All – James M. Day

MINI Beach Weekend 2023

The third edition of MINI Beach Weekend, an annual Sunshine MINIs event, took place on the west coast of Florida in St. Petersburg, from October 20-22, 2023. Cathy Chopping (with help from her husband) volunteered to host this year’s event. She did a great job.

Some history: I started this annual event with MINI Beach Weekend 2021 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Last year, MINI Beach Weekend 2022 was hosted by Tracey Roth (and husband Chad) in Fernandina Beach, Florida.

Cathy did all of the planning for the event. I helped again with the Registration and graphics. She created and managed the Facebook event pages. We had about 40 people attend the weekend events.

Day 1: Friday, October 20, 2023

Unfortunately, my MINI was in the shop so I drove my Porsche down to St. Petersburg instead. My first stop was to meet Cathy and Mark and others for lunch at Doc Ford’s Rum Bar at the St. Pete Pier. After lunch, I headed to the southern end of the St. Pete peninsula to a friend’s house I was using (for free!) for the weekend. I was disappointed not staying with everyone at the Crystal Bay Hotel, but I couldn’t pass up a free place to stay.

Around 3:20 pm I arrived at 3 Daughters Brewing, the site for the first official event, the MINI Car Show. I helped a little at Registration, picked up my Welcome Package and some stickers, and chatted with some friends I hadn’t seen since last year at the event.

Soon I went inside to get a cold beer and have a look around the brewery. They brew some very good beers there. I tried the Mexican Lager.

Beer in hand, I took some time to stroll through the parking lot and take a look at the varieties of MINIs. I wrote down my votes for the MINIs, grouped by generation.

I parked away from the MINIs, but still in front of the brewery with its matching blue canopies.

It was a perfect evening, and we spent about three hours hanging out as people enjoyed the beer and voted on their favorite cars.

MINI Beach Weekend 2023 Car Show Cathy and James

A little after 6:00 pm we held the weekend’s first raffle for some nice MINI prizes.

The car show wrapped up around 7:00 pm and many people went to the host hotel. I followed along, since we were planning to have dinner at a restaurant near the hotel. A joined a group of former hosts and old Sunshine MINIs friends at The Wheelhouse, a small pub with the normal, but good, pub food. Then it was time to leave the group and drive back south to the house I was staying in.

Day 2: Saturday, October 21, 2023

Saturday’s event was a beach day and picnic at Fort De Soto Park. Cathy had rented Shelter #2 on North Beach for the group. The MINI dealership was holding a charity event that day, so some people chose to attend that before coming to the beach afterwards.

MINI Beach Weekend 2023 Fort De Soto Park

Unexpectedly, a couple driving a classic MINI, “Tiny”, showed up. This right-hand-drive light blue Mini with roof rack is the perfect beach day car.

I lit the grill so people could cook food they brought, but many of us lunched on Publix subs that we had pre-ordered with Registration.

Around 2:00 pm we gathered everyone in the shelter and announced the winners of the previous day’s MINI Car Show. Winners received prizes.

Then it was time to return to the house to shower and get ready for the night’s events. We all gathered again around 5:30 pm at John’s Pass Village & Boardwalk, a seaside area with shops, restaurants, and (of course) breweries. Pro tip: park in the parking garage instead of the $20 dirt lot.

We gathered up as many people as we could find and took a group photo on the boardwalk.

We all split up for dinner, with my group walking up the street to Mad Beach Craft Brewing Company. Cathy and posed for our “official” planning team photo.

MINI Beach Weekend 2023 Mad Beach Craft Brewing James and Cathy

MINI Beach Weekend 2023 Mad Beach Craft Brewing

After dinner, we again broke up into smaller groups for walking, shopping, listening to music, and eating ice cream.

Day 3: Sunday, October 22, 2023

Sunday’s final event was lunch at Ferg’s Sports Bar & Grill. We met up early, around 11:00 am and before opening time, so that we could fill the parking lot with MINIs. It was the third day of perfect weather.

You can see Tropicana Field, home field of the Tampa Bay Rays, in the background, it was just a few blocks away.

After lunch was served, it was time for one more raffle. Cathy and I drew numbers. Cathy had bought, made or received as donations, so many items, there were more prizes than people, so everyone took home something—from toy MINIs, to gift certificates, posters, and keychains.

MINI Beach Weekend 2023 Ferg's Cathy and James

Finally, we said a few last words and thanked everyone for coming. I left for home around 12:30 pm.

Cathy did a great job finding the locations and planning out the schedule and selecting a host hotel. She spent a lot of time buying and making MINI Beach Weekend 2023 prizes, souvenirs, and decals, most of which she gave away. I was disappointed not to have my MINI Cooper with me for the weekend, but I did enjoy driving around St. Pete in my convertible, enjoying the perfect weather.

