Still Gravity

Truck camper in Florida - License our images  here . Four things to pay attention: Wind. Water.  Wood. Widow makers (trees that may fall).   Makes sense.

Beautiful gator hole in Big Cypress National Preserve - License our images  here .         The beautiful hole is at the end of the Kirby Storter Boardwalk a short hike away from the Tamiami Trail. These swamp spots attract a lot of wildlife. No gators today, but herons and egrets were plenty. A small turtle hid in the floating grass. Bromeliads thriving on the trees.   Who was Kirby Storter? He was a local that worked in the construction of the Tamiami Trail. That was a century ago. Tales from old Florida.  (Things to do in Big Cypress National Preserve in this post .)

Another entrance to the wilderness of Big Cypress National Preserve - License our images  here . This is another ORV - Off-road Vehicle - entrance, but hikers and bikers can enter to their own risk. This trail connects to Monument Road some miles north. Trailhead parking is limited to a few spots. Behind a barrier, there is parking for permit holders. Little over a mile to the east is the Kirby Storter Boardwalk .  (Things to do in Big Cypress National Preserve in  this post .)

The marker in Big Cypress National Preserve - License our images  here .          It's at the entrance of Monument Lake Campground and marks the spot of a meeting between Seminole Indians and the Governor of Florida David Sholtz in 1936.  This conference was a political move by the governor and a publicity event for the Indians. They met in the nearby pine hammock. There were photo ops for the press and then the governor met the Seminole representatives without cameras. The governor asked if they needed help and the Indians replied,  Just leave us alone.  David Sholtz explained later that the Indians were afraid to be moved from their villages. He added that "They are a sturdy self-reliant people. They did not ask for relief or aid of any kind, just to be left alone". During the 1930s, this Florida governor spoke for the Indians against the establishing of Everglades National Park because it would

Riding in Big Cypress - License our images  here . Big Cypress National Preserve is huge. It's winter and the interior dirt roads are dry - except in a few parts here and there. Good time to ride the bikes, especially with the grey cover of clouds. We were the only bikers down there.  (Things to do in Big Cypress National Preserve in  this post .)

Monument Lake ORV trail in Big Cypress - License our images  here . We reached this off-road vehicle trail of Big Cypress National Preserve from the Monument Lake campground - our camping place.  The dirt road is part of the Turner River Unit and is open to bikers and hikers. Two miles to the north, we kept going through Sandy Road for a while - the place of the previous photo. We found plenty of water and mud around there, even if this was the dry season.  A snake was basking under a tree at the border of the trail. It crawled away into the bushes. Besides the reptile, we only saw birds.  On the way back, we left the ORV trail through the Monroe Station trailhead at the western entrance of the scenic Loop Road . This was the place of one of the historical gas stations of the original Tamiami Trail. It was burned by someone years ago. A historical lost. We crossed only two off-road vehicles d

The beginning of the longest hike in Florida - License our images  here . This is the eastern visitor center of Big Cypress National Preserve. Officially, the Florida Trail starts here if we discount the extra miles of the extension to Loop Road.  The Oasis is the best place to see alligators in a rush. They group in big numbers in the canal at the front of the visitor center. The building was from an aviation company before the park - it even had an Amoco gas station. The airfield survives on one side and the Florida Trail follows its fence to the north.  (Things to do in Big Cypress National Preserve in  this post .)

Our campsite in Monument Lake, Big Cypress National Preserve - License our images  here . The lake is rectangular. Man-made stuff that a few alligators have claimed as home. It's surrounded by forests of pines and cypresses. Camping paradise in winter, but during the rainy season of South Florida it morphs into hell. Torrid heat, swarms of insects, and daily thunderstorms. But now it's cool.  Ravens the size of small hens and woodpeckers came to the palms nearby for a feast of fruits. Spectacular sunrises and sunsets. Serene camper life.  (Things to do in Big Cypress National Preserve in  this post .)

Nature and haiku go hand-to-hand. They share simplicity.  The tiny poems capture a slice of life in just three lines; seventeen syllables. The first two lines are descriptive; the third one goes for a twist, a change, a surprise.  5-7-5 is the code of the syllables. But the free form haiku allows to bypass the traditional "rule". Feel free to write a few words and bet to the imagination of the reader. If they don't understand, they lack on imagination.  Let’s try a haiku for a hike on a swamp in a sunny day of winter. Shine and cold in the water prairie. The heron flies! Did it work? Then, you have a good imagination. 

Beautiful and dangerous - License our images  here .  Some say that we can heat a tent with candles. I'm not a fan of this except for a survival situation. A candle means toxic fumes and a potential fire hazard. I wouldn't sleep well. Also, how effective is a candle for heating a space?   Guess what,  someone did the numbers . He put the heating output of a table candle at around 80 watts. To heat a room, he estimated the need of at least 20 candles. Too many. The room will look like a set of Game of Thrones.  Table candles last 7-9 hours. The smaller tea candles should burn for around 4 hours. For us, the propane heater works wonders - the previous link is affiliate . No need for candles.