February 21, 2010 (Sun) Englewood, FL (2) 58/78° - Woke this morning to the sounds of a rooster crowing. This farm life is wonderful. After converting our bedroom back into a living room we took Q over to Mounds Park where we fixed and ate our breakfast. As we got there we were treated to the sight of a lone dolphin making his way up the channel. Every once in a while we'd see a small black shape with dorsal fin appear in the glass smooth water as he repeatedly surfaced and dove. Pelicans practiced their low altitude flying by gliding along the water with their wing tips an inch or two above the surface. It was a beautiful way to start our day.
From breakfast in the park, we moved on to shopping in the mall. Joy wanted to pick up a few things that her mother needed at Beall's Department Store and we needed a few groceries and gas. Joy spent a couple of hours with her mother after lunch and it was the Olympics in our motor home in the evening. It rained just enough to let us know that it could.
Q058793 Jeanne Walton's yard, Englewood, FL (x2)
February 22, 2010 (Mon) Englewood, FL to Lakeland, FL 61/79° - No roosters crowing this morning, they're in the freezer. Jeanne said they'd gotten lots of chicks and most of them were roosters. They were so mean to the poor hens that they'd decided to kill and freeze them for soup. So this morning was very quiet!!
At 8:30 we pulled Q around to the front of the house and went in to say good bye to Bom. Then it was off to Sarasota to see what could be done about fixing the storage drawer handle. A part has been ordered and an appointment for the repair has been made. We hope it's now just a matter of time. Our next stop was Costco in Brandon, then on to Camping World to pick up a hose to use until we can get into the storage bin again. We got to Ed and Kathy's at about 2:30. It was good to see them again.
February 23, 2010 (Tue) Lakeland, FL (2) 61/73° - Ed and Kathy took off early for Disney World this morning. They will be working there for an few months this spring and have gone over for some training. We hung out here for a while -showered, did some wash, caught up on our internet banking, etc - than we took our used paperback books over to Book Bazaar to exchange for new used paperback books. We had $18 credit left over from last year. This year's contribution netted $74 plus. We spent it all (and a bit more) restocking our book shelf.
February 24, 2010 (Wed) Lakeland, FL (3) 51/66° - It rained soon after we got up this morning. Actually it was a good old thunder storm - heavy rain accompanied lots of sound and lightening. At the height of it all the weather forecaster in Tampa (30 miles west) was telling us we could expect rain around noon. She probably doesn't have a window in her office. Later Mark went with Ed to Tampa to pick up his motor home. There was a problem with the air bag suspension that needed to be fixed. Meanwhile, Joy and Kathy went shopping in Lakeland.
February 25, 2010 (Thu) Lakeland, FL (4) 40/53° - We feel as if we have been spent all our time this winter waiting for the warm weather we came south for. It warms up for a couple of days then turns cold again. The weather folks have begun to apologize before giving each forecast. There are frost warnings for tomorrow morning!
There was a problem with the installation of the new suspension air bags on Ed & Kathy's motor home. It was a small problem but something needed attention, so Ed and Mark took off again for Tampa. The motor home will spend the night and come home tomorrow. The four of us went to lunch at Red Lobster and spent an hour or so walking around a mall before coming home to hang out.
Tomorrow we are off to Ocala National Forest - probably Alexander Springs campground.
Q058936 Ed and Kathy's yard (x4)
QC01-10 A little further north
QC01-09 Back into civilization
February 15, 2010 (Mon) Monument Lake CG to Hobe Sound, FL (196/2618 miles) - Another cold morning for south Florida - 47° when we pulled out of our campsite at 8:00. That was up some from the morning low. We stopped at Midway campground to dump but there was a long line waiting. It seems that everyone decided to leave at 8:00 this morning.
We decided not to wait. There would be facilities at Jonathan Dickinson SP. Our route was east on Tamiami Trail (US 41) then north on US 997 to US 27. Instead of following Hildene, who would have us go over to I-95 north of Miami, we stayed on US 27 to Lake Okeechobee and Belle Glade. It was a bit longer but we avoided the nightmare traffic up the east coast. This took us up through the middle of Florida's sugar cane fields. Our timing this year was such that we could see examples of each step of the cane growing cycle, from tiny plants, to fully grown, to harvesting, to burning and preparing the soil for the next crop. This is also horse country but unlike the slick manicured buildings and fields in the Ocala area, these looked more functional. There was actual work going on rather than stage props for show.
