Dunedin, Florida: Rent A Tricycle, Get On The Pinellas Trail!

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I snapped this photograph of these two tricycles, all set and ready for you to rent them, some time ago. Sadly, the last time I wandered through this area on 'photo safari', the shop was closed down. I believe they have moved, but I don't recall finding out where. So I will have to make a point of finding out where they went, so you will know too!

Meanwhile, the premise is still valid, sound, and appealing! Rent a couple of tricycles, assuming there are more than one of you, and get out on the Pinellas Trail and ride! When you are there, you will get to see some beautiful areas of Pinellas County, and Dunedin more specifically in this area, that you can't necessarily see from a car. Certainly you can't take the time to see it the same way in your car as you could from these tricycles.

If, after trying out some cool trikes like these, you should get the urge to own one for yourself, there are plenty out there, in various configurations and price ranges. Heck you can even get them on Amazon.com... At the starting range they have the Schwinn Meridian Adult 26-Inch 3-Wheel Bikewhich is your basic, upright styled adult tricycle. Next up from there, you can get the same basic style, but in a folding model like the Westport Adult Folding Tricyclefor example.

If you're like me, and you sometimes get tired of peddling, or if you just think it would be a lot of fun, you might even look into something with supplemental battery power like the Currie Technologies iZIP Tricruiser Electric Tricycle (24-Inch Wheels)model. But then, maybe you prefer that sleek, low-slung look, in which case you might be more interested in something like a TerraTrike Tour Recumbent Trikethat looks fast even sitting still.

Of course, if you are going on an outing like this, you don't want to forget taking something to drink. In that case, it might be good to have something to keep your drink cold, like a Thermos Stainless Steel Hydration Bottle. Yeah, sounds pretty technical, but if it can keep my drink cold for 12 hours, it works for me! Oh, and don't forget to take some pictures while you are out there. RitzCamera.com has plenty of excellent cameras to choose from.
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If you would like to see more of this area, check out Clearwater Beach Daily Photo, and Clearwater Daily Photo. If you enjoy photography, check out my photography blog. Do you like TRUCKS? Check out We Love Truck Pics! Thanks for coming today, I hope you enjoyed your mini-vacation to Dunedin, Florida!

Dunedin, Florida: Real Estate: Pretty Green Home

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I wonder... can you still call it Real Estate if the home is not for sale?

Dunedin has numerous neighborhoods full of beautiful homes like this one. I love these homes. I'd love to get a chance to see what that third floor looks like. What a cool looking place.
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If you would like to see more of this area, check out Clearwater Beach Daily Photo, and Clearwater Daily Photo. If you enjoy photography, check out my photography blog. Do you like TRUCKS? Check out We Love Truck Pics! Thanks for coming today, I hope you enjoyed your mini-vacation to Dunedin, Florida!

Dunedin, Florida: Autumnal Equinox 2010 - It's That Time Of Year: FALL

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Yes, the Autumnal Equinox has come again. It's that time of year. It's Fall. Wahoo! Time for cool dry air and the changing of the color of leaves. Time to get ready for the holidays that make this time of year so very special. It's a virtual trifecta of celebration!

Let's count them down... First comes Halloween. The night of terror. No, not really... it's the night of fun and candy and cool costumes. I always look forward to Halloween because, to me, it marks the first holiday of the cool season, and I always want it to be crisply cool for trick or treating. I suspect this is a childhood thing, as I grew up in Virgina and remember that trick or treating was often delightfully chilly and the air was all about Fall and hinting of Winter and the rest of the holiday season.

Then comes Thanksgiving, the wonderful family holiday that inspires reflection and gratitude for all the wonderful things in our lives that we take for granted all year. Turkey Day also marks the next step toward Christmas, and usually promises even cooler temperatures than Halloween. Not to mention, as an adult, I appreciate that Thanksgiving is the first of the three winter holidays that actually comes with TIME OFF! That's right, now we are talking about paid holiday time from work. Yippeeeee!

