Lovers Key, Ft Myers, FL..ski fest July 17

TJ · 06-19-2009, 09:23 PM

I don't want to leave anyone out......I just got back from “Lovers Key Resort”, home of SWFSSF 2009. Talking with the management there I was happy to hear, even with the economy the way it is, that we have 50 rooms booked to date. They informed me that there are still 5 to 7 left “in our block” for our group at our rate. It was brought up about room rates, remember, the higher you go, floor wise in the Resort, the higher the price is. You’re paying for the view! If you feel your rate is high, try calling back and requesting a low, low floor. For those of us staying 4 nights. Were getting our 4th night free. Those of you staying for only 3, you get a 4th also, so take and extra day off (you deserve it) and stay another night on Lovers Key, it free. Those doing the 2-day, get with the program and stay with the rest of us, the 4th day is free. This is a great way to BLOW OFF STEAM due to uncontrollable circumstances.
We’ve been promised that the Lovers Key state park boat ramp will be open by July 1. Otherwise we’ll need someone to bring a ski dolly to launch the skis right from their parking lot. There is another smaller state ramp 2 miles down the road if needed.
Due to the economy being what it is here is a synopsis of our schedule of guided tours and rides. EACH DAY, basically we are on the water out in front of the resort, NOT IN THE BOATING CHANNEL, by 9am. READY TO RIDE! This doesn’t mean filling your tank with gas then, or running around looking for supplies, please. We’ll ride for a few hours either out into the Gulf of Mexico up to Sanibel, Ft Myers beach, down to Naples or we will go trail blazing back into the unknown led by our fearless leader TODD, all bowl to the MANGROVE KING!!!! THE TIDES AND TODD WILL DETERMINE WHERE WE ARE HEADING.
This will be repeated again after lunch, lets say around 1:30 ish, so gas up before you eat. There are NO gas pumps at the resort. The best thing to do is to bring portable gas cans with you and fill them up in the evening after returning from the afternoon ride. There is a 7-11 store/gas station 2 miles up the road from Lovers Key; prices are usually good there, a lot lower than expected for being on the island. There are a few marina’s within a couple of miles of the resort but they will get you with prices and the long idle zones to get to them stink.
THERE WILL BE MINI TOURS going out at various times, either while we are waiting for stragglers for the main runs or in the late afternoon after we return from our long ride. There are various clubs that will be attending and sometimes do a run of their own so do not be hesitant to mingle and ask to go along.
Most of us DO leave out skis in the water, either anchored a few feet off shore, or we pull them up on to the beach and lock them together for the night. There will be fresh water hoses supped for us to flush our skis at the resort. Bring your anchors, maybe 2, or one really big one. The current can get really strong right there with the tides changing. The tide can vary by a couple of feet so if you beach your ski at low tide, an hour later it could be floating away with the incoming tide. It has happened a few times over the years. Last year one ski had floated out a hundred yards before anyone claimed it and swam out to retrieve it. Dad, made his son swim since the son was the last to use it.
Now again, the Resort has a great casual restaurant on the property, which has really good food and drink, Bay and pool front. Evenings usually have JEFF playing the guitar and singing some tunes, he is good. I think the food and bar closes around 9:30 ish. So bring some beverages with you to join everyone around the pool after closing. Got an I-pod and speakers, bring it along for the pool party at night.
NO GLASS, NO GLASS, NO GLASS, did I mention NO GLASS? Please cans and plastic only around the pool. All rooms have refrigerators along with full kitchens, small but will do. Please respect the Resorts property and do not launch your ski from their parking lot without their permission, only if the ramp is closed.
If anyone has some thoughts or info, stuff I haven’t posted yet, please post it.
MORE TO COME AS WE THINK OF IT…. ANY QUESTIONS YET? E-mail me at Floridasun@me.com thank you, TJ
Pictures of last year’s event… http://gallery.mac.com/tjstrain#100008
http://tampabayjetskiclub.com/galler...2_itemId=19146

http://tampabayjetskiclub.com/smf/index.php?topic=11.0

if your new to our event, just copy and paste the above link and read all about last years FUN. Great Club, great people!
If your thinking of attending and need more info, please just GOOGLE "southwest florida summer ski fest” we have been doing this every year since 2001. There are tons of posts from years past. Thanks, TJ