Coming out of Belle Glade we saw a woman (we think) standing by the side of the road who might best be described as an overdressed gypsy. She was dressed completely in red print, from hat to long full skirt, with silver jewelry adorning her arms and ears and neck. Wow!
When we got to Jonathan Dickinson SP at 1:18, the gatekeeper informed us that that check out time is 1:00. Check in time is 3:00 so we couldn't get into our reserved site until after 3:00. We could sit in the parking lot and wait, or ride around and explore the park. "Can we check in now and occupy the site if it is empty?" "No, you have to wait until the volunteers have cleaned the site." "Do you know if it might be ready now?" "No. You'll have to come back at 3:00." In exploring the park we saw that our site was empty and that other campers were beginning to move into empty sites. Preparing to do battle, we went back to the gate. "We found that our site is empty. Has it been cleaned. Is it ready for us?" "Oh yes, It was ready an hour ago." The clock behind her read 2:15!!! Less than an hour had passed.
February 16, 2010 (Tue) Jonathan Dickinson SP (2) 51/71° - This is a beautiful park. There are over 100 sites in two widely separated areas. Our site, in the area furthest from the entrance, is a little closer to its neighboring sites than we'd like but it is separated from them by tropical shrubbery. We have a fire ring, a picnic table and sand where grass might have been better. The restrooms are only a few steps away - good for emergencies, but nearby foot traffic is heavy.
The highest point in south Florida, Hobe Mountain - elevation 85 feet, is in the park. To get there on our bicycles we took the two mile paved multi purpose trail to the end, then another 3 miles or so on the park road. From the observation tower we could see 360 degrees of nearly pristine landscape. The 11500 acres of the park were spread out north, west and south. To the East, across US 1, was the inland waterway and Atlantic Ocean. Beautiful!
Q058570 Jonathan Dickinson SP, Hobe Sound, FL. #127 e/w $26.00 A (x2)
_______________________________
February 17, 2010 (Wed) Hobe Sound, FL to Kissimmee Prairie Preserve SP (91/2709 miles) 41/65° - All packed up and ready to go. Oops! Mark found adjustable pliers in his pocket. When he went to put them with the other tools, the handle on the large storage drawer broke - the handle that also releases two heavy duty latches, one on each side of the drawer. They work together much a car door handle and latch work. With the handle broken there is no way to open the drawer. Unlike a car door, there is no way to access the back side to get at the broken part. We no longer have the use of our hoses, tools, chairs, the rug, and many other things we use while traveling.
We got off at about 8:15 (46° wispy clouds) and made our way to the park entrance where we saw 6 little black piglets foraging by the side of the highway. Maybe it was a pig that Joy saw yesterday as we rode our bikes to the tower. Our first stop was for gas ($2.63 best price in weeks) then on to do our laundry. Joy got to talking with the owner of the Cove Center Laundromat just south of Stuart, FL and learned that he had grown up in Fair Haven, NJ, about a mile from our home. He was gone before we moved there but it was an interesting small-world encounter.
Jack (a high school friend of Mark's) met us at his house and took us over to see Olive (his wife) in the assisted living/nursing facility where she now lives. It was good to see her and we had a nice visit. Then Jack joined us for soup and salad at an Olive Garden in Stuart.
We backed into our site here in Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park at about 4:30. We are in the site next to the one we were in last year. They have put in electric and water hook-ups here since then so we again have shore power - no city water though because the hose is locked in the storage drawer!
February 18, 2010 (Thu) Kissimmee Prairie Preserve SP (2) 39/60° - It was cold this morning, 39° when we got up. Fortunately the sun is warm and in a cloudless sky but the wind has a definite chill. This is the quiet part of this quiet campground. We are in the "equestrian" area, about a quarter mile from the "family" area. That means this is where the people with horses come to camp. No horses here this year but several campers without horses. This afternoon we rode our bikes over to the family area where we found another Chinook just like Q. If the people had been around we would have stopped and tried to work out a trade - their storage drawer probably opens.
