Wednesday

The temperature was in the lower 90s today, but it felt much hotter. The winds were light. But in the shade, it wasn't too bad.

After lunch, we took Toby downtown in the go cart, looking for shade and entertainment.

Main Street and the Pinellas Trail

This was supposed to be a selfie of me and Toby, but he bolted from my side at the last moment when he saw John crossing the street (see photo above).

We walked from the train station to the marina, then back to Pioneer Park and back to the train station. Toby took a break in the grass and shade across from Lane's Lemonade. We practiced some walking, heeling, sitting, waiting, and switching commands.

We rode our bikes to the causeway at 8:30 this morning, about an hour early. The temperature was in the low 80s. There wasn't much breeze, and the few clouds were low on the horizon, leaving the sun to bake us. We stopped to wet our heads and shirts at the bath shower going and coming.

We did have some entertainment from three kite flyers.

The workers have poured a concrete walk and bikeway into Honeymoon Island State Park, with room for a grassy median between the new walkway and road. They moved the fenced over about three feet to make this work. Having that separation and extra width is going to make this much safer. Before, it was all asphalt and connected with nothing but a white stripe to separate cars and bikers/walkers. Inevitably, cars would encroach the bike lane, especially around the corners.

Although we haven't gotten our refund check from our current home insurance company, our online statement shows the refund on the balance of the year, credited five days ago. So we should receive a check soon. The good thing is that our new insurance is paid for the next year, and we won't have to renew in December as we normally do. 

On our last walk as we rounded the practice putting green of the Dunedin Golf Course, a man walked off the course and approached us. He said he recognized us from the Pride golf cart parade. He thanked us for coming out. He was in the parade and they were relieved that so many people turned out. He has lived here for several decades. He says there are still some knuckleheads here, just as there were in the planned far-right riot in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, at their gay pride celebration. He said Dunedin has come a long way in its diversity and progress. He remembers when downtown was a ramshackle. He said what really changed it was the Pinellas Trail. He proudly said he was the third president of the Pinellas Trail. He said there's a bench across from Alfresco's with his name on it, honoring his time with the Trail. He went on to express his dismay about national politics, saying that 40% of the people in the country are stuck in the past and need to move on. Then he said, we need to educate them. He lives in the nearby neighborhood of Brea Moor. He made us feel glad to be here and welcomed. And that's important, because Republican extremists all over the country are targeting gay people in numerous ways, and it makes us anxious. John and I had a conversation just this morning about what it would take for us to feel that we had to leave the country. It was a sad topic, and we couldn't think of where to move.

Miles walked: 8.6

Miles biked: 5.15