I hope someone will volunteer to host MINI Beach Weekend for 2024 in yet another new beach town. Or maybe it will come back to the Daytona Beach area…

Nicole Stott Book Signing

On Tuesday, April 25, 2023, Hunt Library (where I work) at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University hosted a book signing and talk by Nicole Stott, an “astronaut, artist, and mom”. She is a graduate of Embry-Riddle and flew on the space shuttle Discovery on NASA Space Shuttle mission STS-128 to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2009. She returned on space shuttle Atlantis (STS-129). Her second trip into space was aboard space shuttle Discovery (STS-133) docking with the ISS.

I was part of the planning team to organize and manage the event. I arrived at the Henderson Welcome Center at 3:00 pm and immediately met Nicole. We had a pleasant chat and I told her I would be photographing the event for the Library.

At 3:30 pm she began signing books while I took photos. Nicole took time to write a few words in each book in addition to her signature. She answered everyone’s questions and was happy to pose with them.

Shortly before 5:00 pm, Anne Marie Casey, Hunt Library Director, formally introduced Nicole and she began her talk, complete with slideshow. She recounted her years at Embry-Riddle, her astronaut training, her two space shuttle flights and time in space, and also her art—she showed works that she had made in space. I had a great seat at the front.

Nicole had worn an Embry-Riddle t-shirt and flew an Embry-Riddle banner into space. She’s a proud graduate.

After Nicole’s talk, she signed a few more books until most of the guests had left. This is when I got my copy signed and had my photo taken with her holding the book Back to Earth. We talked some more as we were wrapping up the event and she couldn’t have been any nicer.

She has strong ties to Embry-Riddle (an art gallery on campus is named for her) and will be attending more events in the future. So I expect I’ll get to meet and talk with her again.

50 Hikes: #24 Hal Scott Preserve

This is Hike #24 in the book 50 Hikes in Central Florida, completed on February 20, 2023.

It was a cool and sunny morning when I set off down a wide, sandy road just before 10:30 am. There was no trail information at the parking lot, but after a few minutes I came to a kiosk with park information. I took a quick glance and set off again.

Soon I turned right to begin the White Loop. The trail looked like a strip of mowed grass.

I continued down this double-track trail surrounded by palmettos with no shade at all. The book indicated a spot to observe pitcher plants, but I did not see them. After almost two miles I arrived at a sign indicating the start of the Red Loop.

This was not part of the hike, so after a short walk down the connector trail I continued on the White Loop trail.

Soon the trail got as wide as a road and there began to be areas of standing water. After almost three miles I reached an intersection for a trail leading to the Curry Ford Bridge and the Yellow Loop beyond. I followed this trail to the bridge and just beyond.

The Yellow Loop also wasn’t part of the suggested hike, so I turned around and rejoined the White Loop. I turned right. At the next intersection I turned right to head down a side trail to the canal and group campsite.

Near the end of the canal was a new-looking hand pitcher pump. I tried it out and it pumped out cool, clear water. Here I met a woman walking her handsome German Shepherd and we chatted a bit (the woman, not the dog). Next, I visited the group campsite with its several towering trees (see photo at top and below) creating a shaded canopy. The campsite had a pavilion, grill, fire pit with several benches, and a picnic table.

After a short water break, I returned along the canal and then took the trail back to the White Loop. I turned right again. The trail soon became a wide, sandy trail again.

The trail passed a small pond which gave a last semi-scenic view. The intersection with the entrance trail meant I had completed the loop. I turned right and walked back down the sandy entrance trail.

All day the sun was fully out and the temperature had climbed to 78°F as I walked past the kiosk and arrived back at the trailhead a little after 1:00 pm. The hike had taken just over two and a half hours to complete the 6.3 mile loop (5.9 miles were given in the book).

Post-Hike Beer

On the drive back I stopped in the Port Orange location of Persimmon Hollow for a cold beer and some lunch.

IMSA Twenty-Four Premier at ONE DAYTONA 2023

For the 2023 racing season, the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) introduced new classes of racecars: Grand Touring Prototype (GTP), Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2), Le Mans Prototype 3 (LMP3), GT Daytona Pro (GTD Pro), and GT Daytona (GTD). On Wednesday, January 25, 2023, IMSA gave us an up-close look at a sampling of the new cars at ONE DAYTONA, an entertainment area just across the street from the Daytona International Speedway.

Porsche was introducing their new Porsche 963 cars to compete in the GTP class. Porsche’s entry for the GTD Pro and GTD class was the new Porsche 911 GT3 R (992).

