We visited Everglades National Park this week. And what a unique experience it was... The park has many short hikes and several that actually allow you to bike on (one of the few in the NPS system).  

A couple of the things that really intrigued me were the amount of boating opportunities they have. From bring you own, boat rentals down at the Flamingo Marina, including small power boats, canoes and kayaks. Winter (November through April) is their peak season. The three main reasons include; 1. It's cooler, 2. It feels less humid, and 3, there aren't as many mosquitoes.  

​I could not believe the amount and variety of birds there. I am not a true "birder" but I too enjoy spotting, trying to identify the type and photographing them in their natural habitat. 

​I am always up for an adventure, and the one that caught my eye was the Wilderness Waterway. There are approximately 99 miles of waterways with beach camping, ground or Chickee (elevated platform over the water) in the remotest areas within the park. Hurricane Irma did a significant amount of damage to the waterway signage and debris along the way. And since I am not really a sailor, I will need all the help that NPS will provide with new signage and a clear path...

Well the travel to Alaska will begin on 4/1/2018.  We will be taking the southern route on I10 heading to California, with a short stop in Phoenix to visit family and then to Sedona to visit an almost life long friend of Cindy's.  From there we will be spending time at Joshua Tree, Sequoia, Yosemite, Crater Lake, Olympic, and from there it is a three day journey across Canada into Alaska.  As we enter Alaska we will be making a short visit to Wrangell St=Elias National Park then onto Denali.  The trip from Florida will be approximately 6,400 miles from our home in Florida.