January 24, 2004 (Sat) Flamingo, FL - It got cold last night, 48°, and we can't go any further south! Oh well we've got to begin heading north soon anyway. We ran out of water again this morning. Luckily we weren't in the middle of taking showers this time. When we ran out the other day we assumed that Q's monitor was inaccurate, showing more water than was in the tank, because of a slight slope. But we're facing the other way now! If that was the case it should be showing less water than there is. Investigation was called for. Mark found the wire to one of the probes on the fresh water tank broken and fixed it. We'll see what happens now.
Campgrounds are interesting places to "people watch". We get a kick out of watching cars/trailers/motor homes go around and around through the campground looking for the "perfect" campsite (we tend to do that too) then, when found, spend 10, 15, 20 minutes pointing, gesturing, and discussing just how the site should be laid out. Then pack up and leave the next day! The other day a small motor home, with its own on-board toilet facilities, chose a site right next to the rest rooms (and about 10 feet from the central dumpster!). We try to stay away from rest rooms with their odors, noise, and high traffic. Last night a woman, with a dog on a leash, walked by pushing a baby stroller loaded with what looked like the usual baby paraphernalia. But there was no baby. We were quietly laughing about the stroller being for the dog when she stopped, scooped up the dog, put him in the stroller, and pushed him on down the road. It looked to us as though the dog was having a great old time trotting along at the heel of its owner. He must have been getting tired - and there's nothing worse than a cranky dog!
The red sails were too far off shore for good pictures again this afternoon.
January 25, 2004 (Sun) Flamingo, FL to Naples, FL - It was good being on the road again. We left Flamingo at about 8:30 meandered slowly up the 38 mile main park road. We explored the several spurs off the road and emerged from the Everglades at 10:00 or a little after. We stopped in a Post Office parking lot just outside of Homestead to retrieve 3 voice mail messages from our cell phone. Then it was off in search of a grocery store. It turned out to be a Walmart Supercenter. Sunday morning is not the time to shop Walmart in these parts - wall to wall people! Finally broke loose about 12:30 with supplies enough for another few days.
The Tamiami Canal, along beside US41, was loaded with alligators and all sorts of birds. Stopping for a closer, more leisurely look and to get pictures was difficult. What few turnouts wide enough for Q were filled with others looking or fishing. We'd planned to stop for lunch at the Visitor's center but a sign at the entrance said "Inaccessible to RVs" One of the many things good about Q is that we can choose whether or not he's an RV (or a truck, or a car, etc.) depending on the circumstances. We were going to give it a try but got past the entrance before we realized it. We ended up in a parking lot labeled "Monroe Station" that turned out to be a parking lot for off-road vehicle enthusiasts. They had apparently been on a weekend outing and started to come back and load their toys on trailers. Interesting vehicles! One, completely covered with mud, was nothing more that a frame on big balloon tires with a big engine. The seats, two of them, were mounted on what looked like a big metal tool box. Pictures? Never thought to take any!
It was 85° when we pulled into Collier Seminole State park at about 2:30. This place closer to a pack-um-in private campground than a state park. It's crowded and SR92, just outside the boundary, is noisy with truck and motorcycle traffic. The facilities are plentiful and clean, though, and that's the reason for a "+" after the C rating
Q057505(155 mi) Naples, FL - Collier Seminole State park #32 w/e $16.00 (x2) C+
January 26, 2004 (Mon) Collier Seminole State Park - We took a bicycle ride around the park this morning and discovered an area (sites 1-29) that is laid out more like a state park. While we'll never seek this place out for a future stop we know what to request if we end up here. Down by the boat launch area is a woodland/swamp nature walk that we took. There were small plaques along the way pointing out the different trees and palms. The one that most interested us was the gumbo-limbo tree. It's also called the tourist tree because its bark turns red and peels.
This afternoon was sitting around camp reading. Mark also spent time learning more about his new GPS program. He was quite excited to learn that it will accept voice commands. i.e. he came ask were we are and "The Voice" will tell him. Amazing!
January 27, 2004 (Tue) Naples, FL to Englewood, FL - It rained last night after we went to bed, which was a nice way to go to sleep. But all in all it wasn't a good night for sleeping. The temperature was a bit high, 83°, and the heat and humidity really brought out the mosquitoes. They whined around our ears all night! We have no idea how they got in. We were so careful!
Although we were up by 6:15 we didn't get off until 9:15. We didn't have far to go so could afford to be pokey. We back tracked East on US41 to US29 (Panther Alley) then turned North. It was a relatively uneventful trip which gave us plenty of time to enjoy the beautiful layered clouds and the many birds - hawks, anhingas, storks, kingfishers, herons, egrets, and others. Every so often there were road signs announcing "Panther Crossing next 3 miles" (or 2, or 6, or 1). We watched closely but saw no panthers. Maybe next time.
We're back a Joy's mother's place. We'll be here until our mail catches up with us.
Q057656 (151 mi) Englewood, FL, SunTrust Bank parking lot (parked)
