JUNE JOURNAL
eeptWednesday, June 1, 2011
I wake up at 6:05 after my new phone's alarm automatically snoozed for 5 minutes. Today I need to stage my bike at Eldrige's Marina, drive to catch a ferry about four miles down the road so I can get to Palm Island. Then jog the six or so miles and call the water taxi and ride my bike back. Thus, the early wake-up.
Now, the cool thing is how I got this figured out. I always asks folks about the next beach or next island and how to get there. Earlier yesterday morning while staging my bike at Stump Pass State Park I asked the man on duty, a Marine who was at the Bay of Pigs, the best way to access the next island. He said there was a state park ferry that left around 10 and came back at 4. That really would be pushing it for me. Hmm... Later, as I jogged that last stretch of beach at the park, another ranger in a gator pulled up. I was right near the end of the beach so I asked him if I could hitch a ride back. He said that they are not really supposed to unless someone is injured. So I started limping. He said okay.
This is a beautiful little park. We followed a trail along the water and picked up plastic bottles, etc., that folks just left behind. I asked about the next island and he said there was a ferry that cost only $5. It went to the only restaurant on the island. Great. After I was done I went to Walmart to return a phone. I did that and while there I spied another phone that just got reduced in price. Only $29.99. An LG900g. It has everything I need. Pics, video, apps, voice recorder, FM radio, MP3 player. So, I got that phone with the idea of turning in the other phone the next day. In the checkout line I noticed the guy behind me had a necklace with three mini-spikes in the shape of a cross. I commented on that and he said his family made those and each member of the family had one. Cool!
Then I asked about the ferry. This guy, Emmet, runs a water taxi! He knew everything. He told me where to catch the ferry (Panama Blvd.) and where to state my bike, (the marina he works out of). ((By the way, if one doesn't like the idea of using prepositions at the end of a phrase or sentence, Winston Church, a prolific writer, statesman, etc., said "That is a rule I will not up with put!") lol Anyway, after talking with Emmet, I solidified my plan for today. Serendipity or God? I choose God. And speaking of God, I did not start this trip or journal with the idea of it being a Christian thing. I had this passion and wanted to do it. That's it. But, so much has happened that directly involves God working in, through, and around me, I would be disingenuous if I did not mention Him as my Guide for this journey and my life.
So, I get to the ferry. I stage my bike and meet Ruthie, and just like Emmet said, she is a sweetheart. Then I get to the ferry. There are two young men there waiting. I wait with them. Once is talking about paganism, God, etc. I join in. It is a lively and fun conversation. We don't see eye to eye, but we appreciate each other's intelligence and sincerity. The ferry ride is less than fifty yards. The cost is $6 and I am happy to be there. I start walking, the two fellows go to the contractor's truck and the guy I was talking with tosses me an ice cold bottle of water. Cool. I didn't bring any, thinking I could get some along the way. (Not a good idea) I stowed the water and started walking. The fauna was absolutely gorgeous. I met a few contractors waiting to work in the gated area. They can't start till eight. They are nice fellows and tell me to keep left when the street forks and that will take me to the north end of the island.
No cars are allowed in the area, only golf carts. It's a nice area and almost all of the people passing by all wave and say Hi. Feels good. The few-mile walk is refreshing. The houses are huge but not ostentatious like those from Longboat Key, Siesta Key down to Nokomis Beach. Finally I reach the end of the road. I put a pic of it on the June photo page.
I walk out to the beach and to the edge of the water. A nice lady is there. Marcia is a volunteer turtle egg hunter. She found where a turtle had lain eggs the night before and has called the person in charge so they can come and find the eggs and mark the site. I get to the end of the beach,going through some trees and water to do it. I don't stretch much, just sit and take in the view. I start out jogging and within a minute find a very nice shell. Then I see Marcia and the other lady at the turtle trail. I walk over and watch them. Finally I get to see a turtle egg! Yes! I say goodbye and head out. That took about 10 minutes so now it is around 9 am. I start jogging again. The beach is beautiful, the sand is kind of soft so I keep trying to find the hard stuff. It is getting hot already and I drink half the bottle of lemon water. After about another half hour I drink the other half. I see the park down the beach, maybe a mile or so. There are only a few people out and they all seem to be nice.
I get to the park and find that the rangers are having a big meeting in the pavilion. I quietly ask where the water is and, boy, does that taste good! Plus I run the shower over my head. This is always a special treat that I enjoy. After a nice 20-minute break I ask how far to the end. They say it's a little over three miles. Cool. Off I go with my hydration bladder full. The sun feels hot,but good. The water today is like yesterday, just light swells, lapping up unto the shore. The beautiful green water looks so inviting. I see a tourist finding shells and, after seeing what she has, I give her one I just found.
After I pass the park, I see these houses, cottages compared to those on the north end. They are right on the beach and just beautiful. Not beautiful in the sense of well-painted, etc. But they look like beach houses. Cool. A lady is sitting out under an umbrella, Victoria is her name. I comment on the row of houses and she invites me to sit in the shade. I do. Her and her family is from Tampa and they have a home here. We talk and I take a a break. She offers me a cold bottle of water. (I never turn that down!) I say goodbye and continue on my way. At the end of the beach there are two boats anchored with people onshore. One lady and her two daughters are looking for shells and finding many. They are only after the small ones. We chat. She mentions not to tell anyone about this island. She gives me a list of things to say if I do. No store, No cars, Access by ferry, Mosquitoes, etc. Kind of like on the panhandle of Florida. "Tell them to go to Destin." they say. I agree! And Destin is a really nice place.
I spy a boat and since this boat seems to be a company boat, I ask the fellow in the boat if he belongs to the water taxi service. He say no but he will give me a ride. His name is Bob and he is a lawyer from Maine. He is here for the tarpon. Last night he and two friends hooked nine tarpons. He hooked five himself and landed two. It was the best tarpon fishing he has had. He seems to be a really nice fellow. I offer to pay him $10, which would be a $5 discount for me, and he chuckles and agrees. I ask if he has change for a $20. And he says he does, but when we land, he checks and doesn't have the change. He says it's on him and I thank him.
I have a snack, take a pic of Ruthie (It's always nice to get the local color, especially of nice people), and hop on the bike. I get to my van and head to a nearby state park. I cook a wonderful lunch, take a rest, shave and head back to Walmart to take the other phone back. My son and I text. He is excited about baseball. Great! He is a very good player. Better than I ever was!
It is now 8:05 pm and it has been a long, fulfilling day. I need to find a place to sleep tonight and hit the next island tomorrow.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
I slept at a fishing spot I had used before. I slept very well. McDonald's is nearby so I had my coffee and the usual crowd came in. One guy is really funny. All retired of course. It is a nice group, with just a touch of complaining.
I am running a little late today, but feel pretty good with this week so far. Last night someone told me to stop at Boca Grande's 17th to 19th street. They have beach accesses there. So, I pay my toll and get on the causeway to Boca Grande not sure of what to expect. First thing I notice is GIBA at the toll booth. I ask the fellow what is stands for and he points to a sign and tells me also. "Gasparilla Island Bridge Authority" Okay. Now I know.
As I travel along the causeway I see an inordinate amount of signage saying No Fishing, or No Trespassing or No Parking - Tow Away Zone. And the signs keep coming. I get the picture! "If you get off the road, we shoot you!" lol At least that is what it seemed like. Only one problem, on google maps I see a tiny beach, so I stop at the local boat launch on the causeway. This is only for members and guests. Guess I am a guest! It was only for a moment. I quickly go to the area where the beach is supposed to be and can't find it. All rocks now. Okay, I get back in the van and head to Boca Grande, which means "Big Mouth" in Spanish. Having seen all those signs, I tend to agree with the name.
The houses at the north end are private and even the lake is private. So, can't park there. I find 17th street and there is parking. Interestingly, this seems to be the halfway point of the island. I had no idea. I got my gear ready and hopped out. It was about 10:30. I went to the beach and it was beautiful, of course. I look in both directions and the beach curved at both ends. It looked inviting. I took off heading north to the end.
The night before at a cafe, someone told me to use beach access points near 17th St. I did. Later, I discovered it was about the halfway point. I got there, parked my van and took off about 9:00 am. I put on my pack and start walking up the beach. It is, again, a beautiful, sunny day. A few are fishing, some families are already on the beach and everyone seems happy. The water is lapping the shore in luminescent greens. My stride is fast and I feel good. I see this older guy walking ahead. He is wearing a jock strap thing? a male thong? Whatever, gross. Actually he is in excellent shape and very well tanned. As I walk by, I see the familiar USMC on his sunglass's strap. Shoot! Gotta say Semper Fi. So, I do and we have a good conversation. Perceptions? I am always getting blindsided like that. I guess it is a good thing, otherwise I would really get set in my way and be way too opinionated.
I reach the end and take a little break. It is farther than I thought! I start jogging back, following that wonderful curve of a beach. I am getting tired! I finally reach my access point and find I am on 19th St., not 17th St. Back to the beach! For two blocks. I get to my van and take a well-deserved break. I eat and sleep. About 2 pm I realized that I really need to get up and get the rest of this beautiful island done. So, I drive to the southern end and find a state park. I park the van and take my bike back, staging it at the 17th St. sign.
I head to the beach and off I go. I feel pretty good. Usually the second jog takes a lot out of me, but my pace is slow and steady and I feel good. I pass a few places I saw along the way; an old lighthouse, a pier and then I reach the end and keep going around the corner. Done! Now to find my van. I do and after a short time, I am off. I am off to a dance at the Ritz Carleton Hotel in Sarasota where they have the best Chocolate Martinis in the world, according to Peter the bartender, and he is right!
I get cleaned up at Manasota Pass Beach and change into something more attuned to dancing. The valet parks my cargo van. I always get a kick out of telling him not to scratch it. We laugh. He saw this van last week as well. And in a convoluted way this is how I came to fly back to Ohio to see my kids on my birthday!
