Driving Through the Everglades
Saturday, April 17, 2021

What a great day for a drive through the Everglades! The forecast for the day was sunny with a high of 91* but there were enough clouds overhead to keep those of us in open cars somewhat shaded.

Sergio, Mark, Tomas, Carlos & his wife, and Rick met shortly after 9AM in the Kendallgate Shopping Center parking lot. It was great to see old friends after a year of COVID lockdown as well as meeting some new folks. At 9:30 we headed south on the Florida Turnpike where Alfredo & Bernie, both in their classic Mini Coopers, joined us en route, arriving at the Florida City rendezvous by 10:00. Sadly, the empty parking lot, where we would have picked up additional members, was indeed empty. I attribute this to a last minute schedule change which enabled our group to take advantage of ‘First Day of National Park Week’ free admission. The regular price is now $30.00 per vehicle which wouldn’t fly for most. (I should mention that the $30 is good for 7 days.)

From the Everglades National Park’s Homestead Entrance, the 38 mile, two-lane road is smooth and scenic, and despite the free admission, we encountered very little traffic. Unless you are camping, fishing or boating, there really isn’t much to do in Flamingo once you finally arrive; especially since the Visitor Center is currently closed due to ongoing repairs from Hurricane Irma… So, without even getting out of our cars, we retraced our route for 11 miles to Nine Mile Pond where we ate whatever snacks, sandwiches and salads we brought with us as a nice breeze off the pond kept us cool. After a relaxing hour or so, we said our good-byes and headed back through the park entrance and on to home.

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