Monument Lake Campground Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida
Last morning walk at Pennekamp.
Sometimes, here in Florida, you need a reminder that it is December and almost Christmas!
We left Key Largo and stopped in Homestead to fuel the RV and the Jeep. We went to Roberts one more time for mangoes and papaya and avocados. Then we took Krome Avenue all the way to 41. We made a reservation for one more night at Monument Lake.
When we pulled in, we saw this roseate spoonbill hanging out with a bunch of ibis. Apparently, he has been here for the past 3-4 days.
I learned a new alligator fact today. If you estimate the length in inches of an alligator from snout to between the eyes, it is equivalent to the gator’s length in feet…this guy is about 8 feet long!
The gator and the ibis must have some kind of understanding…
We had a relaxing afternoon. I read outside, sitting in the shade of a palm tree.
We took a sunset bike ride, loops around the lake. The pink and purple clouds were reflected in the still water and it was stunning!
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park Key Largo, Florida Day 5
We did our usual morning workouts and then drove to Duck Key. We left the Jeep there and rode our bikes on the bike path along Route 1. This route took us over several bridges that connect the smaller keys. There were pedestrian or fishing bridges that we were able to use to cross. We saw lots of guys pulling fish in.
We rode into the wind first. It was a warm but cloudy day and was actually perfect for biking. The clouds changed the color of the water…still breathtaking. We did about 12 miles.
We drove into Marathon to the Sunset Grill where we ordered carryout salads. We ate our lunch at the Marathon Community Park.
This evening we took our dinner to the beach here at Pennekamp.
We stayed out until the no see ums or biting midges chased us back to the RV.
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park Key Largo, Florida Day 4
I started my day with an easy walk through the campground. I still got my 2+ miles in but as a slightly slower pace.
We drove to the parking access area for the South Glades Trail. We biked for at least 6 miles and then turned around and headed back. The trail was gravel and kind of bumpy…but the scenery, solitude, and silence made up for the harder work…even the headwind on the way back!
We saw lots of birds and a gator but the animals here are less used to people presence and they were skittish.
This fish was not laying on the path on our way in. We think that maybe a bird had just dropped it. It was a good ten inches long and still alive. Tim picked it up and tossed him back into the water. The fish eagerly swam away! Happy ending for this guy!
The blue line on the map below is the canal we biked along.
I spent the afternoon doing some errands and then had a marathon online shopping experience. Christmas is coming and Santa must get her work done!
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park Key Largo, Florida Day 3
At 8am I was on the phone with Holiday RV Repair. We needed extra help with our steps. They were fully booked and so were their mobile guys…but they said if we could get there as soon as possible, they would diagnose the problem and see if they could help us out! We packed up the RV very quickly and we were at the shop before 8:30.
Lou had they guys look at the steps and they found the problem, they had an extra control panel, and they fixed the steps!! We were back at Pennekamp by 10:00. Thanks Holiday RV!
We decided that we would do our usual morning stuff. Tim did his workout and I went for a great walk. I also hiked the two nature trails. I got 3 miles in very easily.
We left in the Jeep at lunchtime and headed for Islamorada or “The Village of Islands.” We biked along the Overseas Highway or Route 1. With the glistening blue waters as our scenery, it was a relaxing and lovely ride.
A stop at a bridge.
Two iguanas resting in the sunshine. We saw lots more, closer to the trail but they scampered away as we got too close.
The Hurricane Memorial honoring the lives lost in 1935 when a 17-foot tidal surge devastated Islamorada.
Lunch in the park. These statues are new. We aren’t sure what they mean…
We were out until late afternoon. We decided on eggs and mango for our dinner. Then, we took some wine and went to sit by the beach to watch the stars pop out.
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park Key Largo, Florida Day 2
I had a great walk around the park this morning. It was a little cooler and it felt wonderful to be outside and moving! I heard there were snow flurries at home…NO SNOW here!
Later this morning, we took the Jeep and drove down Route 1. We took our bikes from Robbie’s in Islamorada. There was construction on the bike trail so we headed back, loaded up our bikes and rode down to MM 72. We cycled there for a couple of miles.
We then drove further south to Marathon Key. We stopped to get lunch and we took our picnic to Curry Hammock where we sat by the water and then walked along the beach.
It is just so beautiful here. The sky was cloudless. The water was all shades of green and blue. There was a crosswind so we were comfortable riding. We had a great day.
We got back to the RV at around three. The rest of the day was spent getting groceries and Tim tried again to work on the steps…no success even with the new motor. We are going to try to get some help with it tomorrow!
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park Key Largo, Florida
Welcome to the world Guy Joshua!!
Today was moving day. I had one last walk to Florida Bay.
We took all morning getting tanks cleaned out and driving back through the Everglades. We really do love it here. I know it will always be among my favorites places.
We stopped at Roberts again for mangos, papaya, and avocados.
A picture as we crossed the water into Key Largo.
We are camped at John Pennekamp State Park. When we first decided to come to the Keys, we couldn’t find any available camping spots in the state parks. One evening, I decided to look again and we were fortunate to find a site here for five nights. This park is mostly underwater. It protects the only living coral reef in the continental US. Lots of people come here to scuba dive or snorkel. Many of the boat tours and the aquarium are shut down because of COVID. There is a small beach area and the campground sits right on the Straits of Florida.
We were able to accomplish the mission of finding a new motor for our retractable steps. We found it at an RV dealer here in Key Largo.
We also found some amazing looking fresh tuna at the Fish House.
