At Flamingo, in the Everglades National Park

up close and personal with a crocodile (from our canoe!)

he likes to pose, I guess

another croc just hanging out at the marina!

soft shell turtle we found on the road (and rescued)

a lovely little shell found in the Everglades

Ranger Leon Howell on the bike ride

Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011
Well, we really are in the middle of nowhere!  No cell phone, no internet - feels wierd for us, but it's kind of nice.  The air feels so soft on your skin, waking up to 74 degree breezes coming in through the windows.  The campsites are not nearly full up, and most of the campers in this area are tenters.  There is an RV area, complete with electric hookup, but it is full.  So, we pull up at 8:00 pm, put the feet on the camper down for stabilization, then put the camper's slide out.  We're living the life of Reiley!  Felt a little bit bad the next morning, because coffee is necessary.  And, in order to make coffee, we had to start the generator...we waited as long as we could, 9:00 am, then started it up.  Tonight, we'll make coffee before 8:00 pm, put it in our thermos, so coffee tomorrow morning won't involve noise...
On our first full day here, we went on a bike ride two miles down a dirt single track road that leads to parking and a walk in to Bear Lake. Felt nice, on the lovely trail with mangroves, strangler figs, and other plants along a canal for boats, canoes, etc.  We got to the parking area, parked our bikes, and walked over to the water.  Immediately, we were besieged by mosquitos!  So, we decided to remount the bikes and get out of there!  We went on a ranger-led walk to learn about the trees around here - very interesting.  And, we signed up for a ranger-led canoe trip for Sunday morning.  It starts at 8:00, and the put in is 12 miles back up the road.  Actually the trip is fully subscribed and we're first on the waiting list.  The ranger thought we had a good chance to get on the trip.  Then, this morning, when the alarm went off at 6:30 am, we decided that getting up, breaking camp, and driving out there to MAYBE get on the trip was injurious to our peaceful existence.  So, we didn't!  Maybe we can get on an afternoon trip...!
Today, Sunday, we had a totally lazy day.  I fixed a big breakfast, instead of our usual cereal.  Then we sat around and read all morning, had lunch, read some more, then took a nap!  The camp area had a problem with their water for most of the day, but opened up again in time for showers (cold) before dinner.  Felt heavenly!  Dinner tonight is steaks on the grill, lima beans, and baked potatoes accompanied by a bottle of wine - the good life!
Tomorrow, we have to drive out to the main gate (38 miles) so that Dan can get his Monday's work done on the internet - plus, we'll be able to check to see if we have any phone messages.  Tuesday, we head for the Keys.

the canal from the marina to Coot Bay

Florida Bay - no more than 2-5 feet deep

egret standing on floating rotting sea grass

the marina at Flamingo

boat going out into Florida Bay

American crocodile hanging out in the Marina

canoe launch for Bear Lake - poisonous tree (Menangas sp?) overhanging....

trail in Flamingo area

trail out to Bear Lake

daily visitor to the campsite area...

Gumbo limbo tree (tourist tree)

canal ahead of us in the canoe

limestone rocks at side of canal

these mangroves are amazing - send the new roots down from upper branches....

mangroves all along the canal

lovely day, lovely mangroves...

d

Dan behind me in the canoe

Oh Captain, my captain!

pretty mangroves

Friday, February 4 - to the Everglades!

Florida Bay from the Flamingo Visitor Center

turkey vulture, looking for a handout

turkey vultures - a constant presence!

pretty little birds - I think egrets?