In addition to putting electric and water into the equestrian area, it looks like they are adding new sites (maybe 4 or 5) in the family area. We find that interesting because when we were here last year, we were told that the state of Florida was planning to close the campground. Stimulus money at work? Actually the turnabout was due, in large part, to pressure from some organized groups according to Bob (campground host). Apparently several equestrian and astronomy associations, all of whom use the campground regularly throughout the year, wrote letters to the Governor and state congress appealing to them to keep it open. Sometime politicians do listen!
February 19, 2010 (Fri) Kissimmee Prairie Preserve SP (3) 41/55° - A gaggle of wild turkeys wandered through the campground again this morning. Actually they were over by the horse paddocks. We counted nine of them and three vultures sitting on the fence posts waiting for one of them to die.
Today was the day we had to pack up and move to another site. We hated to have to leave what warmth the sun was giving us for this shady site, but other campers have dibs for the night - a two family unit as it turned out. They had a camping trailer and a large tent. Apparently this is the weekend for large family units. Another group, at least two families came into a couple of sites near that one and another big group, 3 large tents, set up quarters in a space two sites down the road from us.
Q078661 Kissimmee Prairie Preserve SP #21&27 e/w $16 A- (x3)
_____________________________
February 20, 2010 (Sat) Kissimmee Prairie Preserve SP to Englewood, FL (132/2841 miles) 51/75° - The temperature got up to 55° by the time we got under way. The forecast was for light broken clouds but there weren't many breaks for most of the morning. We had borrowed a hose from the campground host so we stopped there to return it on the way out. Other than that the trip to Englewood was relatively uneventful. The prairie was beautiful in spite of the overcast and we wished we could have stayed longer. Cattle is the main product in this part of Florida so that was about the only wild life we encountered other than the usual birds. In one field we saw a cow standing on three legs scratching her head with her hoof like a dig - a strange sight! In another field we saw a large flock, 100 or so, of Sand Hill Cranes foraging for goodies.
We got here at here about 1:20pm, after stopping for lunch, and found Bom just finishing up her lunch and happy to see us. Through the late afternoon and until we turned the TV on to watch the Olympics we were serenaded almost constantly with the sounds of roosters crowing, goats bleating and cows lowing. We were beginning to wonder what they were trying to say.
Q058793 Jeanne Walton's yard, Englewood, FL
QC01-08 More form Monument Lake
February 9, 2010 (Tue) Monument Lake CG (7) 55/74° - The campground has been sparsely populated for most of the day. At one point, about 10:00am, only 6 of the 26 sites were occupied. In fact we were the only customers in the 12 - 14 sites at the north end of the lake. It made us wonder if there was ever a time when it there was no one other than the hosts here. The sites began to fill again in the afternoon - maybe 3/4 full by night fall.
The breeze has been strong enough to make sitting outside a bit unpleasant. It was out of the south so wasn't all that chilly but it was annoying to have the pages flapping while trying to read or have the chair blow over as soon as we stand up. The sun is warm, though, and only occasionally goes behind a cloud.
February 10, 2010 (Wed) Monument Lake CG (8) 59/64° - There was another beautiful sunrise this morning. This really is great place for sunrises and sunsets - show stoppers almost every morning and every evening. On our walk we saw a car (only, no tent etc.) parked in one of the campsites. This is not unusual in itself but as we approached on the road, a man got out and came up to us and asked how to register. He said he'd come in last night while it was raining and wasn't able to figure out how to do it. We explained. He said he didn't have a pen and where is the bathroom. We pointed out the restrooms and said the campground host was right next to it and they would probably have a pen he could use - when they got up and went on duty. It was about 6:00am. He got in his car, stopped at the restroom, drove around the lake twice and left the campground.
When we got back from our walk we noticed the back of Q covered with little gray specks. They turned out to be small bug carcasses (gnats?). Apparently they took advantage of a good tail wind out of the swamp during the night only to find themselves smashed against a motor home. It looks as if Q had been going down the road backwards. We hadn't been aware there were that many around.
(113/2432 miles) - Bad planning and the approaching cold front conspired to send us out into the wilds of civilization again. Predictions of overnight temperatures in the 30s got us to thinking about the propane should we have to turn the furnace on. The tank was empty! The pointer on the outside gauge was so far below "E" it was out of sight! It's a wonder we'd had enough to make coffee.
