Category: Florida 2019 Page 2 of 3

Today we left Fort De Soto enroute to Orlando with an overnight stop in Withlacoochee State Forest, Cypress Glenn Campground. Unbeknownst to us, this state forest was home to miles & miles of bicycle trails starting just outside their gates. Between the Rail Trail & the Good Neighbour Trails, we put over 66 kms on our bikes in this amazing area! The Cypress Glenn scenery is difficult to capture and one needs to really experience it to appreciate the beauty.

Another milestone event occurred today, as Winniefred had her first scratch! Jo had always said she would not drive Winniefred until Steve gave her that first scratch so…

She sells Sea Shells …

On 14th February 2019

Happy Valentine’s Day! North Beach provided us another day of exploration through the low tide channel waters to a shell collectors paradise! We also came across a barnacled pair of sunglasses which Steve salvaged but eventually conceded they were too long in Davy Jones’ locker. He did come away with a new cord, although it didn’t help the last owner very much! It was pretty near a perfect day and an area we must come back to!

Rain, rain but oh so dry!

On 13th February 2019

Today it rained, and rained, and rained, allowing Steve some more Internet time and Jo some alone time. Steve may have spent too much time surfing so once it cleared up, off we went for a short walk to the marina to get Steve out of the doghouse! This off the beaten path trail offered some great photo ops as well as some stunning sunset shots walking home!

BTW, one thing you should know about Fort De Soto, is that it’s a DRY campground with no drinking or possession of alcohol giving us ample time to detox from Marco Island!

Exploring Fort De Soto

On 12th February 2019

Today we explored Fort De Soto Park. Checked out the historic Fort De Soto itself, took a walk on the pier, biked via a fantastic trail system to North Beach and the over 1600 parking spaces. That parking lot seemed to go on forever!

We walked the beach for a while then on to explore other areas of the park. This is an amazing location for all types of activities and a very popular spot with snowbirds and locals!

Fresh Florida Citrus!

On 11th February 2019

On the advice of Laurie Hiel, we stopped in at the Naples Citrus Grove enroute to our next campground. We purchased some freshly picked Honey Bell oranges, some Red Indian Pink Grapefruit (4/$1.00) and a gallon of the most amazing freshly squeezed Honey Bell Orange juice!

We were advised no to venture too far into the groves for our pictures due to the fire ants, snakes and potentially the dreaded Pythons. (Steve’s SideNote : Florida Python infestation). The lady didn’t have to tell Jo twice!

Our final stop was in Fort De Soto where we’ll spend the next 4 nights. In between laundry loads, we squeezed in a bike ride to East Beach and capped the day with a beautiful sunset view over the bay.

Seafood Festival

On 10th February 2019

In Events, Florida 2019

On return to Collier-Seminole State Park for the night, we found our campsite not quite ready for us. On the advice from our new neighbours, we headed to Everglades City for the last day of their annual Seafood Festival. With only $5 parking and no admission fee, who could resist?

This festival was like a state fair with rides, carnival games, craft & trinket vendors, live R&B music and of course, SEAFOOD! We finally got our picture with the legendary Skunk Ape and had opportunities to sample many of the vendors offerings such as the Acai Sundae and many styles of Hot Sauce. It was very crowded as this festival sees over 50,000 attendees each year. It was quite the contrast to many of our excursions to date.

Oh what a party!

On 9th February 2019

In Events, Florida 2019

What goes well at a party? Great company, good food, lots of booze and, oh yeah, Pirates!

We caught up with our friends, Jim & Laurie on Marco Island. They had planned a Sunset Pirate Cruise and we tagged along (i.e. invited ourselves). Jim & Laurie were the perfect tour guides and hosts. We walked the Marco Island Resident’s Beach, followed up with drinks & appetizers (carbs, yeah!) at their place and then off to the Pirate Cruise. You may tell by the pictures that Steve was in full-on party mode.

We had an amazing meal at Snook Inn and then a leisurely walk for some and a stumble for others back to Jim & Laurie’s. We ended the night chatting with many of the stories forgotten by some in the morning. Jim accomplished his feat of getting Steve liquored up and not having pizza at 3 o’clock in the morning!

