Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.

Henry David Thoreau

Biking and a Canopy Walk

Thursday January 19,2012
Myakka River State Park Site 80

Thursday I was up and out for the run/walk
by 7:30.  Temperature in the 50’s.  GREAT!!
David stayed back to make a sausage and egg
breakfast so we would be well fortified for what
turned out to be a 16 mile bike ride with Bill & Nancy.
We are camped in Palmetto Ridge,
the newest campground just opened this year.
Full hook ups!
Across the road from us is a smaller older campground
And 3 miles up the road is
where Nancy and Bill are camped in Big Flats
another smaller older campground.
Their campground is heavily treed with
live oaks dripping with spanish moss.
They are really close to the services and
the lake and river.  That’s great!
But there are only 3 sites that will fit a 35’ rig although
when David and I looked the sites over, there
seemed others that would do just as well as those 3.
Would an RVer dare lie about his length
in order to have a site in this super location??

Oh yes, and it has a resident flock of nesting
black buzzards every night.  Nancy says they’re
waiting for the old folks.

We left the campground and set off down the road
which is a beautiful ride through a tunnel of gorgeous trees.
P1010235
We went up to the North Entrance
just to see what was up there.

Bill got the story on work camping at Myakka
from the work camping gate guard.
P1010233

Nancy has been a GEM for making the plans
for us all.  Here she is checking the map.
Myakka Day 1 001

Next stop the bird walk at the lake.
No Paul the birds aren’t walking,
we are walking out to see them.

Yesterday Nancy & Bill said they saw hundreds of
birds all over the place apparently hanging out
before the storm which came last night.

Today the winds were up and the temperatures down
so there weren’t as many but still……….

Myakka Day 1 006
there were a lot of things to see
P1010241A

P1010243A
including
Sand Hill Cranes

P1010247

Roseate spoonbills

P1010250A

and an artist

Myakka Day 1 008

Myakka Day 1 009

Back on the bikes we were off in the
direction of the canopy
P1010260

The lake off to our right

P1010261
On the way, we decided to stop by
Nancy & Bill’s rig
P1010280

and then walk over to the Outpost for lunch.
Here’s the path from their campground to
the Outpost.  AND the spot where the buzzards
roost at night.
P1010265

The Outpost has both a camp store in one building
and a cafe with ICE CREAM in another!

Myakka Day 1 012

P1010264
But before lunch we walked out to the weir
to see who was there.
And look at what we found.
Black vultures, wood storks, roseate spoonbills
and an approaching alligator.
There were egrets, herons, and others as well
but in the interest of not TOO many pictures
on an activity filled day……..

Myakka Day 1 015A

But I do have Nancy getting a close up of black vultures.
YUCK…..see HER blog for that picture!
Myakka Day 1 027

We walked back to the Outpost.
Finally, time for
ICE CREAM FOR LUNCH!!!
YEA!!

01 - Ice Cream from Nancy

Well fortified, we were off for the canopy walk.
Myakka Day 1 029

but of course we had to do a little geocaching on the way.
Myakka Day 1 031
This time David Found it.
Myakka Day 1 033
We arrived at the canopy structure on down the path
and Bill, who has a fear of heights, bravely went up
on the bridge.
P1010291
Even after reading this sign
P1010294
David and I crossed, Nancy got the shot from the other side.
Myakka Day 1 039
David got me…..notice the cool bridge
and being inside the trees
P1010300
Bill & Nancy starting across
Myakka Day 1 040A
Bill makes it.  Not exactly a smile
but I don’t think he’s gritting his teeth.
He said it “wasn’t bad”.
Myakka Day 1 041
Nancy hamming around
Myakka Day 1 042

liked it just fine.
Myakka Day 1 043
BUT 25’ up was enough for Bill,
and he went down to wait for us to go up
the 75’ tower.
Can you see him down there?
P1010302

It was fantastic being in the trees and then up over the tree tops.
Myakka Day 1 054

Back on the ground we walked the nature trail.
P1010322

P1010321
P1010328

P1010330
and then headed back to the bikes
and another couple of geocaches
one of which we found (but neither David nor I got pictures)
, and the other of which
was down this path.

P1010352
Can you guess why we didn’t wade across?
It was shallow enough.
P1010354A

P1010356

P1010355

So this is what we did instead!
P1010360
Another great day at Myakka River State Park!!

16 comments:

  1. I'm not sure why, but I like Sand Hill Cranes... oh and ice cream too. Don't care much for heights either.
    Syl

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ice cream for lunch would get my vote!

    ReplyDelete
  3. We love Myakka. So happy to hear the new campground is open. Have a great time!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Looked like a very fun, full day. Glad the weather has been nice for you.

    ReplyDelete
  5. What lovely photographs! With all those palmettos and Spanish moss it looks kinda like some of the coastal areas here in southern SC. I especially loved that bridge, what fun. :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. You certainly are having a great time, love how you document the fun with your pictures.

    That bridge reminds me of the one in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. I'm with Bill staying on the ground.

    I'm begining to think that ice cream is an important food group in your lives...

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wow, great post!!

    I can't believe we got all that into one day;o)) I miss Myakka already...fantastic place!!!

    I might have to lie about my rig length...just kidding ;o))

    ReplyDelete
  8. Keep those walks in the parks coming; we're doing them vicariously through your posts.

    ReplyDelete
  9. another one of our very favorite parks. I always said our girl was 30' because I knew we could fit in some of the spaces. We like #1 at big flat but of course Palmetto did not exist- can't wait to check it out.

    ReplyDelete
  10. What a great place! And ice cream too!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Certainly enjoying your pictures. Thanks

    Just BS!(Bob and Sue)

    ReplyDelete
  12. I liked the bridge and tower part the best. I can take or leave ice cream. Now, if there was a popcorn stand, I'd be all over it. :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Look like a great place for hiking/walking. since spending time at the live Oak Music Park campground, I try to avoid mossy oaks hanging over the rig:)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Other than the ice cream, it sounds like the perfect day for Hub and me. Jealous here!

    ReplyDelete
  15. What a fun day! Geocaching and ice cream! The Roseate Spoonbills look interesting.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Not being a fan of heights, I'm afraid I would've hung out on the ground with Bill while y'all climbed the 75' tower.

    Good to see that you're getting your calcium. :-)

    ReplyDelete

Your comments are the best part of this blog for me.
I LOVE hearing from you!