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

Henry David Thoreau

Off to the Everglades

Tuesday 1/21/14 & Wednesday 1/22/14
Midway Campground
Big Cypress Swamp, Florida

 

 

TUESDAY

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Tuesday was get ready to go to the Everglades day.  We packed up the outside, went to the store and bought as much of ten days of groceries as we could.

We did make a planning error in not going out for a final paddle before going to the grocery since when we came back it was raining and the temperatures had dropped.  DARN. 

 

 

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We said our good byes to E. G. Simmons and its lovely skies and pesky raccoons.

 

raccoons

 

 

 

WEDNESDAY

 

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We head out about 9:30 for the dump station and then the 200 mile drive to Midway Campground on Route 41. 

The campground, in Big Cypress Swamp, is about 104 miles from the end of the road in the Everglades. The Flamingo Campground, which is where we are headed is as far down into the Everglades as you can get and still be on land.  

 

Midway is an electric only campground.  We always stop here on our way to and from the Everglades and during the week there has never been a problem getting a site.  But I noticed when we pulled in about 3:00 today that the No Vacancy sign was out.  They have now started taking reservations at Midway. 

I think this is unfortunate but it’s the fact.  They have also upped the price from $20 ($10 for seniors) to $30 ($15 for seniors).   Electric is the only utility at the site but they have a dump station and a water tank fill up so you don’t have to come with your water and carry that extra weight on your travels.

 

 

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It’s a lovely little campground, located not too far from the wonderful Shark Valley and just down the road from one of the Big Cypress Visitor Centers.   In the center of the single circle of sites, all facing it, is a nice lake which the Duckies are trying to figure out how to get into. 

 

I’ll talk a lot more about Midway when we return from Flamingo since we are staying 4 days then.  Tonight is just an overnight to cut up what would be a PDD day for us of 304 miles.   200 is more than we normally do but today wasn’t too bad since we made a couple of stops to get gas and pick up some mail.

 

 

 

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We have arrived in WARM.   FINALLY!   I am so excited to be able to have the doors and windows open that I take a picture of it!!

 

This will likely be the last post I’ll make for the next 10 days since we expect to be without internet, phone and TV unless something has changed in the year since we were last there.   AT&T has the only coverage of Flamingo.  They don’t share and they don’t have any way to buy a short term air card.  It’s a contract or nothing.  We have Verizon so we’re out of luck.

 

 

 

 

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It’s possible we’ll surface sometime in the middle of our stay to do some things up near the entrance where there is internet.  But that’s fairly unlikely since that’s 40 miles away, and we cut our stay from 2 weeks to 10 days just to make sure there were no medical things we would need to attend to.   I will be writing blog posts while we’re down there though so you can see all the fun we’re having when I throw them all out here when we get back.

 

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Alligators, Crocodiles and LOTS of birds, here we come!!

27 comments:

  1. TEN DAYS?!?!? You'll never make it. You'll be sneaking to some "nearby" city to go to McDonald's.

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  2. Good Luck Duck doesn't know your eating habits! McDonald's? Have a great time and I'll look forward to the crocodile (and other wildlife) photos. It was 12 degrees here today-
    xxxooo

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  3. Alligators, crocodiles, lots of birds but no mosquitoes (hopefully) :).....and that is wonderful. Ya'll enjoy and will forward to your posts when they do come.

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  4. So, how did you get in if there was No Vacancies?

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    1. I had found out about the reservations policy earlier and made one for us both coming and going. Glad I knew ahead of time although we could have just gone back up the road to Monument Lake and boondocked.

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  5. You know there are gators in that pond at Midway, don't you? :-) Have fun in the Everglades and looking forward to hearing all about it when you get back. Love the bike trail down there, Shark Valley…beautiful birds and lots of alligators lining the path as you bike…USUALLY!

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  6. So great that you've got warm weather! We're FREEZING here at O'Leno State Park (28 degrees tonight!), but did a beautiful 5-mile hike today in the park. We're kayaking the Ichetucknee this week no matter what. Have a great time at Flamingo, can't wait to read about your adventures when you come out of the wilds!

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  7. Boy you got out of dodge just in time. The weather has got colder and is set to stay there for awhile. Really wish we were headed toward the Everglades. Have Fun and Safe Travels!!

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  8. My first trip to Florida was in 1959 with 3 other girls, and we spent a day in the Everglades. I'm sure it is different now, and I'm looking forward to your posts and pictures.

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  9. uhOh. I didn't know about the Midway campground reservations and had planned on first come first served when we get there next month mid February. sigh. Hope I am not to late to get a reservation. guess I had better get busy. Sigh again. I was just really getting started on reading blogs, yours was second after Greenland, and now everything else will have to wait. So glad for the heads up!

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  10. Enjoy the land of birds and gators. Folks are showing up here for the bird festival, most need light jackets now.

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  11. That door open to the elements looks sooo good! The temp is to go to 23 tonight and a high of only 28 tomorrow. BUT..... we are finished and out of here in the morning. Heading as far south as Birmingham tomorrow....if time, may pull a PDD and go further south.

    Have fun, enjoy enough for all of us that will be freezing.

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  12. Wow ... no Sherry and David stuff for 10 days??? dang.. your picture of the door being open is soooo soothing... heat wave today ... high of 37 ... tomorrow's high will be 34. sigh

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  13. I do believe you stayed in the same site we did when there!! We trimmed the tree on the driver's side because it stuck out too far. In mid Dec the place is empty. One night it was only us and the workcampers.

    Enjoy your trio south! See you when you return.

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  14. Enjoy being disconnected from the world for a while.

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  15. What ever will I do if you are gone for 10 whole days...... you are after all my winter entertainment. Seriously I hope you have a Grand time. Keep an eye out for gators!

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  16. Yes, I echo the others.....what to do if 10 days goes between blog posts. You and a few others are my travel eyes these days (unfortunately). I expect this also means it will be a few days before we hear the results of David's tests. Am anxiously awaiting AND most definitely, keeping you in my thoughts. Waiting is SO hard. Hurry back!

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  17. Have a great time in the Glades. That area is one of my favorite places.

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  18. Everyone will miss you for 10 days!! ;) But the Everglades should be 'an away from it all' bit...sounds nice to me :) Glad you are finally where it's warmer! Enjoy for me :)

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  19. We'll miss you but have a great time in the Everglades.

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  20. RobinKWalton@gmail,comJanuary 23, 2014 at 9:48 AM

    By you all,enjoy,relax and take lots of pictures.David sorry I missed talking with you.Will keep you all in my prayers.

    Enjoy!!!!! Love you!

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  21. Jealous that you will be down south. We will get there sometime! Looking forward to your posts when you get back to civilization.

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  22. Enjoy your time being unconnected - it sounds wonderful to me. I look forward to catching up on your doings when you reconnect. You're both in my thoughts.

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  23. You have to let me in on your secret of how to store 10 days of food in your MH. If it were us, we'd end up living off the land. I hear gators taste like chicken...

    I'm proud of your near PDD driving day. See, it's not so bad. Before you know it, you'll be saying "We only drove 200 miles?" :cD

    Enjoy you time in the Glades, it's your kind of place, and warm, too!

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  24. Jealous of your warm weather. Have fun. You might look into the new AT&T rate plan - if you could pick up a used phone online, you can get a month at a time - no contract - and use a phone hot spot to get your internet. Probably too late to do now but something to look into for the next time.

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  25. Going off the grid is a good thing sometimes. I look forward to seeing the Everglades when you do get back online. Enjoy.

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