Monthly Archives: March 2013

We started our spring road trip planning today.  Tentatively planning on a mid-april departure for about a month and a half.  We still have yet to visit many of the states, so tons of things to check out.  Currently thinking we will start heading west to Arizona, then north to Wyoming, then back east and south to Florida.  Laying out ideas of places and people to visit, hopefully camping most of the time.  Still deciding on whether to buy a travel trailer for this trip…

If you have any thoughts on places to see along the route, let us know!

Our northern visitors have continued their spring break visits.  Been hanging out with my uncle and cousins around the pool the last few days.

Ventured out on the dinghy today with cindy and my grandfather.  Took off in breezy conditions around 10am. 

Just enough room for 3 peeps and a dog on the dinghy

Weather forecast had the winds dying down in the afternoon.  A rarity that they were right!  Turned out to be a beautiful day and we had good action most of the day while we trolled along the leeward shore.

Inshore trolling on the caloosahatche river

Stopped for lunch along the way at a secluded beach before making our way back home.  Nice to see the sun again after a few cloudy and rainy days.

Ended the day with a bunch of jacks and ladyfish for citrus tree fertilizer and a keeper spotted trout.

Drove to the north end of cape coral around noon today for a radio controlled air show.  It was an impressive collection of planes and helicopters.  A great finale with a b29 that had a 20 foot wingspan and it carried an X1 rocket plane.

Led to some interesting conversation with my grandfather about his military years during WWII.  He was actually based for some time near Brunswick, GA, flying radar missions out over the ocean.

Impressive level of detail built into these model planes

A huge model airplane!

Loaded up the ford truck with 6 people and 6 bikes this morning.  We drove down towards the everglades national park, which is about an hour and a half away.  Made it to everglades city around noon and parked at the national park entrance.  Decided to ride our bikes down the causeway over to Chokoloskee.  Quite an interesting island, basically in the middle of nowhere..

First stop at the Smallwood Trading Post

Cracking open coconuts for an afternoon snack

Took a couple hours to explore the island with a few stops along the way.  Turned out to be a great weather day for biking, with a bit of headwind going back to the truck.  Had to drop off my cousin at the airport at 6, so we stopped at bonefish grill for an early dinner of happy hour appetizers and drinks.  Hadn’t eaten bang bang shrimp in a long time, hard to pass up at only $5.  The rest of the group hadn’t been to a bonefish before, but they all enjoyed it.

Plants in our self-watering bin are doing great.  Haven’t watered them again since planting two weeks ago.  Shipment of worms showed up too, so we are off and running with vermicomposting!

Time to eat garbage!

Fresh veggies coming soon

Enjoyed our redfish for dinner over 2 nights.  Invited my grandfather over for dinner on monday night.  We enjoyed a nice evening out on the deck.

Fresh fish for an outdoor dinner, perfect!

Jalapeno is normally unfriendly with other animals, including Mugsy

Picked up some new guests at the airport late monday night.  My uncle ryan and aunt claire arrived to spend the week.

Tuesday’s weather wasn’t great, cloudy the entire day.  Loaded up the truck with beach gear and fishing supplies.  Drove out to spend the day fishing along the sanibel causeway.  Moved a couple times to stay out of the wind.  Decent action during the day, but only 1 keeper for dinner being a spanish mackerel. 

Two men, one kayak

Success!

Waiting for a bite...

A new friend looking for a meal

Took the yaks out yesterday and fished near the cape coral bridge.  Paddled about 6 miles total, but not much luck fishing.  Saw a bunch of rays and 5′ sharks on the flats on our way back.

Enjoyed a delicious meat dinner last night.  We indulged in a rack of ribs for our march meat selection.   Another nice, sunny day today.  Loaded up the yaks with cindy and my cousin justin.  Drove up to matlacha and launched our yaks at a rental place where justin could rent one for the day.  Paddling around islands in the pine island sound.

No luck yet, but did my good deed of reporting a dead manatee..

5pm update: fish on! Nice 26″ redfish on the way back

Cooked up a nice dinner at home on friday evening.  Had our cousins and aunt over for their last dinner before they headed back to chicago on saturday morning.

Hanging out this week with my cousins and aunt. We picked them up at the airport on Sunday night. Took a road trip out to Sanibel on Monday. It was a bit chilly, but a beautiful beach.

Rode up to a Cuban restaurant for breakfast this morning. 3.50 for 3 eggs, bacon, Cuban toast and a fresh squeezed OJ! Loaded up our bikes and drive towards Fort Meyers beach. Parked in an empty lot before the bridge and biked the rest. Crazy traffic going into the beach. Had a great time enjoying the sights and sounds of spring break!