#1 Beach in the Nation - Siesta Beach

We made number one! I say we because Siesta Beach is one of the closest beaches to us, we can ride our bike there. Dr. Stephen Leatherman's or AKA Dr Beach ranking of Siesta Beach as America's top shore destination for 2011, was announced May 27th. For the last two years we were rank #2 and this year we made it to #1 Beach

...and since it is so close to us and so beautiful...I have posted many photos here on my blog.

There are many events that take place throughout the year... from the drum circle on Sundays at sunset...

...to the Kid's Summer Beach Runs, we have been going to since Maranda was 3 years old. She has a T shirt from each year she participated, a 16 this year I'm not sure if she will get one this year...we'll see...

...at least the summer kid's runs are held in the evening where it's a little cooler...

...but often it will be overcast or the afternoon storms come rolling in...it always makes it interesting.

...it is a great time family...they have the sand sculpture contest..

...of this is an amiture one just for fun, but I liked it...also see my post on the sand-snowman, and sand pig,

...it has the softest, whitest sand anywhere!



...many beach walks for charity and I even had one of my bridal showers here...

...and church picnics and baptisms are held here...

many weddings and birthdays are celebrated here...not pics of the brides though...



come visit anytime...

...there is lots of beach to see...

lots and lots...

lots of room and lots of sand...

even yoga.... get here early...

...getting ready to start the day...

we usually like to go early before the crowds arrive...

...looks like this summer we'll have to go even earlier...

...or later..

hope you enjoyed a little piece of My World

SkyWatch Friday

This has always been a favorite photo of how our summer storms come in from the east. The contrast between the white sand of Siesta Beach and the black clouds are startling.

This is more like the springtime in Florida, not much rain this time of year...


This is my edition of Sky Watch Friday season 4, episode 43! Check it out for more skies around the world!!

Siesta Sunset ~ Sky Watch Friday

One of the sunset on Siesta Beach. We usually don't go to this beach for sunset because it is curved into the Gulf just enough so the sun doesn't set over the water from here.

So we look the other way and check out how it reflects against the clouds.

They were all taken on the same evening, just different times and angles. Enjoy more Sky Watch photos at: Sky Watch Friday

Siesta Beach - Sky Watch - Friday

Every Tuesday in the summers they hold a fun run for families. They hold in the lat afternoon-early evening so people are off work and in is a little cooler....

...which is nice it give the family a chance to do things together, run, swim and meet with friends.
The only problem is... that is when the storms usually roll in...

The 1 mile run starts a 6:30 for the kids and not so serious runners. Then at 7:00 they hold a run that will take you to the "wall" which is at the end of Crescent Beach and back, about 5K. Some runs will add swimming or make take you over some soft sand for a cross country-like run. Some will add a little agility obstacles, like run over a picnic table and jump in a burlap sack. It was only rained out once this summer...

...but I have been able to capture many black skies and ominous clouds come rolling in. This one didn't have any lightning, and we were in the car driving off the key before the rain hit.

This is linked to SkyWatch Friday check out more skies form everywhere!

Have a great weekend!

Summer Beach Run

Each summer every Tuesday evening is the summer beach runs. It is sponsored by Sarasota County Parks & Recreation and The Manasota Track Club. They hold two runs each week, the first one is for the kids a half mile down the beach and back. The adult run is usually to the wall (point 'o rocks) about 3 miles or so, and sometimes they have a cross country run through the soft sand and playground and all around. The kids sign up and each week they run gets counted, after four runs they get a free T shirt. After each run they get a ribbon and a freeze pop! Maranda has been doing this since she was 3 and has every T shirt to prove it. It has really grown over the years and it's a good thing that Siesta Beach can handle it.

We were a little last this week so we just hopped on the beach over another ramp and skipped the crowded pavilion.

Headed toward where the starting line is you can see how crowded it is.

At Siesta Beach there is a long walk on the soft white sand to get to the water. After the rain it's usually easier because it's packed down. It's not bad though I love it.

We usually set up by the green life guard stand so Wade can find us when he gets there. He comes here straight from work and runs in the second run.

We are at the green life guard stand looking toward the south where the run is going on. We missed it this week but stayed to watch the second runners. The beach is full of families and they usually stay to swim and just hang out at the beach. i always run into a lot of kids from school here.

