Boog's Blog

2 March

Bit nippy today. 49 degrees upon departure with expected high of 59.

Continued On to the Ringling Brothers Museum (see Wikipedia for better
details); good art and landscaping as well as circus history.

Çould not cross the Sunshine Skyway bridge (worth seeing it on Wikipedia) as
it is posted no bikes. Big beautiful bridge but long and high.

Rode through adult retirement land: RVs and permanently attached mobile
homes. Numerous communities. Many large American flags make knowing the
wind direction and strength easy.

picsay-1235998370.jpg

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

1 March

Rain, first in a long time while touring. Lasted almost 10 minutes; just
long enough to stop and put on some rain gear.

Looked into the eye of the demon and took a bhuddist view: there is no wind
or at least none that I should be concerned with.

Wind (wind advisory in this area) took me down to a hard 5-6 miles per
hour. Good justification for ride to see Venice Beach and the the
penninsula before a hearty breakfast.
The Kielbasa tasted good. Had many Polish dishes on the menu. Ate at
breakfast at noon.

Venice has a charming downtown. Higher end beach area with several bridges.
Continued North West into more wind but no more rain.

Got to Sarasota and decided it was enough. Tonight and tomorrow will be cold
both by Florida standards and human standards.

picsay-1235925936.jpg

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

28 Feb. Warm Springs

Felt energetic today; winds were calm and sun was just right. Headed North
and NW following a route the Sam suggested; looks like it is going to be a
good one.

In Ft. Meyers stopped at the Edison Ford winter home. Museum, garden,
botanical gardens. Several pics of the great Banyon tree, I remembered it
from a visit in 197x.

Ended up at a very inexpensive but very charming motel. Jacuzzi, efficiency
kitchen, opens to pool and lots of soccer moms and families. Tournement
this weekend; reminesient of Tom K's travels only a lot warmer. I believe
Tom is off to Maine this week.

Friendly group outside, offered to take me to the store for dinner but I
biked over instead. Tomorrow a big storm is due; will see.

The Bouganvilla was spectacular. The little plant is a baby (seedling)
Banyon tree. There are several shots of the one tree, yes one big Banyon
tree.

picsay-1235833851.jpg

picsay-1235834323.jpg

picsay-1235862139.jpg

-20090228101138.jpg

1235834056850.jpg

1235834472166.jpg

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

27 Feb. Key West to Ft Myers Beach

If one wants to study the condition of Americans skin this is the place to
go; a lot is on display. Little is covered except at a few restaurants.
Many many sunbathing and shopping/stolling/exhibiting.

Very hard to tell which are daughters with Dads or trophy wives. Up the
street is an exotic dancer, sitting outside the club she likely works at;
smoking and very bored. Cannot imagine how there could be any business in
the club unless it is afront for a lot more service.

Not hard to find a proper breakfast, many choices and I picked a good one.
Very close to the Southernmost point.

Bicycles, electric golf carts of many sizes, scooters are a major local
rental business.

Checked bike at storage facility (many bikes are stolen here), walked the
historic seaport area and took a glass bottom boat to a living coral reef;
about 9 miles out so was in the atlantic. Good view but photos would not
work through the glass.

Easy ferry ride back except for a TSA inspection which was a nuisance and
pointless.

picsay-1235749160.jpg

picsay-1235785780.jpg

1235745499069.jpg

-20090227103950.jpg

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

26 Feb. Key West

Spectacular clear, shirtsleave, low wind morning. The difficult Niles
channel bridge was easy without the wind; almost enjoyed it . Naturally
the wind picked up later.

For my records: the cortisone is starting to wear off. Some slight twinging
while riding. Had a great few weeks with zero pain; no spike when I rolled
over in bed.

The pictured sticky bun was just as good the second day. No, they do not
ship; I asked.

Back to Key West for sightseeing, riding, some shopping, visit to the Post
Office to get rid of shopping and some excess warm and wet weather cloths.

Southernmost point visited, natch. Line to take pictures. Pretty water,
bird with little concern that I was close,

New Jersey: business is very good but I am in the cosmetic packaging
business and everyone wants cosmetics.

Rochester: Area doing well as we are diversified. Syracuse a little worse
but I think Buffalo in trouble; NAFTA has not helped as they had hoped.

Above from the Sheraton Suites hot tub; thanks Michelle.

picsay-1235653452.jpg

picsay-1235654376.jpg

picsay-1235654871.jpg

picsay-1235666610.jpg

1235657866236.jpg

1235660001382.jpg

1235668991689.jpg

-20090226135044.jpg

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

25 Feb. Key Deer National Refuge

A shadow of a Turkey Vulture crossed my path, then a second. Knew I had to
keep moving.

Generally T Vultures are peaceful creatures riding low thermals overhead;
not particularly cute when perched on ledges or trees but not menacing.
Their large shadows are another matter- they scream loiter at your peril.

The refuge protects the last habitat of key deer, 24"-28" adults, a sub
species of white tailed deer. Endangered, they can often be found at the
"holes" such as blue hole. Alligator hole, generally one male per hole.
About 75 such freshwater holes on the keys. Blue hole is, so I was told, the
Waldorf Astoria of holes.

After reaching the refuge early I mostly spent the day exploring by bike and
on the nature trails.

The seven mile bridge was less fun than it looks; made it the Eastern
terminus of the ride on the Keys; Marathon Key just not that critical.

