Hello, I am new here

[islandboy]

In 94, when I did the bus trip, the trip started out of Chicago, Illinois Amtrak Station. We went north, then west, so lots of places I would have liked to see in the daylight were lost in the dead of night. However, I guess the tracks cross some very steep deep valleys that might have scared us silly. They said the same thing about coming back though Colorado, some of the inclines are really tricky.
When I was younger I traveled by greyhound bus many times, both north and south and out west to Nebraska. The only part of riding the bus I didn't care for was the bus stations. They always seemed to be in the worst areas of cities and never clean. I never felt very safe, but did alright.
Spoon River Scenic Drive sounds beautiful. I'll have to find a link with pictures to add it to my website travel page. I like different travel spots.
Debp, Is it exciting to see those big waves rolling in off the ocean with surfers? Having only watched it on TV, it must be breath -taking in person.

[Debp]

In 94, when I did the bus trip, the trip started out of Chicago, Illinois Amtrak Station. We went north, then west, so lots of places I would have liked to see in the daylight were lost in the dead of night. However, I guess the tracks cross some very steep deep valleys that might have scared us silly. They said the same thing about coming back though Colorado, some of the inclines are really tricky.
When I was younger I traveled by greyhound bus many times, both north and south and out west to Nebraska. The only part of riding the bus I didn't care for was the bus stations. They always seemed to be in the worst areas of cities and never clean. I never felt very safe, but did alright.
Spoon River Scenic Drive sounds beautiful. I'll have to find a link with pictures to add it to my website travel page. I like different travel spots.
Debp, Is it exciting to see those big waves rolling in off the ocean with surfers? Having only watched it on TV, it must be breath -taking in person.

You are right about those bus stations....actually, mom and I only took the Greyhound once many years ago to Phoenix and back (usually I fly as it's only an hour and the Southwest Airlines fare is very reasonable).  We wanted to see the desert in bloom....actually, we only saw one particular cactus (the long skinny kind) in bloom.  I guess the others had already bloomed.

When I go to the beach, I go to Santa Monica Beach and pier as it is easy for me to reach (only one hour on the bus).....they don't have any surfers there.  A little ways North at Malibu Beach, you would probably see the surfers.  The waves at Santa Monica are not gigantic, but do get bigger in stormy weather (rare here).

I haven't been to the pier for awhile, but when I do go, it is very relaxing.  The waves and the seagulls sound so soothing.  It is nice to view the waves as they keep coming in, in their rhymatic way.  If you throw bread or fries up in the air, the seagulls will catch them.  They can hover in one spot which is so interesting to watch.  I love the sounds they make.....sometimes they will fuss with one another and make the sounds moreso.  I think anything to do with nature is relaxing.

[islandboy]

The closest beach to where I live is Ft Myers Beach. and Naples, Florida, both have a really nice pier that extend out into the Gulf. I too love the sound of the waves rushing up to the shore and the tingling sounds made by the shells as the water pulls them along. Along the river the waves play with small clam shells on the shore line causing the same sounds.
When i was young, my parents took us to Great Lakes. I remember once there were lots of seagulls on the beach and as children we would run at them so they would fly. however, my Father, put a stop to that as he said you don't want to be under them and looking up at them flying.
But your right, the sounds made by seagulls and other water birds is beautiful. On the East Coast of Florida, I remember being on beaches where there were lots of land crabs running over the sand, and i thought they were neat to see. At  different times jellyfish would wash up on the beach and though interesting to look at it is better to avoid them all together.

[Soldier4Christ]

There's no beaches anywhere near me but there sure are a lot of land crabs. 

[Shammu]

There's no beaches anywhere near me but there sure are a lot of land crabs. 

I have plenty of sand, about 25 miles away.

[Soldier4Christ]

We have plenty of sand pits.

[Debp]

The closest beach to where I live is Ft Myers Beach. and Naples, Florida, both have a really nice pier that extend out into the Gulf. I too love the sound of the waves rushing up to the shore and the tingling sounds made by the shells as the water pulls them along. Along the river the waves play with small clam shells on the shore line causing the same sounds.
When i was young, my parents took us to Great Lakes. I remember once there were lots of seagulls on the beach and as children we would run at them so they would fly. however, my Father, put a stop to that as he said you don't want to be under them and looking up at them flying.
But your right, the sounds made by seagulls and other water birds is beautiful. On the East Coast of Florida, I remember being on beaches where there were lots of land crabs running over the sand, and i thought they were neat to see. At  different times jellyfish would wash up on the beach and though interesting to look at it is better to avoid them all together.

