An early out of Ruskin with the car loaded up. A first stop in Monticello, FL at the Tupelo Cafe for scratch blueberry turnover and tupelo honey. Very historic downtown.

Away I went and across I-10, I went. Traffic not bad and ended up at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.

I had received a hot tip from the SMBC peeps that there was a local restaurant called Shaggy’s that had super fish tacos. They were right. Triggerfish and hush puppies. Great big u peel em shrimp as well. Gibby!

Took a drive off 90 to see very nice neighborhoods and a cool historic district.

Tomorrow, Houston. Peace out Tres

Editors note: Featured image just enforcing that Van Fleet is a multi use path!

We left Disney Springs after a couple of great dinners at Jaleo and Morimoto Asia. We went for a ride on the Van Fleet. A few pics and out.

Big peace out Tres dog

A late sleep and breakfast brought Mariella and I to the Gardens.

Harry P Leu House Museum. Side view because the front view had an industrial sprinkler going.

Early tapas dinner at Jaleo with class tomorrow. Big peace out

Mariella and I headed out from Casa Smith to take a short but beautiful bike ride on the West Orange Trail. I was to attend a nursing conference in Disney Springs and brought the wife along. The trail was great!

A great salad lunch at Three Birds Cafe. Cirque du Soleil tonight.

A late roll out brought me to Balm Park in glorious sunshine. Off I went and WOW!

Bunker Hill Missionary Baptist Church rest stop.

A glorious day!

Look who is open…Feel the need for strawberry shortcake.

Peace out. Tres

I waited until after lunch to hop on the bike and began my first time exploring of the New Legacy Trail extension. I started at Pompano Ave Trailhead and went south.

I had the wind at my back and it seemed to blow me down to Venice Train Depot. Went on to Shamrock Park and turned around.

The Shamrock Road to get to Manasota Key.

Very cool separate bike lane on Ringling Blvd that took me to Bayfront Drive and the water. The new infrastructure is great.

Great afternoon Peace out Tres dog

Another great country breakfast: Eggs, cheese grits, biscuits and sausage gravy, bacon, sausage, OJ and coffee, Gib. Great 8 miler!

Great drive home until the I-75 stuff. Being outdoors really changes your lenses.

It was a beautiful rollout from Casa Smith to Clay County. I was accompanied with SMBC stalwart road biker Dana W and off we went to picnic lunch in a beautiful downtown park in Melrose, Florida.

Easy roll into Camp Chowenwaw. Nice campground with hot showers and a refrigerator.

Great fall off the bone baked chicken dinner with BBQ baked beans, cole slaw, salad, yeast rolls, chocolate chip cookies and sweet tea. Gib! Two great speakers about the King’s botanist John Bartrand and his son, William, exploring the St. John’s River in the 1770’s. They had been in Blackwater Creek in a battoe, an old row boat with a small sail. We would follow their footsteps today in the kayak. The pics.

Dana and I went underneath the 15 bridge into the St. John’s River next to take out. It was beautiful.

Another killer dinner with live folk music. An 8 miler up Peters Creek and after lunch away we go back home.