Category: Nature

My Spring Break 2021 Road-Trip

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date February 25, 2021

One week ago (last Thursday) I returned home from my Spring Break 2021 Road-Trip. It was a fun 5-day adventure traversing 624 miles through the 10 South and Central Florida counties of Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Martin, Okeechobee, Highlands, Hardee, Glades, Hendry, and Collier. I also barely touched Monroe County, and I saw its many islands.

Starting here in Miami-Dade County (my home of 33 years) I ventured from my church building in Homestead (right after Sunday service) up to NW Broward County. That’s where I attended the TobyMac concert at the BB&T Center. I wrote all about it this past Monday.

On Monday morning (Presidents’ Day) I was back on-the-road from Broward to Palm Beach to Martin, and into Okeechobee County. I made a pitstop for a few hours at the northern rim of Lake Okeechobee – just south of the city of Okeechobee. It was my 2ND visit to the area. I’d previously spent a few days leading-up to Christmas Day of 2019 there. I walked a portion of the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail (high atop the dike / levee). I actually walked exactly 2.00 miles on that dike – a mile up to it and then eastward along it, and then a mile back to where I started. After that I took in views of the beautiful lake from the pier.

I drove northward from the lake about 15 miles to Arnold’s Wildlife Rehabilitation Center (a first-time visit). This place exceeded my expectations, and I really appreciate the work that they do to save and care for the animals in the local area.

After my fun few stops in the Okeechobee area it was on to Highlands County (probably my future hometown county once I retire). I arrived in Lake Placid on Monday afternoon, and this would be my home for the next 3 nights.

I enjoyed Dinner at a nice restaurant in town with a friend who used to live in Homestead and was a close sister in my first church family. She and her husband moved away and settled in Lake Placid. It was good to see her again. We may be neighbors in the future.

On Tuesday morning I headed northward and then westward from Lake Placid into Hardee County. I’ll share my Tuesday and Wednesday of my road-trip next Thursday here on my blog.

Miles Driven on Sunday & Monday = 229

Blogging Driving Military Nature Photography Travel Weather

A Cold Day In The Everglades

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date December 31, 2020

Back in November when I found out that The United States Secretary Of The Interior David Bernhardt made it free for life for U.S. Veterans to enter America’s National Parks, Wildlife Refuges, and other public federal lands – first of all I was extremely grateful. It’s probably the best gift that has ever been given to me as a Veteran. After all this is a gift that keeps on giving every single day – not just on Veterans’ Day.

I live between two U.S. National Parks – Biscayne National Park to the east – and Everglades National Park to the west. Both are about 10 miles away from my home. Biscayne does not charge an entry fee. It’s free for everyone. Everglades charges $30 per vehicle for a 7 consecutive day pass, or $55 for an annual pass. I no longer have to pay either fee. I’m free !

I actually got in to Everglades National Park for free during 2 consecutive winter seasons (2015-2016 and 2016-2017) when I worked out there as a volunteer (in uniform) giving tours at the NIKE Missile Site (HM-69). I worked 31 Saturdays out there showing hundreds of visitors from around the world a sampling of authentic military history from the mid-1960s to the late-1970s (when it was an active duty base out in the middle of the Park).

Back in November I said to myself that I would visit the Park on a cold day this winter season, and so last Saturday was that cold day. With temperatures in the upper-40s and lower-50s at dawn I entered the Park for the first time since my last Saturday working out there in March of 2017. It was like a homecoming for me. I actually drove the entire 38-mile main park road down to Flamingo on Florida Bay. It was my first visit there in nearly 7 years. I took a fun 90-minute organized boat tour up-and-down the waters north of Flamingo. I took the same tour almost 8 years ago.

After the boat tour I did a lot of walking all around Flamingo and then at a couple of stops along the way back up the main park road. I took a lot of pictures. I walked over 13,000 steps / 6 miles.

The Park was packed on that Saturday / day after Christmas. Everyone else had the same idea as me to visit during a rare cold South Florida day.

Now I need to figure out what my next fun cold day out will be here in my local area. Maybe Vizcaya ? (also free for life for U.S. Veterans)

Tags Everglades, Florida

Driving Food Nature Photography Shopping Travel

Fort Myers Beach

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date July 30, 2020

Surprise ! I’ve returned home from vacation again. Just 23 days after returning home from my 9-day / 2-state / 1,690-mile road-trip vacation I embarked on a much shorter road-trip vacation to a beach that’s much closer to home.

This trip was not quite 50 hours and just 271 miles from start to finish. I visited Fort Myers Beach for the 9TH time in 9 years. It was 135½ miles up – and 135½ miles back. I drove up there right after my church service on Sunday. Once I arrived at my hotel I parked my car, and it stayed parked until I departed on Tuesday morning.

I first discovered “The Island” (as the locals call it) of Fort Myers Beach at the end of April 2011. I spent 3 nights there, and I fell in love with what I saw. I also visited in October 2011, March 2012, June 2012, June 2013, October 2013, June 2015, and July 2019. So I visited 6 times during the first 2½ years, and then I skipped a year before my 7TH visit, and then I skipped 4 years before my 8TH visit. This year’s visit was exactly a year to the day after last year’s visit.

I did the same thing that I’ve done on previous visits. I walked the beach several times near my hotel. I took the trolley to the other end of the island and back. I visited the 560-foot-long pier. I walked the downtown shopping district. I enjoyed big meals at some of their unique restaurants. I took lots of photos everywhere I went to remind me forever of the good times I enjoyed.

I love viewing my photos of all of my previous visits to the island – both the “best of the best” photos that made it onto my Flickr site, as well as those that weren’t as good. Even the bland photos remind me of good times at my favorite beach town in Southwest Florida. You can check out my Fort Myers Beach album on Flickr here.

None of the photos from this newest trip are on there yet, but some of them will be soon. In the meantime here are 3 from this 9TH visit to “The Island”:

Tags Fort Myers Beach

Food Nature Travel

Here – Eat This !

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date February 13, 2020

Last Saturday morning with chilly temperatures for South Florida (low-to-mid-60s) I enjoyed about a 3-hour visit to the local Fruit & Spice Park. They claim to be the only park of its kind in the continental U.S. It was my 4TH visit ever, and my 2ND visit in 10½ months. I got in for free because I’m a member. (I bought a $25 annual pass last March.)

I toured the Park for a good 90 minutes, and I walked almost exactly 2½ miles. After that I hopped on the tram (pulled by a John Deere tractor) for a fun 1-hour and 15-minute tour of much of the Park that I had just walked, but this time narrated by a 21-year-old expert. He made many stops along the way treating us with exotic fruit samples, edible leaves and flowers, and other leaves for us to smell. Here at the Park you can’t pull anything off of any trees. Only the tour guide can do that. Any fruit that has already fallen to the ground is yours to claim !

After the tram tour I stepped in to their small café, and I enjoyed a hot and delicious Cuban sandwich (served panini style) and a cold and refreshing banana milkshake. Good Stuff my friends ! Little did I know that later that same day and into the night my stomach would become bloated and somewhat painful. I ended up calling it an earlier than normal night knowing that the bloat and pain would eventually dissipate in my sleep – or I would be rudely awaken early the next morning with botulism. I’m blaming it all on those 25 or so edible leaves that I consumed – particularly the bright yellow ones.

Incidentally I awoke the next (Sunday) morning feeling great. The pain went away in my sleep.