Winter Trip 2016-Highlands Hammock 3

Thu. Feb. 4-Mon. Feb. 8: With Heidi and Kris leaving Thursday, we decided to get some housekeeping chores done and be available to help in any way needed. Marv and I went to the Rec. Hall for Biscuits, Jam and Coffee again this week. We did two loads of laundry and did some straightening up and I cleaned the bathroom. Marv helped Kris winterize their trailer and when everything was ready we sat and visited one last time before they left around 11:30. It was a hot, sunny day so Marv and I puttered and read for the rest of the afternoon, along with riding up to the gate to download the Lansing State Journal and check some emails. At 5:00 there was a Potato Bar at the Rec. Hall so we had that for dinner and watched some TV (we have a few channels with our antenna) before bed. It rained for a few hours around midnight but quit well before sunrise. Friday dawned clear and cooler. We got up in a leisurely fashion and Marv made veggie-filled scrambled eggs for breakfast. We drove into the city of Sebring and parked at the Library before walking about half a mile to the post office to mail some cards. We returned to the Library and worked for about an hour, doing some secure banking from our hotspot and posting the blog for the first time in a while. We had a late lunch at Dee’s Café just off “The Circle” downtown. Afterwards we drove about half an hour away to Lake Placid to visit the Archbold Biological Station, which our church friend, Steve Thomas, had recommended. The station is embedded in the Florida oak scrub at the southern end of the Lake Wales Ridge. The Ridge is a series of ancient sand dunes that began their formation at least one million years ago. Once an island chain, these north-south dunes form a 115 mile backbone through central Florida. The isolation that plants and animals faced on these ancient islands resulted in many rare species found nowhere else on earth. We found several familiar names involved both here and at Highlands Hammock. In 1939 the land was the southern home, “Red Hill”, of John A. Roebling II and his wife Margaret Shippen Roebling, who donated the land for Highlands Hammock State Park. And the engineer hired to oversee design and construction of the buildings at the home, many of which are still used, was Alexander Blair, for whom one of the biggest live oaks at the park is named. After Margaret’s death, John donated everything to his friend and fellow philanthropist, Richard Archbold, who established and oversaw the Research Station to protect and study the unique ecosystem. His family is still involved in it as members of the Board of Trustees. Researchers come from all over the world to stay here and study and the new “green” educational buildings are open to the public. Steve had told us there is a good video overview available but there were no volunteers to show it the day we visited so we looked at the displays and then walked the self-guided Nature Trail and Explorers Trail. We saw many animal tracks but not any animals. As we left we talked to a young man who works at the station who told us that they had gotten 9” of rain in January, which is usually the dry season. There is so much water that the wolf spider population one researcher is studying that was around 200 is now about 10 individuals.

Scrub Oak Leaves

As we drove back to Highlands Hammock we talked to Marv’s mom and the Oiens, whose struggles with their malfunctioning Motor Home were continuing. We grilled pork chops for dinner and read most of the evening but also took a walk before bed to look at the stars. As usual, Marv was up and raring to go before I was on Saturday so he rode down to the gate to download the paper for both of us. We read them outside, bundled up against the cool weather. Once it warmed up a bit (mid-60s) we rode our bikes 4-5 miles along the perimeter bike trail, which led us back to the park drive. 

A group of Girl Scouts on the trail

Over the handlebars

We followed it around to hike on the Ancient Hammock trail where, like everywhere else, there was a lot of standing water. We had our leftover fish from Captain Curt’s for lunch and settled in to watch MSU annihilate u/m in Ann Arbor. 

The forecasted showers began at the beginning of the game and continued all afternoon and evening until about 9:00. Confined to the camper we read, played cards, watched TV, and finally cooked tilapia to complete a Fish Saturday. Then we spent the evening watching Super Bowl 50 specials while the trees dripped loudly on the camper roof. Sunday we made it to Emmanuel UCC again where two women, one ordained, led the service and served communion as a prelude to a women’s retreat they are leading on the following Friday. Their cooperative sermon was informative and personal. On our way back to the campground we stopped to download the Sunday paper and for Marv to get some articles about the game, which we both read later. It was chilly and windy but sunny so we sat outside to read and took a last walk around the campground before we started to take down camp to get ahead of things before leaving. We put away the dining fly and the awning, and rearranged the back of the truck, which was holding everything from the back seat so we could carry passengers. The campground was starting to fill in with the small trailers called Scamps and their slightly larger cousins, Casitas, who were holding a rally at Highlands Hammock over the next week. It really opened up the area to have fewer of the Big Rigs that usually dominate at the park. Their “headquarters” had a big screen TV set-up and people were invited to bring snacks and watch the Super Bowl. But it was cool enough we decided to make dinner and watch and eat in the warmth of our camper. Neither of us had a big stake in the game but we were happy to see Peyton Manning ride the Denver Broncos’ defense to victory over Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers in what will probably be his last game. I put steel cut oats in the little Crockpot to cook all night. But time got away from us Monday morning so before we ate breakfast we pedaled partway around the loop and took another Nature Walk with Susan Woodrow, this time on the Young Hammock trail. With her guidance it was easy to see how the old scrub oak prairie is giving way to a wetter Live Oak Hammock, largely because of drainage ditches added fifty years ago. 