A good afternoon key lime pie. Business is reasonably good and has been
getting better. Motel almost sold out and will be full tonite; low cost but
no bugs.

Rhode Island: no real problems in our area.

National meeting of Star Gazers in the next Key; some spillover here.

picsay-1235569277.jpg

picsay-1235579855.jpg

picsay-1235581995.jpg

picsay-1235589707.jpg

picsay-1235597071.jpg

-20090225123511.jpg

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

24 Feb.

Early ferry to key west. About 120 miles in 3 plus hours. 450 on the boat,
many for just a day trip.

Boston folks I traveled with sounded the praises of Sarasota; on my route
for later but firsr an exploration of the Northern Keys and their bike
paths. Yes, a few have paths. One I am heading to is in killdeer national
refuge.

First impression of the keys….wait the second as the first is clearly the
wind; large unprotected spans. Second is the water color. Gulf on one side
and Ocean on the other. Multiple colors as water is shallow. My tinted
glasses add to the contrast.

Pictures tell all about my abode for the evening. The propriator said that
last year he was full every night for all of Feb, March and April. This
year he has some vacancies, but business is picking up. He hasa not lowered
prices.

Dinner was perfect. First Conch (pronounced conk) soup. A Gastropod,
strombas gigas, see wikipedia, is used like clams. The chowder is tomatoe,
potatoe, veggies, and should be served spicy with oyster crackers. Done
right here!

Then Fra Diavolo. All the seafood was feesh and excellent. Nice very spicy
sauce. Had to 'settle' for this as the spiny Florida lobster is out of
season.

Passed on the Key Lime pie – just too much though I am sure I could have
ingested.

Beautiful night on the keys. Off for now to go look at the stars using the
Android Star guide app.

Love, virtual hugs and kisses to the QB whom I miss

picsay-1235509165.jpg

picsay-1235509231.jpg

picsay-1235513026.jpg

picsay-1235520379.jpg

picsay-1235520948.jpg

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

23 Feb. Ft Meyers Beach

Ferry for Key West leaves early am so decided to see and then spend the
night in Ft Meyers Beach – a real vacation resort beach. Turned out to be a
good choice. Fun to bike, lots to see, and eat.

Finally found the right place for stone crabs, fresh ones. The mallet is
not for show and they are aptly named. And yummy. Sweet. Maybe not as good
as Dungeness but awfully close.

No picture is of the combined market and restaurant. Not gratious at all
but I came only for the food.

Passed this place while searching for the morning departure point. When I
asked in town where to get good stones they pointed here.

The beach is hard pack and when the tide is out bike riding is popular.
Lots of rental places as there were on Sanibel.

Good beach reminesent of Myrtle Beach except less tacky; no real archade or
fun house.

Most of those spoken to were focused on how cold it is. I would have said
cool. Did need a light jacket this morning. Neither Indiana nor Ohio
wanted to discuss the economy. Came here for a break from it all.

picsay-1235403458.jpg

picsay-1235405736.jpg

picsay-1235415172.jpg

picsay-1235429213.jpg

-20090223110054.jpg

-20090223110119.jpg

-20090223133538.jpg

-20090223143801.jpg

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

22 Feb. Sanibel II

Decided to stay an extra day here.

Breakfast with the Islanders. Biked over to a place that advertised "best
breakfast on the island". Forty minute wait, naturally with many others,
many children needing entertainment while waiting. The morning air,
coolness (about 60 degrees) and sparkling sky made the wait quite pleasant,

Eco-Tour of the nature preserve. By kayak. Tri-color heron, egerts,
ospresys, cormorants, mangroves (this is a mangrove estuary), dolphins, we
saw six, white pelicans, gray pelicants, no manateys.

These red mangroves are the key species of the barrier islands. Hurricane
protection, to full ecology of the area. Very peaceful area.

70% of Sanibel is protected. Ding Darling professionalized Fish and
Wildlife under T Roosvelt.

Sanibel has a zoning law to prohibit upward facing lights. Dark sky law.
Almost invisible from space.

picsay-1235317882.jpg

picsay-1235314028.jpg

picsay-1235321772.jpg

picsay-1235329503.jpg

picsay-1235334472.jpg

picsay-1235350422.jpg

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

21 Feb. Sanibel Island

Did not expect to be here today. Planned to follow Sam's excellent
suggestion to go the Cabbage Key. Alas, not to be.

Reservation lines down, the number they gave me to get a water taxi did not
answer. Thirty to forty miles, in the wrong direction on a hope that all
would work out on a Saturday night did not seem smart. Took the road South,
nice ride on McGreggors Rd. The causeway to Sanibel is several miles long.
Toll road, free for bikes, but posted that walk on (backpackers?) Not
permitted. First time I have seen a public road that allows bikes but not
pedestrians.

Sanibel is a lot like Hilton Head. Tennis, golf and very many bike paths.
Easy to bike from one end of the island to the other. About 15 miles long.

4000 all year residents, 6000 total residents.

Bike rentals, sun, shelling, beach sitting. Does not get much better.

According to the waiter the season "just started to kick in now; business
was very slow until this week".

Nature preserve pictured.

picsay-1235245370.jpg

picsay-1235236319.jpg

-20090221121004.jpg

-20090221125744.jpg

-20090221140502.jpg

-20090221145640.jpg

Read and post comments | Send to a friend