Your Summer Vacation

[timboellner]

Looking back on this summer, I got to wondering what great, or not so wonderful places you guys went on vacation this year.

For the first time in 4 years we actually took a vacation and went to one of the most beautiful and relaxing places I've ever been. As my kids are getting older now..16 and 20, I figured we aren't going to get many more "family vacations" left where we'll all still be together. Man they grow up too quick.

Sanibel Island in southwestern Florida is a great place to get away from the
busy crowded beaches we've always been. The water in the Gulf of Mexico was no doubt the warmest I've been in, about 85 degrees or more.

We met people from all over the US, Germany,and Denmark. Really interesting poolside stories. People are so different, yet still the same.

Sunshine so intense it will fry your skin in 30 minutes or less if you mindlessly
forget sunblock. (Ask me how I know)

Sanibel is sea shell capital of the world. We came home with no less than 30 lbs of sea shells we collected.

Bicycling is HUGE on Sanibel. Miles of bike paths and several big rental places right on the main drag.

Amazing to see so many people bike riding in 90 degree heat with tropical humidity. I lasted about an hour and went nuts wishing I had my MB.
Heck where I live it's a ghost town in mid July.

Here's some pictures...

Show us your's !!

 

[2door]

Tim,
I could go on for hours about that little island. I have some very fond memories of it and the southwest coast of my old home state.

There used to be a little grass strip on the island, it's now a golf course, where my ex and I would fly in from Miami. You landed the plane then a guy on a trike would come to meet you and escort you to parking. They'd stop traffic on the road and you'd taxi down the street and park the plane under the pine trees. This was back in the mid 70s, before there were big hotels and condos. There were numerous little rental cottages on the beach, a few small motels and some really great little bars and resturants.
Sanibel has grown a lot but still is a wonderful place to spend a week, or more.
If you ever plan a return trip, maybe just you and the wife after the kids are gone, there's another place you might want to explore. It's up the coast a little from Sanibel, near Englewood, FL. It's called Palm Island. Nothing on the island but a few condos, a resturant and bar and a small grocery store. No bridge, you take your car over on a ferry and leave it parked cause there's no driving. Golf carts or bicycles only. You'd like it, I'm sure.
Oh, and I hope you soaked your sea shells in bleach before you packed them in your luggage. Rinsing them off won't kill the small sea life that lives in them and after they've been out of the water a few days...they'll stink you out of your house. 24 hours in a 50/50 solution of bleach and water will do the trick.

Tom

 

[JonnyR]

im not aloud out of NY for at least 6 months (maybe 12) so you guys are making me sad i love Florida especially the islands i spent my 21st b day doing the bar crawl in key west (almost 5 years now)

my summer has been lawyers and stupid meetings i have to go to because NY wants all of my money for 1 DWI and are going to sponge off me for the next 12 months mabe more and all this started in april just got the final sentence on Wednesday hope its the last time i will have to see that judge and i can finish all the programs without someone trying to nail me to the wall for something stupid like attendance or a rule change i have court fees TASC fees counseling fees dmv class fees and also have to pay tickets that they found as many things wrong with my truck as possible then on top of that when i got out of jail i come home to a apartment that they ransacked and took what they pleased (god i love the patriot act)
other than that everything's not bad

 

[Tinsmith]

Tim, good to hear you had a good vacation! That is a nice place. Was there myself back in the mid 70's but I thought it was kinda pricey. Drop me a PM if you are interested in getting together for a ride. How do you like the new laws we are getting October 1?
Dan

 

[hiker472]

The last four years I have done the same thing and that is, I take 2 and a half months off and go live at my other house where there is no TV, no phone, no internet and I generally do whatever I want. I also do not see my wife for the whole time either which, due to my troubled marriage, is a real blessing.

This summer I built another China Ht and almost made it to break in, but the clutch gear sheared all the teeth off the crank shaft gear, so I had to park it and ride my usual one. I quit smoking on July 5. I also hiked some 40 miles through some very rough terrain, because that is what I like to do. I also drank a lot of beer (you know, to quiet those nicotine urges!). I played my electric guitar at the highest decibels I could handle almost everyday (sure can't do that at my wife's house!).

All in all, I had a great Summer and it has been very difficult readjusting back into my "winter" schedule, which is where I am today. But, there is always next summer!