It happened like this. The place was packed and there were no tables. But there was a very nice plush chair which I made my throne, ordering water from the waitress. I had been there before so I new some of the people there. I danced with one and returned to my chair. The two couples at the table to my right got up and left, and I grabbed their table. A short time later three ladies came in looking for a place to sit. I saw them and waved them over. Two came over. We chatted and had a few dances. One was telling me that she was an ESL (English as as Second Language) teacher for the local high school. She had in interview in a few days with the Baltimore Orioles to assess their players ability in English. I mentioned that I had studied and had become certified in OPI (Oral Proficiency Interview) by Steven Stupak. She asked me to help prepare and I said that I had to charge her something, so how about lunch? She suggest Paneras at one the next day, Friday. I spent a few hours reviewing my stuff and checking out sources online for her. I was early, she drove by several minutes late and kept on going.
Shoot! Maybe she didn't see me. And we hadn't exchanged numbers either. Well, I didn't want someone to think I had not shown up. So, I knew that she and her friend were supposed to be at a dance in Venice that evening. I would go there and let her know I had not forgotten.
I went there early and waited as they were probably not going to show up till 10 or so. I did meet a few folks I knew from dancing in the area before. Finally, one of the girls shows up. We chat and dance and wait for the one with whom I had the appointment. In the meantime, this girl dances, but not before I give her my card and ask that she pass it on. She said she will.
Well, there is this other lady there who is very cute! So, I as her to dance. And we have a good time. She mentioned that she and her friend are going to the Nokomis beach drums tomorrow night. I said that I will be there. (But, I couldn't make it.) So, I text my apologies and said something like she seems to be a very nice girl. She texts back and says there is one Sunday night as well at Siesta Key Beach. The next day, I text and ask if she is still going? She says, "yes" and I meet her there. A very nice girl!
We have fun and in the process of getting to know each other, we chat. I mentioned that I really would like my kids to come down for my birthday next week, bu it doesn't seem to be working out. She mentions that tickets are still cheap, even for quick flights. Wow. I hadn't thought about that! I could go see them! So, the next day I check and sure enough $120 will get me to Ohio.
So that is how I got home to see my kids for my birthday! And, yes, I did get to help the lady for her interviews.
Wednesday, June 8 - Tuesday, June 21, 2011
I fly home and spend time with my kids and take a trip to Chicago to visit my friend. Highlights: My son played in a double-header with hits (and bunts!) and fielded well. My daughter had us down to Columbus on Saturday for a birthday lunch and we all had a good time. Visiting Chicago, attending the Blues Fest (Awesome!) and going to a Cubbie's game. (Great fans!) And, of course, seeing my friend!
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Spent the night in Sarasota getting things ready for my jogs.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Planning my Coya Costa Jog. I was going to drive up Sanibel Island and then drive over to Captiva and kayak from there. Problem is the end of Captiva has a gated community and that means more kayaking than I want. So, I drive to Pine Island where the marina is that takes people to Coya Costa. I am checking out a good place to launch my kayak. At the first place I stop, I meet Laura who is working behind the counter. I offer the idea of paying $50 to take me to the northern tip and picking me at the southern tip about four hours later unless I call first. Laura calls her soul make Snook and they agree to take me tomorrow. Great. And I can stay overnight at the marina for only $8. That works for me.
By the way, driving through Pine Island I get the feeling I am back in the country. Nice folks and no US 41. Interesting place.
Friday, June 24, 2011
I am up at 7 am and getting ready. The lady in the office isn't quite as nice as Laura. Oops. Better mind my P's and Q's! So, I do and buy a cup of coffee. I get back to the van, have two small cans of rice and beans and mac and beef. Plus a milk. That should tide me over for the jog. I am ready and at 8:30 sharp Snook pulls up with Laura and their friend Jody, who is 14 and likes my son's pics. :) We take off. Snook has been fishing these waters for years and is a nice fellow. Most folks here are. Kind of like the Florida Panhandle.
They drop me off and I start my exercises. It feels good to be back jogging the beaches. My smile hasn't left my face since the boat started heading for the beach. I finish stretching and take off. There are a few trees I need to circumvent and then the beach is open. I take off some time after nine. I have two bottles of water and a bladder. My other bladders needs to be cleaned so I have to buy some bleach and clean it.
The jog feels great. My pace is slow, the water is smooth, the sun is up and the beach is welcoming. I jog out and around and after a while see where there may be a place where I may have to do some wading? Hmm... Google maps are good, but the tides and weather does things. It makes it interesting. Yep, I have to do some wading. Hope it is not too deep. It's only about 20 yards, but I don't want to get my gear wet. I look around and assess the situation. I enter the water and slowly find my way around the area to the other side. There are some people, young and old fishing as I jog by. They kind of look at me a little strangely I thought. Cool! The island is narrowing and now I am jogging by the State Park area. Florida sure does keep a great state park system. With all the people using the park system, they really maintain the integrity of the land and water. Hats off to them!
After about an our and a half, my left outside thigh begins to give me fits again. It starts at the hip then moves down to the side. The first time this happened was while I was jogging St. George Island. Now that I have had this before I know what I can do and can't do. After a while I will have to stop and rest it and even stretch it. But for now, I just go heavier on the right foot to compensate. After all, I have to finish this thing today. About a mile away I stop and rest my leg. I jog farther and again after another 15 to 20 minutes I stop and take a break to lie down to stretch it. I take ten minutes and it really helps. I am up and at 'em again. YeeHah! After a while though, when I reach just a few hundred meters from the curve to the end, I have to stop every so often and rub it. Well, no speed records today!
I finally make it to the curve and survey the end, where the beach turns back north. There are several trees in the way and some I have to walk around as there is no place to safely jog around them. But if I can find some sand to jog, I do. Finally I make it to the end. I call Snook and they are having a so-so day fishing so he will be right over. Cool. I start walking back to where we agreed to meet. Walking doesn't hurt at all, just jogging. Go figure! lol
Snook and the rest arrive and I hope in the boat. Laura has a sandwich and a cold water waiting for me. Great. That cold water really tastes good and I devour that sub sandwich. Thanks Laura! I offer to stay on the boat while they keep fishing, but they are ready to go back. So, back we go and the ride was so nice and relaxing. The water was like glass, after a while, the neighboring islands were beautiful and the sun was out. I really enjoyed the ride. We docked back at Jug Creek Marina and I snapped a pic, said my goodbyes and was off.
I was planning to head to Sanibel right away, but I just had to stop by Ace Hardware and ask about this town. This is a country place in the midst of major tourist cities such as Sarasota, Venice, Englewood, Ft. Myers, etc. I just had to stop and check it out. Two nice ladies worked at Ace and told me this town, Bokeelia on the north side and Jamestown on the south, was a warm, friendly little town that no one knows about so I shouldn't tell anybody! lol They love it here. They told me about the museum, which I later hear is quite good, and that the pool is open right down the street. Well, a soak in a public pool sounded really good at 2 in the afternoon so I took off toward the pool, near the museum and library. And, for some reason, I didn't think I should leave Pine Island yet. I thought I should stay there tonight.
This brings up a point I need to share. I am a Christian, not always a good one, but when I am hot, I am hot! And when I am cold, God still seems to take care of me. He is much cooler than anyone! Anyway, I prefaced with that to let you know that I daily have ideas of how long to stay in some spot, where to spend the night, etc. In fact, I may be settled in and have this feeling that I shouldn't be here but somewhere else. So, I move my van. A few nights ago I did that knowing only that the place for me that night was down the road on the left. So, I kept looking while driving. I saw a few good possibilities but kept going. Then I turned and found right where I should be. And I slept well. This happens often, almost daily.
Anyway, I get to the pool. For two bucks because the girl gives me the senior discount, (do I look like a senior?) I got in and it felt great. Some older folks like me were there so I didn't feel too much out of place. One gent in a Vietnam Veteran cap was just leaving and gave me the best seat in the house. He loves it here, he says. I park my gear and I relax in the pool. I do some stretching and acupressure on my leg and left knee. It should help. I get out and sit down and promptly fall asleep for about a half hour. I wake up, mouth open, probably drooling and snoring (Wheezing?), but no one looks and I hop back in the pool. There are three older ladies from New Jersey talking. Two are giving advice to the newbie. Which restaurants, etc. I listen and finally ask about Sanibel. They don't know much about it but they are nice. They did suggest I eat at Reds and try the Burrito.
Later I got out of the pool, showered and dressed. I went out to the park and parking lot. I just sat on a picnic table wondering about life. This jog is going to be over some day and I have to plan my business. So, I think about that. I will have a plan, but I will be VERY open to changes.
Now I needed to get to a wifi place. I drove up the road and found the restaurant Reds, the one the ladies had mentioned. I take my computer in and ask if the have wifi. The place is very nice, by the way, with excellent food and many people. The girl behind the bar says yes, so I order a Stella Artois. I move to the end of the bar so as not to be bothered by conversation. I begin work. And I worked there for three hours, devouring a huge and delicious burrito in the process. I meet Lunda, the manager and she tells me a little about the area and place. She loves it there and it shows. I ask to leave my van there tonight and she agrees. Great! Don't have to search and waste time and gas. Off to bed, and it was a wonderful day.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
I am up and gone by 7 am. I stop to refill my ice chest and get a 69 cent huge Gatorade. Now I am on my way to Sanibel Island. I use my GPS and keep a lookout for a Dollar Tree or something similar because I need sun screen. I hadn't used any in the last two days and I can tell. Finally, at 8 am I see a big lots and stop. It doesn't open till nine, but I decide to wait. I take a snooze and work on my wifi which I get from the Subway at the corner of the building. Finally, it is nine and the doors open. The folks area very friendly and I soon have what I need.
On to Sanibel and Captiva. After all I still have to jog North Captiva today! In my mind I think I will have to kayak at least a few miles to North Captiva, then hike the 4.5 miles, jog back and kayak back. A long day to be sure. But something tells me that won't be necessary. Before leaving Pine Island, someone said I should check into the 'Tween Waters Resort. They may be able to help, or at least give me some advice. I drive up through Sanibel to Captiva. The 'Tween Waters is easy to spot. I pull in and finally find a parking space. I hop out of my van on the way to the office and I dapper man in a golf car pulls up. He asks if I have a reservation. I say no and he tells me parking is $35 per day, but that includes a $25 coupon for food and drink in the restaurant. Huh? I just wanted to talk to someone in the office. Nope. Gotta go. For some reason I opened the back of my van and he looked oddly at my bike, kayak, etc. I definitely wasn't 'Tween Waters material. You could tell, as it was written all over his face. Poor guy.