We took our dinner down by the water. Luckily, we sat in a pavilion as the rain fell around us.
After dinner we went for a drive. Harry Harris Park was destroyed by Hurricane Irma 3 years ago. It has been restored and we enjoyed a short walk as the sun was setting.
Flamingo Campground Everglades National Park Homestead, Florida Day 10
We set our alarm for 3:30 am and got up and dressed and took the Jeep for a night ride. We saw some night herons but other than that we were kind of disappointed…no critters and no snakes. It might not yet be cold enough for the snakes to come and lay on the pavement at night We did just sit in the quiet with the lights off. The almost full moon bright in the sky…just gorgeous. We were back in bed before 5 and slept until 8!
Today was our last full day in the Everglades. I decided to walk to Eco Pond for my morning walk. There were plenty of mosquitoes and a few birds. I was all by myself…no other people…no noise. It was so still and peaceful.
We rode our bikes from the campground to Florida Bay and to the marina. We saw this osprey.
This manatee was drinking fresh water from this drain outlet.
This croc was swimming in the marina.
Volunteers were hauling this dead manatee out of the water to take back to the Mammal Rescue Center to determine its cause of death.
We rode to Mrzak Pond. It occurred to me today that all of the dead mangrove trees might be a reason that the birds don’t gather here like they used to. Perhaps the influx of salt water changed the nature of the fish and other foods that the birds were accustomed to…just a guess.
This evening we grilled tuna steaks, made homemade guacamole, and grilled some apples. We took our picnic and sat by Florida Bay to watch yet another beautiful sunset.
This quote was posted at Eco Pond and resonated with me today.
Flamingo Campground Everglades National Park Homestead, Florida Day 9
I had vultures as my walking companions this morning. There are lots of them here. They are a nuisance in the campground. We have seen them tearing campsites apart, dragging trash and looting food…slices of bread and potato chips left out. You can shoo them away but they are relentless and walk about undeterred, always on the hunt for goods! They will also eat the rubber on an RV or a car. In areas where the vultures are very numerous, there are tarps to protect your vehicle.
Turkey vultures.
American black vultures.
We learned that the Nike Missile Site was having open house today from 10-2. We like biking there because it is a more protected back road and the traffic this weekend has been heavy on the main park road. We parked a couple of miles away and pedaled into the site.
We mentioned the other day that men were stationed here to enforce the US boundary during the Cold War and to protect the US from Soviet missiles that might potentially come from Cuba. There were three missiles ready to roll. In a matter of minutes, the crew could have the missiles on the launch pads ready to deploy. They could have either been used to intercept incoming artillery directed at the East Coast or they could have been sent directly to Cuba. Some of the missiles contained a nuclear warhead. The missiles flew at 1,000 feet at Mach 3.5…fortunately there was never any need to launch missiles from this place or any of the other 200 sites. The site doesn’t look that different than when it was decommissioned in 1979.
“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 October 27, 1962.
After touring the site, we biked another 12 miles. This is the easiest, flattest, smoothest bike ride ever…especially because there was no wind today!
This softshell turtle was crossing the road. It is the fastest we have ever seen a turtle move. It was comical to watch…he had flippers rather than feet but he could motor!
We saw this round pool of water and we were intrigued. We aren’t sure if it is a sink hole or a manmade structure. There were little fish and the water was so clear that we could see the bottom.
A 7-foot gator about 6 feet off the road. We swung back to take a picture. He was very aware of our presence. He suddenly dove into the canal with a huge splash startling Tim and I. I guess he had enough posing for pictures!
It was hot this afternoon and so we stayed in with the air on. We grilled fish for tacos with Mexican Street Corn, peppers and onions, and frijoles…just YUM!
Flamingo Campground Everglades National Park Homestead, Florida Day 8
Morning walk.
We drove the Jeep back into Homestead hoping to get the replacement motor for the retractable steps but we had no luck. We were able to go to the laundromat. When the clothes were done, we rode to Biscayne National Park. This is a really pretty little park along Biscayne Bay across the water from Miami. Most of the park is actually in the water. It protects a coral reef and shipwrecks. Snorkeling and kayaking are popular here. The park was very busy so, we chose to ride our bikes along the canals surrounding the park.
We stopped for a couple of groceries and for lunch. It was about 4:00 when we got back.
Flamingo Campground Everglades National Park Homestead, Florida Day 7
I woke up this morning with very tired legs. I decided to be lazy and skip my morning walk. We were going to go for just a short bike ride from the campground to the marina. There were a bunch of manatees so we did FaceTime with Oliver and Austin so they could watch. They also wanted to see the crocodile, so we biked over and called them again to show them pictures of the croc on the boat ramp. It is really fun to show them where we are and what we are doing!
After the calls, we got going again, we felt better, got in a groove, and pedaled all the way to Mrzek Pond. It was all together about 11 miles.
We stopped at the marina and sat by the water for a while.
We had lunch outside in the campground…another lovely day! This afternoon, we worked on the steps again…well Tim did…I was just the gopher. We didn’t make any progress. The motor is off now and we plan to take it to Homestead tomorrow and see if we can find a solution.
We had roasted turkey, steamed green beans, grilled sweet potatoes, orange cranberry sauce, and brown rolls for our Thanksgiving celebration. Dinner for two!
We texted, messaged, and called friends and family. We are very grateful for so many reasons and we wanted to take the time to be thankful today.
We watched the sunset from the old gas station at the marina. There were too many people at the beach this evening.
A nice walk, until the mosquitoes chased us back to the Jeep!