No hangovers (Steve’s SideNote : Always mix water in your rum!) so we enjoyed a great breakfast in the morning at Doreen’s Cup of Joe. Both of their restaurant suggestions were awesome, as evidenced by the line-ups and the wonderful food!

Thank you Jim & Laurie for an amazing 24 hours. I guess we really needed some social interaction!

Collier-Seminole State Park

On 8th February 2019

Our big adventure here was the canoe ride which Jo was OK with now as it was guided and supposedly no Crocs in this park. The volunteers from the Friends of Collier-Seminole Park offer this 3 hour tour Friday, Saturday & Sunday mornings. We learned so much about the value of the mangroves and Jo became very friendly with them as Steve had some issues steering and videoing at the same time (distracted canoeing I guess?). The volunteers also gave us insight into the local history and other things to do in and around the park. Definitely a must-do!

Big Cypress National Preserve

On 8th February 2019

Boondocking at Monument Lake Campground gave us a chance to explore Big Cypress. We attempted a back-country bike ride but we should’ve had the Swamp Buggies that the Park Ranger referred to.

It pays to stop at the Visitor Centres along the way and this one was no exception. We not only learned about trail options, we observed alligators (again) but this time eating and also in abundance were may more birds and all just outside the Visitor Centre itself. The pink Roseate Spoonbill was right at the vending machines!

Shark Valley

On 7th February 2019

Wilderness nurtures the human sole.
Shark Valley Signpost

This area is part of the Everglades National Park and offers spectacular viewings of the wildlife that make their home in the park. A 15 mile (24 km) loop trail can be explored via tram or, our favorite, by bike. The guidelines suggest 2 to 3 hours for the loop on bike, but for us it took an hour to complete the first mile!

It took us just over 5 hours, as we were in awe with the alligators and various birds in their natural habitat. We were very fortunate to see a few rarer sights such as the clutch of baby alligators and thankfully Mom was nowhere to be found!

Check out our video here!

Heading to the Gulf Coast!

On 6th February 2019

The day started with freshly squeezed orange juice by Jo and WiFi for Steve. We headed out of the Keys from US Hwy 1 Mile 0 to Mile 11o. Only photo ops today and no micro-breweries!

Biscayne National Park was a brief stop. A short trail provided a glimpse of Miami across the bay however this park is 95% underwater so we’ll come back when we have more time.

The stop for tonight was at Miccosuke Resort & Casino offering free parking (boondocking again) … well maybe not free for us as we had Surf & Turf for dinner and Happy Hour beer. A noisy night with the Casino generators running at full throttle!

Key West – 48 Hours in 8!

On 5th February 2019

Today’s destination brings us to the southernmost location in the USA and Steve’s ultimate goal for this trip. Buckle up, here we go!

Key West offered great memories, as we ate local cuisine, dipped our toes in the Caribbean, saw the “Key” highlights, put over 14 kms on our weary feet and, of course, had a few drinks at many local spots!

In order we hit;

Moose Lodge (for parking),
Tourist Info (location closing due to Google),
Veterans Memorial Gardens (not initially on the list but Steve had to take that call & Momma Jo walked wrong direction),
Back on planned route (did you know there’s free range chickens everywhere?),
Ernest Hemingway house (we didn’t pay the US$28 to enter),
Photo op at Key West Lighthouse museum (Jo wondered why the Lighthouse was in the middle of town!),
Southernmost Point, Buoy, House, Pier & Beach,
El Sibnoey Restaurant (we would highly recommend the excellent Cuban food! – #33 of 200 on Trip Advisor),
Duval Street (nice during the day and expect it gets wild at night!),
Oldest House in Key West museum (free to enter),
Mile Zero of Hwy US 1,
First Flight Brewery (southernmost microbrewery in USA),
Mallory Square (seems to made for the cruise ships),
Sloppy Joe’s (just had to try Sloppy Joe Ale & (hard) Lemonade),
Hemingway Rum Distillery (Pillar Rum tastings),
Key West First Legal Rum Distillery (more rum tasting!),
Key West Winery (I know, mixing our liquor isn’t good),
Historic Harbour Walk (accidentally due to wrong turn) ,
Finally Key Lime Pie! – Kermit’s Key West Pie Shoppe (confirmed with a few locals we met as the best in Key West),
But one more stop was the hidden gem of the Waterfront Brewing Co (thank goodness we had to leave before Happy Hour or we would’ve spent the night!).

