Today was a tricky one to get a hold of.  We left Perry and made good time to Cedar Key.  Before we started the trip I found something on-line that described Cedar Key as being how “Key West used to be.”  This is what I pictured:  a quirky town with quirkier residents (maybe a bunch of alcoholic writers and their cats) with a nice beach and a lot of used book stores.  What it was:  a very pretty jumping off point for boating fishermen type.  There were also a lot of pretty homes on stilts, rip-off t-shirt and other souvenir stores, one OK art store, and one amazing restaurant that served some kick butt chowder.  unfortunately the small beach was closed for construction.  Based on the small digger next to the police tape sequestering the beach from us, I am guessing they are in the process of adding more sand.  While Henna swung on the swings the sun broke through the clouds and Corey and I caught our first quality rays of the trip.

If only the house could juggle too!

The drive from Cedar Key to St. Petersburg was a never-ending collection of strip malls and bill boards that extended for most of the way.  The sky darkened and then poured an unrelenting rain over us which very much threatened our night plans of roasting hot dogs over a fire before retiring to our tent for the first time this trip.  What saved the day was the KOA manager who graciously upgraded our tent sites to a cabin.  We know KOAs and we have to say that this one, the St. Petersburg KOA, is one of our favorites.  The people (management, workers, and snow bird residents) are cool and the facility is top-notch with a giant pool (open to 10), a giant hot tub (bigger than some pools), and a game room that features, you guessed it, ping-pong!  Our cabin is nice too and has some extra touches not often seen in a KOA cabin such as reading lights extending from the wall.  As the rain alternated between drizzles and something a lot harder we hooted and hollered in the pool while our laundry turned in the machine.  Sometimes the road gives good.  Noel

They can close the beach but they cannot shut us down!