Sunday, Dec 7, 2008 in southwest Florida

We spent 4 days in Palm Harbor (just no. of Clearwater) at a private RV Park (11/30 - 12/3). It was a very nice park and we scored a great camping spot right on the pond.


We had a nice little deck on the pond and there were great grasses for natural habitat.

There is evidence that Jeff has been on this deck --- notice the orange pop can?

There were a pair of black swans that lived in the pond and they had 6 babies just 2 weeks before we got there --- very fun to watch. The male was incredibly protective of his brood. He didn’t like anyone getting too close. I’d say he was a good guard-swan! His name is Jack.

Mama swan and her 6 babies...





This park is right on a 50 mile paved biking trail that goes from Tarpon Springs to St. Petersburg. I believe it was an old railroad bed, just like the trail in Lanesboro. We took advantage of the trail and did some riding. Here’s Jeff doing a trick:)

This park also had a very cool open air “wash-house”. It was fun doing clothes here because you were actually looking out in the park and the little pond when folding clothes.

After spending 4 days in Palm Harbor, we decided it was time to leave and go further south to get into even warmer weather --- the kind where you are looking for shade, mid-day, because it is too hot in the sun. We found it at Collier Seminole State Park --- just 10 miles inland from Marco Island. We pulled in on Friday, 12/5 and decided to stay here for 2 full weeks – it is gorgeous here! The park was founded by Barron Collier, an advertising tycoon back in the 20’s. He loved the big natural stand of Royal Palms and decided to buy up a million acres. That ended up being Collier County and 7200 acres of it is this state park. This is the one of the 3 largest, natural stands of Royal Palms in the country. Yesterday I went biking through a “palm forest”. What a trip that was! The floor of the forest was mostly palmetto plants (that stand about 3 – 4 ft. high) and tall bunch grass (that looks like long, skinny palm leaves in 4 ft. bunches). The next layer up was palm trees that ranged from 20 – 30 ft. trees. The very top of the canopy is a very tall pine (over the 30 ft. palms) that only has branches on the top 25% of the tree. What an interesting forest! I also saw many Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets and Belted Kingfishers on my ride. Really cool!

We have a great campsite here at Collier.... amongst the Royal Palm

Today (Sunday) Jeff and I had a big southern breakfast of eggs & grits, bacon & toast and sliced, fresh picked oranges. Yum!! Since the internet connection at the state park isn't good (almost non-existant) I'm currently sitting in the parking lot at Walgreens (in Marco Island) posting this blog. I couldn't find an open coffee shop here on the island. They don't seem to have them on every other block like they do in St. Paul. Probably not enough Scandivanians down here demanding their coffee! Anyway, I'm in my Tracker, with my laptop on my lap, and I have a camouflouge raincoat over the computer so I can see the screen. I bet I look a little weird --- oh well:)

Time to get out of the Walgreens' parking lot! I think my computer battery is just about spent. So adios until next time. I think I'll enjoy spending my birthday tomorrow on the beach on Marco Island. It costs $8 to park and get in, but hey, I think I can splurge a little:)

Wendy