Sun Coast Adventures


New Port Richey


We had planned on visiting this area of Florida for several reasons. Mostly to visit friends and family but also to experience the climate and see some of the sites. Near mid-state, Wesley Chapel was not exactly a tourist destination but more of a stop-over to some place else. About 25 miles from the coast, the farming area was much like mid-Michigan.

Our first call was to our friends Ron and Jan. They stopped over to our camp after a family reunion and we made plans for the next day's activities. The following day we made our way to their condo. A second floor beauty overlooking a boat lined channel. I could imagine relaxing in their glassed in Florida room, glass of Merlot in hand and watching the day go by. Not so sure they ever find time to do that, as they lead a very active life, but for my lazy life style it looked about right. They wanted to show us the area so we hopped in their car and took a spin through the nearby area. We didn't venture too far as they had arranged for us to take a boat ride and departure time was near. The day was overcast and threatening rain but we're not ones to pass up a boat ride so we were anxious to go. We arrived at the dock and boarded the over sized, covered pontoon boat the "Miss Daisey II".
About twenty other folks got on board and we headed off on our journey. The captain and owner was a retired railroad engineer who, along with his wife, have owned the boat for four years. Well versed in the history of the area, the captain ventured slowly out the Pithlachascotee (Cotee) river into the Gulf. Low tide with a slight chop on the water made the trip smooth. As we made our way out, we passed house after house (better would be mansion after mansion) at water's edge. The captain knew of who lived in many of them and what real estate prices were. Not for the faint hearted, these fantastic mega homes were spectacular. A few were for sale; probably victims of recalculated ARM's or some sub-prime deal gone south, but for sure way out of our price range. Not that we were looking, but we're all a little curious what people pay for these huge homes. Anyway, we headed further out into the Gulf to a point where there were fishing shanties (complete with SAT tv) on stilts. Weird place to own or rent a place, but it saves a long boat ride from shore to get to the fishing grounds. And I guess you don't have to worry about peddlers ringing your doorbell... only cormorants and seagulls.

We made the turn at the fishing shacks to return to the river system. The captain began to tell of us the famous celebrities that once lived along the river and where they lived. Shirley Temple, golfer Gene Sarazen, Babe Ruth, Gloria Swanson, Charlie Chaplin plus a host of others once lived on the river. Far more history in this area than we had ever thought. By now the wind had freshened and we were engulfed in another downpour. Thankfully the boat was covered but we quickly wished we had brought along warmer, more waterproof clothes. Arriving back at the dock it was now a torrential downpour and we all got soaked getting back to the car. None-the-less it was a great trip and we thank our hosts Ron and Jan.

Having worked up an appetite while traversing the mighty oceans, we headed to downtown New Port Richey to the quaint little bistro called The Grand Cafe. After a scrumptious lunch we returned to their condo to continue our chat. The heavy rain continued on our return to camp but did not dampen our appreciation of the great day that Ron and Jan provided.

The downpour continued and we managed to receive over 5 inches of rain within a 24 hour period. This is getting to be a habit with us whenever we visit friends it seems. Accompanied with tornado warnings, the weather that follows us along these past few stops is getting us to wonder a bit.

Hudson

Our next trip was to make a visit the the Tullamore Dew gang in Hudson the following day. Mary and Barc had invited us to pay them a visit while in the area so we gave them a call and set a time. My trusty GPS got the 30 or so miles to their place only to deposit us at the back gate of this enclave of new homes. After getting Barc on the phone we stumbled through the process of getting the gate open. Unsuccessful, I pulled aside to let an impatient party balloon delivery man get through and quickly tailgated him in by the swinging iron gate. Recent memories of my episode with the motor coach put a little extra zest into my accelerator. Barc greeted us as we drove up to their beautiful new home. A stylish modern home with an inviting front entrance. Mary was waiting at the door as we stepped inside.

