ON THE ROAD: Everglades National Park

Without prolonging the bitching and moaning about the 2009/2010 Florida winter, the first leg of our journey to southern Florida found us frozen solid when we arrived in Lake City. The thermometer in the truck never passed 36 degrees. On to Tampa to volunteer at the Super RV Show, get some warranty work done on the Bighorn and pick up a case of our favorite citrus wine in St. Petersburg. Somewhere in the middle of all that, we saw hundreds of manatees at Apollo Beach near the power plant. Apparently, the water is warmer there and a favorite winter spot for them.

Driving from Naples to Miami on Rt. 41 was absolutely amazing! The trees were full of large exotic-looking birds. It was the most incredible thing! We arrived in Homestead, FL the National Park Headquarters and our home for the next two months. Not exactly... the schedule changed somewhat, but they couldn't tell us what the changes were because...it was Thursday before Friday of a long holiday weekend. We checked into a private RV Park in Homestead to wait until the Federal Gov't resumed work on Tuesday. Homestead is an agricultural mecca: miles and miles of fields of tomatoes, mangoes, papaya, guava, avocado, orchids, bougainvillea, palms and many things we could not identify.

Tuesday's message is that we are really needed at the Tamiami Ranger Station located about mid-way between Homestead and Naples...back the way we came on Rt. 41. Upon arrival at Tamiami, Ranger Bill explains we are really needed at the Gulf Coast Visitor Center in Everglades City...but the RV pads have just been poured. And by the way, "Could you both work?" inquired Ranger Bill.

We worked at Tamiami for a week and visited the Shark Valley Visitor Center, home to alligators, great blue herons, great white herons, egrets, storks, ibis, anhingas, snakes, turtles...and more alligators. The Roseate Spoonbill is our favorite bird, but hard to catch for a photo. Anhingas are diving birds and the water does not roll off them...so they stand with wings spread to dry after being in the water.

As soon as the RV pads dried, we moved to Everglades City where we stayed until the end of February. The major attraction in this section of the Park is the 100-mile Water Wilderness Trail. It took me a while to realize we were LIVING in a National Park! That is really COOL! Every once in a while, I'd pinch myself because we actually got used to the alligators everywhere.

It is a hard-to-believe truce, of sorts, how the hunter and the hunted -alligators, turtles, birds...and people-seem to exist companionably...by the light of day anyway. Al was quite fond of the baby alligators and sought them out for photos. ONE time he lingered longer than mother thought necessary...and she bellowed...and bellowed. We don't know how long she bellowed... because we made a hasty retreat out of there!

THINGS WE WANT TO REMEMBER:
What few flowers were blooming in February were beautiful.

The Mangroves really do create tunnels to navigate by canoe.

There are wonderful people caring for our National Parks, and we are honored to be working among them.

It is not illegal to don an official Park Ranger hat...momentarily.

The smallest U.S. Post Office is in Ochopee, Florida along Rt. 41.

Alligator's protocol...(according to the locals trying to eradicate tourists): "Don't bother me, and I won't bother you." Right.

Blowing bubbles at sunset on Chokoloskee Bay when all the visitors have left the Park for the day gives one pause for reflection.

Mother Nature rules with a heavy hand--45+ manatees died in Everglades Park as a result of the unusual prolonged cold weather. Alligators must raise their body temperature to 86 degrees to digest their food...or the food will rot and they will die. Exotic Burmese Pythons (endangered in their country of origin) are thriving (a 6-8ft. snake is considered small) in Everglades Nat'l Park, but need to be eliminated as they pose an immense threat to the delicate balance of nature within the Park.

Park Ranger Biologists keep dead pythons in coolers in odd places.

The Everglades is a slow-moving river...not a swamp.

English is not the first language in Miami. Al will never learn Spanish, despite Raul's daily, patient effort. Pollo Tropical is our new favorite fast food. Authentic Cuban food is delicious.

The New Orleans Saints won the SuperBowl.