Just Modern Day Gypsies: Segway tour

St. Petersburgh Pier

We had a fun day...we went on a Segway tour of the St. Petersburg Pier area. I have been using LivingSocial and Groupn to get some deals for our travels. So when a tour came up for a Segway tour Dusty was all for it!! They are something and you use your body to make it go faster or slower. Lean forward a little and you go faster, want to slow down..lean back...to stop...stand up straight!! But once you are on and the computer has adjusted to your weight and balance you can't move your feet!!! Sounds easy huh...1 and half hours of not moving your feet...they go to sleep!! Of course I was a little nervous and afraid to move much as I didn't want to fall down. If you fall off the Segway will keep going for 8 to 10 feet...could be a dangerous thing, especially when you are in an area with traffic and people as we were. The weather looked iffy when we got there but it stayed fine and we had a beautiful trip. They are improving the Pier area and it has parks and cute business. Unfortunatly the pier that has been there since 1920's maybe tore down by 2013 as the piling is rotten and wore out. Dusty did real well and had the speed turned up, but we never were in an area where he could let go....I on the other hand thought I had it down and took a curb too fast, lost control..one leg came up, I tipped and then mirculously recovered!!! But one foot got to wake up for a moment!!!! Dusty is ready to do it again and was looking on line at Segways....keep dreaming honey.
We also went to the Sunken Gardens, a man's garden that has been growing for 100 years and is very beautiful. While waiting to go on the Segway tour we also went through the Museum of History. St. Petersburg has many museums and one could spend allot of time here. We didn't get to go to the beach as the weather began to get nasty and we wanted to go out to the pier. We got to watch two pods of dolphins swimming very close and began talking to a fisherman. He gave us some tips on Marathon which is in the Keys and where we are headed in a week, and told us where to buy Stone Crab Claws. Stone Crabs are caught in the Tampa Bay and one claw is removed. They are huge. They have 6 months to fish for the crabs, then they wait 6 months for a new claw to grow and start the process over. We headed to the little Greek market he recommended and bought some. We just got the large size but they had extra large also. So we had a delicious meal of crab dipped in butter. Being from the west coast we still find the Dungeonous and King Crab tastier, but our theory is when we are in a new area to try the local food, that is the fun of traveling. I write these the day after because when we get home and get dinner and do other things I am too tired to write, and this takes longer then one may think. But as I write this we have been through some horrible storms. Some of the worse storms they have had in over 25 years. There have been multiple tornadoes just north of us and strong winds up to 75 mph. I have been prepared to run all morning...took a shower, got dressed, put my shoes on, got the portable weather radio out and umbrella. Now where to run??? I thought we should maybe drive south, but the storm was hitting all around us and turning semi's over, so not a good idea, then I thought we are parked right next to a pond...get in a ditch when a tornado comes or pond right???...not when there is an alligator in it.....not me...so guess the small bathroom, if we didn't blow away getting there!! WOW here comes another cell...it has been going on all day!!! An airplane hanger collapsed north of us where there was a Sun and Fun fair going on and 70 people are trapped. There is allot of damage already and more coming. I guess it is our welcome to Florida!! So if you don't see anything written tomorrow you will know we blew away!!!!