Parking when you get there. Please the early birds who park in the grass lot on the left, right before the main building, please do not park close to the road, you will be blocking everyone else coming in that needs to park in that field. Usually you caravan with other trucks and trailers. Try to park in front of one another if you need to get in and out of that lot. Coordinate with your travel friends to maximize parking. Usually there is a load of vehicles with the trailers attached parking right off of the road. It is very hard to get around you for the other drivers. If you are there for a few days and your leaving your skis in the water. Please detach your trailers, lock them to the bushes or each other in the back of the field towards the garage. And then park your vehicle in the regular parking lot by the building. If I remember correctly, we were able to park trailers in the back paved lot last year also. I’ll check on that for this year. Like last year they probably will have someone out there directing traffic a few of the days. Thanks, TJ
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b7...D550/ry%3D400/

TJ · 06-20-2009, 12:24 PM

ok, now for the important stuff! Kinda common sense stuff. Some of our trails can get quite tight. At times as the driver, on a few trails you will have branches/leaves hitting both of your elbows and you will be ducking you head as you navigate thru some of the mangrove tunnels. It does get extremely tight on a trail or two. The higher the tide, the tighter the tunnels. Then we will blast our way at full throttle down straight a ways as well as the curvy snake trails not knowing what might be in store for us ahead. Keep your eyes up, there’s always exotic birds flying overhead back in the trails. OR there may be some poor guy holding his pole looking for a good time. We do try to stay as far away from them, ya never know what might be lurking on the end of his pole…. and we usually slow down so we don’t rock his boat and he loses his grip on his pole. Unless he gives us that special hand/finger gesture, then we blast past. Cause that means he’s only seen one fish and wants us to stir up the water to wake them up. That’s what Todd told me! Todd is in full control here! Bring your water shoes just in case ya gotta get off out in the outback. We have lots of oyster shells under the water. If your not accustom to riding with lots of skis and maneuvering in tight spaces, please practice before getting there. Learn to use your reverse to slow down and quick stop.
There will be plenty of mangrove branches sticking out and just maybe scratching your body. We like to refer to those as “Mangrove badges” once you bleed from the mangrove bush, you are inducted into the mangrove hall of flame. They only hurt for a few minutes. Blood is good back in the trails. Also, if you get cut from a flying mullet fish, or better yet actually catch one in your foot well, you win! Every year we have a few lucky participants either become ONE with a mangrove bush or opt to fish for flying Mullet back in the trails. My daughter was a lucky one a few years back to be graced by a flying Mullet and still to this day she has a fish hook shaped scar on her earlobe from the acrobatic fish.
So, if you have a first aid kit, please bring it, bring your waterproof cell phone bag. Take your phones with you just in case. WE HAVE NOT LEFT ANYONE YET BACK IN THE TRAILS. But who knows, it’s a new year! GPS’s, bring them just in case.

TJ · 06-20-2009, 11:33 PM

My wife and I went to Lovers Key tonight, Flippers the restaurant, for a good meal. Now that I’m thinking of it we forgot to use our “Scully” discount card for 15% off the meal. Damn, told you my memory sucks! Anyway it was another great meal and fantastic atmosphere. The dolphins were swimming by in groups and the drinks were tasty as usual. Since it is rainy season, there was a really nice breeze blow’in the whole time we were sit’in there waterside. The lightning storms were putting on a nice show way out in the distance. As I’ve mentioned previously the pool, hot tub and restaurant are all waterfront so you can watch the boats, skis and dolphins all pass by as you relax in the comfort of Lovers Key.
I’ve found a 7 minute video of one of our trails from last year and posted it on U-tube, just so the new people can get a taste of what is to come. Now remember, I was hand holding the camera and steering with the other hand so it is a tad jumpy and un-edited. Hope you enjoy it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-MR42P6WcQ

Frog Racing · 06-21-2009, 07:44 AM

Oh July 17
I will be there!

