KSRQ to KPDG and back . . . .

KVNC 

Venice jettys (one day I'll be sailing again)

The $100.00 hamburger was actually a patty melt, and it was only $60.00.  Fuel at KPGD is the best self serve station yet.  $3.71 per gallon.  Twenty-one cents more than KX07.  But better runways, clean, good equipment, and a cooler with iced bottled water, a full FBO.  And down and back along the beach is a more pleasant view.

Mistake or, what I learned today?  When Tampa Approach let's you go, they don't necessarily tell you in simple language:  N65995, Tampa Approach, fly own navigation, squawk 1200.  Whatever the heck the controller was saying did not register.  After a few, say agains, I asked, would you like me to fly my own navigation, and he replied, affirmative.  It didn't help that I wasn't out of the Class C when he gave me instruction, or I was just barely out.  Upon arriving at KPGD there was a little back and forth about me squawking a code that was not VFR, which I should have been.

Another odd event, the twin who landed in front of me pulled off the runway just past the markings, and stopped and stayed right there for way too long.  I was directed off the same taxiway and could not clear the runway!  Tower finally chastised the twin, and off he went.  In retrospect, the twin likely had the right to stay where he was but he likely also should have let Tower and Ground know what his intentions were.

It will be important to remain vigilant about looking for traffic.  Traffic on the G1000, with annunciations is too cool and could lead to complacency.  Audible alerts come when traffic is within 0.5 nm or 34 seconds and +/- 500 feet.