Winter 2017-Myakka Part 1

I am taking a break from the China Blog of last Spring to insert our Winter Travels. I hope to finish the China Blog before we take our Spring Break trip the first two weeks of April. In all cases, I'm trying to go to more of a PhotoBlog, with less writing and more pictures. I hope you enjoy it! Now, here's Florida:

Myakka State Park: Thelma’s health challenges and Marv’s shingles made us uneasy about making any definite plans for our winter travels. Early intentions of taking 8 weeks and going to southern California and Arizona were discarded for a “wait and see” approach. As both patients showed improvement we were lucky to get a one week reservation at Myakka State Park, near Sarasota and left Feb. 4 with no other reservations made in the south. Clear, dry weather made for a much less exciting drive down than last winter’s storm which stranded so many motorists on I75, including Stadels and Larzeleres, and we partly avoided by going down I65. Using Club points, we stayed for free in Knoxville, TN at a nice Roadway Inn and in a marginal Quality Inn just north of Tampa, FL, arriving at Myakka mid-day on Monday but were able to check in early. Our site was unusual because it was pull-in only. By pulling nearly all the way in, we had a lot of privacy, with some wooded area behind us and looking over the marsh to the side where we open. Our small trailer made it possible to get the truck out beside it and I think Marv spent the whole week worrying a bit about how he’d get the trailer out when it was time to leave. (It came out without any problems.) But we were so happy to be in the upper 70 to mid-80 sunshine we set that aside and determined to enjoy our first week. 

The Myakka River, from the bridge about half a mile from the campground.

The first of many, many alligators we'd see.

Wood stork

This juvenile hawk was perched on a branch right over our heads
when we walked around the Outpost area our first day.

We saw many, many Great Blue Herons at Myakka

Rosette Spoonbills beside the weir. On the other side of the weir
there were about 18 alligators sunning themselves on the bank.

Never smile at a crocodile.....or an alligator in this case.