Back in the Saddle Again

Good weather and good health are back, and we are back out on the bike.  We went with our friends from Washington State who have relocated to Florida.  Glen is recovering from a stroke, and Ron is recovering from whatever was ailing him, so we took a short ride to the Shell Factory.  We've stopped before, but never really spent much time there, so we didn't realize just how much there was to see!

As you might expect, you can probably buy any type of shell there is here at the largest retail shell outlet in the country (world?)



And we expected to find some tourist items like T-shirts and jewelry,

But we were surprised by the largest taxidermy display we have ever seen in one place.

The sign says $7,000,000 worth of taxidermy is displayed and NO ONE at the Shell Factory killed a single animal.

Most of the animals have dates of many years ago - mostly the 1970's.  It did say most were no longer allowed to be taken.

Glen and Edee - adjusting well to their new life in Florida.

 

You can rent bumper boats or play an 18 hole round of mini-golf

Or eat at the on-site restaurant. 

A fun place to visit!



Sanibel & Captiva Islands

Anne Morrow Lindberg wrote "A Gift from the Sea" when she was living on Captiva Island.  It has always been one of our favorite beaches for finding shells.  However, when we rode the motorcycle on Monday, we decided to spend most of our time at the "Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge" on Sanibel Island.

We saw this fat otter waddling along the side of US 41 between Punta Gorda and Ft Myers.  As soon as we slowed down to try to get a picture, he dove into the jungle.

We took McGregor Blvd through Fort Myers.  It is a really lovely ride with the entire boulevard lined with palm trees.  We passed the Thomas Edison and Henry Ford winter estates but decided to tour them another day.

Sanibel Island in the distance as we approached the toll booth where we paid $2 for our motorcycle.

The causeway that connects Sanibel and Captiva Islands to the mainland is dotted with beautiful parks,

where people swim, fish, parasail, and build sand castles all through the winter.

The refuge has a four mile drive that is best enjoyed on a motorcycle.  The smells of the Mangrove swamp and the sights can be enjoyed as you make the leisurely drive through the refuge.

In several places, we were treated to clusters of a variety of birds.

About midway on the drive, we stopped and took a hike along the dike between two islands.  

A bridge connects Captiva Island to Sanibel Island.

Final stop, the beach at Captiva Island.