December 18, 2011
by Sus
in Family News, Mike, Sus
Tags: bicycle, bike, Florida, highway, hike, hiking trails, horseback riding, I-4, I-75, mountain biking, Panera Bread, photo, photography, recommended, Sarasota, Selah, State Park, Tampa, trail biking, Veterans Day
Mike and I enjoyed a beautiful Florida day last month.
We bought a ticket to go to an anniversary celebration for our local Moody Radio station, so we decided to go early to Alafia River State Park near Tampa, Florida. This new park is primarily for mountain biking. In Florida? Yes, you heard me right. The park is really an overgrown Phosphate strip mine. The terrain is very uneven and local bike clubs have built dozens of trails. The park also has hiking and equestrian trails. The campground was overflowing with bikers who were attending a weekend event. We discovered, too, that admission was free for all state parks on Veterans’ Day.
It was a gorgeous day for a hike and the lighting was perfect for photography. Maybe an entomologist can tell me what this insect is in the photo. (See our slide show of our day at Alafia River.)
Toward the end of our visit at the park, I ran to get a photo of bikers going down a steep curve. Unfortunately, my foot turned on a root. More than a month later, I’m still recovering from an acute sprained ankle! (You can see the photo of the bikers in the slide show.)
I hobbled back to the car and we found a Panera Bread to buy some dinner. Panera’s was really kind to give us a bag so I could elevate and ice my ankle.
We arrived for the 50th anniversary celebration at a very large church (seemingly out in the middle of nowhere… probably a bedroom community for Tampa and Sarasota). We wanted to hear Ravi Zacharias and Selah. We left a bit early and were home by 11:30. We had a great day (except for my ankle injury, of course.)
April 8, 2011
by Sus
in Family News
Tags: barbecue, barber shop, baseball, beach, birds, Daytona Beach, DeLand, Disney, Florida, highway, I-95, interstate, museums, Orlando, pictures, recommended, restaurants, road trips, State Park, Stetson, things to do, tourist attractions, travel, university
Looking in the window of an old barber shop
DeLand, Florida, is just an hour or less from Orlando or twenty minutes from Daytona Beach and offers a variety of things to do. Now that Jenn goes to school in DeLand, we’ve been in the area more and have made some great discoveries. If you’re a tourist visiting Disney or the other attractions, maybe you would find something to break the “tourist mold” on your way to Daytona Beach. There’s something for everyone! (See the bottom of this post for a link to restaurants, for a blog with updates on events in DeLand and for the Stetson University calendar of events.)
What we recommend personally:
- Blue Spring State Park – we saw the historic Thursby house and did some birdwatching and hiking, but we’d like to come back in the winter to see large groups of manatees gather in the spring for warmth
- Concerts at Stetson University (see our photo of the organ inside the beautiful Lee Chapel in historic Elizabeth Hall)
- DeLeon Springs State Park - besides the usual swimming, boating, and hiking, make your own pancakes in the old mill at your table (read our story)
- Downtown events – Mainstreet DeLand organizes a lot of fun events. We attended Taste of DeLand in January and enjoyed sampling foods from 25+ local restaurants.
- Gillespie museum at Stetson University – largest collection in the Southeast for minerals, rocks, and fossils
- Historic Downtown – the buildings in the area are on the National Register, so stroll, shop, or enjoy a nice restaurant. We love taking photos, like this one of the old barber shop. Mike really wanted to get a haircut there. Maybe next time. Stop in Pat & Toni’s Sweet Things, too, for a trip back in time to a candy store filled with goodies.
- Sports at Stetson University – The Hatters baseball team is nationally ranked this year. We recommend Hatters baseball if you want to watch an affordable and fun baseball game while visiting Orlando. Read about our night at the ball game.
We haven’t made it here, but hope to:
We’ll not try this!
- Skydiving
- Cave diving in some of the local springs
RESTAURANTS:
NOTES:
NOTE: This post is part of the series of recommended tips for enjoying I-95.
October 22, 2010
by thesower
in Family News, Family Photos
Tags: family, family life, Pennsylvania, pictures, restaurants, road trips, State Park, things to do
Mike and I were able to go for a six-day trip so we could be with his dad for his 80th birthday. We had a relaxing time and enjoyed some beautiful fall weather. This first photo is of Grandpa enjoying the view from their new apartment.
Almost every day we took some walks and some great photos, too. We went on a few outings with Mom and Dad, too, so if you’re planning a trip to Erie, Pennsylvania, we’ve got some ideas for you.
Things to do in Erie, Pennsylvania, and vicinity
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