Finally, we get to Christmas. Now we are solidly into cooler weather (in Florida) and more paid time off to enjoy family and the holiday season. It's that time of year when so many of us become practically giddy with the spirit of giving and the joy of the celebration of Christmas. It's wonderful.

And then, in case you might have forgotten, we actually get ONE MORE holiday... NEW YEAR'S EVE!!! Yup, after all that good fun, we get a little more time off and another excuse to cut loose. Time to celebrate the successes, or survival, of the year just ended, and time to celebrate our optimism about the new year just starting. Perfect!

R & M Autumn Leaf 7 Piece Cookie Cutter Set
6ft Autumn Leaf Garland Decorations
Autumn: An Alphabet Acrostic
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If you would like to see more of this area, check out Clearwater Beach Daily Photo, and Clearwater Daily Photo. If you enjoy photography, check out my photography blog. Do you like TRUCKS? Check out We Love Truck Pics! Thanks for coming today, I hope you enjoyed your mini-vacation to Dunedin, Florida!

Dunedin, Florida: Dog Mural Painting: Skip's Bar & Grill: Anna Hamilton

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I took a photo stroll around Delightful Downtown Dunedin the other day, during my lunch break from my day job. It's always nice to get a chance to catch up with Downtown and see what's new. That's when I came across this woman painting dogs on the side wall of Skip's Bar and Grill. Interesting, I thought, and headed over for a closer look. That's when I met Anna Hamilton, mural painter.

It turns out that a neat idea for a wall mural turned into a local phenomenon, complete with support for the local Dunedin Doggie Rescue organization. Click these links to check out a St. Petersburg Times article or a video on VodPod, featuring an interview with the artist, Anna Hamilton. If all of this puts you in the mood to commission a mural for your home or business, Anna can be reached at 727-204-5515.

And be sure to check out We Love Dog Pictures.

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If you love your pets like I do, you might be interested to know that Amazon.com has a huge selection of Dog Supplies. Or, you can also support Dunedin Daily Photo by shopping with these advertisers:

Dunedin, Florida: Inviting Garden Swing Under A Shade Tree

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No, it's not a terribly elaborate garden, but I find it very inviting just the same. The bench swing, the plants, the cool shade. All framed under and within the welcoming arms of a beautiful shade tree. When you are walking around in the hot summer heat, that we all love so much, it's nice to feast your eyes on an oasis of cool like this one.

This is not my garden I'm afraid, nor is this garden owned and created by any friend of mine. I spotted it while on walking photo safari in Dunedin, and thought you may enjoy it like I did... from a distance, but with joy just the same. And as for the swing itself, I found two free plans, and one for sale, in just a few minutes online. The two free plans were from Build Eazy and Black & Decker, and the one for sale was from WoodCraftPlans.com. Check them out if you like, these are not affiliate links, and I can give no assurances as to suitability or safety of the finished products. :) There are lots more out there I'm sure, these are just some I found easily, so I thought I'd pass along the links.
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If you would like to see more of this area, check out Clearwater Beach Daily Photo, and Clearwater Daily Photo. If you enjoy photography, check out my photography blog. Thanks for coming today, I hope you enjoyed your mini-vacation to Dunedin, Florida!

Dunedin, Florida: Father & Son Enjoy The Pinellas Trail With Bike & Trailer

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I was taking my lunch break to get out of the office and shoot some fresh color in Delightful Downtown Dunedin today. I hadn't thought to bring cool clothes to change into, so I was wearing my 'Dockers uniform'. It was HOT. That didn't stop me from enjoying my walking photo safari, but it didn't add a lot of fun to it.

So I was pretty psyched for this man and his son when I saw them lounging in the shade, just off the Pinellas Trail. What an AWESOME way to spend some quality time together. I can imagine the memories that little kid will grow up with. Nice! Even better, the father was okay with me taking a picture of the two of them. So if you know this man, tell him I said thanks again. And tell him you saw him on Dunedin Daily Photo!

