Tuesday, January 26, 2021
Legacy Trail, Venice Area Rookery, Blind Pass Beach
We started the morning with a complimentary breakfast by the pool. The setting was better than the food, but at least they didn't Covid-cancel it. No worries. Gorgeous day with a high of 80 and a bright blue sky. I'll take it!
The Legacy Trail runs 10.75 miles from the Historic Venice Train Depot at its southern end to its northern end in Sarasota. We rode the short section from our hotel to the train depot yesterday afternoon, so this morning we headed north. With such a pretty day, the trail was in high use even on a Tuesday, but everyone was courteous in passing, so it was no big deal.
Symbol of the rail-trail's railway roots
The trail is wide and paved and almost entirely straight, with causeways over picturesque waterways and a couple of steep bridges over major roads. We found the tree-lined path pleasant, but it wasn't the most interesting of our many rides in Florida. We did see two gopher tortoises along the way, as well as a snake and several bald eagles.
Straight, flat, and sunny
Gopher tortoise
The Legacy Trail connects to the Hampton Inn through Patriots Park, a small, pretty park created in remembrance of the heroes and victims on 9/11. Laying in wait beneath a restaurant by the park's pond, we spotted an alligator waiting for someone to drop a sandwich. We rode 21.1 miles before locking our bikes by the hotel entrance.
Patriots Park
Gator in wait
Cheeseburger, please
After a late lunch of leftovers, we drove 15 minutes south to the Venice Area Audubon Rookery, a tiny green space consisting of a very small island in the middle of a former storm-water retention pond. The island became a popular place for birds to nest and raise their babies, prompting the local Audubon Society to take over the spot and make it a county park.
Venice Area Audubon Rookery
Great blue heron
Great egret
Great big nest
We'd visited the rookery our last time in Florida in 2009 and liked it enough to return. The little island is close to the pond's shore, offering close views of the nesting birds, so this is a very popular spot for birdwatchers and silly bird photographers with VERY BIG lenses. Alligators keep other predators away from the rookery, but why don't the alligators eat all the birds?
Pretty pond
American anhinga
Pretty good egret
South of Venice, we drove out onto the barrier island of Manasota Key, where we stopped at Blind Pass Beach for shell hunting, beach strolling, and another gorgeous sunset and moonrise. Later on, we drank beer and hung out on the balcony overlooking the pool.
Joe "Tom" Cool
Moon over Blind Pass Beach
Stunning sunset
Tom
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