Friday is RandoGirl's day to bike in to work. I went with her, and then noodled around Naples some.
Heading to work
Cut through the parking lot ...
... next to Nordstrom, and kiss RandoGirl goodbye at her office.
Then past the symphony hall ...
... and through Pelican Bay
By the golf course ...
... and high rise condos ...
... and shady lanes.
You see joggers ...
... strollers ...
... and walkers.
Go by Fit & Fuel Cafe to see who's hanging out post-ride ...
... and then go down Vanderbilt Drive ...
... where they're picking up recycling.
Turn left at the graveyard.
Take the bridge over 111th Avenue.
Then use the bike lane going south on Gulf Shore Drive.
Sometimes, the bike lane is almost empty.
Get a quick gulf glimpse ...
... and then back east on Vanderbilt Beach.
Cross Tamiami Trail and go into Pine Ridge ...
... where you can sit behind another truck.
Pine Ridge has lots of big houses ...
... on big lots ...
... and some smaller homes on big lots.
There are also horses ...
... and gated estates ...
... and more gated estates ...
... and orange-gated estates.
The landscaping is ...
... brilliant ...
... lush ...
... and tropical.
And the landscapers never stop.
From Pine Ridge, it's back over Tamiami Trail and cut through the Saks lot.
This church is always busy, and very pretty.
On noodling days, cut down Seagate ...
... past the huge banyan trees ...
... and take the sidewalk past the hotel.
This puts you on Gulf Shore Boulevard, where you have a bike lane full of walkers.
Venetian Bay is on one side ...
... and shambling zombie runners are dead ahead.
Cross over Outer Doctor's Bay (don't ask me who named these) on Harbour Drive.
Some walkers use the sidewalk. This man's boobs were bigger than his dogs.
Then take Mooring Line back to Gulf Shore Boulevard, where you again have a bike lane full of runners ...
... seguing to Segways.
When you get into old Naples, watch out for pedestrians heading for the beach.
The houses as you go south get huge. And they're on the beach.
We like to joke that this is Robin Masters's estate. You have to be old and a Magnum, P.I. fan to get that. It has at least 500 yards of beach front at 10 acres. We're talking money here.
A lot of the homes are hidden behind gates ...
... and landscaping ...
... and vast acreage ...
... of really green lawns.
And lots of palm trees.
You get lots of people on bikes just stopping to look.
And, of course, runners. But at least these guys aren't quite in the bike lane.
As you head south on Gordon ...
... the houses are still nice ...
... when you can see them ...
... because the gates are open ...
... or even if the gates are closed.
You get glimpses of the gulf, too.
There are a few empty lots to build on ...
... and some already being built on ...
... and some almost done.
This is a really pretty one near the bottom.
These are signs that you've hit bottom.
Rolling north Friday, I turned into Port Royal a bit. You have to dodge the landscape trucks here, too.
Again, beautiful homes ...
... with more under construction ...
... all getting their grass cut.
There are a few lots to build on ...
... and some being built.
Lots of folks out riding this fine morning.
Like me ...
... they were ...
... ogling houses ...
... and saying, "Damn."
As the song says, "Little pink houses for you and me." Yeah.
I got back on Gordon and headed north, encountering a peloton of pedestrians in my bike lane.
I thought about stopping for coffee, but ...
... all of the tables were taken at 5th Avenue Coffee.
So, I got back on Gulf Shore Boulevard and went north, turning onto Crayton at the golf course.
Soon, I was back in my neighborhood ...
... where they are also building more houses ...
... and are plenty of nice ones already.
Sometimes I wonder why I would possibly bike further from home than I do on this route. It must be restless legs syndrome.
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