Everglades

Sunday, I drove straight down the center of Florida and made it to the Everglades National Park.  GPS took me on the scenic route, including one dirt road (only a couple of blocks worth).  What is there to say about the drive Florida is FLAT and wet, there is water everywhere so he plants are lush.  I arrived at the campground after dark and went to sleep early.

Monday, Sunrise, Long Pine key Campground, Everglades

Me dressed for a bike ride, Everglades behind me 

Monday morning after enjoying a beautiful sunrise, yes I turn in to a morning person when camping, I went on the ranger led bike hike, yes I got on a bike again and realized after I was on it that the last time I was on a bike was when I broke my arm in Berkeley.  I do enjoy bike ridding on flat surfaces, and the everglades are flat.  Just a foot difference in elevation can mean the difference between habitats and if it is a wet marshland or a dry forest ground.  I took another ranger led hike in the afternoon, this time I saw some alligators.

Alligator, posing for the camera

Look, alligator in the water

Wetlands.

Sunset, Campground again

I also did a bunch of trails on my own just walking.  So many signs to read and so much cool information.  I learned a lot about the everglades and just took in some nature.  Drove all the way down to the gulf and saw some keys off the coast, considered for a bit the question of where does the land end and the ocean begin (more on that one later).  Went to the ranger led campfire program, got eaten alive by the mosquitoes and went to bed early.

Look Keys off the coast.

Tuesday I got up really early and drove through the mist down the road, to go enjoy Nine mile pond.  It is not a nine mile long pond it is just named that because of how far it is to some point that no longer exists, and the name stuck, it is just a little pond.

Tuesday, before sunrise, Nine mile pond

Tuesday Sunrise, Nine mile pond

Look I got to Kayak the pond.

I then got to go on the ranger led Canoe hike, which was a blast, I got to kayak because I didn't have a buddy to canoe with (besides I would want to be at the back of the canoe and that would not have been good with all the extra guys needing to be manly out there.)  Had fun paddling through the mangrove bushes and I was the fastest one out there.  Also the only one that got wet, no I didn't fall in, it is just hard to stay dry when in a kayak. I had a blast and enjoyed the nature, and was the only one who wasn't sore at the end, which surprised me.  I have been one of the youngest people at most all of the ranger led programs, except for one of the rangers, and the rest are at retirement age.   After kayaking, I did another little walk and saw a turtle, than just sat and relaxed and sewed before going on the ranger led starlight walk where we got to see all the 'gator eyes, just like in the cartoons where they shine back at you.  It was so cool, still went to bed early because I had done lots and was really tired.  You know that if you get up early and do lots during the day, it turns into a really long day unless you go to bed early too.  I don't feel like my usually nightowl, what getting up at 6am and going to sleep before 10pm.  I did enjoy all the pretty nature and exercise and am feeling much better than I have in a really long time.

Turtle and fishes