Meanwhile, next time you are trying to think of something fun to do with your children or other family member, don't forget the Pinellas Trail that runs right through Downtown Dunedin. It's a great trail to enjoy, whether walking, skating or bicycling, with great places to stop and eat or shop along the way. And yes, it comes DANGEROUSLY close to Strachan's Ice Cream shop!
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If you would like to see more of this area, check out Clearwater Beach Daily Photo, and Clearwater Daily Photo. If you enjoy photography, check out my photography blog. Thanks for coming today, I hope you enjoyed your mini-vacation to Dunedin, Florida!

Clearwater, Florida: Sun-N-Fun Festival Disc Golf Tournament At Coachman Park

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Sunday marked the end of the 2010 Sun-N-Fun Festival Disc Golf Tournament in Clearwater, at Coachman Park. The weather was great for flinging discs, and it seemed like most people had a really good time. I got to learn a little more about disc golf, a rapidly growing sport indeed! This sport is going nuts. Let me say this to folks reading this article, if you don't already have a disc golf course in your town right now, you can just about bet that one is in the works, or will be soon. It's just plain fun, and very, very accessible to anyone who wants to have some fun. And let's not ignore the style factor! Check out the player in the picture above. I love his style, both putting and fashion.

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But don't get me wrong, these folks are also very serious about their game, in a good way. They have some of the funnest gear, like the buggies you see in the photo above. I mean, how many of you would LOVE an excuse to cruise around with that buggy, complete with a Tommy Bahama umbrella? Talk about living large!! I love it!

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Hats off to the various sponsors who came out to support the sport! One of my favorites was Night Flight Disc Golf, owned by my friend Dan. He had a great idea for playing disc golf after dark, followed by more and more ideas, and he is working hard to bring his ideas to everyone who enjoys the sport. Check out his website, NightFlightDiscGolf.com, and you will see what I mean about his ideas. Really cool stuff if you ask me.

There he is, below, standing in his booth with the rest of his gang, Fanchon in the middle, and Chris, seated at right. He's a great guy with some excellent products, so look for him at Disc Golf events around the area here, and ask for his product at your favorite Disc Golf shops.

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Another sponsor of the Sun-N-Fun Tournament was Sun King Disc Sports, recently moved from Brooksville to Sarasota. They have lots of good product for you to check out.

While I was poking about with my camera, I met Shawn Harrigan, who explained to me that this tournament was a part of the statewide Fabulous Florida Disc Golf Tour 2010. Click on over to their website if you'd like to review the results from this past weekend's tournament.

If you got a chance to enjoy the action at Coachman Park this past weekend, be sure to let them know at the Fabulous Florida Tour that you think Tournament Director Curtis Nuttin-But-Chains Minton did a great job. Because he did!

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Oh, and if you are interested in getting involved, but not sure where to start, I would surf on over to the Tampa Bay Disc Sports Club, for a local take on the sport. They have information on local courses, as well as event listings and more.
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If you would like to see more of this area, check out Clearwater Beach Daily Photo, and Clearwater Daily Photo. If you enjoy photography, check out my photography blog. Thanks for coming today, I hope you enjoyed your mini-vacation to Dunedin, Florida!

Dunedin, Florida: Night Flight Disc Golf!

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I want to tell you all about two cool new things I have been learning about lately. Disc Golf, and Lighted Disc Golf. Disc Golf is all about throwing discs that are like Frisbee discs on steroids, into baskets made of steel and chains. You play on a course with multiple baskets, much like a regular golf course. I didn't know much about it several months ago, but it turns out there are courses all over the place. There are several in Pinellas County, with at least two listed in Dunedin! That's right, there is one listed at St. Andrews Links Golf Course (18 holes), and another listed at Hammock Park (9 holes).

