07 South Again

Thursday, February 01, 2024
Bear Island Campground, Florida, United States
From Tampa we wended our way South heading for a one night stand at Mitchell's Landing in the Big Cypress National Preserve (NP). On the way, Cindy booked an emergency appointment for 08:00 the next day to get her final crown installed (the first crown didn't fit correctly) in South Miami. Since online reservations are now needed everywhere, we pulled into our booked site then took a beer and chairs to the airboat landing. After scanning for Gators, Yukon cooled off chasing sticks into the water while we relaxed. After a simple supper it was dark enough for bed and we needed to get up early the next day.
We left at 06:30 to get to Cindy's dentist (arrived two minutes late but beat the dentist to the office). After dropping Cindy off, Yukon and I found Veterans Park nearby where we played Chuck-It and Frisbee until getting Cindy's text that it was pickup time (09:30). With her new crown installed, we headed along the South Dixie Highway (US#1) to Homestead's Publix for provisions then redirected ourselves to the Long Pine Key Campground in the Everglades National Park (NP). We hung around Kate & Scott's campsite where the Everglades get-together occured and they supplied firewood from Bull Creek WMA (Wildlife Management Area). The dinner/party went until quiet time and it was fun to reconnect with Leon and his wife, Carol and Paul plus Barbara from Kentucky. Two nights went by quickly when you are having fun and it was time to move back to the wilderness.
Our next stop was Bear Island in the Big Cypress NP. The twenty mile drive up Turner Road took us an hour and a half – 'twas the worst stretch of road since our visit to Jigsaw Lake in BC (British Columbia). Because I messed up our booking, we ended up with three campsites for three, one then five night stands. Except for one big storm, the weather was sunny and cool – we had nice warm fires every night and even on four mornings. Yukon's favourite walk was to a slough where he could chase sticks into the water – of course we did a Gator check before throwing the first stick. Went to town on one day to do laundry and get more propane. The rest of our stay was very relaxing with strolling, reading and playing Skip.Bo. Our return trip only took an hour – thank you grader and roller people for smoothing four to five miles of the road but still not the worst spots yet.
Our next destination is Miami for more soccer games.
Tidbits:
  • Reservation systems seem to have taken over most campgrounds; the only problem is that weekends are now becoming too busy, even at Bear Island in the middle of nowhere
  • I am now keeping a journal of sites we like at different campgrounds
  • Toll roads charge dual axle trailers three times the value of a single vehicle; ergo, I bypass them even though I have a SunPass
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