The Overseas Highway

On 4th February 2019

Our first stop along this 110 mile Overseas Highway was at the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park just inside Key Largo for a brief beach walk, aquarium tour & a short hike. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to spend much time here, as it is all about exploring the underwater world however our timing with the scheduled tours just didn’t align.

Now it’s vacation time! In Momma Jo’s mind, it’s not a vacation until you have hit a local craft brewery. And to hit 2 in one day, was a touch of heaven.

We stopped first at the Florida Keys Brewing Co. where Clain, the bartender, was quite the host even letting us behind the bar for a photo op. Just a 1/4 mile back up the road was the Islamorada Distillery & Beer Co. This broke Steve’s rule of never backtracking, but in the end it was well worth it. Here we had Mikey as our bartender who took good care of Jo while Steve had some run tastings of his own just next door. Now, we were still driving so Steve was very limited in his beer & rum intake!

We also stopped at Robbie’s Marina to watch the hustle & bustle of the crowds at this very busy tourist stop. It’s not what one would expect at a marina in that there were markets, many small vendors with their food & souvenirs, a large restaurant & bar, Tarpon Feeding (at a cost) and the normal watercraft rentals. We took it all in from a beach bench and didn’t spend a nickel.

We stopped at a few other photo ops along the way before arriving at Big Pine Key Fishing Lodge. We were fortunate to get the last “rustic” (i.e. unserviced & gravel) site, which will be our home for the next 2 nights as we will be heading Key West tomorrow. Steve has found online a “Key West in 48 Hours” trip which we will be trying to fit into an 8-hour day! Note: Momma Jo is rolling her eyes.

Back to civilization

On 3rd February 2019

From the sunsets of Flamingo (and the bugs!) we headed back to Homestead for another re-stocking and revitalization, as we enjoyed a night with electricity to watch the Super Bowl, water to test Winniefred’s shower, & a pool to simply relax!

We were fortunate to get the last site at Southern Comfort RV Resort and we’d highly recommend this location in Homestead. Not that we visited, but it is also conveniently located near a Florida Outlet Shopping Mall.

Everglades – Days 3 & 4

On 1st February 2019

In Campgrounds, Florida 2019, Places We've Been

Flamingo Campground – Bug Country!

Today we headed deeper into the Everglades to the home of the crocodiles and mosquitoes! The drive was only 38 miles but it took us over 4 hours, as we stopped to hear the whispers of the park at almost every trail along the way.

Flamingo was quite different from Long Pine. Much more commercialized and a heavy focus on water-based activities such as fishing, kayaking & boating in general. The campground too was a total contrast with simply open fields and pull-thru sites and not a pine tree to be found!

We arrived at check-in only to be advised our site wasn’t quite ready due to an incident requiring the removal of our neighbour by helicopter. So, off to the Marina we went which was located next to the temporary visitor center. This area was hit really hard by Hurricane Irma in 2017 and it’s just now beginning to recover. Many trails were not yet open or passable, especially on bike.

The days here were spent once again with a lot of biking and a little walking, with the Snake Bight trail as our bike highlight. Although Momma Jo wouldn’t use the word “highlight” (see the video here). Here we saw more birds but also the endangered manatees and of course the dreaded crocodile. On the first sighting of the crocs, all hopes were gone for the kayak/canoe rental that Steve was pushing for.

