Sunday March 3, 2024 - It was Beach Day at Key Colony (67 years since their founding), so we rode our bikes over for the party. It went on most of the day, with a parade in the morning and music, food and games all day. I had been reading about the eel races and wondered what that was. They had a special table, that had 8 separate lanes full of water. In each lane was one fish and you could put money on which lane you thought was going to win. They would start the race by lifting the gate and the fish would swim to the other end. Our fish was winning until it got close to the finish line when it decided to turn around and swim back the way it came from, so we were out a dollar. It was a fun afternoon for our last day at Curry Hammock. It's hard to believe our 2 weeks are over. Tomorrow we're headed up to Oscar Scherer SP near Venice.
Eel races (the #2 fish didn't win)
it was a nice bike ride to the party
this big guy walked through our campsite
I walked down to the beach as the sun was setting, for one last walk
The ocean was completely flat, it was like a lake. I couldn't see the horizon, the reflection just merged into the sky
It was strange to see it so flat after so many days here with lots of wind
I couldn't take enough pics!
Monday March 4, 2024 - It's a 5 hour drive to Venice today. It's been awhile since we've done any driving since we've been in the keys for the last month and before that we were only in the Everglades. We found a few things to do on the way (Walmart and a car wash) so we didn't get too bored.
Someone loves the Blonde Giraffe, so we stopped here for a key lime pie
Site #95 at Oscar Scherer all set up for 11 days
checking out our new digs
Tuesday March 5, 2024 - There's lots going on at Oscar Scherer. It seems like they have lots of volunteers, that run the programs. This morning we stopped at the Nature Center for coffee and donuts, Thursday is a pancake breakfast. There are nature hikes and night kayaks, painting classes and exercise classes. Looks like it's going to be a fun spot.
We love state parks that have laundry! We had a few things that weren't quite dry, and we didn't want to hold up other campers from the dryer, so we hung out a few things to dry.
after lunch we headed out for a bike ride on the Legacy Trail that runs through the middle of the park
It's a 20 mile trail that runs from Sarasota to Venice
It's one of the busiest trails we've seen! The area is full of retired people, so every day on the trail looks like it's the weekend!
We stopped for a few beers at Off Trail Bike & Brew
bike wheel with lots of tap handles
It of course has bike parking
The Legacy trail is a rail to trail. The old train station is still there
Kev waving to a friend
Wednesday March 6, 2024 - Oscar Scherer has quite a few nice hiking trails. We checked one out today, that leaves from the campground.
a pretty patch of skyblue lupines
we saw lots of lupines in Alaska, but these are a lighter color and not nearly as tall
we found a viewing platform on the hike
Thursday March 7, 2024 - Today we took a hike in the morning and rode our bikes 18 miles, roundtrip to Sarasota, to the Calusa Brew Pub.
It was a cloudy morning
Hidden Lake
the hike goes under the Legacy Trail
I always love a tree arch
The Legacy Trail has lots of nice rest stops along the way
A water break
We made it to Calusa Brewing. I got a Fridge Beer (love the can). Kev got a Bait Shop
Back to the trail (1 block away)
Friday March 8, 2024 - Today we got up early and drove to Manasota Beach. We had heard it was good for finding sharks teeth. The Venice area is famous for fossilized sharks teeth of all sizes.
It was a beautiful foggy morning at the beach
Kev was determined to find some sharks teeth
still looking
I found a nice formation of shells left by a wave (I thought it looked like a turtle)
the sun's trying to break through
Manasota Beach was a nice beach!
I liked all these tree trunks. (this was back at Oscar Scherer on our evening walk)
Saturday March 9, 2024 - Today we rode our bikes down the trail to the Venice Farmers' Market. Downtown Venice is quite nice. Lots of shops and restaurants and Venice Beach is a few blocks past the shops.
Venice Farmers Market
Beautiful trees along Venice Ave
Venice Beach
pretty cool pavilion at Venice Beach
There are several huge Banyan Trees on Venice Ave
I love when there is bike parking everywhere (downtown Venice)
Oops, we rode right by Bike & Brew
Guess we need to stop in for a quick beer!
Sunday March 10, 2024 - Venice is a little over an hour from Cape Coral, so we drove over to visit Aunt Shirley and Uncle Wally for the afternoon. It was great catching up with them and seeing Chris & Mitch.
Tuesday March 12, 2024 - We have of course found pickleball in Venice. It is the most active group we've seen yet. Foxworthy Campus has 6 dedicated courts and 2 courts on one of the tennis courts. By 10 AM there are over 60 people there! We've been enjoying playing here and have been trying to play every couple days.
another afternoon hike (a shady resting spot)
After dinner we met up with my friend Michelle, who I used to work with at Merck. She and her husband, Alan moved to Venice 3 years ago and love it!
It was great catching up with them!
Wednesday March 13, 2024 - We had a quiet day, a bike ride, a hike and hanging out at the campsite
Kev is catching up on some reading
Sunset at Oscar Scherer
I don't know what this red flower is, but I've seen a lot of them here in the park
Thursday March 14, 2024 - This morning we played pickleball at Foxworthy and took our bikes with us. After we played, we biked 5 miles down the Venetian Trail to Casperson Beach. The Venetian Trail runs next to the Intercoastal Waterway, so it's fun to ride bikes while we're watching the boats. Casperson Beach is supposed to be the best place in Venice to look for sharks teeth, so we thought we'd give it a try.
shady spot for lunch, with a view
not the prettiest beach. The sand isn't the pretty white we're used to
everyone here is looking for sharks teeth, and they have all sorts of gadgets to help them find sharks teeth
look at the shell wreckage
I've never seen a beach with so many shells
Kev's hoping for a sharks tooth
We didn't find any, but ran into a guy that had found all these in the last 3 days! He felt sorry for me, when I said we didn't find any and he gave me a handful of the small sharks teeth
riding home
The Venetian Trail (next to the ICW)
We rode over this drawbridge (the Circus Bridge)
We got a new Mexican Train Dominos set today and put up a sign seeing if anyone wanted to play!
