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Snowbird Run 2015 is wrapping up

I began my trek north from the Florida Keys yesterday.
Last night I did a bit of “asphalt camping” at the Miccosukee Indian Reservation/Casino just above the keys.
Today I’m in Ocala Fl. The weather is nice here.
However, all the weather forecasts from home suck! That darn “Old Man Winter” who has held the east in chains has found Blairsville. Snow, ice, winter! Yikes!
I’m reminded of that Blind Faith, Stevie Winwood or Eric Clapton tune “Can’t Find My Way Home”.
“But I’m near the end and I just ain’t got the time
And I’m wasted and I can’t find my way home.”
I guess I’ll just hang out here south of the border (Florida/Georgia Border) until the weather breaks.
Remember Toto, there’s no place like home. Or is there?

Snowbird Run 2015

Mars, the Moon and Venus

We stopped at Big Torch Key to catch the sunset on the way back from our conch fritter run to Key West yesterday.
You’ve heard the saying “When the stars and planets align”???
Well,

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Snowbird Run 2015

What to do

I suppose it’s time I think about the return trip. I want to be home at the start of March.
Should be easy, right? Just hoist the anchor (figuratively speaking) and turn north. After all, I can’t get any further south.
My dilemma is the weather. I don’t want to drive the front wheel drive T.O.A.D. towing 3/4 ton of trailer and motorcycle into the mountains if the roads are icy.

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Yes, the snow can be pretty at times. Just not while driving an RV towing a trailer.

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The forecast for the top half of Georgia includes freezing temperatures with snow, ice and rain next week and that is when I planned to travel.
Perhaps I should delay my departure. Heyleigh says “absolutely “.

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Snowbird Run 2015

Key West

I rode down to Key West this morning. A cold front is blowing through and I do mean blowing. The winds must be nearly gale force at times and it was an interesting ride down and back.
I checked out the old cemetery. The sun was too high for good photos but my trip was more to scout than shoot. I may return tomorrow afternoon to shoot and stop on the way back for some conch fritters.
I found this guy amusing. Maybe I’ll catch his friends tomorrow if it isn’t too cold.

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Snowbird Run 2015

Quarry swimming on Ramrod Key

There is an old limestone quarry (the keys are all limestone) on RamRod Key that is open to the waters of Florida Bay. Some of the locals hang out there either fishing or enjoying the sunshine.
I have been promising Heyleigh she could go swimming for a couple weeks now. She isn’t like to forget it either.
It was a bit too chilly for her to swim in a friend’s pool in Tampa Bay but here in the keys the water is perfect for swimming.
Yesterday we jumped on the motorcycle and rode south 3 keys, found the quarry and had a ball. It’s a good thing we did as a cool front is coming in today.

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The big shake
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Snowbird Run 2015

Adios Tampa Bay

We rolled out of the bay area around 08:30 Sunday morning. Interstate 75 got us to Naples where we jumped over to the Tamiami Trail.
I visited Clyde Butcher’s gallery in the Big Cypress Swamp where I found Clyde himself talking with visitors. We has a brief chat.
The Tamiami Trail (Hwy 41) took us all the way to the Miccosukee Indian Reservation (CASINO) where we parked for the remainder of the day. The Miccosukee allow semis and RVs to park in the casino parking lot over night and we arrived early enough to grab a great spot. We could walk out our door straight into an everglade marsh.
It was a quiet night. I awoke early, anxious to continue on to the Keys but forced myself to drag my feet. After a leisurely breakfast I packed up and continued south to Big Pine Key.

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Snowbird Run 2015

Picasso/Dali, Dali Picasso

Today I rode across the bridges to Saint Petersburg to visit the Dali Museum. When I lived here, the Dali Museum was a regular excursion for me. The OLD Dali Museum, that is.
This is my first visit to the new museum and I definitely like the what they’ve done.
Currently the Picasso/Dali, Dali/Picasso exhibition is there (until the 22nd). Having never been drawn to the better known iconic Picasso works, I found this exhibition to be a delightful introduction to the artist. It shed a whole new light on him. Possibly it is because I am a Dali admirer. Maybe it’s because I’ve now seen a number of different pieces up close where I could study both the technique and the artist. Whatever the reason, I had a marvelous time seeing the rivalry of Dali and Picasso hanging side by side, piece by piece.
As always, I enjoyed my trip across the bay to admire work by the only artist I’ve seen who can depict how my mind works with his brushes and paints. It was a good day.
Ciao.

Snowbird Run 2015

We are enjoying the Florida Sunshine on the Alafia…

We have been camped on the river for the past couple weeks. Soon we will be pressing on southward to Big Pine Key.
It has been a wonderful stay in the Bay Area and I have thoroughly enjoyed having the time and opportunity to visit with so many friends.
Maybe we’ll do it again next year. Who knows?

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