Everglades National Park
A Subtropical Wilderness 

A slow-moving 50 mile long freshwater river just a few inches deep flows through the park's saw-grass marsh and mangrove forests. We camped within the park at Long Pine Key in a large private area cut into the brush and pines. With no hookups available, we really appreciated the solar-powered hot water showers.

On the Anhinga Trail the elevated boardwalk provided views of both anhinga and the resting alligators.

    
Life in the Everglades                                             Overnights at Long Pine Key

   Tree snails                                                                                   Spider lily 

When leaving the National Park we stopped at Robert Is Here, a very popular Fruit Stand and Farm at which we sampled several exotic fruits we had never tasted before such as star fruit. Dragon fruit (aka pitaya) grows on a cactus and tastes liked a cross between kiwi and pear. Also on sales was jackfruit which was not available to sample. Jackfruit is the largest tree-born fruit in the world with fruit weighing 30 or more pounds (with a world record of 200 pounds) when picked. It is used by some as a healthy meat substitute.

    
Jackfruit on the tree

     

Dragon fruit

The Florida Keys 
With construction beginning in 1905, owner Henry Flagler took the first ride on the Overseas Railway in 1912. The railway operated until 1935 when the Labor Day Hurricane struck the Keys. With winds of 185+ mile per hour and 18-foot storm surges, the tracks were destroyed beyond reasonable repair. After costing $30 million to build, the railway was sold to the State of Florida for $649,000 for construction of the Overseas Highway.

As we travel toward Key West we make several stops to enjoy the beautiful views across the sparkling blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

    
Lunch spot                                                          Bridge to Pigeon Key

   
Tiny crab                                                                                Home for snails

   
Mangrove forest                                                      Scurrying crabs
                                                                                    Note that this picture of scurrying crabs
                                                                                  is a video, click it to play

A more recent victim of a hurricane, our camp ground on Sugarloaf Key reopened in 2021 after having been totally destroyed by Hurricane Irma in 2018.

    
We are under one of 3 surviving trees                                   New use for a destroyed Airstream

 Key West 

Key West, the southern-most city in continental United States, is the southern terminus of US Highway 1, 2700 miles from the Canadian border in Maine. Now a major tourist area, the city was established in the mid-19^th century as a salvage port and later provided a home for Cuban immigrants.

     
90 miles from Cuba                                                 Playing dominoes

   
End of US Highway 1                                                              Chickens run free

BO’s Fish Wagon for lunch

   Historic abodes

Gulf of Mexico

Next we travel to Venice on the west coast of Florida to visit brother Stephen and wife Barbara. We are also joined for the week by sister Pat and husband Joe from Pennsylvania for this stop.

     
Venice beach                                                          Sunset over the Gulf
 

We have now begun moving across the Florida panhandle and along the Gulf of Mexico.

P.S. Enjoying Flowers

Throughout Florida flowers bloom year-round in the warm sunshine.

          

       

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