Florida: Marathon - Trip to Publix and City Marina

Day 207

We thought we fixed the flat tire on Clark's bike, but when he went to check it the next morning after the repair, the tire was deflated and soft. Darn! While I went off this morning to join the water aerobics class, Clark stayed on the boat to investigate the bike leak.

The water aerobics class started at 10:00 with a fellow boater offering to lead us based on her experiences in classes back in Buffalo, NY. Today was the first class as Monday's session was canceled due to weather. Including our instructor six of us showed up for class today.

Sometime during class Clark must have checked up on us because I found a telltale photo on the camera when I went to compose today's blog entry. At the moment he snapped the picture, we were walking in a circle making jokes about playing 'ring around the rosy' like we did as kids. Bob from Knot Sew Easy was the only male participant.

Water Aerobics Class at Faro Blanco Marina Pool

The class ended around 10:45; however, the water felt so refreshing that a few of us stayed in after the session ended and just chatted while we luxuriated in the pool. At some point before noon I made my way to the shower and then back to the boat for lunch. I truly wanted to go back to sit by the side of the pool and enjoy the sun for a while, but my shower had washed off all my sunscreen so I did not dare.

I needed to make a trip to Publix today, so after lunch we pulled out the bikes. Clark said that he thought the problem might have been with the tire valve, and he tightened it to see if it stopped the leak. During lunch, he checked his tire pressure a couple of times and decided it might be holding. "Of course", he said, "we have to take pV=nRT into consideration, so there will be some fluctuation on the pressure." "Of course!" I responded.

With the tire holding steady but slightly under-inflated, we set off for the grocery store. We stopped along the way to inspect the goods at the farmer's market that is just down the road and open seven days a week. Yum! We decided we needed to come back this way after we finished our shopping at the grocery store.

Besides stopping into Publix, we also visited Walgreen's and K-mart. I was looking for something for my phone in both of those places but neither sold what I wanted, so I came out of each empty-handed. Meanwhile Clark had heard this morning about someone with a stainless steel rod that was available for sale. When we weren't in stores looking for what I wanted, we were biking all around to various marinas looking for this stainless steel pipe. Clark thought it was at one place, stopped there, and was told it was at another.  As we shopped and he searched for the pipe, we got to explore as we, quite literally, biked this way, that way, and back again.

We found a museum and nature trail to explore at a future date. It is always good to have activities on the "to do" list. We will come back here to travel the trails when we have more time.

Entry to the Museum and Nature Trails
(We biked in and looked around to scope it out for another day.)

Along the way, we did stop at the farmer's market, and I bought the lettuce and tomatoes I needed. As I paid, Clark roamed around and came up with the idea that we should buy a pineapple, so I paid for that too. As per usual his backpack was weighing him down by the time we were done shopping. He said he felt a difference in weight immediately after I put the whole pineapple in the backpack.

Clark's search for the pipe took us to the Marathon City Marina where he eventually found the pipe and discarded it as not meeting his needs. After all that looking, the pipe was way too fat in diameter to be of use for Clark's purpose. While at the City Marina, we checked out the layout. Before we found a spot at Faro Blanco, we thought we might be trying to grab one of the large number of mooring balls floating out there just to have a place to spend the winter months.

Marathon City Marina

The city marina offers picnic table areas so the boaters
on moorings can come in and relax and socialize.

We have never seen such a large dinghy dock arrangement or
so many dinghies making use of it.

And yet more dinghy dock space populated with dinghies!

Clark did not capture a picture, but I found the number of bicycles at the marina's extensive bike rack arrangement truly amazing as well. Bicycles of every shape, size and color on bike rack after bike rack. Until I saw the dinghy situation, I could not fathom why there were so many bicycles. After I understood that all the boats were on moorings instead of docks, I realized that the boaters brought their bikes ashore and then left them to have transportation whenever they came over by dinghy.

Boats on mooring balls in every direction.

 I am so glad that Clark got us a spot at Faro Blanco. The mooring ball option is fine, but a totally different experience from the resort where we are staying. Being at the docks makes socializing and getting around so much easier, and I love the pool! The two options are a world apart in comparison to each other.

Sign post at City Marina

 I saw a boat named Great Old Broad and laughed out loud. Clark got the message and took a picture for me.

What a great name?! "Great Old Broad"

 On our travels we also passed by the City of Marathon Community Park.

Community Park in Marathon

We spied a tower, and I knew I was lost. Clark has never seen a tower he has not wanted to climb. I was not the least surprised when I watched him maneuver his bike into the park. He ended up disappointed, however, as the interior stairway was closed for a paint job today. We will have to come back another day for his climb to the top! Perhaps on an alternate day I will even hike up there with him.

Tower in City of Marathon Community Park

Looks like we might want to come back this way this weekend
to check out the art festival.

When we left the park, we decided that it was time to head back to the boat. After all, the time was approaching 5:00, and we did not want to miss the nightly "dock"tails gathering at the Faro Blanco lighthouse. "Dock"tails is a great way to get to know the other boaters and learn the local scuttlebutt. We had a full house tonight and had to add extra seats to accommodate all the folks. The gathering is a BYOB affair. However, quite often participants bring an appetizer / snack to share. We had a nice spread of food tonight with veggies, chips and dip, cheese and crackers, candied pecans, and assorted flavors of popcorn. (I brought the popcorn mix and was happy to see it was popular.)

At "dock"tails Bob was working on Clark and trying to convince him to join water aerobics on Friday, so he (Bob) is not the only guy there. I wonder if that will happen and how that will work out if it does.

Clark brought his shower bag with him to 'dock'tails, and so, when the event concluded, he headed for the showers, and I headed for our boat's galley.  Before leaving the docks, however, he managed to capture this "fiery" sunset.

"Fire and Smoke" Sunset at Marathon

I told Clark to expect spaghetti and meatballs for supper, but when he came back, I had potatoes and meatloaf on the stove instead. When I pulled out the meat to start cooking, it reminded me that I was in the mood for meatloaf so, with cook's prerogative, I changed the menu! He said he liked my change of plans, so we were both happy!