Gary you ever go to Anna Maria Island?
WB
[subject]
Saturday, May 12, 2018, 18:54 (3041 days ago)
Never tried the beaches around Sarasota. I usually hit Destin or run all the way to Sanibel Island off Ft. Myers. Does the coast pretty much all look alike or do some stand out on some special merit? Lots of history and shells on Sanibel, I like the island vibe. Some how a little isolated.
remember it has been 24 years since I was in Florida. I am n
Gary Reeder
[subject]
Saturday, May 12, 2018, 19:36 (3041 days ago) @ WB
much of a beach goer. I get bored after about 15 minutes. The beaches in Bradenton (just north of Sarasota) and those in Sarasota are really nice beaches but crowded in the winter months with snowbirds. The radio station where I was Ops Mgr until 1985 when I retired from radio is on an island off the edge of Sarasota. Unfortunately not much of a beach there.
Trying to find an isolated beach is almost impossible these days. A friend told me recently that Sarasota had doubled in population in the years since we left. Colleen goes back to visit her parents every so often and said it is wall to wall traffic and wall to wall tourists from October to June 1st. The snowbirds usually go home after that and it isn't so bad but still the humidity, the bugs, the traffic and the heat are not for me. That was one of the reasons Colleen, Kase and I all left there.
Scotty, we were there yesterday
Mike Casselton
[subject]
Sunday, May 13, 2018, 03:58 (3041 days ago) @ Gary Reeder
Is there something specific you would like to know about the island or the different beaches on it?
Like Gary said, any beach in Florida is crowded, but some are worse than others. AMI isn't as bad as most.
For shell/shark tooth collecting, it's pretty low on the list but it tends to be less crowded.
Two roads lead on and off the island, state road 64 (AKA Manatee Ave) and Cortez ave. If you are there and want to drive to the mainland 3-6 pm is slow until you cross the bridge.
Actually, the main road on the island goes south onto Longboat Key. This will take you towards Sarasota and St Armands Circle. Lots of shopping, restaurants and a metric shit ton of people.
I think the circle was one of Gary's old hangouts back before it became a tourist spot ;^)
Isn't that something! I was looking on the computer
WB
[subject]
Sunday, May 13, 2018, 07:05 (3041 days ago) @ Mike Casselton
I am trying hard to see about spending a week at Sanibel. That's where the family wants to go. I'd love to try some shark tooth hunting though. Being so far from home on a good 22 hr. drive one way is very taxing on my mental state though. It's usually best for me to set a goal and get there, then tune out and actually try to rest and do little. Sanibel is a good place to do that. The kids are getting older so am I. Things are changing.
We're gonna be just north of Venice second week of June
Mike Casselton
[subject]
Sunday, May 13, 2018, 07:57 (3041 days ago) @ WB
Staying on the inter coastal area by Casey key
lots of memories in those places. I had to go across
Gary Reeder
[subject]
Sunday, May 13, 2018, 11:14 (3040 days ago) @ Mike Casselton
the bridge to get on the island where the radio station was. St. Armand's Circle back then was a haven for the gay crowd along with the high dollar tourists traps. The radio station I worked for in Nashville bought out the station off Sarasota and when I was asked to be Ops Mgr at the station and change it from elevator music to rock I was told to bring my own crew in. I brought 5 DJs with me. One of them couldn't get there for a week or 2 later. He was a snatch hound, as most DJs were. When he got there he asked me where was the best place to pick up chicks. I told him Ruby Tuesdays on St. Armands Circle. After he got off work (he had the 4PM to 9PM shift) he went to Rubys and picked up a sweet thing and took her back to his apartment. He called me about 4AM and had some really nasty things to say about my heritage. He had taken this sweet thing to his place, kissed and fondled her for about an hour. When he got her in the sack he ran his hand down her leg and "she" was overly endowed. He was screaming at me that she was hung bigger than he was. He said he had used a whole bottle of mouthwash and still couldn't get the taste of "her" out of his mouth. I had forgotten to tell him Rubys at that time was a transvestite hangout. He was a bit pissed at me for a few days.
Back to the beaches, we lived in Bradenton and the station was in Sarasota on that little island. What few times I went to the beach we drove out either Manatee to get to the beach or out Cortez. The beaches in Bradenton weren't as crowded as those in Sarasota when we were there. They weren't quite as nice either. Probably why they weren't as crowded.
Central Florida Beachs
SDD
[subject]
Sunday, May 13, 2018, 12:08 (3040 days ago) @ WB
I live in Bradenton and work in south Sarasota if you are looking for the white sand beach look at Siesta Key, it will be crowded this time of year but is a nice beach. If you are looking to find shells or sharks teeth Venice beach is going to be your best bet since it is more shell then sand. I have lived here in central Florida since 1972 and am one of the few natives it seems like. Casey Key or Turtle beach are nice as well. When I head to the beach I grab a kayak and find places most can't get to, yes there are still some places you have to have a boat to get to and it is nice to see the back country.