The Tail-End of the Everglades

After a couple of days recovering in town from my swamp slog, I hitched a ride back to the trail yesterday, courtesy of the FlorIda Highway Patrol, who had stopped to tell me I couldn't hitch-hike. :-)  The trooper turned out to be a fellow vet, a retired green beret.

After he dropped me off at the rest stop, I finished the last part of the Big Cypress walk, but this time on a nice, dry, raised dirt road. Saw plenty of gators along the side of the trail, and got a pic of one for you.

Now I'm on the Big Cypress Seminole reservation. Slept last night in a "chickee" (and felt foolishly pleased wearing my moccassins). By the way, the Seminoles never surrendered to the government: they held on and fought for their land and freedom until eventually the government just declared the land they were on a reservation. Very cool.

Today I'll walk across the rest of the reservation, and should arrive at Lake Okeecobee in a few days.

Black

The Passing of the Marshes

Well, there's something I only need to do once. The guidebooks and promotional materials say that the Everglades is one of the most captivating places on Earth, a wonderland of scenic beauty. I say: it's a swamp. A nasty, wet, fetid, stinking swamp.

Not that there aren't a few cool things worth seeing.

Just Swamp

 Gator Tree

 The Trail

 Big Cypress Entrance

 Florida Trail Trailhead

One of the rare nice sections of trail

The Heart of the Swamp

One very strange thing happened: I thought I heard someone creeping about outside my camp one night. I looked out, and thought I saw two points of pale light, like eyes; then heard a soft intake of breath, like a hiss. And I would have sworn someone whispered, "Where is it, my Precious? We wants it, yes, ack, sss."

hmm...

If the gator bites are made from gator, the catfish filet from catfish, and the froglegs from frog...then what is the Mikossukee Indian taco made from?

My Thoughts on Valentine's Day

Ob-stackles

Today is a perfect day for hiking. Cool, sunny, breezy; and I finally got to get off the highway for a couple of miles, walking along the top of the dike which forms the southern boundary of the Everglades.

Problem is, I ended up on the wrong side of the canal with no way back across except a bridge whose access is through a very private-looking Seminole Indian community, or backtracking to the bridge I first crossed, which just wasn't going to happen.

So, I decided to try going around the village fence to get to the bridge. Got to the channel side, climbed up the steep embankment, and saw the bridge. Excellent. Except that...

The entrance to the bridge is guarded by a beast so foul, so cruel, that no man yet has fought wi' it and lived! Bones of...no, wait, it's only a gator. So after pausing to take this picture, I advanced, tapping my staff in front of me. My foe lost heart and fled to the safety of the water, and I made my way to the bridge, climbed up onto it from the side, and crossed back over the channel.

And here are some beatiful views of the glades, from atop the dike and the road.

The Problem with Making New Friends...

...is saying goodbye. Love and luck to Julia and Adrianna.

Fringe Benefits of Staying in the Hostel

After a long day of hiking...

Julia is a physical therapist at home in Germany. My back feels wonderful. It was a bit comical how much effort she had to put into it, being so tiny.

Everglades Hostel

I'm spending a few days at this very cool place, letting my body recuperate before tackling the swamp, and doing some replacing and rearranging of my gear to try and lighten my load. I've had a day  of rest here or there, but never more than just enough to keep pushing on.

This is a wonderful place to hang out and rest, and I've met more great people than I have time to mention or pictures of to post.

Julia, from Germany

Adrianna, from Vancouver

Rasmus, from Denmark

Joel, from...Virginia!

Michael, Melissa, and Eva, from Philadelphia

Starting tomorrow, I'm going to be hiking the road/highway section--about 70 miles from just south of here out to the entrance to the Everglades, with nowhere to camp, and no ressuply or even water along most of it, except for the Homestead/Florida City part, which passes through some areas against which I've been warned by both guidebooks and local police. But with the kind help of the folks at the hostel, I'm going to do it the most comfortable way possible; I'm going to "slackpack" it. That is, most of my gear stays here in my room, and I get a ride each day between the hostel and my start and end points. Not only does that take away the worry of finding campsites and resupply, but it allows me to cover more ground each day as I'll be carrying almost no load. It also allows me to start the swamp with the 5 or so days of provisions necessary, plus some extra just in case.

Keyless

I have left the Keys. Even if it ended today, I feel like I've accomplished something.

I liked it here a lot. Other than the expense. Hiking is not the way to see the Keys; I would recommend doing it by boat. Maybe when this is all over I'll sell my house and buy one. Oh, and one other complaint: everywhere you go there's a guy with a guitar who can't sing doing Jimmy Buffet songs, plus Tequila Sunrise and Southern Cross. Here's the real version of that last, to wash the taste from my mouth and as an appropriate homage to the place.

My last stop in the Keys was Pelican Cay Harbor, where a very kind lady named Suzanne made space for me even though they were full, not to mention offering me beer and conversation. Suzanne has led quite a life herself: she got lost at sea once off Hawaii and was on (not near, ON) Mt. St. Helen when it erupted. I may have finally met someone with luck worse than mine.

Suzanne

Camp. Because he, you know, lives in a camp

Lake Surprise

What's the surprise?

Crocodiles!

Not nearly as nice as a birthday party or a kiss from the girl you love. But it'll do for today.

Couchsurfing

I crossed paths with Tony yesterday at milemarker 94, who has walked all the way from the northwest corner of Washington state. Around Montana he realized that it was just not possible to carry enough water between supply points out in that part of the country, and so adopted this cart to carry his gear.

It was inspiring to meet someone so close to the end of his journey, and an even longer one than mine.

Tony also turned me on to couchsurfing; a website where travellers can find people who will put them up for a night or two, and introduced me to my first hostess, who he had just stayed with.

So now I am staying with Xochi, a very cool lady who not only let me sleep here last night, but offered me a free place to rest a couple of days and let my blisters heal and my legs recuperate. I just happened to show up on "thirsty scholars" night, and so (after a shower) got to enjoy two of my favorite things; discussion of books and ideas and consumption of tasty adult beverages. I wanted to put a picture of Xochi here, but she's camera shy.

P.S. my stylus broke, so there are going to be a lot more typing errors. These little buttons are too small for my thumbs.

100 Miles!

My Favorite Trail Food Is...

Gatorade and Doritos. Don't know why: I never eat this stuff at home.

Nearing the End of the Keys

I ended up going on yesterday after all and managed to hobble about eight miles. Lucked upon the Conch on Inn and the extraordinary hospitality of Mike and Cindy; they just bought the place after retiring from their old jobs, and are restoring it very nicely. Cindy fed me beef stew from her own kitchen and they asked me to help dispose of all their excess beer. Tough, but I took the bullet, and passed a pleasant evening on their patio on the inlet with them and Mike and Diane, a very nice couple from Toronto (which I correctly identified as being in Ontario). Took a pic but it didn't come out in the dark.

Also met Kenny yesterday, a young man full of faith who pulled over to talk as I was resting on the side of the road. We ended up talking for a couple of hours, and I felt quite encouraged after. I think the Lord sent him my way.

Walking...or limping...through Tavernier today, and hope to be in Key Largo (last stop in the Keys) tomorrow or the day after. As predicted, I am seriously ready to stop paying for lodging.