Florida Bay

Dan talking to the ranger man

Last night, in Naples, we saw a sign "Pelican Nursery".  First thought was a visual of a little baby pelican being given little tiny fish, of being taught to clip a fishing line to take the fish away from the fisherman...then, sanity slipped in and we realized (probably Dan, before me, if I'm being honest) that it was just a nursery business for plants, called Pelican..!
This morning we woke up in Naples to 75 degree weather - heaven!  It was cloudy, but felt so nice.  Later, the sun came out - yippee!
Our destination this evening is the furthest southern point in the Everglades National Park, a campground called Flamingo.  We met a guy this morning who said he'd been there: "Oh yes, that's really out in the middle of nowhere!"  It's funny, weeks ago when we were planning this trip, we read about this place, and decided that it sounds really cool and that there's lots to do there.  So, we made reservations for 4 nights - now, we can't remember what we read about it!  I do remember that you get to the Visitor's Center at the beginning of the park, and then drive to the very end of the road, 38 miles away!  Should be really interesting.  I'm hoping for some ranger talks, hikes, maybe kayak trips. It'll be nice not to have to move for a few days.
The terrain today, as we drove along Tamiami Trail, US-41, across the everglades, we saw really interesting and varied terrain.  We also saw a number of signs indicating that panthers cross here...?  We haven't seen one yet, but we've got our eyes peeled!  Quite a few places along the 2 lane road that offer airboat rides out into the swamp.  We did see one squished alligator....  Once we got to the end of US-41, and turned right headed into Miami, Homestead, and the like, there were acres and acres of farmland - mostly corn or tomatoes.
We have now entered the Everglades Park.  It's 38 miles now, and the sun has set.  The land is very flat, with areas of grass bounded by treed areas - not the palm trees that you might expect, but some sort of deciduous trees mixed with pines.  There are pulloffs once in a while with signs that tell you about what is seen - unfortunately, tonight we are anxious to get to the campsite.  We just saw a sign that we are now at an elevation of 3 feet!  I'm helping to keep an eye out for deer - hitting one would really ruin our evening!  We are seeing the occasional oncoming vehicle, but, mostly, we are out here n the two lane road alone.  This is probably a birder's paradise - we're seeing lots of them,

in Tampa for the night, 2/3 at the largest RV place you can imagine!

Ok, so we had hired Camper World to install some solar panels on the camper, to be done this morning (2/4).  They allowed us to park in their service bay for the night, surely the wierdest place we've stayed!  Full electrical hookup, with free WiFi - what more could we ask?  It's an open bay (see pictures later), so plenty of air circulation.
It occurred to me that this place is likely uniquely American - where else in the world would there be enough huge 40+ feet long motor homes to keep almost 300 work bays busy?? I've never seen anything like it!!
We thought we'd be out of here before lunch, but, of course, when does an installation job of any kind go as planned?  We're pulling out at around 4:00.  Heading further south!

lined up waiting for service...

service bays filled with 'rigs' being serviced

inside a service bay - our 'home' for the night!

from Panama City to Palmetto, 2/1 and 2/2/2011

February 1, 2011 - to Palmetto, FL.
Even though our navigation device wanted us to go up to I-10, then to I-75 south to Tampa, we elected to travel all the way from Panama City to Palmetto (south of Tampa) via US-98, all along the 'Forgotten Coast' of Florida.  We've seen our share of Florida 'tacky', but also lovely beaches, interesting little towns, lovely homes.  Almost no traffic all the way, just slowing down for the towns.  Looks like a lovely, quiet place to enjoy the water, poke in funky little shops (especially in towns like Apalachicola and Carrabelle), buy/eat tons of fresh  - seafood.  Anywhere from Mexico Beach around to Panacea, we saw any number of great-looking communities and stretches of beach where we decided we could be happy.  There's one, St. Joseph Spit, where you drive off the mainland (where it looks like Florida's elbow) and on to bridges/islands about 25 miles out.  Florida has a state park there - how cool it would be to spend time there??  We stopped and bought some grouper (enough for 2 meals for us), huge shrimp, oysters - yum!  Can't wait to cook some. We'll arrive at Dan's cousin's house tonight, in Palmetto.  Thursday, we're running back up to Tampa to a RV place there for something Dan wants to add to the camper.  From there, on to Naples for a night or two.  Thinking about everyone back home - they're to get up to 15 inches of snow tonight.  We're in shirt sleeves and sandals, and not missing the snow and cold weather!
February 2, 2011 - in Palmetto, Florida at Roxanne and Robert's house
Lovely weather today - we woke up to a nice breeze coming through the windows!  Dan and I went on a bike ride to a natural area on the water.  Came back after riding about 5 miles, all sweaty and windblown.
We're having a feast with the fresh shrimp we bought yesterday.  Yumm!  

mangroves at Emerson Point

view of Tampa Bay from Emerson Point

Osprey's nest from viewing tower

My Dan

stream through the mangroves

sailing on a pretty day

mangroves

view of Tampa Bay

path at Emerson Point

the view ahead of me on my bike!