Daytona Beach to the Everglades

 Wednesday February 9, 2022 - We had another rainy day on Tuesday, so we ran errands and stopped by the Daytona Racetrack for a quick picture.  Wednesday was our last day at Tomoka, so we did another 15 mile bike ride, to the town of Ormand Beach.  There were two town parks connected under the bridge to the beach, that crosses the intercoastal.  The two parks were connected by a boardwalk, that were full of fishermen.  We had packed a lunch and found a nice spot for a picnic and a crossword puzzle.  Then we went back to the seafood market for more crabcakes to keep in the freezer for later, and since we were in the area, we couldn't pass up another trip to dairy queen.  It was a clear night, so we rode our bikes to the Outpost for one last sunset at Tomoka.

The Ormand Scenic loop

1 mile Boardwalk connecting the two parks...it was a windy day!

A pelican joined us for lunch

my Valentine

Last Outpost sunset

Thursday, February 10, 2022 - We left Tomoka early on Thursday, as it was a 5 hour drive to the Everglades.  We booked three nights in the national park, at Long Pine Key Campground.  This campground doesn't have any electricity at the sites and no reliable hot water in the shower house (they use solar to heat the water here).  We stayed here last winter and loved this campground, so we were happy we could fit it into this trip.  We had the afternoon to get set up and go for a bike ride.

Site 17 at Long Pine Key

Sunset from our campsite

Friday, February 11, 2022 - Today we headed over to the other section of the Everglades, off of Rt 41.  First we went to the Shark Valley Visitor Center, which had a very small parking lot and a lot of people (luckily we got here around 9:30 and were able to get in, but there weren't a lot of free spots left at this point).  There is a 15 mile tram loop from this visitor center, which they allow you to ride your bikes on.  The ride was crazy, as there were really big alligators ALL along this trail (we saw at least 50 alligators over the 2 hours we were here).  It was such a fun bike ride.  Half way through the loop was an observation tower with a ranger that was able to answer all the questions we had come up with on the 45 minute bike ride there.  After lunch, under a tree, we headed to Everglades Airboat Expeditions for a 1 hour airboat ride.  We absolutely loved this!  Moe, had lots of Everglade knowledge and would stop every so often to tell us/show us something.  The rain held off so we didn't get wet, and the stormy sky made for some great photos. 

15 mile ride on Alligator Alley

Hard to see, but there is an alligator hanging out behind us

 

Another alligator, just off the trail in the grass

The observation tower

I couldn't take enough pics of this cool concrete structure

View of the Everglades from the observation tower

The ranger called this guy Grumpy, and said he spends a lot of time underneath the observation tower

Everglades Airboat Expedition was a small operation...no building or office just a few airboats.  It was nice, as they only took out 9 people at a time.

These birds, called Purple Gallinules were found everywhere in the lily pads which they would walk across

 

We saw quite a few alligators on the tour

Clouds coming in

Airboat Video!

It's 80 degrees at Tomoka State Park!

 Wednesday, February 2, 2022 - It was a 2 hour drive to Tomoka State Park, which is in Ormand Beach, just north of Daytona.  This park has about 100 campsites, which are nicely spaced and quite private.  The campground has a great camp store, called the Outpost, where you can rent kayaks/canoes, and buy camp supplies.  The store is a wonderful spot to watch the sunset over the river and even sells beer, which we've never seen at a state park before.  

The dock at the Outpost

There is a 45 foot statue in the park, of Chief Tomokie, who was a Timucuan chief

The plaque in front of the statue says he was "slain by Oleeta in defense of the golden cup" (whatever that means).  The statue was erected in 1957.

Enjoying the sun

All settled into site #39

A game of Cosmic Wimpout before dinner

Thursday, February 3, 2022 -  We packed a picnic lunch and road our bikes all over the park.  We found a nice bench on the river's edge where we had lunch and did a crossword puzzle.  We then took the Benny Woodham Trail that winds through the woods, right outside the camp entrance.  This trail parallels North Beach St, (Old Dixie Highway), which going north, is a beautiful canopy road.  We headed south on Beach and found a Dairy Queen (sidewalk the whole way there), which was about 6 miles from the park.  We then did a bit of exploring and found a seafood market and bought 2 crab cakes for dinner.  It was a 15 mile bike ride day!  

Nice spot for lunch

lunch on the river

Benny Woodham Trail

Crabcake dinner

Chef Kev

Crabcakes, potatoes and green beans

Friday, February 4, 2022 - Friday was another beautiful 80 degree day.  Our friends Jim and Jeanene came to visit for the weekend.  It was the perfect evening to hang at the campsite.  We went to the Outpost for the sunset and then grilled burgers/brats for dinner and enjoyed catching up around the fire. 

 

Jim and Jeanene came to spend the weekend with us!

We enjoyed the sunset from the dock

Saturday February 5, 2022 - It was a windy cold day (only 57 degrees, quite a difference from yesterday!).  We went to Daytona Beach and walked the boardwalk and found some skeeball to play.  We then spent the afternoon at the Daytona Museum of Arts and Sciences (MOAS).  It was a bizarre museum, but was a nice spot to explore on a rainy afternoon.  There was a whole hall with Coke memorabilia, a coke delivery truck, lots of old coke machines, and signs.  There were 2 old luxury train cars, there was Cuban art, African art and a Chinese art.  Admission came with a Planetarium show, where they talked about the Hubble Space Telescope and showed pictures from it.  It was a fun afternoon.  We then played games at Jim and Jeanene's hotel in Ormand Beach and had dinner across the street at the Stonewood Grill.

Welcome to Daytona Beach

Making music in front of MOAS

Lots of cool Coke stuff

A Coke bench for my bench collection

We found a Monon sign (the old Indiana railway line, now a bike trail behind our house in Indy) 

Sunday, February 6, 2022 - Yet another rainy cold day, so we played some games in the RV and then picnicked in one of the park's pavilions.   Jim & Jeanene had to head home, but we're looking forward to seeing them soon at their new Florida house (near Orlando).