WAL-MART PARKING LOT, SUN CITY CENTER, FL

17 November, 2006. Wal-Mart will let you park your truck or RV overnight in their parking lot. Talk about convenience. There were all kinds of other stores within walking distance too. It's pretty cool when you can cook a roast in the oven and be making ice with propane while sitting in a parking lot with live music next door, even if it is gospel music. A trailer pulled up next to us, opened it's bay door and there they were- Gospel Echoes "Crimson." Our friend Art came over from St. Petersburg to have dinner with us here. After dinner, I sat in the van with a beer and listened to the gospel band. I must admit, I rather enjoyed it.

LITTLE MANATEE RIVER STATE PARK, WIMAUMA, FL

We Almost Ran Over This Very Dangerous Coral Snake
With Our Bicycles. It Was In The Middle Of The Road
Rocky On One Of The Infamous Fold-Up Bicycles
Rocky At The Canoe Launch
Little Manatee River
Very Large Grill Near The Picnic Area
Cool Little Gazebo-Like Pavillion
Another Cool Pavillion
Playground Near The Picnic Area
This Guy's Shell Was About A Foot Long
There Were Originally Several Turtles On This
Branch Before I Accidentally Scared Them Away
Little Manatee River
Our Newly Acquired Fleet
Youth Camping Area
Amphitheater
Rocky At The Large Picnic And Parking Area
Just Some Silly Little Bridge Near The Large Picnic Area

Little Manatee River

14 to 15 November, 2006. This place was pretty cool. I especially enjoyed the large tortoise that was hanging out in the handicapped site next to the bathroom. I took a short video clip of him finally getting sick of my camera in his face and crawling away. It was very exciting- I'm trembling just thinking of the high speed action. Rocky looked up the snake (that we almost ran over with our bicycles) on the internet and it turns out that it was a coral snake which apparently kills more people than any other snake because it hangs onto its victim, pumping as much venom as possible into the bloodstream.

LAKE MANATEE STATE PARK, BRADENTON, FL

13 November, 2006. We borrowed the tent from Gail and came here with our cargo van filled with everything from the boat. It hadn't rained in weeks but wouldn't you know it, it rained on the one and only day that the tent was our home. We acquired the motorhome the very next day.

TERRA CEIA BAY ANCHORAGE, TERRA CEIA, FL

10 September to 12 November, 2006. Rocky had the boat pretty much to himself here. I stayed at a friend's house to help work on their yard and also to upgrade my book according to the changes I made while transforming it into a screenplay. During that time, Rocky and I both decided that we wanted off the boat. So I arranged a trade for a motorhome. We bought a cargo van, emptied the boat and made the trade. So now we're back on the road. We going to hang out in Florida and head south into the Keys to wait out the winter. Then (hopefully) it's off to Lake Charles, Louisiana, maybe New Mexico and then into Mexico and Central America. By that time, we should have a nicer motorhome.

TERRA CEIA BAY ANCHORAGE, TERRA CEIA, FL11 NOVEMBER, 2006

Johnny B and Houseboat Joe, Terra Ceia Bay
Ed Going Back To His Boat
Houseboat Joe, Kenny, Johnny B And
Joe's Screaming Fast Boston Whaler
Houseboat Joe, Johnny B and Kenny, Terra Ceia Bay

Houseboat Joe and Kenny on Joe's Boston Whaler