Lighted Disc Golf is the same as Disc Golf, but you attach tiny little LED lights to your discs, and insert LED basket lights in the baskets, and play IN THE DARK. Very cool. The man in the picture above is Daniel Schultz. He is the man behind Night Flight Disc Golf. He didn't invent Disc Golf, or the idea of playing in the dark, but he did come up with some really cool lights for your discs and baskets. Click here to visit his website. And if you are interested in checking it all out, this coming weekend, May 1 and 2, there will be a Disc Golf tournament as part of the Fun-N-Sun Festival at Northeast Coachman Park in Clearwater.

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If you would like to see more of this area, check out Clearwater Beach Daily Photo, and Clearwater Daily Photo. If you enjoy photography, check out my photography blog. Thanks for coming today, I hope you enjoyed your mini-vacation to Dunedin, Florida!

Dunedin, Florida: A Nice Day For A Bike Ride

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What's right about this picture? What's not right about this picture?

Well. among other things, I am still a chicken when it comes to taking pictures of people. Oh yeah, I'm a downright hero when it comes to taking pictures of their backs, or backsides. But I still have trouble taking a picture when they can see me taking it, and have only once had the courage to ask someone outright. Hahaha, and first I circled them three times like some kind of stalker.

Meanwhile, hurray for the man on the bicycle. Good for him. Of course, for all I know, he rides a bike because he got a DUI or something. In the meantime, hurray for him.

What's life about, after all? Any ideas? Not too sure myself. I have some ideas. Some inklings. Does it matter if we know? Are we just supposed to do our best to survive, and then die anyway? Higher purpose? I don't think we have access to any such thing as a higher purpose. I'd like to think so. But I have my doubts. Perhaps I'll go play a video game for a while to clear my head. Or go watch some more TV.
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If you would like to see more of this area, check out Clearwater Beach Daily Photo, and Clearwater Daily Photo. If you enjoy photography, check out my photography blog. Thanks for coming today, I hope you enjoyed your mini-vacation to Dunedin, Florida!

Dunedin, Florida: Heavy Equipment: Ring Power CAT 928G

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I got a glimpse of this mid-sized monster while on my break walk one day, and I just had to snap a shot. Then it got even better, so I got two shots, and now I just can't resist posting them both! What a machine! I think the second shot, which may have been the first one I snapped, is even more fun because the driver seems to be giving me this look... like what the heck??

And hey, if you get a little giggly when you see one of these, and start thinking like I do... forget it. Unless you have a spare $40,000 lying around. Which, if you do, will by you a 12 year old model. If you want a new one, you will need almost 4 times that much. That's right, a new one will set you back around $150,000. But hey, if you got it, why not?

At this point, Caterpillar has been around long enough that there are books about them (hover over the link for a product preview):
The Caterpillar Century
Caterpillar Chronicle: The History of the World's Greatest Earthmovers
The Big Book of Caterpillar: The Complete History of Caterpillar Bulldozers and Tractors, Plus Collectibles, Sales Memorabilia, and Brochures (Machinery Hill)

And work wear in their brand:
Caterpillar Men's Steel Toe Boot
CAT Premium Grey/Black Leather Palm Work Gloves - Large #CAT013201L

And even TOYS in the Caterpillar brand:
CATERPILLAR Lexion Combine Harvester
Caterpillar L Series II Hydraulic Excavator 1:50 Scale
Norscot Cat 777D Off-Highway Truck 1:50

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If you would like to see more of this area, check out Clearwater Beach Daily Photo, and Clearwater Daily Photo. If you enjoy photography, check out my photography blog. Thanks for coming today, I hope you enjoyed your mini-vacation to Dunedin, Florida!

Dunedin, Florida: Beautiful Craftsman Style Bungalow Home Near Downtown

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I was enjoying a walking photo safari one day when I found myself in a small neighborhood of beautiful older homes, just south of downtown Dunedin. I think this might be considered a craftsman style bungalow. Although it may have outgrown the bungalow part just a little, what with being two stories and all.

