DOLPHIN DAY!!!

Day 6, November 5, 2012, AT Marathon for the Dolphin Encounter

This was the day!

We had a few things to do before getting to the Dolphin Research Center (DRC) here in Marathon.  Of course there was breakfast and we merely got a quick, but tasty breakfast at Burger King. A big meal would be in the evening (see later when we visit the waterfront.). Then we had to secure wet suits as the water at this time of the year is cool. The natives say it is  the air that will cool you off as I think the water temp was 72 F.  This was my first wet suit and getting it on (at the rental shop) was much easier than taking it off later. Those of you who have done this ,will get a good chuckle, I am sure. MY shoulders don’t work that good as they use to and getting the shoulders clear is like trying to get out of a straight jacket (remember those?) Cathy had more trouble as she elected to put on a tee shirt and wear the suit to the Center. 

Now we were ready. Our appointed time was to be there at 11:30 and we were there plenty of time ahead , which was good as she had a “guide” who stayed with her the entire time. Rebecca guided here ,instructed her, smiled a lot and encouraged here when necessary and generally was her mentor the entire time. This Center does a very professional job with all clients. Jim didn’t have (nor need) a mentor!  We were given final instructions and the 12 folks having the encounter were divided into 3 groups each at a different station where certain dolphins were “assigned”. (This is an important part of their training. {There is a tower over looking the dozen or so pens which enclose the dolphins (and a few walrus), in which trained observers take notes to enhance the data collected for the research. So, actually the “encounters” with people are part of the data collection as Kelli (the coordinator of our two dolphins)  stated to us ,”We are as important to the dolphins as they are to us.” 

Four of us were on a platform for much of the 30-45 minutes encounter, a couple (Sandra and Manfred from Germany), Cathy and myself. We were instructed by example from Kelli how to get the dolphins do to various maneuvers and also receive a kiss on the cheek. They let us instruct them to mimic, do flips, tail stands, speed swimming , eyeing, and the ‘coup de grace’ the ride with two dolphins where we swam out a ways, extend the arms outward to the side and let the dolphins come along side and we grasped their dorsal fins and let them come up on either side of us slowly and take us for a ride!. Each of us went in a large circle including yours truly! (see pics) . It was marvelous and e all didi fine  as did the dolphins. Of course the dolphins were rewarded when successful with fish (three kinds... capelin, sea smelt, and herring)  for each performed activity which also supplemented their diet. There is much more to tell, but I will let some of the pictures the next two nights show the story more effectively than me. Cathy did a great job, had a great ride and was on “cloud nine” all day!  (She used a chair lift to access the water as steps with out her brace would have been a “no no”.

The rest of the afternoon included lunch there, and a chance to observe four or five of the other demonstrations. (there are about 12 different levels of activities visitors can get in on from an all day “trainer” to sitting on the side of the water to engage the dolphins.) 

The DRC has been operating this system for about 20 years and was founded originally to study whales, but soon moved to dolphinids and later became a research center.

We ended the day by getting a few souvenirs as a remembrance of the day, (Ruth bought a DVD that they prepared for us of the entire event which can be seen on  photos.dolphins.org     code   AL6Q-34FJ  for two weeks.) and we returned the rented wet suits (just $18.00/day), had supper at a “Seaside Restarant” a  Gulfside outdoor restaurant. The grouper sandwich and shrimp were fresh and excellent ,. I had mine “Cajun” style! YUM!

Tomorrow we have a “down” day (they all will be after today) and  with the big ocean boat races at Key West will avoid the crush, but will try to see the Key Deer at Big Pine Key. Stay tuned ...or whatever it is on the internet! (linked?, hooked?, unwired?)

 Day 5, Nov. 4 2012, From Homestead FL to Marathon (in the Keys) FL)

Yes it was a full day. From driving in the Everglades  with its peace, quiet and lots of bird life and then visiting the Keys where there is one road and lots of human activity but much less bird life (At least when we first arrived)

We are in the 1/2 way point of the entire length of the Keys, which are divided up into five major “quasi governmental “ areas. Namely Key Largo, Tavernier, Islamorada, Marathon (where we are), Big Pine (where the tiny Key deer are), and Key West . And today is the day that Cathy gets to swim with the Dolphins!

But, I am getting ahead of the great day we had yesterday (Sunday) , that was filled with good birding, some swamp creatures (alligators), excellent view of the Gulf of Mexico, and a chance to eat lunch on the Gulf watching Ospreys fly in and out of their nest on top of the visitor center, and talking to friendly crows who, obviously wanted a handout. 

An Air Show at the Naval Air Reserve Station was held there , so we exited Homestead early enough to avoid the traffic. It is one of the many annual events to attract tourists.