TJ · 06-21-2009, 07:11 PM

Forgot to mention that while we were eat at Flippers last night, two guys left the resturant via their skis. The first got on his RXT. After finishing his drink, the second dude lit up one BIG cigar and proceded to make his way to his Yamaha. After farting around for a bit he got the vest on and the ski started. Off he went zig zaging across the water right towards the exposed sand bar, since it was an extreme low tide. Now picture mr cool puffing on his 8" cigar and all of a sudden, ****! Where did this land come from? Why did I stop? Why is there brown crap shooting out of my pump and I'm going nowhere? All that and a thunder storm moving in pretty quick. Lucky for him his buddy on the RXT prolly got almost to the Estero River and realized that he was missing his partner. He returned but never even got close to bother helping. Just idled until the Yami guy pulled his ski to deeper water. Off they went into the rain and deeper water. We've all been there, it's just better when it's someone else and we can sit back and reflect.
Happy Fathers Day to all!

Kawi-Guy · 06-28-2009, 11:29 PM

TJ,
The trails will be ready, I will be out there this week making sure. Looking forward to seeing all you Tampa Group members once again. Let's have another great fest this year.

TJ · 06-29-2009, 07:17 PM

We went out yesterday for a prelim ride. Checked a trail or two and dodged the rain as we road. Stopped at Lovers Key for a bite but there was a private party going on so lunch there was a no go. So we hung out until the short rain burst past. Ended up going north through the maze up to a waterfront restaurant at Ft Myers beach. Did about 35 miles, dodged clouds, had a good lunch and didn't get lost, now thats a great day!

TJ · 07-13-2009, 02:14 PM

Just a couple of things...... the boat ramp is only a mile or so south of the resort Hotel. FREE parking and launching! So, if your gonna leave your ski in the water as most of us do for the weekend, drive down to the ramp with a buddy or two so one can drive the tow vehicle and trailer back up to the Resort and park in the field. please, again if you get there early, DO NOT BLOCK the front of the parking field with your trucks and trailers. please arrange your vehicles so others can get in and out without problems. Last year we were able to detach and park in the back lot also, but they will instruct us whats happening this year. When you check in, the desk will give you a laminated sign to zip tie to your trailer for ID purposes.
BRING GAS CANS, full of course. run up to the gas station at night after the rides or dinner.

Gas up and be ready to ride for 9am each day. we shoot for 9 but there are usually stragglers that we try to wait for.

NO GLASS on the pool deck. You can not bring your drinks up into the restaurant, bring all you want poolside.

Bring - First aid kits, cell phones, 2 way radios, anchors (real strong current during tide changes), ropes, cables and locks, handcuffs etc.....

Saturday night the resturant will be only open for us. It's a typical great menu, no buffet, pay as you normally would at any place. There won't be any talks or door prizes this year so eat at your leisure. Just get back down to the pool after dark and have more fun, mingle, drink, no glass!
If there are slow pokes due to previous evening activities, we usually will do a quick ski run up the Estero River for the restless natives and come back to the Resort to gather up the timely challenged folk before setting out on our jungle adventures. So don't get pissed if you see us take off before your ready, we'll be back! The key word is “usually”, so please keep your eye’s and ears open for run departures.

NRG · 07-13-2009, 04:15 PM

TJ, we may drive down for the day on Saturday.

TJ · 07-14-2009, 07:32 PM

Get here early! Were usually take off for a ride between 9 and 10am, depending on the crowd. were usually out for a couple of hours then return back to the resort for a bite to eat then we head out again (1 pm'ish) for another few hours, return again then maybe do a few quick runs locally up the river into a trail and back to home base for clean up and pre dinner refreshments.
FYI for all......
There are a few gas station on Bonita Beach Road once you get off I-75 so get your gas when you see the station. Right off the exit ramp when you bare right on to Bonita beach Rd, there is a gas station and McDonalds so fill up your tanks early. The last gas/food stop on your side will be at the intersection of Tamiami trl (rt 41)