Thanksgiving with the Parents

So both the Borgesen and DeRop clan made it to South Florida for Turkey Day this year...under the guise of seeing their kids but we really know it was for the weather:-)

We decided to show them the highlights of the Everglades by taking a tram ride through local park...and within a few feet of our departure we saw our first friendly gator!

And then we saw another one....and another one....and then it was like alright, enough gators...

and then finally some big birds....

Mom and Pap Borgesen in the glades...

Then came the big Turkey day event...the couldn't believe we celebrate it outside since there was snow in both Wyoming and Utah before they left! So after last year's turkey jerky, we made a decision to cook back up roast....fortunately both turned out perfect this year!!

Nothing like Thanksgiving outdoors....

So to work off all the food...well, maybe not really work off, but to play some...we made quick trip to beach!



So the mama's searched for sea shells...

And the papa's sat and read....

And I kept dog entertained.....

To sum it up...it was a great and rare Thanksgiving with both families present...good times!

Gator Chronicles

Ok...so I had to make early evening drive to Tampa tonight so after hopping on highway I thought to myself I should pull over at first rest stop/rec area to see if any gators are out and about....so 10 minutes from house....I made my first stop>

Didn't seem like much as I got out of car by boat ramp....then I moved in closer...

Then as I walked onto dock you see in first photo I noticed this guy about 5 or 6 feet away...

He then decided to swin around me and tried to get on land quickly so I would be stuck on dock...

I decided to back away because many other guys surfaced and this guy moved around quickly waiting for me to get closer....

Then camera went dead...which is bummer because there is another body of water behind me that I didn't realize had larger guys in it until I turned around....have to admit, they do raise the hair on back of neck when there is no fence protecting you.

El Jefe...

Dog has made transition into new world well...in fact he got promotion to boss of all he surveys..

Wildlife

Everyday is a new animal adventure....snails, caterpillars, lizards, toads....and many large sized flying creatures yet to be classified.

These guys always startle you when you move something...fast and impossible to catch.

My garage mate...he wouldn't leave when asked....so it got a little crazy.

Small guys like this everywhere....

Landscaping

Tell me this doesn't look like picture from 3rd world country....I've already had to rebuild pool pumps and rewire the system because I was confident someone was going to die of electrocution in the pool....

I reached my limits of palm trimming....got scared on ladder swaying back and forth so I had to pay a featherweight guy to put spikes and and climb up with chain saw....entertaining.

Every...and I mean every...weekend requires a few hours of landscaping clean up....crazy how stuff grows down here.

Relief from the heat....NOT

So...it doesn't matter if you are mowing the lawn, doing landscaping (which is non stop chore with vegetation here), working in garage or just walking to your car, it is hot as hell and you WILL sweat. Maybe a dip in the pool will cool things down.....NOT. So what does my Miami dolphin say temp is....

This is normal daily reading for pool without heater...I'm draining water down once a weak and adding house water to keep cool....next step are blocks of ice.

Supermoto in Florida

This track is laid out perfectly for this little guys as well...but I'm not.

Supermotard in Florida

Notice photographer on Turn 1 exit....

English is second language

These guys are quick...all from Brazil or Argentina...super nice guys trying to start a series down here. They remind me of a Spanish Tigert...at around 125lbs.

Fernando on a tricked out pit bike or on the kx65 is fast as hell...

Supermotard in Florida

Florida got an upgrade with the recent score of a local go kart/ Supermoto track on the skirts of Miami...from mini's to full size Motards...all running at the same time.

Supermotard in Florida

Unlike the more organized Supermoto tracks in California, this one's run a little on the looser side of things....like easy ups on the exit of turn one, photographers hanging out on the track and the local off-leash dog...little like playing Russian Roulette with every lap....