We arrived on New Years Eve and got to meet with folks we had worked with before. The campground was full, but things were pretty quiet at midnight, even though we had two large groups with lots of kids. Spent New Years Day getting things in order and we had sauerkraut and sausage for dinner. Did not really get to watch any football as the local channels we can get are mostly independent or show old programs - watched an old Adam-12 the other evening.

Charlie (Park Manager) told us our first job would be to remark the long trail intersections (last year we ‘marked’ them) as some of the posts were down and some of the medallion markers had disappeared. They use mowed lines/roads to separate the areas of the park and it is along these that hikers can travel. Some of the intersections are 4 plus miles apart.

We got started on that task Friday morning, after riding the nearly 5 miles to the maintenance area on our bikes. Managed to get to all but one marker but the water was just too deep. We are using a Polaris 6X6 Ranger off road vehicle. We started into the water covered road, but had only gone 20 feet when the water lapping at our feet. Even though there is a ‘hard bottom’ to this road, the water was just too deep for the 6X6. Maybe we will use the swamp buggy to get to it, but with the water that deep no hiker will be going there either. While out we saw deer, 5 wild hogs and a gofer tortoise and oh yes some turkeys too.

By Friday we had finished re tagging all but two of the trail markers. Both locations we tried to reach from different directions, but the water was too deep. We will catch the one to the northeast (it’s about 4 miles the way the crow files, but maybe 8 driving) when we take a break from our next task, which will be painting. Charlie’s list for us includes painting the kiosk at the main gate as well as ‘bunk house’ building near the shop. It’s an old trailer that has been sided and roofed and is used by the Americorp volunteer and biology intern for housing.

As we continued our trail work this week, we are amazed at the number of alligators we are seeing. Have seen all sizes of ‘gators, from 3 foot ‘babies’ to some monsters that look to be 10 foot long. The south west and central areas are extremely wet so there are lots of places for the gators to ‘lounge’ and soak up the sun. They are working on reclaiming the Kissimmee River so the water can’t flow to the river area as easily because of a construction roadwa.

Found our way back to Okeechobee for church and shopping. Not much has changed there except that the Home Depot is now open….

The pictures are of Judy driving the ranger through a sough (pronounced slew) and a spider web. When we ride to the shop in the mornings the grasses along the way are full of all sorts of webs. For those with a faster connection, if you click on the picture it will get bigger.