Cruisin'

I've been really lucky down here to fall in with some interesting people. Second day here I met some guys who quickly asked, "Want to go snake cruising with us tonight?" I laughed and said "no thanks" but to my overall benefit they insisted and this is what happened:

I found myself in the back of a beat up Jeep Cherokee. The A/C only worked on full blast and the radio was stuck on the Top 40s radio station. Thankfully, snakes seem to like the music of Lady Gaga.

We were listening to "Telephone" when we drove by this guy...

This is a cottonmouth. They are poisonous. I've decided to stay very far away unless one is trapped in this box like contraption.

Again, measuring the poisonous cottonmouth.

Scarlet snake...looks like a coral, sort of, but not poisonous so whew, he's okay to have in the car.

But so the overall goal is to get the PYTHONS that are in the park. To catch them and track them and get an sense of their movement, etc. They're an exotic, invasive species so bad news for the locals. Did I really think about the idea of a python riding in the back with me? No, after two rides we'd seen mostly garter snakes so I felt comfortable that the third night would be much the same.

Oh wait:

Please note the lack of footwear during this capture...I can't explain.

She's so pretty, right? I'll take his word for it.

So this snake got to sit in a bag in the back of the Jeep for the rest of the trip. But it got bored and decided to sneak out of the bag and just curl up underneath the back seat...much to my surprise when we stopped driving and saw the stupid thing!

I will be leaving the cruisin' to the crazies from now on.

House Pe(s)t

We have some house pets, Everglades style, that I thought I'd share with you:

This guy likes to hang out on the screen of our front porch, right by the door to go in, always scaring me half to death when I come home at night. Let's take a closer look...

This guy also hangs out on our screened in porch...but sometimes he's inside the screen. And sometimes he's on the outside....

A little closer:

These guys I can live with and don't mind hanging around because the alternative is much worse! Gotta love South Florida. It's making the bugs I had to deal with in New York and Texas look like a joke. Haha!

Inside the Park

Welcome to Everglades National Park! You've made it past the horrible Florida drivers and the ugly pavement wasteland that is US Rt 1, not to mention Homestead "We-Love-Fast-Food" Florida, and now it's time to enjoy the beauty and bounty of South Florida. So again, welcome:

Quickly after entering the park you will see some helpful signs to ensure you're safety on this adventure of yours:

But today we're going on the leisurely Anhinga Trail, located at the Royal Palm Visitor's Center, only a few miles into the park.

More helpful signs, creatively designed to translate for all our non-English speaking visitors. Do you need me to explain further?

Those aforementioned vultures, chillin':

And a baby alligator! So cute...but where's mommy? Eek...

The Anhinga trail is pretty relaxing, despite the heat, and for some reason the plank walkways remind me of Cape Cod. Weird, I know, but it was a beautiful day when I went so I decided to indulge in some landscape photography:

Please notice the dragonflies in the left upper corner of this image (double click to enlarge). Dragonflies are your best friends in the Everglades because they are plentiful and keep the nasty mosquitos away.
Could be in the Cape, no?

Oh wait, swamp instead of sand...

But still pretty.
A bird. At this point, I'm getting desperate for some interesting wildlife to show you all up North (and yes, at this point, you're all up North from where I'm currently located).

Still pretty, but give me something good Everglades! I need to show the folks...BAM!
An alligator! Right below my feet!

I decided to follow him, all stealthy, on the boardwalk. Thankfully no one else was around cause I was creeping like a mad Pink Panther movie...

He was on the move...

Sorry, I got a little carried away with my following.

So here I am all excited to have found some up close alligator action for ya, when a family of four rounds the corner complaining about not seeing any alligators:

Me: Look! There's one!

Mom: Look honey...

Dad: *Stupid alligator call*

Kid 1: One? There's only one...there were like 200 of them here last month. *gives me a look that says my enthusiasm is pathetic*

Kid 2: Yea.

Dad: *Stupid alligator call*

I decided to continue on my way...and so did the alligator.

While walking back I spotted this funny looking bird, name to be determined. He was eating:

And the poor fish tried to get away but to no avail.

And then, I think this might be the coolest thing I saw all day...swam away! Looking for some more food.

So, that was my little walk. Thanks for coming along with me. More to come including my wild night of python cruising in the Everglades, snorkeling off of Key Largo, sunset kayaking and much more!

NPS

Brief update from the Homestead, Florida Starbucks...my wifi time is winding down but I want to give you all a glimpse of where I've been living for the past month (already a month?!) here in the Everglades.

I'm in park housing which is only a mile from the Visitor's Center. I live with two other women, both work in the park as well and we're getting along pretty well. More exciting posts about life around here to follow but for now here's where I've been laying my head:

Back soon with tales from the swamp, promise!