For our last walk in 2020, we chose Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, FL. This is a 3.5-mile circular path around a man-made 400-acre lake which was initially excavated during the construction of the highway and later enhanced for sprint rowing and regatta games. We usually prefer hiking in natural settings but the overcast and windy weather was perfect for today’s open walk.
The signage is poor and there are no maps. Not knowing which was the better way around the loop, we headed for the observation tower and from there started walking south. The path is wide enough for bidirectional traffic and social distancing.
There is a pebbled path that runs parallel to the paved one. On the west side, it is often under trees and would provide sun coverage. Since I was wearing sandals, I decided to stay on the tarmac. On this side there are bathrooms, but not on the other.
I am glad we went on a weekday because there were only a few bicyclists and joggers on the path. There were many more walkers. I was disappointed to only see a few fishermen and no one on the water.
