Shark Valley

Saturday, January 10th, we loaded up our new bikes and headed to the Everglades--Shark Valley. It took us about 40 minutes to drive there. I didn't realize the Everglades are a National Park. It was quite crowded when we first got there; everyone had to wait for someone to leave before anyone could get in, but the wait wasn't bad. A lot of people ended up parking on the side of the highway and walking in. It was lunchtime, so we ate our picnic before heading out.

The trail is paved and flat, so the riding is easy. We saw our first alligators! They just sit on the side of the banks sunning themselves. We were all cautioned to stay at least 15 feet from the wildlife, not only for our own protection, but for theirs as well. The first half of the ride was the most interesting because we saw more wildlife: turtles, a snake, and several species of birds.

At the midway point there was a large lookout tower. Looking out over the vast expanse of the Everglades reminded me of prairie land, but, of course, at ground level it is wet grasslands and water. I did not know this, but the water in the Everglades is not stagnant. It flows to the Gulf of Mexico. The going was easy, but I am so out of shape. My bottom hurt and at times I just needed to get off and walk. All in all we rode 15 miles. It felt good to know we could do that! I was quite proud of myself. It was a great day!