Cooling Off

You know, I think we’re just about getting to the BEST time of year in Florida – FALL! 

Ok, Spring is pretty darn nice too.  But after the brutal summer we’ve had, any hint of cooler temps is like the most awesome thing ever.

It’s still pretty humid – and super buggy – but it’s much easier to handle being outside when the temperature is only 82* instead of 323085*.  It’s still sort of toasty during the day but the evenings have been pretty pleasant for the last couple weeks.

Thanks to the cooler evening temps we can finally ride after work again.  Heck, you can even run this time of year in the evening without feeling like you’re going to keel over.  The only drawback is the setting sun. Each week our headlights come on earlier and earlier.

On Friday, Ryan and I set out for our now-tradition of an evening bike ride.  Once again we hit up Robinson Preserve. (3-weeks in a row!)

This park is accessible from our house via a hand-full of different routes – this time we took the “long” way there and rode through the preserve to the front entrance.  Then we turned around & took the “long way” back home, logging a total of 11.5 miles.

(With a slight detour to feed my sister’s cat’s while she’s out of town.)

We rounded the night off with a bath for Dottie – she’s so pathetic when she gets a bath.  Maybe it’s because she gets put into the kitchen sink for it? How embarrassing.

Saturday was a full day with a vet appointment for fresh & clean Dottie, a flooring estimate (yay!), and a trip to a winery with some friends.

I. Am. A. Giant.

We hit up Keel & Curley Winery in Plant City.  I was super impressed – it’s a tiny little winery (only 30 acres total) and their specialty is blueberry wine.  I’m not normally one for fruity wines…

…but I somehow walked out of there with 4 bottles all for myself. I bet it has something to do with the fact that their “tasting menu” consists of 12 different wines!

I came home to a sweet little surprise from Ryan, princess wrapping paper and all.

A reusable Sling rePete bag that I’ve been eyeing up at our local bike shop for weeks! 

He’s far too good to me. I’d show you the bag outside of it’s little pouch…but it just looks like a wrinkly little wad of fabric without anything in it.

Once the day started winding down, Ryan and I wet out for a new-to-us restaurant called the Riverhouse Reef & Grill.  It’s located at the end of a pier inside a marina.

We got there just after the sun set & the view from our table was amazing!

Sometimes I still can’t believe we live in a place with views like this every night!

We stuffed ourselves silly and enjoyed the fact that we can finally dine al fresco again!

Cooler evenings also mean cooler mornings.  Which I’m about to take advantage of.  I’m heading down to Sarasota for a walk at/over the Ringling Bridge with some friends from Karna Fitness!  Wonder if I’ll be able to eek out 4 miles before things start getting steamy again…

WHAT ABOUT YOU:  Are you enjoying cooler temps yet – or is it already starting to get TOO cold where you live?