Independence Day

July 4th - Spinning wheels, we rode our bikes down to Fisherman's Village to watch the first few of  three hundred swimmers complete a one and half mile swim cross the Peace River.  The annual event is called the Freedom Swim.  Along the way, Richard stopped to make time with Miss Manatee!

Ride with us now along the Peace River to the Trabue Harborwalk.  A beautiful but non-native Banyan Tree shades Retta Esplanade at the Best Western. The Banyan tree first imported and planted in Fort Myers by Thomas Edison in 1924 is thus considered by the state to be non-native meaning that the first of its species arrived after 1513.  Of course most us arrived after 1513 as well. Can there be no path to citizenship for this illegal immigrant, older than most us here in Punta Gorda?   Pity the poor state that seems bent on destroying another beautiful tree, the Australian Pine. To learn about this tree and how you can help, click  Save Our Pines.   


The Trabue Harborwalk follows the Punta Gorda bank of the Peace River north of Laishly Park. This relatively new addition to Punta Gorda affords a pleasant place to walk or ride.





After riding home and cooling off in the pool and resting,we dined with Bruce and Dorrit at IYC. Afterwards, at the the Convention Center we listened to the symphony featuring Al Holland.  Al's selections included Neil Diamond's Coming to America.  We all sang Lee Greenwood's God Bless the USA to end the performance.  Afterwards we watched the fireworks from the 41 bridge to end our fourth with a flash!

Everything Punta Gorda

The Peace River

Retiring to Florida