So, I take off and find another Marina, McDonald's Marina. I park and enter the small store/office. The young man behind the counter is helpful and has a few suggestions. He checks out my web site and gets excited about what I am doing. Parking there is $10 a day and I can launch my kayak nearby. He also gives me a brochure that might be helpful. The Jensen's Twin Palm Marina Cottages. I thank him and head up to see how for north on this island I can get. Not very far it seems. There is a gated community and Sam the guard really does try to help, but he can't. Thanks Sam. This guy is a professional, unlike those at The Plantation at St. George. I was there 10 minutes and Sam was constantly busy keeping the pulse of the whole place.
So, I head to the public parking are and am about ready to pay. But I think I should check out the Jensen's Marina first. So, off I go. It is right around the curves. It is a very nice place with cottages, the store/office and marina. The place seems always busy. I walk into the office and meet Dave Jensen. I offer my card and explain what I am doing. I ask about a ride over to North Captiva and back. He quotes me the standard price which is fair but beyond my budget. So, I thank him and walk outside and sit at one of the picnic tables making my plan. I will go to the next marina where parking is $10 a day (Jensen's is really busy) and kayak the few miles to North Captiva, hike to the northern end and jog back, then kayak the two miles back to the van. Not an easy day, but I have had similar days, just have to set my mind to do it.
I start walking back to the van and Dave sticks his head out the office door and tells me to wait a minute. He had checked out my website and, as a person who has been proactive in beach preservation for many years, decided to help. We agreed on $50 and then talked about getting into the local paper, etc. and he then said he would do it for free! Great! He and his two brothers run the place and Jim, one of the brothers who was there, just smiled and thought that was cool. These folks smile a lot here! And later I learn they have so many repeat customers, stars, singers, plain folks, everyone likes it here and keep coming back.
I was ready in 10 minutes and there was a boat and Shawn, the boat captain ready. Cool. He gets me to North Captiva on the Gulf side to show me where to get picked up at. The waves are too big to get picked up on the Gulf side so he shows me where to cut through to the other side of this narrow island. Then he takes me to Barnacle's Phils and off I go. First I stop and get some ice and water. The ice I put in my hydration bladder. I go around the airfield and head to the northern end. Within a few minutes I am there and cut through a rental (I said Hi) and hit the beach. After a few stretches I take off. The beach is nice and I only have to circumvent a few places. Some people are out on this exclusive island and I say Hi. They almost all say Hi back. It's a nice day. The sun is out, but there are clouds, too.
I round the northern third of the island and keep jogging. There are some boats anchored to shore with people on shore or in and around the boats. All seem to be having a nice time. Then I spy a small banner on the beach. Hmm... Have to check it out. Oh, it is a naturalist beach for about 50 yards and there are about six or seven sitting under and awning. Some clothed, some not. I look, of course, and wave and keep going. They seem like nice folks. I always wondered why people did that. Maybe I'll stop by and ask if time permits.
I reach the halfway point and feel good. I am taking small stride because if I take longer strides my hip will start to mildly complain. That's okay, I like the pace. I come to some trees on the beach, some uprooted and have to navigate through those. I actually have to walk a little for safety's sake because it is a little tangled and I am not that foolish. (Usually!) The trees are behind me now and I can see the end of the jog. My left hip is starting to bother me so I lean more on the right foot. I have to stop several times to give me and my hip a rest. Finally I round the southern bend and finish the beach! I sit down on a tree limb next to a boat. We chat, there is a little smoke coming from one of the light fixtures on the prow of the boat. I point that out and they check it out. Not a good sign, that! They come to the conclusion it is just a little water.
I walk back up the beach to the point shown earlier. Walking doesn't bother my hip at all. And since I made good time, I hike up to the nude part of the beach to see if they are still there. Yep, they are there. So, I say hello and we chat. Very nice people. They offer me a drink and I accept and also accept the seat they offer. Howard, his wife Bear, Bruce, his wife Julie (at least that is what it seemed to me) and Stephanie are enjoying the day. Some clothed, some not. I ask about the rules of naturalists and they are pretty laissez-faire about it. I do ask why they do it and Howard says it lets him feel free. He works very hard and there is stress at his job. This gives him a chance to really feel free. The others agree. They are not parading around naked, just enjoying the sun and the beach. Signs are duly posted to tell folks what to expect. The club they belong to owns two lots on this beach and everything is legal.
I say good-bye and sorry, but no pictures! Nice folks. Did I join them in the buff? Good question! I get to my pick up point and give them a call. Shawn is on his way. Shawn has been working with the Jensen's for four years and says you can find no better bosses. He likes what he does and where he is. He is very busy with charters, especially family charters with kids. He has kids of his own who like to fish so he easily helps the other kids have fun. He has a lot of repeat business. Nice guy.
We I cut across the island where I think the place is. I see another charter there with folks in the very shallow water. I guess this is it. I walk along the water's edge and there are hundreds of crabs scurrying along, away from me. Cool. They cover the beach. I walk a ways then walk back. Hmm... This water looks pretty shallow so I walk out to where the charter is and wait there. I see a boat coming and wave. The boat goes by us and enters the next cove. I think that is my boat and after a few minutes I am sure of it. So, I missed the mark! Shoot. But the water isn't too deep and it is only a hundred yards away so I take off walking in waist deep water. I walk around the mangroves and see the boat. I wave, but I think the mangroves are making it hard for him to see me. My phone rings and it is Dave. He says the boat is out there and I tell him I see it and give my location to the boat. He says he will call again if needed.
The other charter comes by and asks if I am looking for the Jensen's charter. Yep, I reply and he says that is it. It is at least 100 yards away. Shawn pulls out and heads toward the charter next to me. The charter next to me waves him down and point at me. (Like a schoolboy lost on his first day of school!) Shawn picks me up. We head back. We arrive at the marina and I tip him a little as I ought. He really is a nice guy and did a good job.
I enter the office and thank Dave and Jim for their assistance. Dave then asks where I am staying. I say in my van and he offers me a cottage! For the next few nights no less! Okay, now I am in Heaven. This is too good to be true. I jump at it and he brings a set of linens and towels explaining that the cleaning crew hadn't cleaned yet as the person had to leave early. No problem. I can clean it! Actually, it was very clean. The next day, Sunday, I try to find a local church and the cleaning crew does a great job on the cottage
Sunday, June 26, 2011
I drove to Sanibel because I saw a church there, then I turned around as I wanted to attend church on Captiva. They have beautiful, small, old chapel there but it is open for worship only from November to April. No other church on Captiva. I hope they have a beach service in the summer months. By the way, there is an old cemetery that is very well kept next to the church. I highly recommend you stop by and visit. Just bring your mosquito repellent. But it is worth a visit.
Later, Sunday evening around 7 PM I take my bike out of the van and head north. It's a nice evening and I want to see some of the island. I come to the gated community and plan to turn around just past the guard shack. The guard, standing there, says, "You're looking good today." I pick up on this immediately and say, "Huh?". He repeats himself and I say thanks and ride on through. I ride to the marina and chat with a few kids looking at the manatees in the water. I then ride out to the northern end of the island. There is a bench at the end out there so I park my bike and take a seat.
I posted some pics of this. The sunset was obscured, but the water and sun before it set was wonderful. I rode back to the cottage and relaxed. Tomorrow I would run Captiva. It is only about 5 miles so it shouldn't be too hard. Later I meet my neighbors, Liz and Rose. They are from Ft. Lauderdale and have been coming to the Twin Palms for the past four years. They like the price and the easy, relaxed atmosphere of the place. They both have stressful jobs and this is what helps them relax. I think they should change the name of the island to Relaxation Island! Everyone here seems relaxed.
Monday, June 27, 2011
I am up at 6 and start getting ready for the day. By 7:30 am I am off. I stage my bike at the southern end of Captiva and park my van at the Jensen's Twin Palms since it less than a half mile to the public parking which costs $2 an hour. I hike out toward the north end. It is farther than I thought! Probably 2 miles. Oh, well, just another day. I get to the jetty at the end of the golf course which is the end of the island as well. There are already several people fishing, young and old.
I meet Deb who is walking to the jetty as well. Her hubby and kids are fishing and she will join them shortly. We chat. She is from near Indian Rock just south of Clearwater, FL. This is there vacation spot. Her hubby does carpentry and when he needs to get away they always come to Captiva. I ask why and she points to the jetty and says the fishing here. She has her own website for Tampa Birthday ideas. It started out as just trying to put everything on one site and now she is making revenue and has to watch her time online. After all, it is a hobby, her kids come first. Then come to find out she is a Christian and we have a little fellowship. She then goes fishing and I start my stretching and push ups. Gotta stay in shape!
I take off and it is high tide so there isn't really solid footing. Each step sinks a little into the sand. This has happened before and it usually gets better quickly. This doesn't. It's going to be a long run! The weather is good, the waves are moderate and many are in the water already. Everyone is enjoying the island. And the folks are nice, too. This soft sand is getting old. And Captiva is supposed to be one of the best shelling islands as well, but it is high tide and nary a shell I like. Except one! I have been looking for a large angel wing to complement another one. I have been looking on several beaches. Today I find one! Great!
About halfway through, I take a little break. After a minute or two I continue on down the beach. Even though it is soft sand, I still enjoy it. But I take a few more breaks before I get to the end. It takes almost 2 hours. Kind of slow. And I am beat! I get to the shower and run it over my shoes and my head. Ahh, that feels good. I hop on my bike and take off back to the van.
I arrive and call Kathy Rooker, the administrator for the Captiva Erosion Prevention District (CEPD). Dave Jensen have been involved with CEPD for several years and lined up an interview. Kathy called a reporter and she will be there a little later. Kathy is a friendly, capable person. As a former principal, she knows how to get things done and is proud of the work CEPD has done over the years. Plus she coordinates with other similar groups around Florida. And John, in the outer office handles his job well. Kathy and I talk about CEPD, passions, life experiences. It was a good conversation. Then the reporter, Melissa, comes in and her and I are ushered into a conference room. I give her my card and we chat about what I am doing, the beaches, and her job. She came here about a year ago from Indiana. And she doesn't regret the move one bit.