We passed up stopping at the Miccosukee Indian gas station near the casino because we also wanted to find a Publix Food market. Long story short we ended up in the western outskirts of Miami in traffic better left to the locals. We passed a gas station with a bulk propane tank and went back. It was no place for a motor home, even one as small as Q. Getting to the gas pump then to the propane tank was an adventure. The fellow who helped us was really nice. He spoke English fairly well and called Joy, "Mrs Lady". She liked that.
February 11, 2010 (Thu) Monument Lake CG (9) 40/66° - It was a cold morning but thanks to a full tank of propane Q warmed up nicely for our showers.
An old blue Chevy van backed in next to us last night. The spare tire was strapped to the roof as was a large tarpaulin wrapped bundle. Another large bundle hung on the back. Patchwork drapes covered the windows. This morning we noticed that they were parked closer to a neighboring picnic table than their own and were using it (or had as there was an open camp stove on it). In effect they were occupying two campsites and there was no indication that they'd paid for either one. We wondered how the campground host was going to handle the situation especially since there were no signs of life in or around the van for most of the morning. Correction - there appeared to be a cat hanging out on the back of the front seat. The young couple that finally emerged just before noon were obviously camping on a shoestring and could have come here straight from the 1960s. After the requisite stretching, scratching and hiking up of belt less pants, he walked a little Pug. Then she held the leash while he puttered around reconfiguring and packing the van for travel, working first inside then outside. When he was finished, she climbed into the passenger seat and sat while he strummed his 12 string guitar in the back for a while. Then they left.
February 12, 2010 (Fri) Monument Lake CG (10) 51/63° - Our neighbors last night - they came in after we'd gone to bed - were a young couple in a small yellow tent. What was interesting in that was the size of the tent. When the had it taken down and folded up, the tent, fly, ground cloth, stakes and poles all went into a bag about half the size of a bag for one of our chairs!
It was windy all day - a chilly wind. The sun was warm but it was hard finding places in the sun and out of the wind.
February 13, 2010 (Sat) Monument Lake CG (11) 49/64° - We've talked about our neighbors here. Usually they are at least two sites away. Only twice has the site right next to us been occupied. One was the young couple in the old van the other night and even they were half way into the next site. Last night with all but 3 sites occupied and several motor homes in the overflow area, the site next to us is still empty! Many will slow down, look at the site then go on. It is really no different than any of the other sites along here except that it is a little bigger. We have begun to wonder what there is about us that is keeping people away. An old fella, he's at least seventy (that's a few years younger than we are) pulled into the site this afternoon. He must be a brave old fella! Actually rational thinking tells us that since it is the first empty site people come to as they loop around the lake, they want to see what else there is and end up taking one further on rather than looping around again.
February 14, 2010 (Sun) Monument Lake CG (12) 41/57° - The campground was completely full (with no overflow) last night. Even the tent area is well populated. We wonder how well prepared the tenters are for the cold. We would guess that most of them are from the Miami or Naples/Fort myers areas out for a long weekend. These people probably don't expect this kind of cold. The 41° this morning is 15 - 20 degrees below normal for south Florida. We have plenty of blankets and a furnace to take the chill off in the morning - as do most RVers - but weekend tenters probably have little more than summer sleeping bags.
We are heading north to Jonathan Dickinson State Park tomorrow. We'll have electric and water hook-ups for a change.
Q058374 Monument Lake CG, Big Cypress National Preserve. #26 dry $8.00 B- (x12)
QC01-07 Monument Lake revisited
February 3, 2010 (Wed) Flamingo CG to Monument Lake CG (119/2104 miles) - We were up before dawn this morning, showered and were eating breakfast as the sun came up. Mark had a bad night, not sleeping much because of mosquito (or whatever) bites. He seems to have been bothered more with them than Joy, probably because he spent time outside yesterday - with his guitar and getting packed up and ready to leave. When she started to put the roof vent down readying Q for the road, Joy found a small frog (dead) stuck against the lid. He must have been caught and crushed when the vent closed in the last day or so. He had to be retrieved, not an easy place to reach, and disposed of before we left. Considering we were parked in a swamp, we may find more.
We got off at about 8:00 (64° heavy clouds), refreshed our water and sanitary systems and started up the 40 mile road back to civilization. There was a lot more standing water out in the "river of grass" than we've seen before - even on our way down. Most is probably because of the rain but we wondered if attempts to return the Everglades to it's natural state have been having some effect. And, of course, the increased water brings more food for the wildlife, so we saw a lot more bird activity than in the past.
