THE RACE ON THE LOOSE CABOOSE

[RB Kayaking]

A pink caboose on a fast boat to the Keys!

RB

[Sneaky Snoopy]

ANNOUNCER - THE FIRST WEEK OF RESULTS ARE ABOUT TO COME IN.  I HOPE EVERYONE IS DROPPING EXTRA BAGGAGE EVERYWHERE.  THIS TRAIN WILL ONLY MOVE WHEN WE LOOSE POUNDS.  ONE CITY PER POUND.  WE ARE LEAVING SAN ANTONIO AND MOVING TOWARDS COMFORT, TX.  JULIE'S RANCH IS ON THE LEFT OF THE CABOOSE.  MAYBE SHE WILL HAVE SOME DEER CHILLI FOR US AS WE PASS.

Mary - My caboose FLOATS    what is left of it that is.

Jaydensmommy - You are in.  I will mark you down.  So next friday just let me know how much you have lost for the week. 

[crickadoodle]

Oops, Snoopy, if you are going from San Antonio to Julie's place, you are headed in the wrong direction!!    The Keys are to the east of San Antonio. 

When you pass through Louisiana, maybe my husband can make some of his delicious fajitas!  Wrapped in lettuce leaves, of course.  I ate these quite often while I was losing my weight.  So yummy and satisfying.  I'll make a big pot of Niki's Favorite Bean Soup to go with them.  That would be a perfect stop over meal for you! 

[LINDA RN]

OK, depending on the route, before or after stopping by Burleson/Ft. Worth swing up to SW Oklahoma to Cache (prounced CASH). Cache is the home of Quanah Parker's Star House, the Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge http://www.wichitamountains.org/ and The Holy City http://www.theholycitylawton.com/, http://digital.library.okstate.edu/ency ... HO018.html. Cache is just a few miles from Ft. Sill Army Base home for the advanced artillery training. They train our troops on the MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket System)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M270_Multi ... ket_System
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ ... t-sill.htm, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Sill, http://digital.library.okstate.edu/ency ... FO038.html

[wendysgoodnews]

Anyway you look at it to swoop down into Montana and pick me up is going to be quite a trip!

[Sneaky Snoopy]

Crickadoodle - I was refering to Julie (LovinLDL) next to Confort, Texas.  I know there are alot of Julie's out there.

[Joyful Friend]

When you stop at Bob Evans for the Big farm Festival, I'll have to get on to take a ride with all my LDL friends.  Ollie, I was a car hop at Bob Evans in 1957.  I bought all my student teaching clothes with my great tips--usually a dime or a quarter.  Sometimes, we got a dollar---that was a big tip, then.  Today, teachers wear anything they choose, back then, we dressed up "fit to kill".    You can tell that I'm older than clay from all those sayings.  I've enjoyed my life, that's for sure whether I was big or little.  Bob Evans was a fine man. They have good foods.  My hubby goes there a lot for breakfast with his golf buddies.  We often eat there together as well, but not breakfast.  I enjoy my turkey sausage, just as well as Bob's.  I have it as my big lunch every now and then.    Jamie Oliver will be on tonight--Huntington is also my stomping ground--got my Masters in 66 from Marshall U.  Back to the train, Is that a whistle, I hear???  Joyful Friend

[Sneaky Snoopy]

Clown Lady is gone camping with her DH.  If they catch a lot of fish they will come back into town to put them in their pond.  We should see her next week.  Clown Lady tells me that the fish tastes great. 

[crickadoodle]

That was the Julie I was talking about too.  Her house is west of San Antonio, but not a whole lot out of the way -- just the wrong direction to get to Key West.    Of course, the train probably has to go all the way to CA to pick you up first!  Then it is going in the right direction! (or Left direction! )

[Sneaky Snoopy]

Doodle - We have to sight see first. 

[crickadoodle]

Well, it is called Key West, but you have to go East to get there. 

[Country Girl]

Clown Lady - I found a book at school the other day that I want to send to you.  Our librarian had it in a prize stack.  When I saw the title, I knew you had to have it.  She let me have it.  It's a book for children by Bill Pete.  He is a great author and use to work for Disney as an animator.  It's called [i]The Caboose is Loose[/i].  How cool is that???  Send me a message with your mailing address and I will get it out to you!  It can be your personal motivator!!!!  The only bad thing ---it's not pink!!  I do love that pink caboose!! 