So, I guess I will be in the paper. We go back to Twin Palms so Dave can give some input and we get our pictures taken together. After that, I soak in the tub, a real luxury, and give my body a rest.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Up at 6:30 and ready to take on Sanibel. I am out the door by 8 and plan to run this 12-mile island in stages. Basically I need to use the public parking system so the first run is about 2 1/2 miles. I stage my bike at the southern end and after that nice short jog, start riding back to the van. The jog itself was on firm sand. Yes! And the weather was nice. On the way, I see young folks putting bags of shells on a little barge. I hop off my bike and ask if I can help. They say yes, which is not always the case, but they are nice folks who can use an extra hand. So, they give me some gloves and I get in the line and start passing bags. I ask what these are for and am told they are to help create a better ecosystem.
Last year they did the same thing and small oysters and other sea life are using the 'reef'. So, this year they are doing it again. And I get to help! Cool! The barge is loaded and I ask if I can go out to help unload, but Sabrina, in charge of the volunteers, can't allow me to go because I didn't sign a release form. Oh, well. They ask if I can help with the next and last batch of shells. I say that if I see them on my way to the next jog, sure! And I do! (Later, one of them tells me that the Jensen's loaned them the barge/pontoon boat.)
They had just gotten back from laying the bags on the 'reef' and I hop out of the van and get some gloves and help. These are nice folks and it is fun. Plus it really does help the ecosystem. And after seeing what Captiva has done for its beaches, I am all for that. On this island there are no houses or cottages precariously perched on stilts with emptiness below where several feet of sand used to be. I have seen this on several islands and now wonder why they don't organize like the folks on Captiva. Surely, the beaches are worth it, aren't they. After all, what is Florida without beaches. Georgia?
While helping I notice a report for WINK News. I ask what that is and Alyssa, the reporter, tells me it is the local CBS station. WINK 5. I ask if she would like to interview someone who is jogging all the perimeter beaches of Florida. She asks who is doing that, and one of the guys say I am. This perks her interest and after the reporting is done the project she interviews me and says she would like to do a profile, But,of course, she has to ask her producers.
Alas, I was on TV. My back was! Then I had a blurb that was at the end of the project interview. She asked why I helped and I said it looked like these folks were doing a good thing and so I wanted to help. I should have taken off my sunglasses! But, no profile. No publicity. Just me jogging. That's not a bad thing!
After this is done, I continue to the next public beach access at Tarpon Bay Beach. It is over six miles I think, and that means I will have run 8 miles today which is what I wanted. I wanted tomorrow to be an easy day, just four miles and then I could concentrate on the upcoming jogs. I stage the bike at Tarpon Bay Beach and get back to Bowman Beach and start my afternoon jog. The weather is turning a little messy and it may storm. But that's okay. I start my jog and it feels good. I keep a steady, slow pace. The waves are getting a little bigger as the wind is picking up. It looks dark on the horizon and I stop and take off my shirt so as not to catch cold if it does rain. And I keep going. The storm blows over and misses us.
The folks on the beach are nice for the most part and the jog is finally over. It took 1 hour and 50 minutes. And I am not whipped! Firm sand is wonderful! I enjoy my bike ride back to the van and call it a day. Actually, I have much to do, including web work. But I take a little time and hear that Murky Duck is a reasonably priced restaurant and I need some real chow. So, off I go walking as it is a short distance from the Twin Palms. On the way I meet a retired school teacher who lives with her husband on a boat. I ask how often they come to Captiva and she says, "as much as possible!". It was a nice chat and I am sorry I forgot her name. I arrive at the Murky Duck. The girl seats me at the worst table in the place. I look and don't like it. It's a small table abutting a pillar. What the heck? The waitress, Regina, observes my facial expressions, and maybe a verbal expression as well, and offers me a better table. Thanks!
She is nice and explains the specials and takes my order. Soon it is before me. Fish and Chips. Later I ask for catchup and another waitress says she has some and pulls out a bottle and squirts me with it! It was yarn. I crack up. That was cool. After a while and a few refills of my iced tea, I pay the bill and head out. I take a nap and sleep two hours. Wow. Guess I was a little tired. I am leaving he cottage the next day and need to get some things done before I go. Namely, more web work, iron my shirts, freeze some water, etc
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
I get up around 6:30 and start getting my things around. I cook some eggs and then wash the dishes. I iron my clothes and grab a shower. A nice, hot shower and maybe the last how shower for a while. Who knows? I am out of the at 8:10 and go to the office to say thanks one more time. Jim is there, smiling as all the brothers do. He asks if everything was okay. Yes, indeed. He then asks about my jog, etc. Nice folks. I posted a few pics of one of their places. And I see Shawn, my boat captain. He has a private charter today. It is sprinkling but it should let up soon. His charter arrives and I say good-bye.
I drive down to the end of the island and stage my van this time. I want to ride north to Tarpon Bay Beach. The weather has cleared and I am enjoying the ride. I arrive about a half hour later and lock my bike up. I then use the shower to cool my head off. That's the way to start a jog! And my new phone is working good as an MP3 player.
The weather is continually getting better and there is a slight breeze coming from the south. Many are out on the beach; reading, fishing, playing in the water. Many families are out there. I stretch, do extra push ups (Showing off!) and take of at 10:51. I feel great. My leg isn't bothering me a bit. I think I am back in my jogging stride. I stretch it out and actually run pretty fast for a old guy! Most folks on the beach are nice and many smile. There are a few, especially young teenagers, who seem a touch uppity. It is a rich island. I hope the parents are spending as much time nurturing their kids as making money. I think most do, but some ....If my kids aren't polite, they are going to hear it from me! But my kids are polite! And I am proud of them!
The run continues and I am leaping over the little pools of water. I see the end and kick it in. Man, it feels good! I slow down before I get to the end but I am happy with it. I have to circumvent a few trees in the water and then I am done. I take my pic with the lighthouse in the background. It doesn't turn out too well so I ask someone to do it. They do a good job! I finish at 12:16.
Now what? These islands are done. Wow. I get my bike and head to the causeway. I park my van near the water and pull out my beach chair. I sit there enjoying the view. Some are fishing and I get my fishing gear out, the first time since I don't remember when. I actually catch a fish! It is a black drum, one of the fisherman tells me. It is too small at about 8 inches and I toss it back. Now I am hooked again. I toss in the line again and fall asleep! I wake up about a half hour later and decide to eat the mangoes that are in the cooler. May, they are good. I also eat an apple.
I decide it is time to go as I need to get a new bulb for my left rear van light. As I am putting gear away, my rod holder falls to the ground. I look at the rod and sure enough a fish is hooked. I pull it in. It fights. I reel it in and it is a 12 inch catfish. I finally unhook it and toss it back. Then I clean my rod and reel with fresh water and use the local restroom to get cleaned up. I am tired but feel much better.
I take off over the causeway, but first I double check to see if I need to jog any of this. I don't think so, but just to be on the safe side I jog the end. It is close to a mile. It feels good. Some mud, some sand. There is one more stretch of beach I need to jog before Ft. Myers Beach but that will have to wait till tomorrow. Now I have to find a Autozone or something. Finally I do and replace the bulb. Good, no ticket! Now I am at Wendy's at 11:24 pm typing. About another hour to go.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
I had checked in at the Walmart Hilton on US 41 and Gladious. Slept well. Got up lazily after yesterday's busy day. Checked my email, brushed my teeth and shaved. I then checked the maps and decided I had to go to Bunche Beach and kayak to another beach about 1/2 mile north. Parking is only a buck an hour instead of two. That's nice. I pay for 2 1/2 hours and get my kayak out and start pumping it up. About three hundred pumps total does it. I take it to the water and put on my life preserver and hop in.
The water has some waves, but it is fun. I kayak parallel to short about 50 yards out so as not to have too many breaking waves hit me. I kayak, and the land is a national preserve and is very beautiful. I reach the other beach and get ashore. The beach is about 2000 feet long and I have to circumvent some trees and shrubs. I jog it and really like this out-of-the-way beach. I hop back in the kayak and head back. The current seems to be with me and it is even more fun. I am getting used to kayaking. Just have to keep an eye on the waves!
I jog Bunche Beach and walk back. There are some folks on the beach, some fishing, some swimming, etc. I give my card to a few folks and head out. I have no place to wash off my kayak so I just stow it in the van. I drive off to the Lover's Key State Park. I am glad to be back in a state park as I have an annual pass and parking is free, plus they have other amenities I can use. This one even has hot water! Yes! I get an early/late entry pass and find that the marina, located across the road, is open all night. Might be my hotel for the evening.
I find that the trolley stops at the park. Great. I decide to drive to the north entrance to the park the van and hop the trolley. It will take me to the northern end of Ft. Myers Beach. As it's only 2 pm, I plan to jog this beach today. It's either 7 or 8 miles long. Not sure. The trolley shows up within a few minutes and the driver is friendly. At 2:30 I hop off the trolley and walk to the end of the beach. I start my jog at 2:41. It is a slow pace. People are scattered on the beach.
Actually,during the entire jog, there were people on the beach, but it wasn't crowded at all. The weather gets a little better and it is no longer sprinkling. Overcast with a slight wind. Good for a jog. The beach pics should be posted today. The beach goes straight and curves the last few miles. Very pretty. The beach is wide with good sand and at one spot it gets really wide. Nice. At the northern end, the drinking places on the beach warn against bring your own coolers to their area. And there are several of them! Later I learn that this is the party part of the beach. Alcohol and drugs.
The southern part, south of Publix someone said, is the more relaxed part of the beach. The water, however is not as clear as most gulf water this time of year. I find out later that there are three river systems emptying into the Ft. Myers Beach area. I round the bend and jog past the bridge. Done. Wow. Now I am tired. I walk over the bridge to my van and chug some cold water. Then I hop in the van and enter the main entrance to Lover's Key State Park. Now, I have been wet all day long. First in the kayak and then jogging the beach in humid weather.
The restroom at the state park has hot water! Man, that's like manna from heaven. I clean up and feel great!
