
Today was our "easy" day, only 2 1/2 hours of driving.
That said we also had to sight-see the Everglades in the afternoon because we wouldn't have much time the following morning on our last leg down through the Keys.
*as decided by Dr. Beach just named Siesta Key Beach as the #1 beach in the United States for 2011. Stephen P. Leatherman, director of Florida International University’s Laboratory for Coastal Research, also known as Dr. Beach,
Read more: http://www.sarasotafl.org/siesta-key/#ixzz1hYMt2la4

Seriously, if you are ever going to run without shoes, this would be the place.
The sand was like powder sugar and the weather was perfect.
Still most everyone I encountered had shoes on, whether they were running or not.
Out of the 50 or so people whose paths I crossed only 1 was without shoes, another several did take off their shoes and carry them, everyone else was totally shoe bound.
What an opportunity missed to connect with the earth.

I went for over an hour, much of it in deep sand.
Actually I "thought" too much. My left foot, the "weaker" of the pair and one that was not recently twisted, landed efficiently on its own accord in the middle of my foot. When I worked to land my right foot correctly, I landed too much on the ball and toes. I ended up with a blood blister on one toe and two huge blisters on the ball and big toe.
That's what I get for "over-thinking" things that at one point in my life were, well just natural.

"Oh my goosh, is that a real, what's going on with that turtle"
After realizing it was a sand castle turtle, her excuse was, "It is named Turtle Beach, after all"
After grabbing some breakfast burritos from a hot dog cart vendor and a quick walk down the beach, we were back on the road heading for the Everglades.