As we were sitting there the typical Florida, afternoon, summer weather comes rolling in. It seems funny that we still need to wear our sunglasses when you look at these black clouds. Often we'll see some type of clouds during these runs. This time there were some pretty dark clouds, but not any thunder or lightning. Wade usually has to call from work to see if it's raining here and if we should even go.

Everyone's leaving and the run is still in progress! Still no lightning. Hey where is everyone going?

Looking towards the north it's still pretty bright.

The wind is picking up you can see the sand blowing.

We decided to pack it up but still wanted to wait until Wade was finished running before we left, still no lightning.

No rain and no lightning (otherwise we would of been gone if there were lightning) but the wind is really blowing the sand. It looks like a blizzard blowing the white sand around like that.

Maranda wasn't happy that we stayed, we were really getting sand blasted. Think of it as a full body exfoliation! It didn't start to rain until Wade was back, he was surprised to see us still there, but we didn't care if we got wet. By the time we got to the parking lot it was full of cars going nowhere. We were soaked and decided to wait with Wade in his truck until the rain let up a little. We weren't going anywhere anyway. It was like a concert just let out with the traffic in the parking lot all jammed up. We had to wait to even back out of the spot. Good thing we were not in a hurry!

Siesta Beach (Picture heavy)

Maranda and I decided to walk Siesta Beach this morning. We figured if we were going to do Siesta we better do it now, because if we wait much longer it will be in the middle of tourist season and it will be too crowded. Right now is perfect, mostly Europeans are vacationing, then the "snow birds" start coming. February is peak "season" the east coast I guess has winter break. Then spring break! After that then we can start getting our beaches and restaurants back. We have to start adjusting our times we go to the beach and restaurants in "season".

Today was is beautiful! The kind of day that when we drove out to the beach we had the sunroof open, and the A/C on for the drive back at 11:00am. We started early around 9:30am. Not many clouds at all.

Of course we did get the stopped by the draw bridge on the way out to the key. I told M if she didn't run back in the house to get her sunglasses that she forgot we would of made it through. Ha ha! We turn right to Siesta rather than left to Turtle Beach when we get to the key.

The pavilion at Siesta Beach. They have the Kids Summer Beach Runs here and this is where you sign in and after the runs the kids get freeze pops.

They have several walkways to enter the beach. The parking lot is huge and so spread out you need many entrances and showers. But you still have to get there early if you want a parking spot.

The pavilion from the beach. It looks better closer and in person. They also have another area where most of the picnickers go. The have another covered area, playground, and several tables and grills. A lot of the sponsored racer will start off there. The volley ball nets are set up just on the beach from that area.

This was named #2 this year for Americas best beach. It is known for the very white soft sand. We had a cold front come in that had given us a couple of breezy days. We got there early enough to see some sand before it got walked on....by humans.

My favorite life guard stand on the south end of the public beach.

The yellow life guard is writing the water temp and air temp and tide times for today. I could sit and watch him all day, just kidding.

It was so calm today I bet it would be great to kayak on the gulf. Okay enough of this life guard.

The beach sand area is quite large. I am down a ways at south end here, or rather SE because of the way it curves from Crescent Beach. That's why the sunset on Siesta Beach is over a small tip of land, you'll see it when we are at the north end past the public beach.

Yeah I had to get a water bird in this smooth sand. They are so funny, they run after the wave leaves to get sand fleas? or coquinas? then they run from the wave when it comes back.

Anyone for some beach yoga?

If you get there early enough it's still pleasant enough you don't sweat! We'll save you a spot.

The blue LG stand is the north end of the beach.

I have never seen bird lay down like this, several of the darker birds (I don't know what they are yet) were actually laying down in the sand. It looked so funny.

Then you can keep walking and walking....it's a very popular beach for walking. It is such a long stretch and enough hard packed sand it's easy to walk with or without shoes.

It's also a great place to people watch. You sure see all kinds, shapes and sizes. So what do you call an old man with a younger woman, if visa versa is called a cougar? That's a little old man with the tall lady. If she keeps tanning like that it won't be long and she'll look as old as him.

I certainly could of gotten more crazy, funny, different looking people shots, but I didn't want to look too obvious.

Time to leave, it's starting to get more and more people, almost 11:00. Wouldn't you know it we caught the draw bridge on the way off the key too! Saturdays!

Hope you all have a wonderful Saturday!! Check out our lunch at Tijuana Flats on my food blog
The Tiny Skillet