The nights were a different story, as the Gnats or “no-see-ums” were definitely seen by us, as we had an invasion into Winniefred on that first night. We’re still not quite sure how these little flying pests got into the RV but for a while there it seemed like a scene from “Invasion of the Ants!”. A couple across from us from Windsor had mentioned the bugs came out pretty bad at dusk and only afterwards did we put 2 and 2 together with the fact that our new friends closed things up pretty tight just before dusk. In hindsight it must have been hilarious watching us chase and swat this horde of pests that never seemed to end! Lesson learned : Close the sunlight… Not the easiest sleep as we dreamt of bugs, not sheep or lollipops.

Everglades – Day 2

On 31st January 2019

Nike Missile Site HM-69

Today’s first bike ride was to Hidden Lake followed by a return visit to Royal Palm for more Kodak moments. BTW, for those of the digital generation, Kodak was once the world’s leading film & photographic company.

In the afternoon we took the guided tour of the Nike Missile Site HM-69. This walk through history guided by Park Ranger Leon was right up Steve’s alley and really painted a picture of life in the US leading up to and during the Cuban Missile crisis time period. The insight from Leon and the words of John F Kennedy really brought to life how those in the US lived during the Cold War and how close the world came to Nuclear War!

It is insane that two men, sitting on opposite sides of the world, should be able to decide to bring an end to civilization.
John F kennedy – 27 October 1962

This day was capped off by another campfire with Susan & Ed where we met new campers, Levi & Elisa, from Saskatchewan. Once again the stargazing through the tall pine tress was simply amazing and another great ending to a perfect day.

Everglades National Park

On 30th January 2019

To see the Everglades you need to see it with your eyes closed. It is one of the National Parks that whispers at you. It’s understanding and finding the beauty in the diversity of the ecosystems.
PARK RANGER LEON HOWELL

Long Pine Key Campground

This was the first night of our planned 5 nights of boondocking (i.e. off-grid & no services). An early morning bike ride guided by Park Ranger Olivia. Her enthusiasm for the diversity of the park’s ecosystems was contagious and made us want to explore even more of this wonderful park on our own!

This was the most stunning day, as we biked through the various pine groves; with the long pines reaching for the sky, the green foliage, finger palms and burnt tree trunks provided a picture that brought tears to our eyes, OK… Momma Jo’s eyes.

We had met our neighbours (Sue, Ed & Harry) the night before, and at their campfire they recommended the Anhinga and Gumbo Limbo Trails as great areas for bird & alligator sightings.

Anhinga & Gumbo Limbo Trails

This afternoon we biked to the Royal Palm Visitor Center to explore these trails. Sure enough the ‘gators were out soaking up the heat of the sun and the bird life was spectacular providing many Kodak moments!

Lesson Learned : Take the road less traveled through the back country to the Research Station road, NOT the Main Park road. Too many big rigs for Momma Jo’s liking!

Today’s travels were over 30 kms on the bike and a few more on foot. We passed on the campfire and slept very well under those long pines reaching to the starlit sky! Today’s adventures will be cherished for many years to come.

On the road

On 29th January 2019

We’re now over 2900 kms into our trip, as can be seen by our daily odometer snap. Definitely time to freshen up our clothes and perhaps also wash Winniefred! This proved to be quite the challenge as we were driving through Boca Raton; not really the laundromat crowd as most folks here drop their clothes at the dry-cleaners! Jo did finally get her laundry fix while Steve got some quality internet time. Unfortunately Winniefred was either too big for the self-washes or too costly for the express wash locations.

The day ended in the Everglades National Park but only after another Lola misdirection kept sending us to a migrant farm-workers housing community. Strike 2 for Garmin!

Always concentrate on how far you have come, rather than how far you have left to go. The difference in how easy it seems will amaze you.
Heidi Johnson

Florida is for the birds!

On 29th January 2019

Conveniently, less than a mile from Bedner’s was the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge. This was our first stop of the day. A lovely place for a good walk with the birds. We first meandered the Cypress boardwalk and then over to the Cypress Swamp where the wildlife was in full action! This allowed Momma Jo to be in her element with camera in hand and plenty of birds in sight. This stop was well worth the $5 donation. We also met a couple who volunteered at the refuge for the season. Perhaps a concept for us in the future…

Bedner’s : Restocking Supplies

On 28th January 2019