Myakka River and Hillsborough River State Parks

Wouldn't you know that I finally find a place where I can get internet access and I realized that I haven't downloaded my pictures yet!! I'll add them later.

On entering Myakka, the lady at the Ranger station stuck her head out the window of the entrance station and yelled at me to stop. Too late, I heard a crunch. Luckily for me it was just the exhaust pipe for the generator. I had gotten a bit too close to a low rock wall and scrapped it up a bit, she commented that happened quite a bit. While driving to my campsite I was thinking of all kinds of funny things that I could put in my blog about my entry into Myakka. I get to the campground and passed my campsite. Most of the sites are fairly large, but mine is very tight. I get out and figure the best way to back in. I slowly start backing, closely watching the 2 trees that are only about 12 feet apart (keep in mind my vehicle is 8.5 feet wide) and I heard another CRUNCH. This one sounded a lot worse than the first one and boy was it. I hit a tree and damaged my bumper and endcap. After I got in and settled a man came and told me that it was a rookie mistake-- I was paying so much attention to the 2 trees that I thought could be a problem that I ignored the tree I hit. But I swear that I think the tree jumped out at me!! Did I mention that I've been sick. On top of damaging my RV I had a fever in the morning and a miserable cough.

Myakka is a nice park, there are plenty of places to hike and ride bikes. Since I wasn't feeling great I didn't do any of the off road bike trails, but I did bike on the roads and I did a few hikes. I watched 2 sandhill cranes scare off a bald eagle and talked to the Bird guru a while. By the way, I was in site 20 for those of you who want to stay away from the site where the trees jump out at you!

Hillsborough River State park is a beautiful park and I was very fortunate to have an easy to get into site!! I was still not feeling well and thinking I might have overdone it at Myakka I took the first day there easy, just sitting by the river watching the alligators and the folks canoeing the river. I was here several years ago and they have some fairly easy off road bike trails that go right by the river and some great scenery. Since I still wasn't feeling well, I decided to just go hiking and not ride my bike. I will come back here when I have more time and am feeling better.

I am currently on Sanibel Island. I've come here many times before, but I've always stayed in a condo right on the beach. The campground is about 1/4 mile away from the beach so it is a bit different. Also, this time of year is their busy season. We typically go in December just before the high season begins - much cheaper (accomodations are about half the price in Dec) and less crowded. I don't know that I would come back again this time of year. The traffic just driving to the library to get on-line was horrible.