I wake up at 6:05 after my new phone's alarm automatically snoozed for 5 minutes. Today I need to stage my bike at Eldrige's Marina, drive to catch a ferry about four miles down the road so I can get to Palm Island. Then jog the six or so miles and call the water taxi and ride my bike back. Thus, the early wake-up.
Now, the cool thing is how I got this figured out. I always asks folks about the next beach or next island and how to get there. Earlier yesterday morning while staging my bike at Stump Pass State Park I asked the man on duty, a Marine who was at the Bay of Pigs, the best way to access the next island. He said there was a state park ferry that left around 10 and came back at 4. That really would be pushing it for me. Hmm... Later, as I jogged that last stretch of beach at the park, another ranger in a gator pulled up. I was right near the end of the beach so I asked him if I could hitch a ride back. He said that they are not really supposed to unless someone is injured. So I started limping. He said okay.
This is a beautiful little park. We followed a trail along the water and picked up plastic bottles, etc., that folks just left behind. I asked about the next island and he said there was a ferry that cost only $5. It went to the only restaurant on the island. Great. After I was done I went to Walmart to return a phone. I did that and while there I spied another phone that just got reduced in price. Only $29.99. An LG900g. It has everything I need. Pics, video, apps, voice recorder, FM radio, MP3 player. So, I got that phone with the idea of turning in the other phone the next day. In the checkout line I noticed the guy behind me had a necklace with three mini-spikes in the shape of a cross. I commented on that and he said his family made those and each member of the family had one. Cool!
Then I asked about the ferry. This guy, Emmet, runs a water taxi! He knew everything. He told me where to catch the ferry (Panama Blvd.) and where to state my bike, (the marina he works out of). ((By the way, if one doesn't like the idea of using prepositions at the end of a phrase or sentence, Winston Church, a prolific writer, statesman, etc., said "That is a rule I will not up with put!") lol Anyway, after talking with Emmet, I solidified my plan for today. Serendipity or God? I choose God. And speaking of God, I did not start this trip or journal with the idea of it being a Christian thing. I had this passion and wanted to do it. That's it. But, so much has happened that directly involves God working in, through, and around me, I would be disingenuous if I did not mention Him as my Guide for this journey and my life.
So, I get to the ferry. I stage my bike and meet Ruthie, and just like Emmet said, she is a sweetheart. Then I get to the ferry. There are two young men there waiting. I wait with them. Once is talking about paganism, God, etc. I join in. It is a lively and fun conversation. We don't see eye to eye, but we appreciate each other's intelligence and sincerity. The ferry ride is less than fifty yards. The cost is $6 and I am happy to be there. I start walking, the two fellows go to the contractor's truck and the guy I was talking with tosses me an ice cold bottle of water. Cool. I didn't bring any, thinking I could get some along the way. (Not a good idea) I stowed the water and started walking. The fauna was absolutely gorgeous. I met a few contractors waiting to work in the gated area. They can't start till eight. They are nice fellows and tell me to keep left when the street forks and that will take me to the north end of the island.
No cars are allowed in the area, only golf carts. It's a nice area and almost all of the people passing by all wave and say Hi. Feels good. The few-mile walk is refreshing. The houses are huge but not ostentatious like those from Longboat Key, Siesta Key down to Nokomis Beach. Finally I reach the end of the road. I put a pic of it on the June photo page.
I walk out to the beach and to the edge of the water. A nice lady is there. Marcia is a volunteer turtle egg hunter. She found where a turtle had lain eggs the night before and has called the person in charge so they can come and find the eggs and mark the site. I get to the end of the beach,going through some trees and water to do it. I don't stretch much, just sit and take in the view. I start out jogging and within a minute find a very nice shell. Then I see Marcia and the other lady at the turtle trail. I walk over and watch them. Finally I get to see a turtle egg! Yes! I say goodbye and head out. That took about 10 minutes so now it is around 9 am. I start jogging again. The beach is beautiful, the sand is kind of soft so I keep trying to find the hard stuff. It is getting hot already and I drink half the bottle of lemon water. After about another half hour I drink the other half. I see the park down the beach, maybe a mile or so. There are only a few people out and they all seem to be nice.
I get to the park and find that the rangers are having a big meeting in the pavilion. I quietly ask where the water is and, boy, does that taste good! Plus I run the shower over my head. This is always a special treat that I enjoy. After a nice 20-minute break I ask how far to the end. They say it's a little over three miles. Cool. Off I go with my hydration bladder full. The sun feels hot,but good. The water today is like yesterday, just light swells, lapping up unto the shore. The beautiful green water looks so inviting. I see a tourist finding shells and, after seeing what she has, I give her one I just found.
After I pass the park, I see these houses, cottages compared to those on the north end. They are right on the beach and just beautiful. Not beautiful in the sense of well-painted, etc. But they look like beach houses. Cool. A lady is sitting out under an umbrella, Victoria is her name. I comment on the row of houses and she invites me to sit in the shade. I do. Her and her family is from Tampa and they have a home here. We talk and I take a a break. She offers me a cold bottle of water. (I never turn that down!) I say goodbye and continue on my way. At the end of the beach there are two boats anchored with people onshore. One lady and her two daughters are looking for shells and finding many. They are only after the small ones. We chat. She mentions not to tell anyone about this island. She gives me a list of things to say if I do. No store, No cars, Access by ferry, Mosquitoes, etc. Kind of like on the panhandle of Florida. "Tell them to go to Destin." they say. I agree! And Destin is a really nice place.
I spy a boat and since this boat seems to be a company boat, I ask the fellow in the boat if he belongs to the water taxi service. He say no but he will give me a ride. His name is Bob and he is a lawyer from Maine. He is here for the tarpon. Last night he and two friends hooked nine tarpons. He hooked five himself and landed two. It was the best tarpon fishing he has had. He seems to be a really nice fellow. I offer to pay him $10, which would be a $5 discount for me, and he chuckles and agrees. I ask if he has change for a $20. And he says he does, but when we land, he checks and doesn't have the change. He says it's on him and I thank him.
I have a snack, take a pic of Ruthie (It's always nice to get the local color, especially of nice people), and hop on the bike. I get to my van and head to a nearby state park. I cook a wonderful lunch, take a rest, shave and head back to Walmart to take the other phone back. My son and I text. He is excited about baseball. Great! He is a very good player. Better than I ever was!
It is now 8:05 pm and it has been a long, fulfilling day. I need to find a place to sleep tonight and hit the next island tomorrow.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
I slept at a fishing spot I had used before. I slept very well. McDonald's is nearby so I had my coffee and the usual crowd came in. One guy is really funny. All retired of course. It is a nice group, with just a touch of complaining.
I am running a little late today, but feel pretty good with this week so far. Last night someone told me to stop at Boca Grande's 17th to 19th street. They have beach accesses there. So, I pay my toll and get on the causeway to Boca Grande not sure of what to expect. First thing I notice is GIBA at the toll booth. I ask the fellow what is stands for and he points to a sign and tells me also. "Gasparilla Island Bridge Authority" Okay. Now I know.
As I travel along the causeway I see an inordinate amount of signage saying No Fishing, or No Trespassing or No Parking - Tow Away Zone. And the signs keep coming. I get the picture! "If you get off the road, we shoot you!" lol At least that is what it seemed like. Only one problem, on google maps I see a tiny beach, so I stop at the local boat launch on the causeway. This is only for members and guests. Guess I am a guest! It was only for a moment. I quickly go to the area where the beach is supposed to be and can't find it. All rocks now. Okay, I get back in the van and head to Boca Grande, which means "Big Mouth" in Spanish. Having seen all those signs, I tend to agree with the name.
The houses at the north end are private and even the lake is private. So, can't park there. I find 17th street and there is parking. Interestingly, this seems to be the halfway point of the island. I had no idea. I got my gear ready and hopped out. It was about 10:30. I went to the beach and it was beautiful, of course. I look in both directions and the beach curved at both ends. It looked inviting. I took off heading north to the end.
The night before at a cafe, someone told me to use beach access points near 17th St. I did. Later, I discovered it was about the halfway point. I got there, parked my van and took off about 9:00 am. I put on my pack and start walking up the beach. It is, again, a beautiful, sunny day. A few are fishing, some families are already on the beach and everyone seems happy. The water is lapping the shore in luminescent greens. My stride is fast and I feel good. I see this older guy walking ahead. He is wearing a jock strap thing? a male thong? Whatever, gross. Actually he is in excellent shape and very well tanned. As I walk by, I see the familiar USMC on his sunglass's strap. Shoot! Gotta say Semper Fi. So, I do and we have a good conversation. Perceptions? I am always getting blindsided like that. I guess it is a good thing, otherwise I would really get set in my way and be way too opinionated.
I reach the end and take a little break. It is farther than I thought! I start jogging back, following that wonderful curve of a beach. I am getting tired! I finally reach my access point and find I am on 19th St., not 17th St. Back to the beach! For two blocks. I get to my van and take a well-deserved break. I eat and sleep. About 2 pm I realized that I really need to get up and get the rest of this beautiful island done. So, I drive to the southern end and find a state park. I park the van and take my bike back, staging it at the 17th St. sign.
I head to the beach and off I go. I feel pretty good. Usually the second jog takes a lot out of me, but my pace is slow and steady and I feel good. I pass a few places I saw along the way; an old lighthouse, a pier and then I reach the end and keep going around the corner. Done! Now to find my van. I do and after a short time, I am off. I am off to a dance at the Ritz Carleton Hotel in Sarasota where they have the best Chocolate Martinis in the world, according to Peter the bartender, and he is right!
I get cleaned up at Manasota Pass Beach and change into something more attuned to dancing. The valet parks my cargo van. I always get a kick out of telling him not to scratch it. We laugh. He saw this van last week as well. And in a convoluted way this is how I came to fly back to Ohio to see my kids on my birthday!