Young Hammock Trail

Brachiopod, part of the pineapple family

Horse Hoof Fungus

A pine slashed 50 years ago for turpentine 

Afterwards we ate the oatmeal and packed up and got on our way by about 1:00. Lithia Springs was only about an hour and a half away. On the way there I got the very sad news that Barbara Rogers had lost her courageous and painful fight with jaw cancer and had died during the night. John’s heart wrenching message was too emotional for me to read to aloud to Marv. We also heard that Janice Oien was at Urgent Care trying to find out what was wrong with her right arm. When we arrived we were happy to see we had a good choice of sites. We picked #28 which is conjoined with #26, in hopes that Oiens will be able to join us this week at some point. We dropped the camper and headed right back out to buy groceries and have a bite to eat. After returning, we got fully set-up and took out the bikes and chairs before relaxing and enjoying the view out the back of our deep, private site. We enjoyed a roasted chicken from Winn-Dixie with beans and a salad for dinner and watched TV as the temperature dropped into the forties overnight. 

Winter Trip 2016--Highlands Hammock 2

Sun. Jan. 31-Thu. Feb. 4: Sunday we all were up in time to go to the 9:30 service at Emmanuel UCC, just down Hammock Road from the park. It was a nice service followed by a lively social hour where people all sat at long tables. It helped us see the advantage of Edgewood, where there are only a few tables set up so those who need to may sit, but others move around and there are much better opportunities to visit. After lunch Kris expressed a desire to see more of Florida so we all piled in our truck and Marv drove us to Lake Okeechobee. The town of Okeechobee is at the top of the lake and there is a city park with a walking/biking trail along the top of the levee and a fishing pier on a channel that is high enough that we could get a little glimpse of the lake in the distance beyond a small, grassy island. But in general one can’t see much of the lake because of the high levee. The town itself is poor and depressing and, because it was Sunday night, there weren’t many places open to eat. We ended up at Parrot Island restaurant where we all had seafood—the guys had blackened catfish and Heidi and I each had a Seaside Cobb salad with blackened shrimp in it. It was delicious! It was well after dark when we got back to the campsite but we played games for a while before bed. 

Channel and island at Okeechobee

Great Blue Heron along the channel

Looking across the channel from the top of the levee at Lake Okeechobee

Monday at 9:00 we all attended a Naturalist led walk on the Fern Garden trail. As we started out the alligator and snake were not in sight. There was a very large group and the naturalist, Susan Woodrow, who usually does the hikes with her husband was on her own so she felt a little overwhelmed but she did a nice job. She talked a lot about the flora and less about the fauna but did point out a large red shouldered hawk near the end. By the time the group had circled back on the trail to our starting point both the Cottonmouth (probably the one we had seen on Friday in the same place?) and the alligator, whom Susan calls “Fern” because of the trail, had made their appearance. I also talked to two men at the end of the hike who were discussing their days at MSU when they were younger. It seems like everywhere we go, we run into people with ties to MSU, or at least to the state of Michigan.  Each couple had errands to run and things to do in town so we went our separate ways until around 3:00, when we drove together to a “Par 3” golf course on the other side of Sebring. It was only $12 for nine holes with a cart so we forgave them the condition of the course itself, which turned out not to be a par 3 at all. Kris had left all his woods in his camper and Peggy and I had left our drivers in the truck, so it was an interesting game.  Kris managed to make par on the par 5 hole, with only his irons, not bad.  As usual we let the guys go first and Heidi and I spent a very pleasant time knocking the ball all over the place. Heidi lost three balls but actually made par on one hole with a great drive to the green. As usual, I had some nice drives but blew it on putting so I still have never made par. I didn’t lose any balls though. We were the last ones on the course, it was partly sunny and 83°, and we saw lots of birds including osprey, a great blue heron, and sand hill cranes so it couldn’t have been more enjoyable. We were hot, tired and sweaty by the time we got back so after quick showers I made a chicken stir fry for all four of us, they brought a good dry red wine and we chatted and relaxed in our screen tent until an early bedtime. 