I left my office at 5:00 pm and drove less than a mile to ONE DAYTONA. I met my friend Olga there. We quickly found a place along the main entrance road to watch the parade of cars.

The new Porsche 963 was the main car I came to see. The #7 car was towed by a Porsche Penske Motorsport cart.

IMSA Twenty Four Premier at ONE DAYTONA 2023 Porsche 963

The flashiest car was probably the #83 Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo 2 from the Iron Dames team of all-female drivers.

The other new Porsche car I wanted to see was the new Porsche 911 GT3 R. The Pfaff Motorsports #9 car will compete in the GTP Pro class.

IMSA Twenty Four Premier at ONE DAYTONA 2023 Pfaff Porsche

Olga previously owned a Porsche Macan and is also a Porsche fan, like me. So we had to get a photo with the Pfaff #9.

IMSA Twenty Four Premier at ONE DAYTONA 2023 Olga and James

The Porsche 963 was covered for its official unveiling, so this was the only parked photo I took.

We did get to stand for photos with the IMSA Official Safety Car, a Porsche 911 Turbo S (992).

IMSA Twenty Four Premier at ONE DAYTONA 2023 Porsche and James

IMSA Twenty Four Premier at ONE DAYTONA 2023 Porsche and Olga

Finally, we headed upstairs to the Blue Flame Lounge for some dinner and drinks. It was a beautiful evening and a lot of fun getting up close to the cars and drivers competing in the 2023 Rolex 24 at Daytona a few days later.

Heart Walk 2022

After a two-year hiatus, the Volusia/Flagler Heart walk was held again at the Daytona International Speedway. Originally scheduled for Friday, September 30, 2022, the event got postponed due to Tropical Storm Ian. It was rescheduled for Saturday, December 12. For Heart Walk 2018 and 2019, I walked with colleagues from Hunt Library. I had formed a team again and received a few donations, however none of my colleagues that had walked in the past could attend this year on the new date. Almost at the last minute my friend Olga agreed to walk with me.

We drove into the infield area and parked, then walked to the Fanzone to sign in. The morning was cool but sunny, a perfect day for a walk. We picked up water and snacks, took photos, and listened to the speakers announce the fundraising winners. The attendance was much lower, probably due to the time of year, but there was still a respectable crowd.

We received our instructions and shortly after 9:00 am we entered the track to begin the 2.5 mile walk. Even though I had done it a couple times before, it’s still interesting to be able to walk on the racetrack at the Speedway. Olga seemed to be excited about it.

Olga wanted to walk very fast, and I struggled to keep up. I did manage to convince to slow down a bit, but we walked the entire trioval at a fairly brisk pace—when we weren’t stopping to take photos, of course.

We walked for about 45 minutes as the morning became a bit warmer. Finally, just before 10:00 am we headed down pit road where the team from the American Heart Association cheered us on and took our photo.

The walk now completed, we grabbed some more snacks and water and left the Fanzone. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to drive on any of the track this time, but we drove through the infield and tunnel and left the Speedway, headed for a well-deserved lunch.

Thanks to Olga for being a fun and enthusiastic partner for Heart Walk 2022.

Best of KEXP 4

KEXP is an independent radio station in Seattle which streams live and also hosts musical artists playing in their in-house studio. The station makes these live performances available on YouTube. I have discovered many new bands by following KEXP’s YouTube channel. Here are some of my favorite live performances. See also Best of KEXP 1, Best of KEXP 2, and Best of KEXP 3.

Belle and Sebastian (2022)

Fontaines D.C. (2022)

Fontaines D.C. (2019)

Lucy Dacus (2021)

Jupiter & Okwess (2020)

Daytona Beach Riverfront Esplanade, Part 1

After years of planning and construction, part of the Daytona Beach Riverfront Esplanade opened at 8:00 am on Saturday, June 4, 2022. The Riverfront Esplanade lies to the east of Beach Street between Main Street to the north and International Speedway Boulevard (ISB) to the south. The two-block section south from ISB to Orange Avenue is still under construction with a scheduled opening at the end of 2022.

Opening Day

I didn’t know it was open when I set out on a morning walk up Beach Street. Looking over to the park, I noticed the orange fencing had been removed and the teal-colored gates were open. I entered the park at the entrance next to the News-Journal Center and headed north to see the Halifax River Overlook, a raised platform with swings and views across the river.

I left the overlook and continued north behind the News-Journal Center.

Past the News-Journal Center, the path (with blue cushioned running trail) ran parallel to Beach Street past Bethune Plaza and the Brown & Brown Insurance building.

This view is across the South Lawn towards Manatee Island.

