Couldn't get the pictures included in this post from Monday.  Conditions have worsened, and I'll leave north Florida on Thursday.

Left Fort Myers this morning.  Had a great time there.  We're very grateful to Janet and Mead for letting us share their house -- and time! -- for a week.  It was wonderful to have those days with Jennifer, just being with her after this long trip, as well as knowing she was getting a much-deserved break from all the animal husbandry in the much-below freezing temperatures at home.  She will stay on in Ft. Myers until tomorrow.  Our other good friend, Patty Cooper, left today to get back to Lexington.

So, I am now making my way back north.  I am up at the Stephen Foster Folk Cultural Center in north Florida tonight and tomorrow night.  The 70-degree weather is holding.

There is much to see here, and I've already been out and about on the scooter this evening.  Tomorrow, I will visit the museum and tower here, and might even hit Nelly Blye's kitchen if the hours are right.  You can learn more about the Center online at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Foster_Folk_Culture_Center_State_Park

The campground is just beautiful, and I'll be getting more pictures tomorrow.

Yesterday, Janet, Jen and I went up to Gainesville (U Florida) for the UK women's basketball game, where we met up with friends Robin and Karen, who are making their way down to join Mead and Janet in Ft. Myers.  Unfortunately, we lost the game.  It was tight.  I'm including one picture below of the scoreboard at a little less than 4 minutes to go.  Big disappointment for the girls.  They are struggling to come back to their former glory.  We all feel bad for them, but continue to believe in them.  Better next time ....

So, pictures following are of the UK/FL game and some shots around the park here this evening.  The water you will see is the Suwannee River.  This park sits on its shores.  I am, then, way down upon the Suwannee River . . .

Well, I am in north Florida these two days, waiting for better road weather.  I-75 promises to be a nightmare up through Georgia, so I'll head west and make my way home through Alabama.  Tomorrow looks good for driving, so my plan is to head for Montgomery.  Have been staying at the Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center in White Springs FL.  Beautiful campground.  Will have pictures for you when my internet connection improves.

Some more pictures from Sanibel, some of the village where we are staying, and then a visit yesterday with some very friendly scrub jays.

Here is the video Jen took of the dolphins following the "Sanibel Thriller" boat.  It was really something!

 http://youtu.be/73qAfdGSkLY

In Fort Myers now with Jennifer, Mead, Janet, and Patty.  Yesterday, we went to the local landfill (!) with Mead to see some Sand Hill Cranes building a nest.  Saw an alligator there, too, and many, many other birds.  Then we went to Sanibel Island, where Jennifer and I rode the "Sanibel Thriller," a large speedboat that circumvents Sanibel and Captiva Islands, often bringing playing dolphins in its wake.  Some pictures and some film for you, taken by Jennifer:

Having trouble loading the video of the following leaping dolphins.  Once I figure it out, it will go up.

Off today to explore the north end of Pine Island.  It's about 13 miles from where I'm camping.  Got up there to find very little.  One tiny beach bordered by private property.  So, the pcitures I took are from there.  Went back through some of the off -the-main-road roads.  Some nice subdivisions.  Lot of undeveloped land here.  I was surprised by this.  The scooter ride up there was a little harrowing. The crown in the road needed to be attended to virtually all of the time, since my extra wheels constantly sought contact with the road.  This pretty much meant that I had to ride the middle of the road.  At one point, the whole road was sloped to the east, making me feel I was going to slide off to the right on the way up, off to the left on the way back.  The worst thing, though, was that people kept leaning on their horns, even though I was positively scrupulous about slowing down and getting way over to the right whenever passing was allowed.  Needless to say, the ride made me nervous.  It was one of  the very few times I really wished I had a big ole Harley.

All that said, this is a really nice island, at least according to my tastes.  Not dense with people; and I think if I had more time I might be able to find some nice little places near the water off the beaten (beating?) path.

BIG day tomorrow -- Jennifer flies in and we meet up with Janet, Mead, and Patty in Fort Myers!!  I have been on the road a very long time now, and simply can't wait to see Jen!!!  This final stint (except for getting back north) will close my trip; and though I have had a good time and met some lovely people along the way, I will be happy to get home.

Here are the few pictures I got today:

Got in here at Pine Island yesterday afternoon after a frustrating drive through the VERY busy Naples.  Wanted to see the gardens and zoo there; but the only lot for buses and RVs was full.  Sorry to have missed it.  But was glad to get back on the highway heading north.  Since living in rural KY, my tolerance for congestion seems to have thinned considerably ...

So, after a long, but successful (with good help) attempt to back into my assigned site at the campground (no pull thrus here), I got settled in last evening.  The campground wifi won't be working until Tuesday; but my trusty little Virgin Mobile mifi device served very well, and let me watch some stuff I'd missed on PBS.

Today, part of the the plan was to see if my new "Dish Anywhere" service would let me watch the UK women's basketball game with LSU.  A little glitch here and there, but it actually worked and I was just delighted to be able to watch the game.  Happily, our girls won, after some pretty distressing losses....

Then I took off to explore Pine Island.  It's nothing like Marco Island, except there are many canals here as well.  The houses are much less grand than on Marco; but I like it -- a WHOLE lot less crowded -- indeed, not crowded at all -- and seems to mosey at an "Island Pace."  I stopped for some pictures at a place called "Woody's Waterside," where I was temporarily adopted by some bikers -- Doug, Joan, Steve, and Wendy.  There's a picture below -- actually, it's like 1 second film clip.

Then I went to the two southern points of the island.  The first was ok, a  little beach; the second was really terrific.  There were 4 or 5 dophins that started playing around just after I got there.  By the time I retrieved my phone, I got a (bad) picture or two and a bit of film.  Sorry about the film not being edited.  I have not figured out how to do this....

Went then to a really neat potter's studio and shop -- "The Potter's Workshop and Gallery."  The artist is Ingeborg.  We chatted a bit.  Lovely, lovely stuff
( www.the pottersworkshop.com ).  I hope to come back
with Jennifer and friends when we're settled in Ft. Myers after Tuesday.

Tomorrow, I plan to go to the north end of Pine Island.  Much further from the campground.  If no one hears from me in 48 hours, do send out a posse.

Pictures for you follow.