Great Atlantic Seaboard Bicycyle Tour: Punta Gorda, FL-Clearwater, FL 125 driving miles; 10 walking miles

Up early, we scampered North eleven miles to the closest Starbucks for our mandatory morning cup of ambition. From there we played with the "big dogs" on I-75 until we turned off for St. Petersburg, which is part of the Tampa Bay area, and where a little over three million Floridians call home. After a little bit of a harrowing passage over the big bridge (High wind warning: +20 knots), we eased into downtown St. Petersburg just after the Saturday market opened. Like most Saturday markets, the people were milling, the wares were selling, the food was cooking, and the bands were rocking. Everything from food to nuts and a little public service was present at the market. We dialed in on a Cuban booth for our breakfast. I had a hot spiced pork sandwich and Ed had a Cuban. We milled with the masses for a while, and if anyone besides me was nervous about being a soft target for nut jobs ( Aka, Paris), they didn't show it. When we'd had our fill of the market, we started to make our way to the Salvador Dali/WC Esher museum. On the way, we chatted up our "best" human of the day. Taylor Malloy, a college age cutie pie, works for the Tampa Bay Rowdies, the area's professional soccer team. She and I matched knee scars as she recently hurt her knee quite badly playing field hockey for the University of Tampa. Originally from Deleware, I got the feeling she's become a Florida girl now. You've heard the story: "I came to South Florida to go fishing, and I never left." Taylor's story might be, "I came to South Florida to play college athletics, but now I'll use my brains and smile to promote professional soccer, and Oh, I might go to the beach once in a while." I'm just making that up. All she and I talked sbout (And very briefly at that) was how short the window is for rehab when it comes to major knee surgery. In fact, she said they may have to go back in to force her knee to extend to full range of motion. Ouch! Obviously, she is a tough ( And very nice) young woman who is doing what I believe exemplifies the American Dream. She is using her talent, initiative, and opportunity to live the best way she can, and what's a little adversity got to do with it? I've seen it quite often on this trip, and all a young lady like Taylor does is confirm my belief that life in America is good, especially today.

Long may she wave. Long live the dream. Tampa Bay in the background.

High winds jostled our car a little, and you can't really tell, but this bridge is gugantic!

From the many choices, we chose the Habana Cafe. Notice Eduardo blending in like a 'gator ready to chomp.

Thin gruel for me.

A Saturday market should (In my mind) include fresh vegetables.

Taylor, manning her promotional station right in front of the soccer stadium.

Dali has long been one of my favorites, and that's how Ed enticed me to drive in this traffic. They wouldn't allow photos, but they have a large collection of Dali's work (Also WC Esher). It's all incredible.