It happened like this. The place was packed and there were no tables. But there was a very nice plush chair which I made my throne, ordering water from the waitress. I had been there before so I new some of the people there. I danced with one and returned to my chair. The two couples at the table to my right got up and left, and I grabbed their table. A short time later three ladies came in looking for a place to sit. I saw them and waved them over. Two came over. We chatted and had a few dances. One was telling me that she was an ESL (English as as Second Language) teacher for the local high school. She had in interview in a few days with the Baltimore Orioles to assess their players ability in English. I mentioned that I had studied and had become certified in OPI (Oral Proficiency Interview) by Steven Stupak. She asked me to help prepare and I said that I had to charge her something, so how about lunch? She suggest Paneras at one the next day, Friday. I spent a few hours reviewing my stuff and checking out sources online for her. I was early, she drove by several minutes late and kept on going.
Shoot! Maybe she didn't see me. And we hadn't exchanged numbers either. Well, I didn't want someone to think I had not shown up. So, I knew that she and her friend were supposed to be at a dance in Venice that evening. I would go there and let her know I had not forgotten.
I went there early and waited as they were probably not going to show up till 10 or so. I did meet a few folks I knew from dancing in the area before. Finally, one of the girls shows up. We chat and dance and wait for the one with whom I had the appointment. In the meantime, this girl dances, but not before I give her my card and ask that she pass it on. She said she will.
Well, there is this other lady there who is very cute! So, I as her to dance. And we have a good time. She mentioned that she and her friend are going to the Nokomis beach drums tomorrow night. I said that I will be there. (But, I couldn't make it.) So, I text my apologies and said something like she seems to be a very nice girl. She texts back and says there is one Sunday night as well at Siesta Key Beach. The next day, I text and ask if she is still going? She says, "yes" and I meet her there. A very nice girl!
We have fun and in the process of getting to know each other, we chat. I mentioned that I really would like my kids to come down for my birthday next week, bu it doesn't seem to be working out. She mentions that tickets are still cheap, even for quick flights. Wow. I hadn't thought about that! I could go see them! So, the next day I check and sure enough $120 will get me to Ohio.
So that is how I got home to see my kids for my birthday! And, yes, I did get to help the lady for her interviews.
Wednesday, June 8 - Tuesday, June 21, 2011
I fly home and spend time with my kids and take a trip to Chicago to visit my friend. Highlights: My son played in a double-header with hits (and bunts!) and fielded well. My daughter had us down to Columbus on Saturday for a birthday lunch and we all had a good time. Visiting Chicago, attending the Blues Fest (Awesome!) and going to a Cubbie's game. (Great fans!) And, of course, seeing my friend!
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Spent the night in Sarasota getting things ready for my jogs.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Planning my Coya Costa Jog. I was going to drive up Sanibel Island and then drive over to Captiva and kayak from there. Problem is the end of Captiva has a gated community and that means more kayaking than I want. So, I drive to Pine Island where the marina is that takes people to Coya Costa. I am checking out a good place to launch my kayak. At the first place I stop, I meet Laura who is working behind the counter. I offer the idea of paying $50 to take me to the northern tip and picking me at the southern tip about four hours later unless I call first. Laura calls her soul make Snook and they agree to take me tomorrow. Great. And I can stay overnight at the marina for only $8. That works for me.
By the way, driving through Pine Island I get the feeling I am back in the country. Nice folks and no US 41. Interesting place.
Friday, June 24, 2011
I am up at 7 am and getting ready. The lady in the office isn't quite as nice as Laura. Oops. Better mind my P's and Q's! So, I do and buy a cup of coffee. I get back to the van, have two small cans of rice and beans and mac and beef. Plus a milk. That should tide me over for the jog. I am ready and at 8:30 sharp Snook pulls up with Laura and their friend Jody, who is 14 and likes my son's pics. :) We take off. Snook has been fishing these waters for years and is a nice fellow. Most folks here are. Kind of like the Florida Panhandle.
They drop me off and I start my exercises. It feels good to be back jogging the beaches. My smile hasn't left my face since the boat started heading for the beach. I finish stretching and take off. There are a few trees I need to circumvent and then the beach is open. I take off some time after nine. I have two bottles of water and a bladder. My other bladders needs to be cleaned so I have to buy some bleach and clean it.
The jog feels great. My pace is slow, the water is smooth, the sun is up and the beach is welcoming. I jog out and around and after a while see where there may be a place where I may have to do some wading? Hmm... Google maps are good, but the tides and weather does things. It makes it interesting. Yep, I have to do some wading. Hope it is not too deep. It's only about 20 yards, but I don't want to get my gear wet. I look around and assess the situation. I enter the water and slowly find my way around the area to the other side. There are some people, young and old fishing as I jog by. They kind of look at me a little strangely I thought. Cool! The island is narrowing and now I am jogging by the State Park area. Florida sure does keep a great state park system. With all the people using the park system, they really maintain the integrity of the land and water. Hats off to them!
After about an our and a half, my left outside thigh begins to give me fits again. It starts at the hip then moves down to the side. The first time this happened was while I was jogging St. George Island. Now that I have had this before I know what I can do and can't do. After a while I will have to stop and rest it and even stretch it. But for now, I just go heavier on the right foot to compensate. After all, I have to finish this thing today. About a mile away I stop and rest my leg. I jog farther and again after another 15 to 20 minutes I stop and take a break to lie down to stretch it. I take ten minutes and it really helps. I am up and at 'em again. YeeHah! After a while though, when I reach just a few hundred meters from the curve to the end, I have to stop every so often and rub it. Well, no speed records today!
I finally make it to the curve and survey the end, where the beach turns back north. There are several trees in the way and some I have to walk around as there is no place to safely jog around them. But if I can find some sand to jog, I do. Finally I make it to the end. I call Snook and they are having a so-so day fishing so he will be right over. Cool. I start walking back to where we agreed to meet. Walking doesn't hurt at all, just jogging. Go figure! lol
Snook and the rest arrive and I hope in the boat. Laura has a sandwich and a cold water waiting for me. Great. That cold water really tastes good and I devour that sub sandwich. Thanks Laura! I offer to stay on the boat while they keep fishing, but they are ready to go back. So, back we go and the ride was so nice and relaxing. The water was like glass, after a while, the neighboring islands were beautiful and the sun was out. I really enjoyed the ride. We docked back at Jug Creek Marina and I snapped a pic, said my goodbyes and was off.
I was planning to head to Sanibel right away, but I just had to stop by Ace Hardware and ask about this town. This is a country place in the midst of major tourist cities such as Sarasota, Venice, Englewood, Ft. Myers, etc. I just had to stop and check it out. Two nice ladies worked at Ace and told me this town, Bokeelia on the north side and Jamestown on the south, was a warm, friendly little town that no one knows about so I shouldn't tell anybody! lol They love it here. They told me about the museum, which I later hear is quite good, and that the pool is open right down the street. Well, a soak in a public pool sounded really good at 2 in the afternoon so I took off toward the pool, near the museum and library. And, for some reason, I didn't think I should leave Pine Island yet. I thought I should stay there tonight.
This brings up a point I need to share. I am a Christian, not always a good one, but when I am hot, I am hot! And when I am cold, God still seems to take care of me. He is much cooler than anyone! Anyway, I prefaced with that to let you know that I daily have ideas of how long to stay in some spot, where to spend the night, etc. In fact, I may be settled in and have this feeling that I shouldn't be here but somewhere else. So, I move my van. A few nights ago I did that knowing only that the place for me that night was down the road on the left. So, I kept looking while driving. I saw a few good possibilities but kept going. Then I turned and found right where I should be. And I slept well. This happens often, almost daily.
Anyway, I get to the pool. For two bucks because the girl gives me the senior discount, (do I look like a senior?) I got in and it felt great. Some older folks like me were there so I didn't feel too much out of place. One gent in a Vietnam Veteran cap was just leaving and gave me the best seat in the house. He loves it here, he says. I park my gear and I relax in the pool. I do some stretching and acupressure on my leg and left knee. It should help. I get out and sit down and promptly fall asleep for about a half hour. I wake up, mouth open, probably drooling and snoring (Wheezing?), but no one looks and I hop back in the pool. There are three older ladies from New Jersey talking. Two are giving advice to the newbie. Which restaurants, etc. I listen and finally ask about Sanibel. They don't know much about it but they are nice. They did suggest I eat at Reds and try the Burrito.
Later I got out of the pool, showered and dressed. I went out to the park and parking lot. I just sat on a picnic table wondering about life. This jog is going to be over some day and I have to plan my business. So, I think about that. I will have a plan, but I will be VERY open to changes.
Now I needed to get to a wifi place. I drove up the road and found the restaurant Reds, the one the ladies had mentioned. I take my computer in and ask if the have wifi. The place is very nice, by the way, with excellent food and many people. The girl behind the bar says yes, so I order a Stella Artois. I move to the end of the bar so as not to be bothered by conversation. I begin work. And I worked there for three hours, devouring a huge and delicious burrito in the process. I meet Lunda, the manager and she tells me a little about the area and place. She loves it there and it shows. I ask to leave my van there tonight and she agrees. Great! Don't have to search and waste time and gas. Off to bed, and it was a wonderful day.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
I am up and gone by 7 am. I stop to refill my ice chest and get a 69 cent huge Gatorade. Now I am on my way to Sanibel Island. I use my GPS and keep a lookout for a Dollar Tree or something similar because I need sun screen. I hadn't used any in the last two days and I can tell. Finally, at 8 am I see a big lots and stop. It doesn't open till nine, but I decide to wait. I take a snooze and work on my wifi which I get from the Subway at the corner of the building. Finally, it is nine and the doors open. The folks area very friendly and I soon have what I need.
On to Sanibel and Captiva. After all I still have to jog North Captiva today! In my mind I think I will have to kayak at least a few miles to North Captiva, then hike the 4.5 miles, jog back and kayak back. A long day to be sure. But something tells me that won't be necessary. Before leaving Pine Island, someone said I should check into the 'Tween Waters Resort. They may be able to help, or at least give me some advice. I drive up through Sanibel to Captiva. The 'Tween Waters is easy to spot. I pull in and finally find a parking space. I hop out of my van on the way to the office and I dapper man in a golf car pulls up. He asks if I have a reservation. I say no and he tells me parking is $35 per day, but that includes a $25 coupon for food and drink in the restaurant. Huh? I just wanted to talk to someone in the office. Nope. Gotta go. For some reason I opened the back of my van and he looked oddly at my bike, kayak, etc. I definitely wasn't 'Tween Waters material. You could tell, as it was written all over his face. Poor guy.
