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Tampa, Florida |
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Tampa, Florida |
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We stayed at the RV park at MacDill Air Force Base for two weeks and took in the sights around Tampa. They have a a beautiful golf course with a nice driving range. Golf is the newest activity in the Flaherty Clan. Jim Block twisted Gerry's arm and got him to try a few rounds at the Bobby Jones Golf Course. Due to Jim's physical condition they only played 9-holes, but it was enough to give Gerry a taste for it. He spent a lot of time hitting practice balls at MacDill and even got in a little time with the golf pro and now can hold his own. The RV park sponsored a golf scramble that he participated in and did well. I've since gotten an okay from my doctor to try it, but I'm not in any hurry.
The State Fair was in town and we enjoyed a day over on a bus provided by the RV park and a visit to the Grand Ole Opry Show. Not having to worry about driving and parking was great. We especially enjoyed the Horse Pull since Gerry's an avid horse fan. It was such a sight watching these huge animals actually pulling a 3,000 pound truck.
One team getting ready Another team pulling
There was lots to see and lots of rides, which we avoided, good things to eat and people everywhere. We enjoyed watching various demonstrations and seeing the winning entries for painting, photography, furniture making, etc.
Lots of rides More horse stuff Bagpipe Demonstration
One day we rode a trolley into Ybor City, a Cuban section of the city with a New Orleans influence where the partygoers go at night. Our evening was already planned; however, we had tickets to Smuckers Stars on Ice with Scotty Hamilton, Katerina Witt, Kurt Browning, Alexi Yagudin,, Todd Eldridge, and four pairs, Jaime Sale/David Pelltier, Jenny Memo/Todd Sands, Kyoko Ina/John Zimmerman and Elan Berezhnaya/Anton Sikharalidize at the St. Pete Times Forum (Ice Palace).
Ybor City Tampa Harbor Smuckers Stars on Ice
One day we drove about 120 miles up the coast to Cedar Key, a little island 4 miles out into the Gulf of Mexico where we visited from the Washington, D.C. area who winter there. George and I worked on the Ship Specifications for the MCM, the minesweepers now stationed in Corpus Christi. Our kids and some of their kids worked summers for the company, Wheeler Industries, so we've known them since the kids were teenagers. We've kept in touch all these years and haven't seen each other in nearly 14 years.
