already left at 6:45 for the clubhouse.  I brought a double pack of the homemade barleyflake granola bars.  Turns out we needed a $1 for the half and half blackout.  I saw the regulars had put their candy in brown paper bags and had way larger bags than one candy bar.  I ran back and got a $1 and the Dark chocolate heart from Angell & Phelps chocolate tour and put it in a bag.  (They should be more specific as you feel cheap when you see some had the 10 pack of snickers or the quart container of Whoppers, or a basket filled with mini chocolate bars.) Delores was ignorant like me and brought M&Ms.  The reason for the paper bags is you pick a package from the table or can steal from others.  Items can be stolen 3 times max.  The Kansas City retired hospital CEO and wife Jean  sitting across from Delores and I brought Yahtzee ( which I stole) but it got stolen from me.   I came home with a valentine Chocolate bear.  Was a fun night.  Caller was same guy guy that watched super bowl with us.  Next Monday players bring a bottle of beer, wine cooler or frozen single drink pack for Bingo.

The laundry is busy from morning until night it seems.  2 of each working on the clubhouse patio.  6 quarters for a wash.  A lot of people have drying racks attached to the back of their campers when they are set up.

People get acquainted when walking their dog ( or cat).  Everyone knows Mike!

Cedar Key Super Bowl Sunday

I called Dish about getting local channels.  It's free but a technician isn't available until Thursday.  Superbowl is on NBC.  The custodian tried to help me with cable but even after a CHANNEL SEARCH  It was still bug races.  It didn't matter as we planned on going to the RV center. Made stuffed mushrooms, sliced oranges and buffalo wing popcorn from Dallas.  I left for the RV an hour after Mike at 9PM when the Seahawks nosed ahead o Patriots by 10 in the 3rd quarter.  Will find out the results later.

Mike and I went in to Cedar Key for lunch at Tony's Clam Chowder - National champion clam chowder 3 years in  row.  Then ice cream cones and enjoyed sitting in the sun on the sandy beach.  Although a gal told us there were 300 Dolphin in these waters, we didn't see any.  Just lots of pelicans .  It seems cleaner than 2 years ago and maybe more discovered.  Great Art Gallery.

Cedar Key Cemetery

Mike and Shopcat walked around the campground.  I later walked to the Shiloh Cemetery down the road.  Trying to get back in the groove of 10,000 steps a day.  I did buy 1# weights in Ocala when we stopped for lunch bread.  The exercises the ladies did at the KOA encouraged them for maximum upper body benefit.  Gotta have a goal!

Grave on left is from 1896 but is covered in fresh clams.

The cemetery, est. 1896 had many graves covered with clam shells.  Cedar Key is the clam capital of the U.S.A. and many old clammers are buried here, I'm told.

Many graves were like little shrines where loved ones would come and sit a spell and bring treasures the deceased would appreciate. 

 This grave below right was for a 6 year old boy, Dylan, nicknamed Dilly, complete with a toy dump truck filled with succulents, horseshoe crabs and a headstone engraved with a dump truck and a boat.  Feel for their loss.

Many had a chair beside them,
This one had a stool
and a plastic chair nearby. There's
a full Busch Light waiting for the deceased.

Goodbye to Daytona and friends

The next morning was my first driving in two weeks going over to the Daytona Beach House from KOA to say goodbye and pick up my jacket. It was only 8.4 miles as the crow flies but 11 miles driving which depending on traffic took 20 minutes.   Got a lot more than that as they were cleaning out the fridge.  We had the best ham sandwiches and potato salad and coleslaw during a lunchbreak in Ocala as we traveled to  Cedar Key.

I have to say I shed tears as I drove back to the KOA as times like these with special friends are something to cherish.

Arrived at Cedar Key RV resort and got set up and visited with friendly neighbors.  This is one campground where you can buy the lots ( around $19,600).  You can tell the ones who have as they've added beautiful walkways, lighting, and landscaping.  The campground expanded from 2 years ago and they are clearing more land.  It's so well laid out so you have privacy.

Finally watched the end of Night at the Museum in the Smithsonian so it's put away after 3 nights of falling asleep to it.

Dog Races

Our last night in Daytona we went to the dog races at the Daytona Beach Kennel Club and PokerRoom.  Was fun betting after getting a lesson from Fred.  Kevin really did well with Quinella Boxed, looking at dog weight and speed and trackster's picks. Mike's advice was bet on the dog that takes a shit before the race cuz he's feeling good, ready to go.  Anyway it was a learnng experience and fun.  I won a couple but when you are betting on the favorites, you don't win big.(-$15 for the 6 races I bet on).  It doesn't help when you study and bet your favorites on the wrong race.   Hope Vegas is better for Rick next week.

Mike and I arrived early and read the rules which included no flipflops in the dining room.  Mike told me to walk quietly when we went in but I forgot and he said three waitresses turned to stair at my feet when I slap stepped to the table.  Oops, but noone said anything. Don Bisgard and I had the all you can eat crab with second helpings and we were up to our elbows in butter.  Under the table looked like a one year old's birthday party.    Thanks to Bisgards for dinner,

The crew traveled to the races in the RV after almost getting stuck in the sand on  Daytona Beach.  No words for that maneuver. .