Happy New Year! Let's hope 2023 will be a fantastic year and everyone can try to get back to a normal routine after what the last 3 years have been to disrupt everyones lives.
Before I can move on, I wanted to make a post of where I had the pleasure of going before the Christmas festivities began. I drove a group of young men and women to Sarasota Florida. Yes, I had been there before but it was on a tour and we weren't in the area for 24 hours. This time, I was with the Gardner-Webb University swim team.
Having been around many sports as a photographer for the past 35 years, I was surprised to learn that many collegiate swim teams travel in December to the warmer climates to train in the outdoor facilities. Yes it makes sense but I had never heard of it happening.
It was a hard gig for the week. Waking up early, taking the group to the pool at 6:30am, return to the villas after 2 hours and then back to the pool at 12:30pm. Once they were done each day around 3pm, that was the end of my day. What a life you say, but take a look at where they/we were staying. Right on the beach of Siesta Key, FL!
I grew up on the water and this was a refreshing week even though the sand felt more like flour than the sands of the North Carolina Crystal coast but it held magnificent sunsets!
The evenings I tried to venture out and explore. I am not the type of motorcoach driver that will just go driving in the bus to see what I can see. But I do carry alternative transportation with me most times in the form of a Segway scooter. This was an excellent way to go out and see some of the island and go into the village for dinner. Before you ask, yes, I did take the Segway to the table with me!
All in all, it was a great trip with a wonderful group of college students who were very courteous and engaging. On to the next adventure in the new year!