Cottonmouth

Fern the alligator

Primrose

Red shouldered hawk

This is why it's called Fern Garden walk

Naturalist Susan Woodrow

Heidi and Peggy on the last hole

Great Blue Heron beside a water trap

Sandhill Cranes in the Rough

Marv got up early on Tuesday and got tickets for the 1:00 Tram ride of the park for the four of us. We’ve done the ride every year we’ve been here and it’s always fun because it takes you into the back country of this large park that is inaccessible otherwise. The water is still very high because of all the rain and we saw more wildlife than we remember from the past, including lots of alligators, turtles, and especially birds. One part of the Bay Gull swamp area was full of feeding Ibises. After the ride we rode our bikes up to the gate to get a phone signal and call Ken and Jen. Ken gave us the good news that they are 98.5% sure they are having a GIRL! They have an official Tech appointment in three weeks which will be even more accurate but it’s looking good. Of course, we will adore whatever gender but Jen especially is hoping for a girl so we’re pleased for her. Kris and Heidi were running errands and doing some internet work in town so the two of us made deviled eggs, a salad, and a four cheese rice mixture to finish off a Vegetarian Day. When they returned we played more Golf (card game) and Euchre with a fan blowing on us in their trailer and were very comfortable despite the warm evening. 

Ranger Kevin talks about the swamp

Turtles and alligators galore

Away she swims

Red shouldered hawk

Adult and two juvenile Ibises

This mama had two generations of babies with her. The littler ones
still had their yellow stripes but swam away as soon as the tram stopped

Wednesday was our day to drive to Siesta Key to visit Louise Sternberg and give Heidi and Kris a chance to catch a glimpse of the beaches on the Gulf. We took mostly highways and farm roads and made good time until we got very near her place. Louise arrived Monday and as still settling in but looked at home in her little apartment at Siesta Sun, an old, low, but well-kept and updated line of walkthrough, one story apartments among 4 and 5 story buildings. After a short visit she sent us out to walk the beach on the powdery white sand without her. There has been a “Red Tide” warning along there for a while and there were loads of large clams and small conches at the high tide line. I don’t really understand it all but apparently the decaying material, though not terribly smelly, causes many people to cough, which is what we all did. But it was beautiful and sunny and 83° so we were happy to be there. We took Louise across the street to her favorite Captain Curt’s for lunch and all had some sort of seafood basket. Heidi and I also had their world renowned Clam Chowder, which as fantastic and very filling. Should have skipped the fish basket! 

We dropped Louise at her apartment and then drove about 45 minutes away to explore Mayaka State Park, where we have been twice and camped once. The water level there was VERY high so the alligators that customarily laze on the Mayaka River bank by the bridge were nowhere to be seen; the banks were full of water. The hammock floor was also full of water in most of the park. We walked around the lakeside concession area a bit but the walk to the fishing weir was completely flooded. Across the access canal there we did see three large alligators sunning themselves. We drove all the way out to the Bird Walk, which was thankfully still above but completely surrounded by water. It is quiet and peaceful so we tarried and watched an alligator slowly swimming and repositioning herself, a Great Blue Heron fishing, and a small tricolor heron or two hunting in the shallows. At the Canopy Walk we found the path was very flooded but we could pick our way to the towers by stepping on patches of higher ground or on palmetto fronds others had placed in the pathway. The entrance tower was completely surrounded by water so we had to enter at the exit tower before climbing up, up, up for a bird’s eye view of the park and to walk on the suspended swinging “bridge” between the towers. Our final stop at Mayaka was at the Visitors Center, where we saw the displays and watched all five short videos on the history and ecology of the park. It was dark as we made our way back to Highlands Hammock and stopped in Zopho at a local Mexican restaurant that turned out to have good reviews and good food. We still weren’t terribly hungry after our big lunch so three of us had their Taco Salad. Safely back at the campground, Kris and Heidi began doing some packing to be ready to leave on Thursday. 

