island tennis mon

the truth can now be told.

i always had a problem with tennis on st croix.

don't get me wrong.

i had incredible tennis partners and some of the nicest people anwhere laughing at my alleged serve and cursing my drop shots.

but how are you supposed to be serious about your game when you are playing on courts that overlook 3 beaches and the caribbean?

no matter how hard i tried to focus on that killer overhead that i hit only in my dreams i kept getting distracted by all of that sunshine and ocean.

i really miss those days. and the people.

not that playing in the mountains was all that shabby. after all, at 9000 feet above sea level i could almost see the fast serves of my opponents rocket past me. but the mountain views in places like crested butte, keystone, vail, aspen, telluride, and steamboat springs were certainly worth a few humiliating defeats.
and my endurance was usually good enough to have that thin air work to my advantage.

and happy tennis memories include indoor tournaments in grand junction, and my many friends in gunnison, montrose, and delta. and, of course, time with family in new smyrna beach, where runs on the beach and tennis matches were as much a necessity as the napoleon slices at mon delice.

but yesterday was certainly a treat.

i play on an old guy's team these days (although i had to play singles with a 14 year old the other day). and we play on clay, which was invented as a way of giving me a chance to return serves in my declining years.

and yesterday we had our match on sanibel island.

for those of you that don't know sanibel and captiva islands from doc ford books or playboy photo shoots, they are secret treasures close to my house which substitute for martha's vineyard if you are boycotting massachusetts after the last election. (okay--maybe not all that secret judging from yesterday's traffic).

one of the best shelling beaches anywhere. lots of money, but in a funky environment where you score points if you cruise the bike path on a one speed.
and great food. of course i would have to mention that.

i can't afford the $6 toll to get over the bridge, let alone a country club membership. but my team plays one match at home in cape coral one one at the home court of the other team.

so i have gotten to check out some swank locations in fort myers, bonita springs, estero, and two clubs on sanibel.

you don't waste a trip to sanibel just for tennis. there should be a beach appearance and food.

yesterday i had friends from steamboat springs visiting their son up in st pete. they wanted a road trip and came over for lunch. we met on sanibel and i fortified myself for my gruelling doubles tennis match by loading up on black beans and rice smothered in hot sauce along with shredded beef tacos drowned in hot sauce (i like variety in my use of spices).

the players on my team have become friends. several are younger, but my partner yesterday was 77 and covered the court better than i did.

and i was playing tennis on an island again. this time there was a large water hole on the 18th green to distract me rather than the ocean, but the club was called beach view, so you know the gulf of mexico isn't more than a threewood away (at least if you are tiger woods and not otherwise occupied). huge palms everywhere. it's a nice place to go when you know the white house is still digging out from their last snow disaster. (i am amazed that obama hasn't been blamed for the weather).

today i am back in cape coral for my 6th day of tennis in the last 7 days.

my foot is a bit sore, but the body is holding up for the most part.

all i need is more visitors.

i'll save up for the bridge to sanibel. just make sure you bring your racket.