A Day at Fort Myers Beach

Thursday March 8

A big day is planned today, so after breakfast I saddle up the Murray and head out to Fort Myers Beach, this time taking Summerlin Road instead of MacGregor Blvd. This turns out to be a much more pleasant ride, with wider bike lane, fewer intersections, and much fewer driveways/etrances to strip malls, and so forth. There is one major intersection that proves interesting -- Gladiolus -- but other than that it goes smoothly. When Summlin intersects with San Carlos, you get off there and bike the rest of the way on San Carlos, which is fine. The vehicular traffic is bumper to bumper and moving at a snail's pace, but I cruise right along no problems. The only other issue is a stiff 15 mph wind coming out of the west. It's no problem on the way to the beach, but will prove challenging on the way back.

I make it to the beach at about 1:30 p.m., lock the bike, and head over to "Top O' Mast," same place as last time, and this time sit on the patio (no beach chair) at a table with an umbrella. I pull out my Green Bay Packer beer koozie and fortunately nobody gives me any shit about it. I use it on three Budweiser long necks throughout the afternoon, and it works great. I also have the waitress from "La Ona" come over and I order one their "famous" flat bread pizzas -- the veggie lover's delight, and I have them add Italian sausage. It is quite delicious, and the kicker to the whole things is that when it comes out of the oven, they drizzle it with this balsamic vinegar reduction (kind of syrupy) that gives it a little extra delicious kick. That costs me $11, and I tip my waitress a couple of bucks.

The same DJ as before sets up, and starts playing some cool tunes, including this little ditty about a red solo cup (by Toby Keith) that I've grown kind of fond of, in that "Margaritaville" kind of way. Here's a sample if you're not familiar with it:

Now a red solo cup is the best receptacle
For barbecues, tailgates, fairs and festivals
And you, sir, do not have a pair of testicles
If you prefer drinking from glass

A red solo cup is cheap and disposable
And in 14 years they are decomposable
And unlike my home, they are not foreclosable
Freddie-Mac can kiss my ass ...

And it goes on.

Also, another cute little number, on honor of Leap Year, titled "Wet Dream," by Kip Addotta, and the first few lines go:

It was April the 41st - it being a quadruple leap year - and I was driving in downtown Atlantis.
My Barracuda was in the shop so I was driving a red Stingray, and it was overheating, so I pulled into a Shell station.
They said I'd blown a seal.
I said, "Fix the damn thing and leave my private life out of it, okay?"
While they were doing that I went across the street to the Oyster Bar - real dive.
But I knew the owner, Gill, 'cause he used to play ball for the Dolphins.
I said, "HI,GILL!" - you have to yell, he's hard of herring.

And it goes on like this with lots of clever puns and references to the ocean, and fish, and so forth. Check it out on YouTube if you've never heard it; it's a real cute song.

It's quite a scorcher out today, with a fair amount of humidly in the air, so I decide to head out at 4:30. I drive in the traffic lane this time of the San Carlos bridge, but with the heat and humidity, I do not make it all the way "up." I have to stop and walk the bike for a ways. Fortunately, no one yells at me, or hollers "WIMP" out of their windows. Once I crest the top of the bridge of course, it's a breeze. Once I get to Summerlin Road, I face that damned head wind, and I have to stop a couple of times and rest. But I finally make it back to the condo. I'm a hot mess of sweat and sunscreen, so I take a nice long shower and get cleaned up.

I have a nice shrimp salad for dinner, which I have prepared with a basic premade macaroni salad from Publix, spiked with cooked and chilled shrimp for the Walmart market. This little impromptu marriage between opposing stores turns out quite well.

Tonight is NBC Comedy night, so I enjoy 30 Rock, Parks and Recreation, and The Office. With all the exercise and fresh air, I sleep like a baby.

Expenses:

beach food and drink: $27

Bruce