After the mundane activities of laundry and shopping we had a Chinese buffet lunch - not all that good. Chores completed, we were back on the road at 1:30. We were backed into our site at Monument Lake CG by 3:00 or so.
February 4, 2010 (Thu) Monument Lake CG (2) 59/74° - Our campsite this time is at the end of the row at the north end of the lake. We have always thought it might be one of the better ones because it is bigger and gives us privacy on our starboard side - where our awning is. The recent rains have left the swamp to the north with a good deal more standing water than usual so we are a little concerned about mosquitoes but so far they haven't been bad (or is it that it's so much better here than in the Everglades that it doesn't seem bad?) We'll see. Although Q's afternoon shadow is on the wrong side, in our neighbor's yard in effect, there are trees to the west that give shade to limit our sun exposure.
When we were here last week there were always plenty of empty sites, even on the weekend. This time there are fewer and by late this afternoon the campground was full. They don't turn people away here (that we know of) but instead park the overflow rigs in the wide grassy areas here and there around the lake. We usually see this on weekends not mid-week. We wonder if some here are on their way to the Super bowl in Miami. Or maybe some will commute to it from here. We are about 50 miles from Miami.
February 5, 2010 (Fri) Monument Lake CG (3) 65/80° - There was a beautiful sunrise over the lake this morning - not the brilliant red that we often think of as a beautiful sunrise but many shades of blue and pink in soft pastels. The clouds varied from puffy to wispy with areas of pure sky coming through at just the right places. When we walked around the lake the first time it was spectacular so we took the camera with us the next time but by then most of the color was gone. Maybe the memory will be better than an actual picture anyway.
February 6, 2010 (Sat) Monument Lake CG (4) 65/77° - Interesting! Usually a campground fills up on a weekend. We especially expected it here since it was so full Thursday night. But most left on yesterday and only few came in. This morning even more have left leaving the campground practically empty - unusual for a Saturday.
February 7, 2010 (Sun) Monument Lake CG (5) 59/74° - The breeze has been brisk today but the sun is warn. All in all it's been a slow relaxing day. The campground hosts had a super bowl party (probably private) at their motor homes but it broke up at half time. It must have been cold sitting outside watching TV in the cold breeze even though they had constructed a wind baffle. We were happy about the outcome because New Orleans needs all the good news they can get but we probably would have been just as happy if Indianapolis had won because we know some of our family were rooting for them. Our football loyalties aren't well developed!
February 8, 2010 (Mon) Monument Lake CG (6) 215/2319 miles - We got a notice in the mail of a problem with one of our bank accounts. Mark thought it was only a statement and set it aside until we got 50 miles from civilization. It turned out to be an alert notice sent over a month ago! A phone call to the bank yielded only the information that the problem could only be resolved in person. The closest branch office is in Fort Lauderdale, FL 60 miles northeast. There is also an office in Margate a few miles further north and since Margate is where a friend of Joy's lives, we set out for there this morning. 215 miles and 8 hours later we are back at Monument Lake campground with a fixed bank problem, a friend visited and clothes washed - a full day with much accomplished.
It was 46° when we got up so the furnace was brought into service to warm things up for our showers. By 7:45, when we pulled out of our campsite, the temperature had gotten all the way up to 46°. After a stop at Midway campground to refresh our water and sanitary systems we were on our way to Margate. The bank, to satisfy a personal appearance, was our first stop then it was on to a laundromat. This turned out to be an interesting place. In addition to being one of the best (fastest, cleanest, well maintained, etc.) laundromats we've seen, there was plenty available to fill the time while waiting for the clothes to wash. In the laundromat itself there was a computer with internet connection, a FAX machine and a copy machine. In the other half of the building there was an adult video place. There was no indication that they were connected (and we didn't visit!!)
Lunch at Sweet Tomatoes with Dorothy was great and Joy and Dorothy found some nice fabric at a nearby sewing shop but the Walmart we picked to do some shopping was crowded and unfulfilling on many levels. We also picked the most expensive gas in the area ($2.90/gal) to replenish our fuel before plunging back into to wilderness. The sunset as we drove west on the Tamiami Trail was spectacular though. Again not the brilliant reds we've come to associate with beautiful sunsets and sunrises but soft blues, pinks, grays and white. It must have been this kind of sunset that inspired atmospheric backgrounds for some biblical paintings.