Driving through Everglade National Park (ENP) the long stretches of true ‘everglade’ topography is easily seen. The grasses stretch for miles and miles as the Okeechobee aquifer moves the water slowly from the big lake to the Gulf as it has for eons. As the maps indicate, (see)  the development and encroachment of man has changed this dramatically and now the Everglades must compete for that water  and fortunately , man must  change the landscape to capture some of that water and place it back in the path of the water flowing to the south. (That is the natural drainage.)

On both sides of the road into ENP, the land with the grasses is deceiving as it lies in a shallow bit of water for this  was a good year for rain so the water is there. The wildlife depends on that fresh water as well as the plants. This is an area of two seasons...a rainy one (summer)   and a dry one (winter). The balance is important.

Cathy was excited about seeing the birds and Ruth was very patient with her to get her to be able to use a set of binoculars .  (Eyesight is a not 20/20) The many Great Ibis’ along the road she was soon able to spot and identify. This was true later with a number of the 33 bird species that we saw that day. While eating lunch we noticed two large birds circling overhead , high above the Osprey. They were...yes ,white heads and tails...two mature American Bald Eagles. That really made her day (and ours , too.)

COMPUTER IS VERY SLOW THIS AM SO WILL DOWNLOAD PICTURES LATER. AT LEAST POSTS WILL GO.

One of the sad notes of being in ENP was seen when we looked for a very fine wildlife pond that we had visited some 10 years ago. It had a viewing platform, a long board walk, many birds of the reeds and marshes (Gallinue, and other rails and rarer marsh birds.). We thought we knew where it was and did not see it there. A visit to the Ranger station gave us the answer. JIm: “ Where is the wonderful pond that we remember visiting  when we were here before”? Ranger: “When were you here before?”. Jim: “Ten years ago” .  Ranger; “ That explains it!, The Hurricane  went through here seven years ago and took out most of the infrastructure in the park including that pond, and its viewing platform and walkway. We have not rebuilt it since.”. So we returned to the pond that was there now, all grown up with brush and grasses and a rough grass strew path to the edge of the pond. but still a large area of water. There were some species of birds as we saw , Roseate Spoonbills, a Stork, and some White Faced Ibis, but it had changed and the many ‘birds of the reeds ‘ were not there, nor were the reeds. Nature changes things in a hurry sometimes.

Before a stop at the gift store on the way out we had one more stop to make at what is called ‘Anhinga Trail’. It is a guaranteed place to see Anhinga’s (see pics). A quiet idyllic place with ponds and great nesting and resting sites for the Anhingas to roost in the trees overhanging the water.  The Anhingas were diving and swimming right below us in the water. Cathy ended that part of the day with a few souvenirs before we headed down US 1 towards Marathon and the Keys. (Pics) A great area of truck farm land is on the way out of the Park. 

That drive was heavy traffic with no place to turn around until the small towns were encountered.  (Key Largo was the first.) Water on both sides intrigued Cathy and I think we drilled her enough on  “one side was the Gulf and the other side the Atlantic Ocean.” (By Monday afternoon she had them sorted out). See tomorrow's entry.

Did you know that there are hundreds of Islands in the Keys?

Going over the many “cuts” between Islands seemed endless but we finally arrived at the Sombrero Hotel at 5:00 PM just before they closed for the night at the front desk. Wha? They were fourth floor rooms but with the elevator it was doable.  A ‘handicapped parking’ site helped us get very close to the elevator. We settled in with the bags and headed out to get a bite to eat at a local “I-Hop” and enjoyed the sunset from our vantage point on the balcony of the Hotel. The view overlooks a long canal filled with many kinds of pleasure boats. (see pics).

It was a terrific day, but we are all happy to be able to stay in one place for three nights. Tomorrow the epitome the trip...THE DOLPHIN ENCOUNTERS”

Saturday Nov. 3, 2012 From Richville GA to Homestead FL

I put on my blue shorts as it was to get to 80 F today! Did that feel good! (See pictures below!)

It was a long drive taking more than 9 hours (450 miles) including stops, but  the ladies were quite tired and stiff from the ride. It was a day again of good sights and seeing new things.

As was the usual situation when coming into a new state we stopped at the Visitor’s center (in FL) to allow Cathy to take pictures of the seals, flags and any flowers that might be there. A few times they had bumper stickers and magnets.  That travel center was very busy on this Saturday morning,. Quite a contrast to the one further on in Florida where few people had stopped.

At the point where the St John’s River empties into the Ocean we were able to get a glimpse of the Ocean and that was another highlight for Cathy.  I missed the turn to take I-275 around Jacksonville, but Ruth quickly found an alternate route that put me back on the right track. She navigates well, and it would be easier if the pilot would always listen. (Something about that geography major in me that resists information. ). We did begin to see many birds along the waterways and canals and rivers. Much of northern Florida (east cast) has marshland, and water in the fields. There were dozens of Egrets, Ibises, Ospreys  and especially Cathy loved to see the cattle egrets on the backs of the cattle. That was something she had never seen before.