There's not a lot about this house that I don't like. The architecture is beautiful. Well, perhaps I might not have chosen that color, but I can't say it really looks all that bad seeing it on the house now. But I have never been all that good at picking paint colors anyway.

If you're interested, it looks like Amazon.comhas a number of interesting books on The Craftsman Style. Some are 5-star rated. Here are just a few for example (hover over the titles to see a product preview):
Stickley Style: Arts and Crafts Homes in the Craftsman Tradition
Gustav Stickley's Craftsman Homes and Bungalows
Craftsman Style
Craftsman Bungalows: Designs from the Pacific Northwest
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If you would like to see more of this area, check out Clearwater Beach Daily Photo, and Clearwater Daily Photo. If you enjoy photography, check out my photography blog. Thanks for coming today, I hope you enjoyed your mini-vacation to Dunedin, Florida!

Dunedin, Florida: A Postcard Perfect Day At The Dunedin Marina

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No, I don't seem to be able to resist taking more pictures at the Marina, especially when it is a day as beautiful as this one. Talk about blue sky and fluffy white clouds! This is what we are talking about when we brag about how beautiful this area is.

And here's some cool news: I have opened a store on Cafe Press. That's right, as I expand the product available at the store, you will have the opportunity to buy postcards, calendars, note cards and so on featuring some of the best photographs from the Dunedin Daily Photo!

The name of the store is ABOCAI, which stands for A Bunch Of Crazy-Ass Ideas. :) And the first product available in my store are postcards featuring the photograph above. If you'd like to see what the image above looks like as a postcard, click this link: POSTCARD. If you like what you see, you can purchase a pack of 8 postcards for only $7.99.
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If you would like to see more of this area, check out Clearwater Beach Daily Photo, and Clearwater Daily Photo. If you enjoy photography, check out my photography blog. Thanks for coming today, I hope you enjoyed your mini-vacation to Dunedin, Florida!

Dunedin, Florida: Dunedin Marina: Hardware

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Ever feel like you just need someone to hang on to? Something you can really get hold of? That is what, in my opinion, HARDWARE is all about. Hardware is always there when you need it. What would the world do without hardware? The world would fall apart without it, that's what! Speaking for myself, I am a member of the Hardware Hoarders Club. That's right. I officially have more than I can probably ever use over the course of my lifetime... But I'm working on it! :)

What about you? Do you dig hardware too? Think about it, we use that word for all sorts of different meanings. Of course, there is basic hardware, like screws and nails and such. But sometimes hardware refers to weapons. Other times it's just computer equipment. I can remember using hardware to mean braces on your teeth. What else? I bet you have some more examples too. Don't you!
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If you would like to see more of this area, check out Clearwater Beach Daily Photo, and Clearwater Daily Photo. If you enjoy photography, check out my photography blog. Thanks for coming today, I hope you enjoyed your mini-vacation to Dunedin, Florida!

Dunedin, Florida: International Optimist Logo: Regatta Club

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How do you feel about BLUE? Ever seen this logo before? No, it's not the Illuminati... It's the logo for the International Optimist Dinghy Association. IODA for short. And according to that website, "The optimist is, quite simply, the boat in which the young people of the world learn to sail".

So, if you have a child who is interested in sailing or sailboats, perhaps you want to check out the International Optimist concept of sailing. It seems like it might be a great way to get your child interested in something more than video games, not to mention the social skills and confidence they will develop while they're having all that fun. Needless to say, I am pretty sure they have a club in Dunedin, based at the Dunedin Marina.
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If you would like to see more of this area, check out Clearwater Beach Daily Photo, and Clearwater Daily Photo. If you enjoy photography, check out my photography blog. Thanks for coming today, I hope you enjoyed your mini-vacation to Dunedin, Florida!

Dunedin, Florida: Dunedin Marina: DOT Work Truck

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Work is everywhere. It makes the world go round. Even in our most basic form, we must work or die of starvation. Work. It's good for you. Really!