The house looked as if the 'Extreme Makeover' people or Bob Vila had just left. Mary's touch was professional with bold color schemes and personal touches that projected their many interests. Barc stirred up a couple of mean vodka tonics and we settled in for an afternoon of reminiscing about places we've travelled around the world and of course, just a little ISD chatter. As the afternoon wore on I began thinking about what to do for dinner but Mary had a surprise. Some of their thoughtful friends had brought some Kogel Vienna hot dogs and chili sauce from Flint and they wanted to share them with us. Hot dogs you say! Hot dog for out-of-town guests who have travelled thousands of miles and you're serving them hot dogs? Oh my. Well friends... let me tell you something. We've been away from home since November 1st and I can almost count the days since I last had a Kogel. Only Flint people will understand what I'm talking about so I won't go on about it. But it is an institution in Flint and for many of us it is almost a weekly treat. Hats off to Mary and Barc for bringing a little 'back home' into our life. And to top it off, Mary had whipped up a home made lemon merguine pie that was 'blue ribbon' quality. It was good to see them and see how happy they are in their new home and surroundings.

Sarasota

My family tree is a little sparse compared to many but I do have a cousin who lives in Sarasota who I haven't seen is many years. My Aunt Irene's daughter, Janet, has lived in Florida for almost 10 years, leaving the unpredictable weather of Virgina and settling here, her husband Rick's home state. We called and set up a time and as usual plugged in their address into my trusty Garmin GPS and headed out from our camp on our two hour journey south. As luck would have it the little gadget took us right to their front door. And what a door it was. Rick came out to greet us and he looked as fit as ever. Their spacious home, as he puts it, is a work in progress. A point that certainly fooled us. Janet greeted once inside and made us right at home. Though we have not spent much time together over the past 50 years, it was just like old times, reliving some of the experiences we had as youngsters. I felt a little ashamed that I had not been a better family member by keeping in touch over the years. Time has a way of robbing you of things that really matter. We met a number of the other members of the household: Big Dog, Victoria, Sugar Dee, Doodles and several more. Mostly rescued critters that needed a home. And there home was quite a place. Rick says work in progress but it is a beautiful waterfront home. A large lanai enclosed a beautiful tile pool and fountain. A dream kitchen with panoramic views of the pool and outdoors and gorgeous custom cabinets and granite counter tops. As it turns out Rick was the architect and builder of most everything in the kitchen. A former small arms salesman, turned tile layer, turned cabinet maker; he's an accomplished artist in cabinetry. Janet, as is turns out, played a vital role in the construction of the house working daily on the job site with the various trades to keep the house on schedule and to make sure they followed the plans. And here I thought I was one of the smart members of the family. They insisted on taking us out to dinner so we dined at a local family owned Italian restaurant. The food was outstanding as was the conversation. Anyway our time was way too short for this visit and we vowed not to let another decade or two pass before getting together again.

Friends and Family are what have made this trip a success. There would be no 'Livin' the dream' without them.

In Pursuit of Trivia

Every now and again we stumble across some interesting trivia that's of little use but I'm duty bound to fill this blog with something, so I share it with you. Being from southeast Michigan there is a highway that runs near our home that most everyone refers to as the "The Dixie".

Using this generally north-south running road is sort of like taking a ride through any town in the midwest. A good deal of mom and pop commerce and a smattering of urban decay and used-to-be farmland. I never gave the name much thought assuming it had something to do with the route locals use to take south (duh) before I-75 was built. Possibly nicknamed as the path many displaced autoworkers used to return to their former homes in the south. After arriving in central Florida I began looking at the maps a little closer and discovered the "Old Dixie Highway" that runs along some of the western coastline.

Wondering if there was any connection, I did a little 'Googling' and soon discovered that these two road are linked in what was initially part of the 'National Auto Trail'. Developed in 1914 and an offshoot of a plan to connect Montreal and Miami with a series of paved roads, the old asphalt/concrete relic probably doesn't get the respect it once had. The 'Dixie' probably didn't get the notarity as Route 66 did but I suppose if roads could talk this old road would have a story or two to tell. As we have found out, a number of the coastal towns (New Port Richey, Tarpon Springs, etc.) were meccas for some of the entertainment world's greats. Charlie Chaplin, Shirley Temple, Gene Sarazen (golfer), Gloria Swanson, Ester William and Babe Ruth were all frequent visitors and property owners who found this area appealing. Anyway the old 'Dixie' is still working at bringing in vacationers to enjoy this areas beautiful beaches and great weather.