Location: Oscar Scherer State Park, FL
We've been so incredibly fortunate with the weather this trip. We missed the Texas floods by a couple of days and have been blessed with sunshine and just a few sprinkles here and there. Last night the skies opened up and boy did it pour! This morning, getting ready for my early morning run, the insects were thick. I couldn't find the bug spray and was thinking twice about the run then I remembered my Uncle Bud giving me a tip! He said try a fabric softener sheet. So, I rubbed one on my body and hung the sheet off my running pants. You know what?! It worked like a charm. Thanks Uncle Bug. Here's another picture of Manatee Springs before we pulled out.
Occasionally Ned and I check out the Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives TV show. One episdoe featured a smoked fish shop, Ted Peters Famous Smoked Fish, in St. Petersburg, FL. I LOVE smoked fish!! Of course, we put this on the agenda and headed there for lunch.
Ted Peters Smoked Fish is awesome! Alan and Patty I wish you could have joined us, you would have loved it. The restaurant has been around for over 50 years. You sit outside and it still feels like the 50's. Ned got the smoked mullet with German Potato Salad and I got the smoked mackarel with cole slaw. OMG! This was my favorite meal this trip so far.
Right next to the restaurant is the smoke house. We talked to Earl, the smoke master, who said he smokes about 500 lbs. of fish per day. The fish is smoked over red oak 4 to 6 hours depending upon the thickness of the fish. We saw some poor guy behind the restaurant splitting firewood in the hot sun. Earl opened up a couple of drawers to show-off his workmanship. We bought a pound of smoked salmon to go. Guess what we're eating tomorrow...and the next day.
Mid-afternoon we finally reached Oscar Scherer State Park. This is an awesome campground and our campsite is super sweet. I'd give this an A+. We're camped right on a small bayou, complete with gators. I think we'll just appreciate the wildlife and not go for a swim here.
Lake Osprey is somewhere in this state park so soon after getting situated we decided to "gear up" and pedal to the lake. Well...turns out the lake is more of a pond. And the swimming??? Mmmm, I'd give this swimming hole a C-.
Nevertheless, we decided to give it a try and play around with our snorkel gear, gators and all. Here's my fearless wildlife guide in front of our pond. The water was so hot in the lake that it was more like tepid bath water. We decided to find a ranger and ask him about other swimming opportunities.
The ranger said we weren't too far from the Gulf and there's a fun local place called Turtle Beach. We decided to bike on over, gear and all. After braving some freeway traffic the first mile or so, we finally made it to this lazy little road hugging the beach. There were all kinds of fancy houses and mansions here. Apparently, Stephen King has his "beach" house here. All the homes have their own private beach access and private boat docks. Swanky for sure. And here we were riding along in our bathing suits with towels over our necks and snorkel gear flung over our backs. Ha!
Well, our "little" bike ride turned out to be about 18 miles round trip. (We just hit the 100 mile point on riding our bikes). The beach was super chill. There was a drum circle going on and lots of aging hippies. Ahhh, my people! I felt so much at home!!
We couldn't wait to hit the glassy, crystal clear blue waters of the Gulf and do some snorkeling. Here's my Mr. Ned looking so much happier here than in front of the pond!
And me so much happier getting cooled off! There weren't a lot of fish to see snorkeling, but I want to get as much practice in as I can before we get to the Florida Keys.
After a hot bike ride back, some adult libations were definitely in order. Time to chill out and watch the gators.
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