Soon I arrived at the Manatee Plaza where staff were handing out postcard announcements, park maps, water bottles, and bandanas. The plaza contains restrooms and is the gateway to Manatee Island.

Although I have lived in downtown Daytona Beach for more than nine years, I had never visited Manatee Island. I now crossed the bridge and turned right, quickly arriving at the Amphitheater. This was not new, but it had been refurbished and had fresh grass laid down.

Daytona Beach Riverfront Esplanade Manatee Island

I continued walking counterclockwise around the island with views across the Halifax River to several bridges.

The island had lots of palm trees, open grassy areas, several pavilions, and more restrooms.

I circled the island, then crossed the bridge back to the main park and turned right to continue north for a little bit. After passing under an orange inflatable arch, I decided to turn around and head back home.

I retraced my route back south on the (main) Sweetheart Trail along the South Lawn.

I passed again behind the News-Journal Center with a view towards the Halifax River Overlook.

I passed the path where I had entered the park and continued south.

I reached the south entrance at the corner of Beach Street and ISB and exited the park after finishing an hour’s walk. Below is the free gear I got.

Daytona Beach Riverfront Esplanade Free Gear

Day Two

The next day, Sunday, June 5, I rode my bike through the Riverfront Esplanade to have a second look and to visit the areas I hadn’t seen the day before. I entered at the south entrance and rode along the main path, around the Overlook, past the News-Journal Center, and looped Manatee Island. At the Manatee Plaza I rode north along the North Lawn to the end I skipped the day before.

When I reached the Josie Rogers’ House, I turned left and rode out to the entrance on Beach Street for some photos of the house.

Daytona Beach Riverfront Esplanade Josie Rogers' House

The sign reads:

DR. JOSIE ROGERS’ HOUSE
Dr. Josie Rogers was born in Daytona Beach on November 26, 1876 – the same year the city was incorporated. In 1879, her father built this house, where she grew up. She became the first female Mayor of Daytona Beach in 1922, only 2 years after passage of woman’s right to vote. She was the first female physician in Daytona Beach and her office was open to both white and black patients. She served as Chairman of the State Health Department and Chief of Staff for the Halifax District Hospital. Her father, Durham Rogers, was instrumental with the incorporation of the Town of Daytona. He was the Town’s first surveyor, built the first ice plant and first bridge across the Halifax River (Main Street Bridge).

Not noted on the sign: This house is not in its original location, it had been moved years ago from the spot where Manatee Plaza now sits.

I continued around the house north to Brownie’s Dog Park.

Daytona Beach Riverfront Esplanade Dog Park

The Dog Park, which includes an agility course, was not open. Dog owners must sign up for a dog park membership to use it.

I now reached the north entrance to the park.

Daytona Beach Riverfront Esplanade North Entrance

From here I re-entered the park and followed the (main) Sweetheart Trail all the way back to the south entrance.

I left the park, and turned right to ride north on Beach Street along the west perimeter of the park. At Main Street is located the main sign for the Riverfront Esplanade (see first photo, above). I continued north along the riverfront to extend my ride. On the way home, I stopped by Veteran’s Plaza for one last photo.

Daytona Beach Riverfront Esplanade Memorial

I have been skeptical about how many new people the new Riverfront Esplanade will attract to patronize the riverfront shops of Daytona Beach. But as a downtown resident, I am pleased to have a beautiful new park in which to walk and ride my bike. I look forward to the opening of the southern section in a few months. Watch for Part 2.

50 Hikes: #26 Split Oak Forest Wildlife and Environmental Area

This is Hike #26 in the book 50 Hikes in Central Florida, completed on March 6, 2022.

Although I hiked Doris Leeper Spruce Creek Preserve for the second time in January, this was my first new hike from the book in 2022. The weather was beautiful all day, but the hike itself was one of the least interesting, so far. The entire perimeter trail was a double-track for horses and hikers. The highlight here is definitely the trees.

ERAU Cars & Coffee

I originally had planned to go to the Central Florida Cars & Coffee on Sunday, March 6, 2022, so I had cleaned and detailed my car the previous day. However, when I saw the Instagram post from the Embry-Riddle Muscle Car Association about their Cars & Coffee happening that Sunday morning, I changed my plans. They had invited anyone to attend, not just students.

Doris Leeper Spruce Creek Preserve Hike

A few days before this hike, my friend Olga sent me a text message asking me to pick a hike for the weekend. We had previous hiked the St. Francis Trail together and really enjoyed it. In August 2019 I had hiked Doris Leeper Spruce Creek Preserve, but that day was hot and miserable due to horseflies. Back then I knew I wanted to hike it again during a cooler time of year. So I suggested this hike to Olga.