Alexander Springs, Ocala National Forest

We finally arrived in Ocala National Forest to much hype as the best natural area in Florida.  We settled on Alexander Springs for our first two nights. We met a few Florida Trail hikers just doing this section. We did a day hike to Buck’s Lake and enjoyed being on the trail near water.  We found an. abundance of Smilax, so will have some greens with dinner tonight. Alan bought a fruit some time ago and it finally got ripe enough to eat. It’s cslled Mamay and tastes a bit like a papaya. The pit is a wonderful glossy pit.

Silver lake

We spent  two nights at this pretty little lske in western Florids to explore the Weatern Corridor of the Florida Trail. Unfortunately It’s so close to I-75 that we hear traffic all night long. We did a nice day hike yesterday and a bit longer one today in an area called the Green Swamp.  The weather has been cooler, so a welcome relief from the heat and humidity of a few weeks ago.  Alan spotted what seems to be an albino armadillo, then today a tortoise about to lay its eggs.  It’s nice to see some wildlife for a change. We’ve tried to catch segments of the Florida trail where possible to get a feel of the area. 

Lake Marian “Paradise” RV Park

This was one of two mail drops we retrieved today.  The other was in Chtistmas, FL, an hour northeast. We now have enough food to feed all the starving through hikers on the Florida Trail.  We decided to camp here as well despite the reference to a’Paradise’.  There’s a lake, which you can actually see and an RV park. So we’re the only tent campers here squeezed in between RV’s, trailers and mobile homes.  But the people are nice, I can hear someone’s TV in the background but no bugs munching, droppings from trees and critters prowling the campsite at night.

Lake Kissimee Stats Park

We spent two nights in Lake Kissimee State Park. The hiking was great through pine forest and the weather had been a lot cooler, too.  I did succumb to many chigger bites around my ankles, so the anti-itch cream Sherry has helped immensely. You don’t  actually know you’re bitten until a day later when the red spots and itching appear.   You can’t actually get close enough to the Lake except by boat and so I’m wondering about the lakes here in Florida. I hiked up Lake Okeechobee for days and never saw the lake and here at Lake kissimee I see it  faintly from an observation tower.  I saw my first armadillo last night sitting at a table by the washroom. I heard some rustling behind me and out from the brush emerges the cutest  armadillo, saunters past me then disappears into the night.

Town of KICCO

This campsite was formerly a cattle drivers town during the 1800’s, but now the only remnants are an old sidewalk.  The road getting here is a little rough,but worth it to be in a secluded spot right on the Kissimee River. As I say that, several boats go by at high speed, presumably from Westgate River Ranch, a resort 8 miles up the road.  We stopped there for lunch and pick up a mail drop with more food and Alan’s Thermarest valve repair kit.  There are a lot of wild hogs in these parts of Floeida. We heard them come by our site last night. They really dig up the land foraging for food. It looks like a rototiller  has been through here.  We’re in a no hunting zone so should have a reprieve from turkey hunters.  We met a gal who’s with the Florida Trail Association and she said trail and campsite maintenance is an ongoing task because of the long growing season.  She introduced us to an edible plant called ‘smilax’ whose thin stalks resemble wild asparagus, with a similar taste and texture.  Alan harvested some that we’ll sauté for dinner tonight

Back on the FST

We had a leisurely hike today, backtracking to a nice campsite on the Florida Scenic Trail. I was reminded why we began this journey and it’s many twists and turns.   We reserved our campsite for another night. It feels good to stay put for a change rather than packing up every day.  We’re headimg to River Ranch for another mail drop with food. Alan has to order two thermarest valve repair kits to fix their air mattresses which deflate each night. Hopefully that will do the trick.  My air matress has been fine, although I wake up every morning with a stiff back and/or sore hips, so I’m still getting used to sleeping on the ground.  Last night temp’s dipped into the high 40’s so I really had to bundle up. Tonight’s forecast is the same. Daytime temp’s were in the 70’s and no rain.

Kissimee Prairie Preserve State Park

This was our last morning in the Everglades and we were happy to get a break from the rain so opted for a boat ride into the backcountry through the mangroves.  This canal runs 99 miles north starting from Florida Bay to Everglades City at the northwest corner.  We saw a few kayakers along the way. There are campsites along the route which are elevated platforms for sleeping. It looked like a great adventure to see more of the Everglades by a water route.  After lunch we headed north for Kissimee Prairie Preserve State Park,  back on the route of the Florida Scenic Trail.  We showed up without a reservation and were able to secure a campsite.

It’s Wine O’clock Somewhete

It’s raining all over Florida today, so we decided to hang out in the Everglades another night, instead of breaking camp with wet tents. We took a drive to Key Largo to visit the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park which had a nice visitors center. They were showing a film on the coral ecosystem that was very informative.  We stopped off st WalMart and bought a rain tarp for the picnic table so we can cook our meals under cover. Of course, now it’s clear as we enjoy a glass of wine and a dinner of red beans, rice and sausage and fresh yellow squash from Robert’s farm stand.  I have to say, I’m enjoying our dehydrated meals. It makes camping more enjoyable if the food is delicious and so easy to prepare.  

Everglades National Park

How did we end up in the Everglades you ask?  We decided to escape the forecast for rain and let Alan and Sherry experience this great park. They wait five minutes and the weather will change—so now the Everglades is expecting rain late tomorrow.  Go figure!!  We’re stating at Lone Pine Key campground, which is really nice and quiet, has hot showers and lots of birds visiting our campsite.  The last time I was here in late January, I did that amazing bike ride from this location. Not sure what the Alan and Sherry will be up for.  We stopped at at Robert’s fruit stand on the way down and had mango shakes. What an experience that was.  Alan loaded up on fruit which we had little of this past week on the trail.  Yes, irs been eight days since we set off from Lakeport and although we haven’t logged a lot of miles, we’ve logged a lot of memories.

Uncle Joe’s Fish Camp

it seems we’re in some sort of Okeechobee vortex and can’t seem to escape it. After a lovely evening in Osk Cteek we woke up in a downpour. Luckily my tent was nice and dry; however, Alan and Sherry we’re lying in an inch of water.  We headed back to Okeechober for breakfast and a trip to the laundromat. Then we had to find a spot that was dry and under cover up dry our tents. Fortune smiled down then we rolled into John Stretch Zoagk, the sun broke through. I pitched my tent figuring it was the fastest way to get it dry and so it was. We decided to hold up at Uncle Joe’s Fish Csmp for the night.  The weather forecast was not great for tomorrow but decided to tent camp anyway.  A hot shower and hot meal goes a long way to lift ones spirits.