So, I take off and find another Marina, McDonald's Marina. I park and enter the small store/office. The young man behind the counter is helpful and has a few suggestions. He checks out my web site and gets excited about what I am doing. Parking there is $10 a day and I can launch my kayak nearby. He also gives me a brochure that might be helpful. The Jensen's Twin Palm Marina Cottages. I thank him and head up to see how for north on this island I can get. Not very far it seems. There is a gated community and Sam the guard really does try to help, but he can't. Thanks Sam. This guy is a professional, unlike those at The Plantation at St. George. I was there 10 minutes and Sam was constantly busy keeping the pulse of the whole place.
So, I head to the public parking are and am about ready to pay. But I think I should check out the Jensen's Marina first. So, off I go. It is right around the curves. It is a very nice place with cottages, the store/office and marina. The place seems always busy. I walk into the office and meet Dave Jensen. I offer my card and explain what I am doing. I ask about a ride over to North Captiva and back. He quotes me the standard price which is fair but beyond my budget. So, I thank him and walk outside and sit at one of the picnic tables making my plan. I will go to the next marina where parking is $10 a day (Jensen's is really busy) and kayak the few miles to North Captiva, hike to the northern end and jog back, then kayak the two miles back to the van. Not an easy day, but I have had similar days, just have to set my mind to do it.
I start walking back to the van and Dave sticks his head out the office door and tells me to wait a minute. He had checked out my website and, as a person who has been proactive in beach preservation for many years, decided to help. We agreed on $50 and then talked about getting into the local paper, etc. and he then said he would do it for free! Great! He and his two brothers run the place and Jim, one of the brothers who was there, just smiled and thought that was cool. These folks smile a lot here! And later I learn they have so many repeat customers, stars, singers, plain folks, everyone likes it here and keep coming back.
I was ready in 10 minutes and there was a boat and Shawn, the boat captain ready. Cool. He gets me to North Captiva on the Gulf side to show me where to get picked up at. The waves are too big to get picked up on the Gulf side so he shows me where to cut through to the other side of this narrow island. Then he takes me to Barnacle's Phils and off I go. First I stop and get some ice and water. The ice I put in my hydration bladder. I go around the airfield and head to the northern end. Within a few minutes I am there and cut through a rental (I said Hi) and hit the beach. After a few stretches I take off. The beach is nice and I only have to circumvent a few places. Some people are out on this exclusive island and I say Hi. They almost all say Hi back. It's a nice day. The sun is out, but there are clouds, too.
I round the northern third of the island and keep jogging. There are some boats anchored to shore with people on shore or in and around the boats. All seem to be having a nice time. Then I spy a small banner on the beach. Hmm... Have to check it out. Oh, it is a naturalist beach for about 50 yards and there are about six or seven sitting under and awning. Some clothed, some not. I look, of course, and wave and keep going. They seem like nice folks. I always wondered why people did that. Maybe I'll stop by and ask if time permits.
I reach the halfway point and feel good. I am taking small stride because if I take longer strides my hip will start to mildly complain. That's okay, I like the pace. I come to some trees on the beach, some uprooted and have to navigate through those. I actually have to walk a little for safety's sake because it is a little tangled and I am not that foolish. (Usually!) The trees are behind me now and I can see the end of the jog. My left hip is starting to bother me so I lean more on the right foot. I have to stop several times to give me and my hip a rest. Finally I round the southern bend and finish the beach! I sit down on a tree limb next to a boat. We chat, there is a little smoke coming from one of the light fixtures on the prow of the boat. I point that out and they check it out. Not a good sign, that! They come to the conclusion it is just a little water.
I walk back up the beach to the point shown earlier. Walking doesn't bother my hip at all. And since I made good time, I hike up to the nude part of the beach to see if they are still there. Yep, they are there. So, I say hello and we chat. Very nice people. They offer me a drink and I accept and also accept the seat they offer. Howard, his wife Bear, Bruce, his wife Julie (at least that is what it seemed to me) and Stephanie are enjoying the day. Some clothed, some not. I ask about the rules of naturalists and they are pretty laissez-faire about it. I do ask why they do it and Howard says it lets him feel free. He works very hard and there is stress at his job. This gives him a chance to really feel free. The others agree. They are not parading around naked, just enjoying the sun and the beach. Signs are duly posted to tell folks what to expect. The club they belong to owns two lots on this beach and everything is legal.
I say good-bye and sorry, but no pictures! Nice folks. Did I join them in the buff? Good question! I get to my pick up point and give them a call. Shawn is on his way. Shawn has been working with the Jensen's for four years and says you can find no better bosses. He likes what he does and where he is. He is very busy with charters, especially family charters with kids. He has kids of his own who like to fish so he easily helps the other kids have fun. He has a lot of repeat business. Nice guy.
We I cut across the island where I think the place is. I see another charter there with folks in the very shallow water. I guess this is it. I walk along the water's edge and there are hundreds of crabs scurrying along, away from me. Cool. They cover the beach. I walk a ways then walk back. Hmm... This water looks pretty shallow so I walk out to where the charter is and wait there. I see a boat coming and wave. The boat goes by us and enters the next cove. I think that is my boat and after a few minutes I am sure of it. So, I missed the mark! Shoot. But the water isn't too deep and it is only a hundred yards away so I take off walking in waist deep water. I walk around the mangroves and see the boat. I wave, but I think the mangroves are making it hard for him to see me. My phone rings and it is Dave. He says the boat is out there and I tell him I see it and give my location to the boat. He says he will call again if needed.
The other charter comes by and asks if I am looking for the Jensen's charter. Yep, I reply and he says that is it. It is at least 100 yards away. Shawn pulls out and heads toward the charter next to me. The charter next to me waves him down and point at me. (Like a schoolboy lost on his first day of school!) Shawn picks me up. We head back. We arrive at the marina and I tip him a little as I ought. He really is a nice guy and did a good job.
I enter the office and thank Dave and Jim for their assistance. Dave then asks where I am staying. I say in my van and he offers me a cottage! For the next few nights no less! Okay, now I am in Heaven. This is too good to be true. I jump at it and he brings a set of linens and towels explaining that the cleaning crew hadn't cleaned yet as the person had to leave early. No problem. I can clean it! Actually, it was very clean. The next day, Sunday, I try to find a local church and the cleaning crew does a great job on the cottage
Sunday, June 26, 2011
I drove to Sanibel because I saw a church there, then I turned around as I wanted to attend church on Captiva. They have beautiful, small, old chapel there but it is open for worship only from November to April. No other church on Captiva. I hope they have a beach service in the summer months. By the way, there is an old cemetery that is very well kept next to the church. I highly recommend you stop by and visit. Just bring your mosquito repellent. But it is worth a visit.
Later, Sunday evening around 7 PM I take my bike out of the van and head north. It's a nice evening and I want to see some of the island. I come to the gated community and plan to turn around just past the guard shack. The guard, standing there, says, "You're looking good today." I pick up on this immediately and say, "Huh?". He repeats himself and I say thanks and ride on through. I ride to the marina and chat with a few kids looking at the manatees in the water. I then ride out to the northern end of the island. There is a bench at the end out there so I park my bike and take a seat.
I posted some pics of this. The sunset was obscured, but the water and sun before it set was wonderful. I rode back to the cottage and relaxed. Tomorrow I would run Captiva. It is only about 5 miles so it shouldn't be too hard. Later I meet my neighbors, Liz and Rose. They are from Ft. Lauderdale and have been coming to the Twin Palms for the past four years. They like the price and the easy, relaxed atmosphere of the place. They both have stressful jobs and this is what helps them relax. I think they should change the name of the island to Relaxation Island! Everyone here seems relaxed.
Monday, June 27, 2011
I am up at 6 and start getting ready for the day. By 7:30 am I am off. I stage my bike at the southern end of Captiva and park my van at the Jensen's Twin Palms since it less than a half mile to the public parking which costs $2 an hour. I hike out toward the north end. It is farther than I thought! Probably 2 miles. Oh, well, just another day. I get to the jetty at the end of the golf course which is the end of the island as well. There are already several people fishing, young and old.
I meet Deb who is walking to the jetty as well. Her hubby and kids are fishing and she will join them shortly. We chat. She is from near Indian Rock just south of Clearwater, FL. This is there vacation spot. Her hubby does carpentry and when he needs to get away they always come to Captiva. I ask why and she points to the jetty and says the fishing here. She has her own website for Tampa Birthday ideas. It started out as just trying to put everything on one site and now she is making revenue and has to watch her time online. After all, it is a hobby, her kids come first. Then come to find out she is a Christian and we have a little fellowship. She then goes fishing and I start my stretching and push ups. Gotta stay in shape!
I take off and it is high tide so there isn't really solid footing. Each step sinks a little into the sand. This has happened before and it usually gets better quickly. This doesn't. It's going to be a long run! The weather is good, the waves are moderate and many are in the water already. Everyone is enjoying the island. And the folks are nice, too. This soft sand is getting old. And Captiva is supposed to be one of the best shelling islands as well, but it is high tide and nary a shell I like. Except one! I have been looking for a large angel wing to complement another one. I have been looking on several beaches. Today I find one! Great!
About halfway through, I take a little break. After a minute or two I continue on down the beach. Even though it is soft sand, I still enjoy it. But I take a few more breaks before I get to the end. It takes almost 2 hours. Kind of slow. And I am beat! I get to the shower and run it over my shoes and my head. Ahh, that feels good. I hop on my bike and take off back to the van.
I arrive and call Kathy Rooker, the administrator for the Captiva Erosion Prevention District (CEPD). Dave Jensen have been involved with CEPD for several years and lined up an interview. Kathy called a reporter and she will be there a little later. Kathy is a friendly, capable person. As a former principal, she knows how to get things done and is proud of the work CEPD has done over the years. Plus she coordinates with other similar groups around Florida. And John, in the outer office handles his job well. Kathy and I talk about CEPD, passions, life experiences. It was a good conversation. Then the reporter, Melissa, comes in and her and I are ushered into a conference room. I give her my card and we chat about what I am doing, the beaches, and her job. She came here about a year ago from Indiana. And she doesn't regret the move one bit.
