Day 167: Another day in Cedar Key.

When we got here yesterday, we got our spot for just one night with the second night as an option and I think we are going to exercise that. Tomorrow, some Canadians are coming to stay for awhile. The rates are setup here that monthly stays are highly encouraged. We are paying $38 a night including taxes and Good Sam discount but the monthly rate is a mere $500.

The girls managed to meet up with a few more kids here. Even though most people here are retired couples or just couples without kids, they managed to find some and got into a cordial game of Candyland at the picnic table.

Our trip to the waterfront last night for dinner was one of the reasons why we decided to stay another day. There are a handful of quaint restaurants and shops that looked cool to explore during the day.

Since we are not going to visiting Manatee Springs, this is the only manatee we will probably be seeing.

We stopped at another little restaurant at the waterfront called Ken’s Cedar Keyside Diner.

I guess you are expecting me to show you what we are eating, right? If not, you are going to see it anyways. Ava is having a nice bowl of chili. It’s weird, this kid loves chili.

I had a reuben on the recommendation by our waitress. It suppose we should be eating seafood here but there is plenty of time for that as we plan to be traveling along the gulf for awhile longer.

Cedar Key is what I imagined the Florida keys were like maybe 50 years ago. You are not going to find a Walmart or even a Publix down here. Everything is owned by local moms and pops and they do just enough business to live a comfortable life.

Of course of day at the waterfront isn’t complete without the girls getting some ice cream.

There is a big fishing pier at the end of town right next to all of the waterfront shops. These pelicans have probably been making themselves at home here for awhile looking for fish carcasses as they are not too afraid of people.

On the other end of the strip is also a great playground. These little babies are loving the weather and loving swinging in these baby swings.

It seems everyone is here to relax and take in the scenery. This massive flock of shorebirds made a pretty dramatic entrance as they circled the sky above the playground and landed on a nearby rooftop.

The sand here is fine, dry and beautiful. There is an amazing sparkle that glistens in the sunlight at just the right angle.

As we made out way back to Sunset Isles RV Park, we stopped at their chicken coup to say hello. At the office of the RV Park is a pretty good little diner that serves breakfast and lunch. It would be a good idea to have your own chickens that lay eggs for your diner except that it would be deemed illegal by the state. Isn’t it ironic that organic and natural chicken eggs are illegal while high fructose corn syrup made from GMO corn is not?

Ava picked back up where we left off and was joined in by a couple of kids in a game of Candyland. These couple of kids are the grand children of the folks who run this campground and are glad to have kids here to play with.

The skies are clear at dusk today which made the sunset at the docks a totally different, yet equally impressive experience.

Tonight we gathered around Clarke and Elaine’s washing machine tub fire pit for a couple of beers with new friends. We were joined by a handful of full timers who have converged here for the winter. Among them, Karen and Krash, Forrest Clark, Chris and Cherie and Pace and Kyeli just to name a few. As much as we’d love to stay longer, we are making room for the incoming Canadians tomorrow as we make our way up into the panhandle.

over and out,
dan