My choice of routes took us around Jacksonville, then west on I-4 toward Orlando (did see all the Disney World buildings and infrastructure) and when we were just west of there, headed south on US 27 which I remembered was a straight , no stopping route. (Ruth reminded me that was some years ago and maybe things had changed) She was right!  There were dozens of traffic lights on the first 40 miles  so that we did not make the time I though we would, That area has grown with towns, agencies, stores, malls, and you name it!  What an impact the Disney Center has made. Finally when we were some 60 -70 miles south we began to make progress all the way to Lake Okeechobee, although we could not see the Lake from the road as the dike surrounds it, There were bikers and a lot of birds on the embankment.

Then the trip began to get tiresome as the miles dragged by. But, fear not, we tried to identify the tall “grass like” crop that we saw. I had thought it was maize as it was tall and green like corn, and grew close together about 7-9 feet high. Then it hit me.It had to be SUGAR CANE!  Right on! :-)  We saw it was green, but it is harvested now,  and the harvest had begun already. There was a lot of activity on the fields as the huge, bin like trucks (screened sides) were being loaded in the fields and heading down US 27 toward the “magnourmous” facility that was processing them (See pics)

 Then it was th eorange groves! Oh my! Mile after mile of them.We had to stop and get pictures (see) They are still green but seem to be bearing nicely. After the poor apple crop in Michigan , this looks good. Pray there are no heavy frosts. Cathy really enjoyed seeing these.

 Later the “truck”crops began to appear and many workers were harvesting some of those veggies we will see in the stores soon. Radishes, green beans, spinach, tomatoes, peppers and others. And of course the hundreds of small stands connected to the farms trying to sell their goods on a Saturday evening. Cathy noticed that the appearamce  of many signs written in the Spanish language were plentiful.   Hispanic culture is very strong here of course. 

Later we saw sugar cane syrup advertised (whatever that was?), as well as “free orange juice” at a few stands.  Ruth had already said “Oh, Yeah?”  (like maybe it wasn’t “free?”) Closer to Homestead the land (still very flat) is filled with nurseries much like western Phoenix is with roses and flowers. Miles and miles of nurseries of all types of plants. One farm advertised a sale of acreage of $37,000 for one acre of very rich soil. Some of the acreage was, that very black, rich soil. We reached the outskirts of Homestead and again it was slow, stop and go traffic .(We had come off US 27 to take the “old road” right into Homestead  (State Rd 997).  This was a “straight shot”. We found the hotel (They were quick to correct my “motel” comment)  and secured the two rooms we had reserved although they were further apart than any previous locations.  

The oranges are green yet, but healthy.

Central Florida on the US 27 coridor has

lots of groves. These should ripen in another month or so.

These are some of the many miles of sugarcane that it took a while to 

figure out. Finally we saw the trucks in the fields and the smoke 

from burning the leaves left after the stalks are cut. 

It does look like maize!

This is one of the sugar cane trucks hauling the stalks of cane.

There was one about every 30 seconds going down the road , so it was 

certainly harvest time for some of the crop

One of the trucks hauling to the huge processing facility that 

was back off the road about a mile. US 27 here

is a four lane, divided "access" highway.

The accommodations were adequate but needed work on the inside ( faulty heater, no phone, door key stuck, just one very small waste basket,  and the network was VERY slow. (Perhaps I was spoiled the last few nights and maybe in the morning it will be faster). (IT WAS AS I POSTED THIS QUICKLY IN THE AM)  But we had a place that was warm and cozy. The eating out for dinner was a choice of pizza at Pizza Hut. Cathy had not been to one in many years.  The waitress indicated that there was an “Air Show” in town this week end and we should “get out of town” early in the AM. Actually this will be our first AM without a rush!

I dropped the ladies off and got gasoline and cleaned the windshield (Bugs are now problem when the temp gets to 70 F.) The day was clear  for the most part and the temp reached 81 F. The sun went down like “Thunder on the Bay” (Kipling) . Good living weather.

Tomorrow we head for the Everglades Nat. Pk. only a few miles to the entrance from here. Then late in the afternoon we will continue to Marathon for our three days with the Dolphins and enjoy the beaches of the Keys. (Eat your heart out!)

Oh yes! Today’s pictures are brief as my camera did not record them . Ruth’s were fine.I did get it back on line tonight!  You will just have to believe that we took pictures of a few birds and the Florida Welcome sign. 

DON'T FORGET TO TURN THE CLOCKS BACK , AT LEAST THOSE OF US IN THE USA.

November 2, 2012,  Greensboro NC to Kingsland Georgia
(Pictures below)

Today would be my mother's birthday born in 1896, she would be 116 years .