Tricolor Heron

Bird's Eye View

The observation tower

Kris picking his way through the water

The Osprey caught a feast 

Winter Trip 2016--Highlands Hammock 1

Mon. Jan. 25-Sat. Jan. 30: It was an easy-take down in the morning and we got on the road around 10:00 without spending any time at Paynes Prairie on the trails or Visitor Center, which is unlike us and a little sad, but we really wanted to get to Highlands Hammock. We made good time until we cut over to old US27, where we passed through many small towns and traffic lights strung together like what Marv called one long strip mall. In frustration we stopped to share a Subway sandwich and then there was a long stretch that wasn’t so developed so we arrived at our campsite and were set up enough that I set the microwave clock at 3:00. There is no internet or phone access in the campground so once we were fully set up we headed back into Sebring to do some grocery shopping and let people know we were safely at our destination. Kris and Heidi weren’t answering their phone so we left a message explaining where we were and that they wouldn’t be able to reach us. But later Marv ran into Kris at the campground and found they were down about 4 campsites on the road across from our site so they are nearby. Kris was very frustrated by several problems with their trailer so we told them to get done what they could and we would make dinner (ground beef stroganoff) for all of us. We also managed to take a short bike ride just to get our “bike bottoms” back. And thus began a nice pattern for our days together of some time alone and some time doing things together. Tuesday Marv helped Kris figure out their water under the sink problem (the water heater had cracked [maybe just the pipes connected to the water heater] because water was left in it when they winterized last fall), the furnace problem (the water heater had dripped into the furnace, but once they got it dried out, the furnace worked), and the refrigerator problem (it spontaneously started to work again). Kris was in a much better mood and decided maybe they wouldn’t move into a motel and sell the camper after all J. They did some shopping and invited us for pork stir fry for dinner. Then we played dominoes. After a pretty nice day with the temps in the low seventies, it clouded up and started raining, sometimes heavily, but never storming, about midnight.  It rained steadily then let up for a few hours Wednesday morning and began again and continued off and on (mostly on) right through until Thursday evening. We puttered around in the morning and then when the rain increased and persisted the four of us climbed in our truck. We made some short stops and then drove to the South Florida State College, Avon Park campus, and explored their small Art and Culture Museum (which Marv and I had seen on a previous trip) before having a very late lunch at the Olympic restaurant.  Kris was getting a cold and they decided to pass on the potluck dinner that evening but Marv and I drove over in the rain to the Rec Hall, taking the cornbread Marv made. We decided to sit with our next-door neighbors camping in a Scamp to get to know them better. He turned out to be a far rightwing conservative with a strong opinion about everything that he was happy to share in a very loud voice. Marv sort of enjoyed the political discussion but I thought the guy was a tiresome blowhard and preferred to talk to others, finally moving to the other long table in order to hear as people introduced themselves and told where they lived. Afterwards we went to Kris and Heidi’s again to play games. The rain was getting pretty relentless by Thursday. The two of us went for Coffee, Biscuits and Jam at the Rec Hall ($2 a person fundraiser for the park) then Marv drove down to the gate where he could get a signal and called his Uncle Max in Lake Wales and invited them to have an early birthday lunch with us. He and Aunt Donna were free so we spent much of the day driving up there for a good visit. In the meantime Kris and Heidi spent the day farther away visiting her uncle. My bronchitis that had started before Christmas was no better and I was getting desperate. Through a series of messages with Dr. Johnson, she prescribed six days of steroids to try and knock back the inflammation in my lungs. We could get them at the CVS in Avon Park so we went to the library there for an internet connection and got some communications taken care of until it was ready. Back at the campground Heidi and Kris were still gone so Marv and I went to the Spaghetti Supper ($4 a person fundraiser for the park) in the Rec Hall. We got together later for games.

Friday we finally woke to just clouds with no rain. Kris and Heidi had to change campsites so they spent most of the morning doing that with some help from Marv while I read and puttered. In the afternoon Marv and I rode our bikes on the scenic loop and stopped halfway around to walk on the Cypress Swamp trail. The water was far higher than we had seen it in years past because of all the rain. We saw one alligator near the bridge that goes over Charlie Bowlegs Creek. Back at the campground folks were moving in with a very different weekend crowd arriving. We had a young family with two little blond girls move in on the other side of us. The mom had gone to MSU in accounting but we never did find out how that came to be. They were with another couple in a camper on the other side of them, and were joined by a family with 3 kids on Saturday. Everyone got along well and were a loud but pleasant group. Behind us there was a very large Hispanic group of people camping together. They were very noisy, and having a great time, but the noise ended at 11:00, quiet time. Marv and I grilled tilapia we had gotten out to defrost earlier in the week and had it with rice and a salad. We went to Kris and Heidi’s trailer for cards and dominoes and all exclaimed at how noisy the quiet campground had become. Saturday all four of us rode our bikes around the Scenic Drive, stopping to see an alligator at the county road cut-off; walking the trail to Blair Big Oak tree, one of the oldest and biggest Live Oaks which is unfortunately totally dead now; exploring the Cypress Swamp trail without seeing any alligators; and finally taking Fern Garden Trail, where we saw a large alligator and a big black Cottonmouth Snake. Heidi made lots of toppings and we all had nachos at their trailer before another night of games. 

Alligator near the county road

Flooded Cypress Swamp

Cypress knees

The boardwalk has been rebuilt many times but was originally done by the CCC