Sun-N-Fun Resort, Sarasota, FL:  Headed out this morning under cloudy, threatening skies.  Wanted to check out historic Spanish Point my sister told us about.  It’s just south of Sarasota.  I thought it would be nice to take 789 south on the barrier islands, which we did, but it dead-ended before we could go back across the channel.  So, we had to backtrack.  Spanish Point had nothing to do with the Spanish.  The Webb family from Utica, NY, wanted to buy some land in southern Florida, and while in Key West was advised by a Spanish trader to check out the property on this point jutting out into the bay which was just south of what is now Sarasota.  So they sailed up the coast and ended up buying 145 acres--back in 1867.  They named it Spanish Point after the Spanish trader who advised them and for the land’s prominent extension into Little Sarasota Bay.  Over the next 40 years the family farmed over 10 acres and shipped their products south to Key West and north to Cedar Key in their own schooners.  They grew all kinds of vegetables and even oranges and lemons and had their own packing house on the property.  They built little cottages and had a resort of sorts for their northern friends to come visit.  The trails wind around through some really lush vegetation. Very pretty.  The skies cleared off and it turned into a beautiful day.  After leaving there we stopped for a quick bite to eat and then headed to Myakka River SP to check it out.  This is the largest state park in Florida.  The park itself is beautiful, but the campground is nothing we’d want to stay at.  Then headed back but got turned around because of a detour and ended up in Bradenton.  Just a quick drive down I75 back to our RV park.  Stopped at the grocery store first and then back to our site.  Pooped.  Had left-over turkey and fixings for dinner.  And more pumpkin pie for d-e-s-s-e-r-t.  Life is good.

 Pretty trails that wind through this place

Mary's Chapel

 One of six original stained-glass windows

 Inside of the chapel

Huge spider