A nice day at the Dunedin Marina still requires someone to be working. In this case, it looks like there are some Florida Department of Transportation employees nearby. I'm not real sure if they have anything to do with the marina. They may be there, like I was, to enjoy the serenity of the small park, and to gaze upon the beauty of all the yachts and sailboats. If you're in the area, and have a little time, you might find it enjoyable to stop by the marina and go for a walk. The weather makes it quite appealing this time of year.
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If you would like to see more of this area, check out Clearwater Beach Daily Photo, and Clearwater Daily Photo. If you enjoy photography, check out my photography blog. Thanks for coming today, I hope you enjoyed your mini-vacation to Dunedin, Florida!

Dunedin, Florida: Dunedin Marina: Don't Come In! The Place Is A Mess!

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What's with all the security? Are they afraid we'll steal the boats? Run off with their rope? Loot the bilge and abscond with their rum? Naw, it's nothing like that... they just haven't got to their spring cleaning yet, and they don't want us to see the mess! And hey, I got messes of my own, so I can relate COMPLETELY!

Seriously though, all in all, considering her age, I think Sails Lady is looking pretty good. If you are wondering, she is a product of Morgan Yachts. In fact, she is a centerboard sloop, built in 1970, a Morgan 38. Cool, eh? Yeah, it's amazing what you can find on the internet!
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If you would like to see more of this area, check out Clearwater Beach Daily Photo, and Clearwater Daily Photo. If you enjoy photography, check out my photography blog. Thanks for coming today, I hope you enjoyed your mini-vacation to Dunedin, Florida!

Dunedin, Florida: Dunedin Marina: Danger - There Is Work To Be Done!

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I guess I should have guessed there was work afoot when I saw this trailer full of lumber. But it was really more 'afloat' than afoot... hahaha. I can tell you, when I see a stack of wood like this at my house, it can only mean one thing: lots of hard work on the coming weekend. And sure enough, as you can see in the photo below, there was definitely some hard work going on. But I suppose I can see some appeal in a job like this. No, I don't think I would enjoy it year after year... but there are days when I am sitting in my office, wishing I was somewhere else. My friends and family are quick to remind me how lucky I've got it. And I suppose they're right, really.
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If you would like to see more of this area, check out Clearwater Beach Daily Photo, and Clearwater Daily Photo. If you enjoy photography, check out my photography blog. Thanks for coming today, I hope you enjoyed your mini-vacation to Dunedin, Florida!

Dunedin, Florida: The Ironman Cometh to Clearwater... With Photos

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It's that time again! And wow, are things getting busy out on Clearwater Beach! I was having a photo walkabout out there yesterday, and the place was HOPPING! If you like to get in the mix of it all, and see all the triathletes getting ready for race day, get on down there. If you don't like crowds, and chaos, and mayhem, stay home! :) I am not able to post a picture from my walkabout yet, so today's picture is from a prior event. This man is quite an inspiration! Click this link to see previous Foster Grant Ironman photos posted on this blog.

Click the link to visit the Foster Grant Ironman website. Click this link for traffic information. Click this one to go straight to the course maps.
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If you would like to see more of this area, check out Clearwater Beach Daily Photo, and Clearwater Daily Photo. If you enjoy photography, check out my photography blog. Thanks for coming today, I hope you enjoyed your mini-vacation to Dunedin, Florida!

Dunedin, Florida: Dunedin Marina Boats & Yachts For Every Taste

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All sorts of beautiful craft to see at the Dunedin Marina.

Sailboats, fishing boats, cruising yachts, speed boats, convertibles, they're all here at the Dunedin Marina. Lots of fun times and memories being made on all those nice boats.
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If you would like to see more of this area, check out Clearwater Beach Daily Photo, and Clearwater Daily Photo. If you enjoy photography, check out my photography blog. Thanks for coming today, I hope you enjoyed your mini-vacation to Dunedin, Florida!