Everglades Adventure! posted 1/27/2007 9:56:41 PM | 3 kudos what's this?     report abuse tagged: everglades, friend, outdoors, hiking, exploring

fuchia04

Start with taking an occasional break from you daily grind, add spending some much-needed quality time with your good buddy (who you hadn't seen lately), mix with a good dose of exploring some nearby place you've never seen before, then add a touch of perfect weather to the mix, and now you've got an almost guaranteed recipe for a pretty good time!

I decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather we were having yesterday, to go do something I had always wanted to do. Having lived within a stone's throw of two national parks for the better part of twelve years, it was about time. I finally got around to seeing the more well-known of the two: Everglades National Park. At 9:45AM, I waited for my friend, Ben, at the agreed upon intersection. At ten after ten, I see him and we headed over to the nearby rental car place, to go pick up the car I had reserved. After that, and a quick bathroom break at Albertson's, we were now headed to Everglades National Park!

Ben and I. We often imagine ourselves to be “countries”, and, for kicks, we often like to speak to each other in our so-called “diplomatic speak”. Ben asks me how I think today's adventure could be equated in this “diplomatic speak” of ours. After thinking a bit, I suggest maybe it could be like some sort of joint expedition between our two “nations”. Ben's elation at being on the “expedition”, we are embarking on, is apparent. He expresses it by singing the songs on the radio. Me?...don't even think it...lol! I am not the singing type!

Eventually, we turn onto the highway that will take us well into the Everglades, and we will follow it, all the way to it's end. As we do, the scenery gradually changes from grassy open marsh to thick mangroves. Finally, we reach the Flamingo Visitor Center, which marks the end, and we stop in to get info on all the trails, and ultimately decide to go on the nearby Bear Lake trail. To do that, we must find the road that leads to it, and then take that road. This road turned out to be an unpaved gravel road; I started to wonder if cars were even allowed on it. There was a sign that said, no RV's. However, it didn't say no cars. Nonetheless, I decide that maybe it's not a good idea, and back out onto the main highway. Ah, what the heck, let's do it! I turn back into the narrow path. It is a very bumpy ride!

Ben starts humming, and is immediately amused by the sound of his voice vibrating to all the bumpiness we are encountering. Meanwhile, I begin to worry, if in fact, this road was even meant for a car to drive on. It is so narrow, it looked like it could've just as well been a hiking trial. I am feeling like a real idiot. I see a hiker walking, and a person on a bike, a ways down the road. As I drive closer to them, I am expecting them to be looking at me as if I am completely nuts. Instead, they give me a friendly wave. Huh? I just wave back, trying to hide my apprehension (People in National parks are so friendly, aren't they?..:) )

Several minutes later, the road keeps going on and on, getting a little bumpier. The narrow gravel road has now given way to an even narrower wet, muddy one. Now, I see someone else following, from behind, in a big SUV. Well, okay, so I am a little relieved. However, the driver behind me must be even more nuts than I am to be taking that big car on here. The road is barely wide enough to fit my sub-compact. To the right, there's a sharp drop off into a canal; and to the left, another immediate drop off into the marsh. I was hoping there was some place to park at the end. But I was really, really hoping there was some place to turn around – it'd really suck to get stuck out here in the middle of the swamp. Then something occurred to me. What if someone decides to come down the road from the other direction? Yikes!!

Finally, we arrive at the end of the dirt road. Whew! No oncoming car. However, it looked like we'd have some company on our hike. I saw a car parked at the end, along with, fortunately, enough room for one, maybe two more... and barely enough room to turn around. The driver behind me apparently got a little more nervous then I and decided to turn around and drive back out.

Us? We went ahead with our hike. The trail was completely shrouded under the shade of the many mangroves. “So does this remind you of Louisiana”, he asks. “Sort of”, I replied. “What did you do with the dead body?” he asks me. “Huh?” “I said, what did you do with the dead body?” “What are talking about, Ben?!” “It's a joke” he said, “You're supposed to say 'I buried it here.'” “Hmm.. I don't get it..”

At some point, something caught my interest. It was a very wet looking, light brownish muddy openness about 30 feet from the trail. “What do you see?” Ben asked quizzically. “Look there,” I said, pointing to the muddy openness, “Quicksand. Interesting!” As we hiked along, we spotted what appeared to be more smaller pits of quicksand. Pretty soon, both of us, became somewhat fascinated with them, stopping to stare at each one. I know. We are strange. “Let's get in the quick sand!” Ben says. I looked at him like he was from outer space. “You've got quite a sense of humor, Ben.”

- the Fuchian

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