I bet Ft Myers and Naples are beautiful.  How far are you from there?  A friend's sister arranges conferences in FL regularly and my friend gets to go and stay in the room with her sister.  She raves about Florida being so beautiful.

We don't have any big shells on Santa Monica Beach.  Last time I was there, I just found some very small flat ones.  Once when I was on Maui (Hawaii), all of these crabs kept coming up out of the sand at the same time....then they would go back down at the same time, over and over again.  There were lots of them, all over the sand....it was kind of funny to see....and we had to move our beach blanket, too.  (Now I don't sunbathe....that was in my 20s.)  Once in a while we hear about jelly fish at our beaches, not too often.

[islandboy]

I live about 50 miles from Naples, and about 25 miles from Ft. Myers. The cities have become quite crowded as far as driving goes, but last time I was in Fort Myers Beach it was kind of interesting. They have lots of quaint little clothing stores and in & outdoor bars, and the beach is accessable from there.
Otherwise, there are many new developments and high -risers that restrict access to the beaches to their residents only.
I don't do the city entertainments much, but there are alot of interesting museums and art shows, plays and musical endeavors, and etc.......... As a visitor or tourist, there are many things of interest in a great number of localities.
The landcrabs are really cute. It was like playing hide and seek. One minute they are all over and the next there are back in their holes in the sand.

[Debp]

I live about 50 miles from Naples, and about 25 miles from Ft. Myers. The cities have become quite crowded as far as driving goes, but last time I was in Fort Myers Beach it was kind of interesting. They have lots of quaint little clothing stores and in & outdoor bars, and the beach is accessable from there.
Otherwise, there are many new developments and high -risers that restrict access to the beaches to their residents only.
I don't do the city entertainments much, but there are alot of interesting museums and art shows, plays and musical endeavors, and etc.......... As a visitor or tourist, there are many things of interest in a great number of localities.
The landcrabs are really cute. It was like playing hide and seek. One minute they are all over and the next there are back in their holes in the sand.

If people in FL are smart, they will try to curtail some of that highrise building all along the shore.  It's important for areas to set aside some land for parks.  Was it Edison that had a home in Ft. Myers?  If so, is it a musuem and scenic?  I know Hemingway had a home in Key West (now a musuem with ancestors of his cats with the extra toes still living there!).  The photos of it look so pretty.

[islandboy]

The city planners and commissioners are all about making money. There are a few parks around, but beach crowding is a problem in Florida cities. The Edison home and grounds are beautiful and include a park like setting with a museum. I have never been there but have seen pictures of it.
There are several nature parks, Corkscew Swamp, near Naples, is one that comes to mind. By visiting SW Florida tourism sites you can get better information where the best ones are located at.
If your into airboat rides and other attempts at up close looks at nature there are places down on old #41, between Naples and Miami, that offer nice interesting trips over sawgrass swamps and waterways  among cypress trees. There are Indian Tribe Attractions and areas you can drive through that allow general on your own touring of the woodlands and etc.....

[Shammu]

We have plenty of sand pits.

Brother, that sounds like the pits...........

[islandboy]

This time of the year it's mosquito paradise.

[Soldier4Christ]

With all the extra rain we've had this year the mosquitoes are pretty bad here also.

[Debp]

The city planners and commissioners are all about making money. There are a few parks around, but beach crowding is a problem in Florida cities. The Edison home and grounds are beautiful and include a park like setting with a museum. I have never been there but have seen pictures of it.
There are several nature parks, Corkscew Swamp, near Naples, is one that comes to mind. By visiting SW Florida tourism sites you can get better information where the best ones are located at.
If your into airboat rides and other attempts at up close looks at nature there are places down on old #41, between Naples and Miami, that offer nice interesting trips over sawgrass swamps and waterways  among cypress trees. There are Indian Tribe Attractions and areas you can drive through that allow general on your own touring of the woodlands and etc.....

The airboat rides sound like fun.  Are they fairly safe (with all of those alligators around)? 

[islandboy]

The boats are long with many seats that hold 8-10 people. As long as you don't hang your arms or legs over the sides of the boats, they are safe. Being airboats they make allot of noise but fun to ride on. While you might see a few alligators on the ride, you see more water birds, fish and turtles and vegetation. Most places down on #41, have large fenced pool areas filled with big alligators. I got some of my best close up photo shots of alligators from pens like that. The Indian Attractions also have them and often do alligator wrestling to entertain the visitors. They used to be pens with pools containing otters and turtles. Also some pens with cougars and others with deer. The prices always seemed fair.