Choo! Choo!
Country Girl

[crickadoodle]

Funny! 

[patns]

Is it too late to join?

Pat

[Sneaky Snoopy]

Pat - not to late.  Just need your starting weight and what day you want to weigh in.  Fri, Sat, Sun or Monday.  And you are in.

[patns]

Thanks, I'll take Monday as weigh-in day. I will give my starting wieght on Monday.
Pat

[Gwennaford]

My pink caboose is SO on that ferry  *woot*

[glow=red,2,300]I'm down to 310 today -- a loss of 5 pounds....  Next stop --TWOTERVILLE!!! [/glow]
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On your way down the Florida peninsula you must stop at Weeki Wachee Springs

Catch the mermaid show, the wildlife exhibits and the birds of prey and trained parrot shows, all presented in a wild, natural Florida woodland environment.  Take a river boat tour of the astoundingly beautiful nature preserve.  See manatee, river otters, birds of prey, alligators, colorful fish, water birds and many other kinds of wildlife in their natural environment.  You don't need a glass bottom boat.  The water is crystal clear.  That must be why they call it Crystal River!    This is not a "ride", it is a 45-minute river odyssey.  I always take it several times when I go.  

You don't have to go to the Buccaneer Bay theme park & rides to have a great day, but it is fun for the kids and a nice alternative to Mouse World insanity of Orlando.

The Weeki Wachee Preserve has been at risk from developers for years, so the natural fresh water spring was purchased from the City of St. Petersburg under the Gov. Jeb Bush administration, for preservation under public protection laws.  So it will be safe for generations to come.

.

Continuing south for about 20 miles, you will pass through Tarpon Springs, home of the historic Greek sponge docks.  Don't forget to pick up some dry roasted chickpeas while you're here.  

Another 10 miles or so south along US Hwy 19 gets you to Gwennaford's house in Clearwater, where the bean soups and fruit salads will be waiting for you.  (Providing I ever get another refrigerator.  If I don't, we'll be grazing over at the Fresh Market!   )  You CAN drive south along the coast through the little towns, marinas and roadside stands, but you won't see much water, it adds an hour or so to the journey, and I know you will be hungry for some hearty LDL food by the time you leave Tarpon, so I recommend the highway.  

Then 10 MORE miles west takes you to Clearwater Beach.  I can't say enough great things about our beaches.  The cities and county are working incredibly hard to keep them safe, clean, pristine and pedestrian-friendly.  Not easy to do in an area of mega development dependent on tourist dollars flowing in.  While you are here, PLEASE do not miss the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, the brand new Beach Walk

Meanwhile, the inland Pinellas Trail is a former railroad right-of-way the length of the entire county, that has been converted to a pedestian-friendly recreational trail.  Walk, jog, run, bike, skate through 34 miles of greenery and scenery.  

I hope you will take some time browsing all the interactive features of the following site.  You can see virtual 360-degree tours of the beaches, parks and nature preserves.  Pinellas and the coastal counties to the north are comprised of a bunch of little towns that all grew together over time, so one flows right into the next, and we all share a sense of pride about our collective area.  


http://www.visitclearwaterflorida.com/



BTW -- You can swim with the manatees in Crystal River!  They are protected and you cannot touch them or go into their feeding grounds, but they can touch you!  Don't be surprised if a playful calf bumps into you and his big gentle mama rolls over next to you for a belly scratch.  True story -- It happened to me!  They are slow-moving and gentle as little lambs.  Yes, that IS moss growing on her back, above.

[CodingQueen]

Hey Gwen,

You don't by any chance work for the Clearwater/Pinellas Suncoast Welcome Center. If not, they need to hire you.

You did a wonderful job with your post. There are so many things to do and see in the area without having to go to Orlando.

CQ

[Gwennaford]

LOL -- CQ, Thank you.  I don't want to hijack this thread talking about ancient history.  I posted a reply on my journal  


You are right about the opportunities in this area.  I've lived here almost 30 years and I have hardly done anything.  I have already started changing that!