Dunedin Bikers 4 Tots

 

I ran into a colorful gathering recently...  Ride your Harley for kids toys.

They estimated 3,000 bikes in the ralley.  I didnt try to count them, but there were a bunch.  A wild bunch.  Happy Holiday!

New York, New York

 It's so nice, they named it twice...   

and it's cold and loud, and busy.  

a horseless carriage

any street Manhattan on a Tuesday 7pm

a rare spot of sunshine

my deluxe accommodations

I've spent the week up here doing some consulting work.  

It's still a big city.  I'm excited to fly back tomorrow.     -Skip

I got a new bicycle and LOVE IT

 a TREK verve2 electric bike.

28" tires and XL-large frame.

It has a battery, motor and 9 gears, plus 4 motor speeds.  The brochure says i can ride 70 miles on a single charge.  My butt says I can't.  I'm still not sure who is right....

my first trip around the neighborhood.

______________

With the NEW BIKE I can cover way more ground

and see a lot more of Clearwater and towns near me.

The Oaks apartments of clearwater

the main drag on the island

My apartment upstairs.

St. Petersburg Marina

Bill and Denise Sears came over and we had a great lunch visit last week.

It's my kind of place!  I'm going to like it here.

Where's Waldo?

I'm in Florida.  Clearwater, Florida for the winter.

I wrote recently, on earlier blogposts, about scouting out possible lodging in extreme south Texas.  I just didnt find anything that I loved.  Then I flew out to Santa Clara, CA and back. (for consulting work)  Next I visited Ft Wth, TX and the Cox family, followed by McAlester, OK and my brother Steve's family, then on to Searcy, ARK. and my storage unit and the Ellis Sloan family.  After all that travel I drove down to Daphne, AL and visited Ken and Patty Reed.  Lastly I drove about an hour over to Navarre, FL and visited Cam and Robin Prock.

McAlaster OK to visit my brother Steve (and his favorite waitress)

Searcy ARK for the trees and my storage units for clothes.

Daphne, Alabama for Ken and Patty Reed

Navarre, FL and the Prock family.  Cam and Robin

Finally ending up in Clearwater, FL.

Driving to Florida to find a Summer Home.  My new adventure Plan is to Winter in Florida and Summer in Colorado.  It's still in the formative stages but I'm working on it and started.

In Clearwater looking for lodging, I visited 13 locations.  (actually calling eliminated 5 that were already rented.)  I saw one that backed up to a freeway, where my 'sleeping room' had a window on the street and 2nd flr.  Another was unfurnished and overpriced.  Finally I drove out and met a Realtor who showed me an appt that 'could have' worked, but it was miles from the beach and in a less than desirable area.  So i decided to grab some lunch and missed my turn taking me past a building with a sign out front; "Single Bedrooms for the price of a studio."  I figured what the heck, they have rooms.  maybe one is furnished?  I stopped to ask.  Turned out to be The Oaks of Clearwater.  "Spectacular Senior Waterfront Living."  (im old enough)  I negotiated; a furnished, two bedroom Villa, WITH three meals a day in the cafeteria, all bills paid, for about what the other places were charging.  The Oaks sits just over the bridge from the island and has killer views of the bay.  

My Villa is the upper left. 2bdrm, with large living room, and kitchen. 

The 15 floors of the main building and my Villa on the right.

Update Wed 24 / Thanks Eve:

It's been a whirlwind and a lot of work doing the lodging search but I have a lease in hand and have moved in.  Then today I got a call from my Aunt Nona asking some great questions: #1.) menu's?  #2.) photos of my food?  #3.) what is my new address?

Menus

Plates

My new address:

Clearwater, FL. 33756

There you go Nona.  Let me know what else you need.  xoxox Skip