Day 2: I Search of Florida-ness


I came into the campgrounds after dusk, so I missed the huge population of buzzards until the next morning. A sure sign to beat it out of there.





Months ago I had heard how beautiful Boca Grande was and thought it was worth a shot. It seemed less built up than Sanibel and Captive islands, just to the south. Less reputation as a CIA retirement community as well. I drove all the way to the south end of the island to the old lighthouse and got ready for a run on the beach. While the beaches were covered with shells, as I had hoped, they were also covered with foot-long mullets. No, not wigs or scalps, but smelly dead fish…marking high tide. The shell collectors pretended not to notice, but that put an end to my running plans for the day.





The winter community is wealthy and I met a gardener doing his best to keep up with a 200-yard long bougainvillea.

After an overpriced seafood lunch I headed north, driving through Sarasota to see what was there. No stops worth mentioning. Gainesville was just as I left it, but with my days numbering even fewer.