So, I guess I will be in the paper. We go back to Twin Palms so Dave can give some input and we get our pictures taken together. After that, I soak in the tub, a real luxury, and give my body a rest.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Up at 6:30 and ready to take on Sanibel. I am out the door by 8 and plan to run this 12-mile island in stages. Basically I need to use the public parking system so the first run is about 2 1/2 miles. I stage my bike at the southern end and after that nice short jog, start riding back to the van. The jog itself was on firm sand. Yes! And the weather was nice. On the way, I see young folks putting bags of shells on a little barge. I hop off my bike and ask if I can help. They say yes, which is not always the case, but they are nice folks who can use an extra hand. So, they give me some gloves and I get in the line and start passing bags. I ask what these are for and am told they are to help create a better ecosystem.
Last year they did the same thing and small oysters and other sea life are using the 'reef'. So, this year they are doing it again. And I get to help! Cool! The barge is loaded and I ask if I can go out to help unload, but Sabrina, in charge of the volunteers, can't allow me to go because I didn't sign a release form. Oh, well. They ask if I can help with the next and last batch of shells. I say that if I see them on my way to the next jog, sure! And I do! (Later, one of them tells me that the Jensen's loaned them the barge/pontoon boat.)
They had just gotten back from laying the bags on the 'reef' and I hop out of the van and get some gloves and help. These are nice folks and it is fun. Plus it really does help the ecosystem. And after seeing what Captiva has done for its beaches, I am all for that. On this island there are no houses or cottages precariously perched on stilts with emptiness below where several feet of sand used to be. I have seen this on several islands and now wonder why they don't organize like the folks on Captiva. Surely, the beaches are worth it, aren't they. After all, what is Florida without beaches. Georgia?
While helping I notice a report for WINK News. I ask what that is and Alyssa, the reporter, tells me it is the local CBS station. WINK 5. I ask if she would like to interview someone who is jogging all the perimeter beaches of Florida. She asks who is doing that, and one of the guys say I am. This perks her interest and after the reporting is done the project she interviews me and says she would like to do a profile, But,of course, she has to ask her producers.
Alas, I was on TV. My back was! Then I had a blurb that was at the end of the project interview. She asked why I helped and I said it looked like these folks were doing a good thing and so I wanted to help. I should have taken off my sunglasses! But, no profile. No publicity. Just me jogging. That's not a bad thing!
After this is done, I continue to the next public beach access at Tarpon Bay Beach. It is over six miles I think, and that means I will have run 8 miles today which is what I wanted. I wanted tomorrow to be an easy day, just four miles and then I could concentrate on the upcoming jogs. I stage the bike at Tarpon Bay Beach and get back to Bowman Beach and start my afternoon jog. The weather is turning a little messy and it may storm. But that's okay. I start my jog and it feels good. I keep a steady, slow pace. The waves are getting a little bigger as the wind is picking up. It looks dark on the horizon and I stop and take off my shirt so as not to catch cold if it does rain. And I keep going. The storm blows over and misses us.
The folks on the beach are nice for the most part and the jog is finally over. It took 1 hour and 50 minutes. And I am not whipped! Firm sand is wonderful! I enjoy my bike ride back to the van and call it a day. Actually, I have much to do, including web work. But I take a little time and hear that Murky Duck is a reasonably priced restaurant and I need some real chow. So, off I go walking as it is a short distance from the Twin Palms. On the way I meet a retired school teacher who lives with her husband on a boat. I ask how often they come to Captiva and she says, "as much as possible!". It was a nice chat and I am sorry I forgot her name. I arrive at the Murky Duck. The girl seats me at the worst table in the place. I look and don't like it. It's a small table abutting a pillar. What the heck? The waitress, Regina, observes my facial expressions, and maybe a verbal expression as well, and offers me a better table. Thanks!
She is nice and explains the specials and takes my order. Soon it is before me. Fish and Chips. Later I ask for catchup and another waitress says she has some and pulls out a bottle and squirts me with it! It was yarn. I crack up. That was cool. After a while and a few refills of my iced tea, I pay the bill and head out. I take a nap and sleep two hours. Wow. Guess I was a little tired. I am leaving he cottage the next day and need to get some things done before I go. Namely, more web work, iron my shirts, freeze some water, etc
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
I get up around 6:30 and start getting my things around. I cook some eggs and then wash the dishes. I iron my clothes and grab a shower. A nice, hot shower and maybe the last how shower for a while. Who knows? I am out of the at 8:10 and go to the office to say thanks one more time. Jim is there, smiling as all the brothers do. He asks if everything was okay. Yes, indeed. He then asks about my jog, etc. Nice folks. I posted a few pics of one of their places. And I see Shawn, my boat captain. He has a private charter today. It is sprinkling but it should let up soon. His charter arrives and I say good-bye.
I drive down to the end of the island and stage my van this time. I want to ride north to Tarpon Bay Beach. The weather has cleared and I am enjoying the ride. I arrive about a half hour later and lock my bike up. I then use the shower to cool my head off. That's the way to start a jog! And my new phone is working good as an MP3 player.
The weather is continually getting better and there is a slight breeze coming from the south. Many are out on the beach; reading, fishing, playing in the water. Many families are out there. I stretch, do extra push ups (Showing off!) and take of at 10:51. I feel great. My leg isn't bothering me a bit. I think I am back in my jogging stride. I stretch it out and actually run pretty fast for a old guy! Most folks on the beach are nice and many smile. There are a few, especially young teenagers, who seem a touch uppity. It is a rich island. I hope the parents are spending as much time nurturing their kids as making money. I think most do, but some ....If my kids aren't polite, they are going to hear it from me! But my kids are polite! And I am proud of them!
The run continues and I am leaping over the little pools of water. I see the end and kick it in. Man, it feels good! I slow down before I get to the end but I am happy with it. I have to circumvent a few trees in the water and then I am done. I take my pic with the lighthouse in the background. It doesn't turn out too well so I ask someone to do it. They do a good job! I finish at 12:16.
Now what? These islands are done. Wow. I get my bike and head to the causeway. I park my van near the water and pull out my beach chair. I sit there enjoying the view. Some are fishing and I get my fishing gear out, the first time since I don't remember when. I actually catch a fish! It is a black drum, one of the fisherman tells me. It is too small at about 8 inches and I toss it back. Now I am hooked again. I toss in the line again and fall asleep! I wake up about a half hour later and decide to eat the mangoes that are in the cooler. May, they are good. I also eat an apple.
I decide it is time to go as I need to get a new bulb for my left rear van light. As I am putting gear away, my rod holder falls to the ground. I look at the rod and sure enough a fish is hooked. I pull it in. It fights. I reel it in and it is a 12 inch catfish. I finally unhook it and toss it back. Then I clean my rod and reel with fresh water and use the local restroom to get cleaned up. I am tired but feel much better.
I take off over the causeway, but first I double check to see if I need to jog any of this. I don't think so, but just to be on the safe side I jog the end. It is close to a mile. It feels good. Some mud, some sand. There is one more stretch of beach I need to jog before Ft. Myers Beach but that will have to wait till tomorrow. Now I have to find a Autozone or something. Finally I do and replace the bulb. Good, no ticket! Now I am at Wendy's at 11:24 pm typing. About another hour to go.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
I had checked in at the Walmart Hilton on US 41 and Gladious. Slept well. Got up lazily after yesterday's busy day. Checked my email, brushed my teeth and shaved. I then checked the maps and decided I had to go to Bunche Beach and kayak to another beach about 1/2 mile north. Parking is only a buck an hour instead of two. That's nice. I pay for 2 1/2 hours and get my kayak out and start pumping it up. About three hundred pumps total does it. I take it to the water and put on my life preserver and hop in.
The water has some waves, but it is fun. I kayak parallel to short about 50 yards out so as not to have too many breaking waves hit me. I kayak, and the land is a national preserve and is very beautiful. I reach the other beach and get ashore. The beach is about 2000 feet long and I have to circumvent some trees and shrubs. I jog it and really like this out-of-the-way beach. I hop back in the kayak and head back. The current seems to be with me and it is even more fun. I am getting used to kayaking. Just have to keep an eye on the waves!
I jog Bunche Beach and walk back. There are some folks on the beach, some fishing, some swimming, etc. I give my card to a few folks and head out. I have no place to wash off my kayak so I just stow it in the van. I drive off to the Lover's Key State Park. I am glad to be back in a state park as I have an annual pass and parking is free, plus they have other amenities I can use. This one even has hot water! Yes! I get an early/late entry pass and find that the marina, located across the road, is open all night. Might be my hotel for the evening.
I find that the trolley stops at the park. Great. I decide to drive to the north entrance to the park the van and hop the trolley. It will take me to the northern end of Ft. Myers Beach. As it's only 2 pm, I plan to jog this beach today. It's either 7 or 8 miles long. Not sure. The trolley shows up within a few minutes and the driver is friendly. At 2:30 I hop off the trolley and walk to the end of the beach. I start my jog at 2:41. It is a slow pace. People are scattered on the beach.
Actually,during the entire jog, there were people on the beach, but it wasn't crowded at all. The weather gets a little better and it is no longer sprinkling. Overcast with a slight wind. Good for a jog. The beach pics should be posted today. The beach goes straight and curves the last few miles. Very pretty. The beach is wide with good sand and at one spot it gets really wide. Nice. At the northern end, the drinking places on the beach warn against bring your own coolers to their area. And there are several of them! Later I learn that this is the party part of the beach. Alcohol and drugs.
The southern part, south of Publix someone said, is the more relaxed part of the beach. The water, however is not as clear as most gulf water this time of year. I find out later that there are three river systems emptying into the Ft. Myers Beach area. I round the bend and jog past the bridge. Done. Wow. Now I am tired. I walk over the bridge to my van and chug some cold water. Then I hop in the van and enter the main entrance to Lover's Key State Park. Now, I have been wet all day long. First in the kayak and then jogging the beach in humid weather.
The restroom at the state park has hot water! Man, that's like manna from heaven. I clean up and feel great!