Daytona Beach Dog Races

During our Spring Break trip, my sister and I went to the dog races at the Daytona Beach Kennel club. The races are now held at a very new location that also has poker available. You can also bet on all sorts of dog and horse races across the country. I was amazed and a little overwhelmed.

Dog races are a family affair unlike horse races. Families come to the races, especially those that are tourists. At first it looks like a fun actitivity. However, I have so many concerns about the greyhound dogs used for this "sport". I feel so sorry for them which is why I only go to these events once every 5 years or so.

There were also many people at the dog races who looked like they did not have the money to gamble. It looks like they come hoping to score a big win. We saw many of them leave very disappointed. Makes me wonder if that money was meant to pay the rent and now it is gone. I could see how people could get pulled in by the "rush". But these are the same people who can't manage their money, maybe depressed, etc.

People bet on a dog races using so many different methods. Some people go by the name of the dog, their number, or even those who get into all of the stats. I am somewhere in the middle. I try to look at the stats but to tell you the truth I really don't understand all of it. It becomes analysis paralysis. So then I look at the dog and it's name to see if I get a feel for the dog that will be the winner.

Well, needless to say, I was not lucky. I obviously did not have the right process to place bets. Hey but for $20 I had fun. My sister was much more lucky than I. It was a fun way to spend an evening.

Spring Break at Hammock Beach, Palm Coast Florida

I had the best time this Spring Break with my sister, Diane. We stayed at a condo at Hammock Beach which is an awesome resort located on Florida's east coast between St. Augustine and Daytona Beach. Check out their website at http://www.hammockbeach.com/.

We spent time reading and walking on the beach, reading and drinking by the pool, sightseeing, etc. It was the first time that two of us spent a whole week together without our husbands. It was also different since our other sister, Donna, was unable to come due to her work schedule.

One of our excursions was to the Daytona Beach Flea Market which is open every weekend. The flea market is spread over several large buidlings. There is everything from fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs, vitamins, to discount tourist tshirts, jewelry, luggage, belts, etc. The only thing I bought were reading glasses which were a bargain at 2 pairs for $8!

Another excursion we took was to St. Augustine which is a beautiful historic city. I love looking in all of the little shops. There are also many photo opportunities in this town. I had the best hand scooped ice cream at Kirwin's. It hit the spot on a warm day.

The weather was great during our week at the beach. We couldn't have asked for a better week!