We got back here at 4:50 completely exhausted.
Q058243 Monument Lake CG, Big Cypress National Preserve. #26 dry $8.00 B-
QC01-06 Mosquitoes, gnats and rain
January 27, 2010 (Wed) Monument Lake CG to Flamingo, FL (129/1985 miles) - Well, here we are in mosquito country. The Everglades has a reputation for these pesky insects but this is the first year we've seen enough for there to be a problem. When we closed up for the night, the screen door was coated with them. Now we know why the gatekeeper emphasized the "no refund" policy of the park!
We got a cold start this morning (47° at 8:00) and headed East from Monument Lake on the Tamiami Trail (US 41) toward Miami. Our first stop was a laundromat in Kendall (South Miami). With our closets then full of clean clothes, we crossed the road to a Walmart, then on to a Publix supermarket - all rather mundane activities but seeds for irritability. First was the need to do in it the first place, then there was the total lack of the English language anywhere (we might as well have been in Spain but for the atmosphere) and there were too many people intent in getting in our way. We were glad when the chores, most of them, were done so that we could sit for a spell in one of our favorite Mexican restaurants in Homestead. Relaxed and ready to plunge into the isolation of the Everglades National Park we headed for the Florida City post office (the last post office in civilization) to pick up our mail.
The last time we were at this post office Joy had to wait in a long line for service. She jokingly told Mark it was his turn this time. There turned out to be a long line this time too. After a 15 minute (at least) wait, he was told, "Oh, general delivery mail doesn't come here. You'll have to go the main post office in Homestead." So we turned around and drove 5 miles back into the "historic" part of the city and with Hildene's help, found the main post office - two blocks from where we'd had lunch. We could have walked there!
Irritability at a high level but flush with accumulated mail, food and clean clothes we headed for the isolation of the Everglades. To help us cope with the culture shock, we stopped at Robert is Here (a farm stand) for a key lime milkshake. YUM!! Thick and loaded with calories, it lasted most of the way down the 45 miles to the tip of Florida.
January 28, 2010 (Thu) Flamingo CG (2) 57/74° - The marvels of advancements in modern technology. Last year, and in previous years, we have been able to receive the 3 major TV networks as well as PBS. Now that TV technology has advanced in the wonders of the digital age and with the help of the law, we get nothing. Well, it may as well be nothing. We did find one Hispanic analog channel, the signal so weak that is was almost all snow. A Cuban station? There is one PBS radio (antiquated tho the medium it may be) station broadcasting something other than rock music, right wing political hate or fire and brimstone. The signal strength is low and it tends to fade out now and then, but it's a news source.
Many of the campers around us left off and on during the day and only a few came in so we are almost alone here in the "B" loop. "A" loop is the more popular area for some reason - because the grass is a better quality? We usually come here because it is less crowded.
January 29, 2010 (Fri) Flamingo CG (3) 64/76° - Joy battled mosquitoes for several hours last night after we went to bed. She could hear them outside the window, she thought, and they seemed to be getting in somewhere. Mark couldn't hear them, nor did the ones that got in seem to bother him. The fact that they were getting in was a real mystery. We were completely closed up, water tight in fact. If water couldn't get in, how could mosquitoes? Even so Joy spent a lot of time searching out and stuffing all potential entry points. When we opened the blinds this morning we found hundreds of them trapped between the window and screen - inside the water seal. The unlucky ones were able to find their way in from there - unlucky because they didn't survive long after getting in.
Boaters, probably fishermen, began their parade in during the afternoon. They seem to have decided to use the western end of the loop this year rather than mix it up with us landlubbers. That's fine with us. It is strange, though, to see so many tents up in that area.
January 30, 2010 (Sat) Flamingo CG (4) 67/77° - There is a flock (3 or 4) of egrets that comes by every morning before there is much human activity. They wander through the grass near us, sometimes as close as our picnic table and fire ring, picking up tasty morsels as they go. Yesterday there were 5 immature white ibis scrounging for food along the road.
