I Win

So.

Where to start?

We made it to Tampa.  We were stopped near Chiefland, Florida, by (soon to be friend) Patrick.  He asked us if we knew about WarmShowers.  Did we have a place to stay tonight?  Apparently, he had scoped us out riding south as he was helping out some other bikers riding north.  Of course, we stayed the night.

After so many long, hard days trying to make it south in a timely fashion, Patrick really saved the day by offering us a day off and a ride to Tampa.  The day off was well deserved and well spent.  We lounged and rested our tired bodies in Patrick's warm and lovely home.  Evenings by the fire pit and great conversation were only the beginning.

And, yes, he drove us to Tampa.  This perfect stranger drove us 150 miles so we could have a day off.  We took a couple of scenic detours on the way down.  Patrick really knew the good spots.

Thank you, Patrick.

Light Bikes!

When we got to Grandpa's house, we cleaned up, talked with the family, and stayed the night.  The next day, after dumping much of our gear, we left for St. Petersburg.  The bikes were light and we rode fast.  Stops in Dunedin and Clearwater provided some scenery before we landed at our hosts in downtown St. Pete.

The Pier in St Pete

The weekend was really very refreshing for me.  Instead of the usual biking and sightseeing, I got to do some sailing.  I had a great time taking my Level 2 certification class, making new friends, and, did I mention Sailing?!  It was really nice to be doing something different.

Sailing Class!

Tomorrow, we'll head back north to Grandpa's.  We'll visit for a little while and continue on our way through Florida.  Right now, we've got plans to spend time in downtown Tampa, Sarasota, and Captiva Island.  Our next big destination is none other than Key West.

I have an appointment Wednesday with some Boy Scouts from New Jersey.  How 21st century!  Wish me Luck!