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**Michael Johnson** · October 27th 07, 03:08 AM posted to rec.autos.makers.ford.mustang

wrote:
> On Oct 26, 7:33 am, Michael Johnson > wrote:
>
>> I haven't been to Florida since my father passed away in 1990. He had a
>> house in Ruskin just Southeast of Tampa Bay. He had a home made air
>> boat and a regular boat that we used for some great excursions. We
>> would get oysters, clams, scallops, island hop and camp on the Key
>> Islands, fish in remote areas, make all day jaunts into the upper
>> Everglades among other things. Going there now to stay in a hotel and
>> sit on the beach just doesn't do it for me now. IMO, the majority of
>> people that visit Florida miss out on doing the best stuff the state
>> offers.
>
>> Forget Disney World, there are much better attractions from
>> Mother Nature.
>
> Another thing we agree on. Man-made attractions or Mother Nature.
> Mother Nature wins hands down every time!

I made the trip to Ruskin, Florida every spring break while I was in
college. My sophomore year several college buddies that went to Ft.
Lauderdale that year swung by my Dad's place for two days. We took them
out to do the stuff I normally did there and they LOVED it. For the
next two years my friends skipped Ft. Lauderdale and stayed at my
father's place and we had a blast both years. They ate up going into
the Everglades, running through abandoned boats in the middle of Tampa
Bay in 2-3 feet of water (a very weird experience BTW to be miles from
shore and get out of the boat and wade around in knee high water), dive
for gallons of fresh oysters, clamming, crabbing (some of the biggest
and best I have ever had), fishing etc. Also, it is EXTREMELY cool to
find a small isolated Key island and camp out overnight and sit around a
fire and eat, drink beer and talk bull**** until dawn. Great memories,
I tell you.