One of our neighbors, across the road and up a bit, is a single guy in a small pickup camper. Small meaning the camper part does not extend beyond the tailgate as most do. Although the fellow is alone he has a companion, a female manikin head dressed in a baseball cap and sunglasses who watches from one of the camper windows. It's rather startling to suddenly notice her there as we go back and forth to the bathroom.
January 31, 2010 (Sun) Flamingo CG (5) 68/71° - When we were up around 2:00am, the sky was filled with stars and the nearly full moon lit up the campground but in the morning we woke to the sound of rain on the roof. In no hurry to get up we opened the the blind and watched the approach of dawn. As the night became day and the rain intensified our neighbors, in the next space over, came riding in on their bicycles. We guessed that their early morning bike ride didn't turn out the way they'd expected. They immediately began to strike their tent and were packed and ready to leave before we got up.
The rain must bring up some tasty treats because a large (50 - 60) flock of white ibis swooped into our yard and began feeding. The juveniles we saw the other day were among them. They worked their way through our campsite into the next few sites before they were spooked by a morning jogger. They weren't finished here though, a few minutes later they were back. They were great entertainment as we ate breakfast. Watching the tenters wring out and pack up was painful. We really felt sorry for them.
An interesting pair came into the site vacated by the drenched bicyclists this afternoon . He appears to be in his sixties, she in her fifties. Although they came in one car each had his/her own tent. They helped each other set up the tents, his a large one, hers so small that we wondered if it was really big enough for the double bed size air mattress they spent a considerable amount of time trying to stuff in. (They finally had to let some of the air out of the mattress. Once it was inside they carried the tent over to the car where the inflater pump was.) When the camp was set up they became the singles they probably were. They fixed and ate their meals at different times, came and went as if the other didn't exist and generally a acted as they might if they were on separate sites.
February 1, 2010 (Mon) Flamingo CG (6) 68/77° - The rain started about 7:30 and kept up fairly heavily all day. Some nearby counties report as much as 8". That's a lot of rain! Joy was out soon after it started and saw the lady next door leaning into the big tent. She heard the fellow say, "Why don't you take the car and go home." A few minutes later she got in their only car and left. We felt some concern for the guy having to sit in his tent for however long (the car had NJ plates), without food etc. But she was back a half hour later. Together, in pouring rain, they lifted her tent up onto the picnic table and moved his to a presumably dryer spot and left - for about 4 hours. When they came back they began transferring obviously wet stuff from tents to car - in still pouring rain. We decided that they must be leaving. They weren't. After moving his tent one more time, they took off again in the car. They came back just as we were going to bed. A fun day in the Everglades for apparently novice campers.
The ibis were back this morning - in drastically increased numbers. We estimated that the flock was easily four times what it was yesterday meaning there were well over 200 birds wandering through. And stragglers continued to join them. Looking out at them was almost like looking out at a field of new fallen snow. They didn't seem to mind the rain at all.
February 2, 2010 (Tue) Flamingo CG (7) 68/80° - The erstwhile campers next door left for good this morning. They had moved both tents onto the asphalt pad last night so their whole site must be a swamp as ours is. They began to pack up as we ate breakfast and were gone by 7:30.
It's been a long dreary day. The sun came out once in a while but it was mostly cloudy. The rain has turned our campsite into a swamp. The fire ring, full of water, sits at the edge of a small pond and the corner of our rug is under an inch of water. Our parking pad is covered with a slurry of thick mud. The grassy areas around Q squish when we walk there - which we have to do to get to and from the rest room. Mosquitoes, gnats and no-see-ums are breeding like crazy and bite with a frenzy. Even closed up inside we can't get away from them. We have spent the day reading, swatting and scratching. There are probably better campsites, other people seem to be living normally, but we can't do it here. Campsite #B15 will not see our rig again!
There are so many things that we love about the Everglades, even though it sounds like this stay was a bust. The birds are marvelous. The little blue, and yellow butterflies that flit around the grass, seeing roseate spoonbills fly across the campground, watching the hawks and osprey do their thing. Watching the moon rise and set, and the millions of stars out at night. It is amazingly beautiful.
We had intended to be here for two weeks but we leave tomorrow, probably for Monument Lake to let our mosquito and miscellaneous other insect bites heal.
Q057909 Flamingo CG, Everglades National Park #B15 dry $8.00 A (x7)