We got a good start at 8:15 this morning from Greensboro (NC) with the temperature hovering around 40 F. The sky was clear and it looked like a terrific day to travel or be outside.

The day moved along as we saw Charlotte (NC) and Columbia (SC) on the way to the cotton fields of South Carolina. This is poor land that is basically red clay and not particulaly good farming. The many pine along side of the road indicate that is a better use for the land and they grow a lot of pine.

The roads are excellent but as Ruth says, "Well, they don't have freezing and thawing to damage the roads". True. I thought that I-95 was an excellent highway and the traffic moved along smoothly at more than 70 mph.  South Carolina patrols were all around , so driving there was reduced to the 65 speed limit in many places.

We did see cotton fields , some hawks and both kinds of Vultures (the Black and the Turkey) a pair of bluebirds, Grackles, and an unidentified soaring bird (Kite or Caracara). It was too far at 70 mph to identify accurately.

It is interesting to see after dropping down on the coastal plain from the "Fall line" the many slow moving streams and creeks that create a large wildlife and swamp area south of Savannah including   the Turtle River. That is where many of the sea creature nest  and raise their young so important for procreation. That's why hurricanes can be so devastating to the land here.

We did arrive at Kingsland Georgia  where the temperature by that time had soared to 80 F. What a finish to the day.At about 4:00 Pm,  we got settled and headed to Cracker Barrel for catfish dinner for the ladies and chicken 'n dumplins for Jim. (no dessert tonight). Gas prices varied from $3. 48 to $3.18 in a few places.

Cathy did get to see a glance of the Ocean south of Savannah, and some cotton in the fields, but will see the "real ocean" in two days.

The pictures tell some of the story so I will let those "words "do the talking.  To south Florida tomorrow. (pics below)

PS.I was able to listen on the radio to my children's High School team (they all graduated from there) win their second playoff football game ...48-27. Way to go Falcons. (Ogemaw Heights in Michigan)

The welcome center sign in South Carolina south of Charlotte NC.

An Eastern bluebird, one of a pair we saw in a Travel Center

A sene that was typical of the roads in South Carolina 

"Hey, let's eat lunch outside inthe sunshine." Cathy liked the warm sun on her back.

Approaching Savannah on I-26 (Eastbound)

Sure we are in Georgia.

 The Microtel with Palm trees that Cathy really enjoyed seeing. 

KIngsland , Georgia.

 Nov. 1, 2012, From New Philadelphia Ohio to Winston-Salem NC

Last night we were in New Philadelphia at this Knights Inn and got a good start this AM in order to get through the mountains in good time. We knew that the roads in  West Virginia had been slick in spots but maybe by the afternoon they would be just wet. After a heart breakfast, away we went.

At the southern end of Ohio is the Ohio River that is the border for many states (Can you name 7 of them?)  In the southern portion of Ohio the Appalachian rise begins to take place. These are the oldest mountains in the North American Continent and are rather undulating and "worn down", not like the newer Rockies, archeologically anyway.  So in this portion the road begins to wind some as it snakes through the valleys and small "hollers". 

A trip would not be complete without some road work even in November. I-77 had some and a bridge that was being repaired provided a look at some of the "back country" in this part of the country with it's mules, small barns, cabins, and quaint houses tucked in corners, and on ridges high above the road. By the side of the detour road was a 1930's style gas station with the four pillars out front,  pumps long gone, and the white brick still standing to give a definite silhouette of what it once was. (It was vacant) This detour took all traffic from I-77 and trailed some 20 miles through the country side. Hey, it was raining and the picture was through the window...Right Ruth?

Into West Virginia the twist and turns get really serious and the long grades stretch for miles ending in some of those "truck runaway" embankments up a hill from time to time. They are scary, but must work. We stopped in Charleston,  the WV capitol to both view the Capitol and its beautiful rotunda from a few blocks away, and to get gasoline.  It looks a bit like NotreDame's 'Golden Dome' , eh? Gas here was running about $3.39/gal and it got a bit cheaper but not much.

When we got to the place where Cathy could see the snow on the mountains we stopped in a park where she was able to take some pictures with her camera. It still was chilly at 37 F where the temp had been all day. The rain never stopped from when  we left Grand Rapids, until we were well into North Carolina. At 2:17  PM the sun peeked through and we saw blue sky for the first time. It was a welcome sight for sure. The temperature got to 53F

As we got closer to the pass in WV near the VA border, the snow accumulation was evident. This is three days after the storm hit and they had had rain and temps in the high 30's so it was melting during the day. Charleston had 10 inches, but there was none on the ground this day. This shot was from  the toll plaza at the end of the toll road (I-77). The tips of the trees on the VA side were awesome, but from a distance (see next pics) they were not as remarkable.

All along the road for 50 miles there was lots of snow on all sides and in the trees.

This is one of the shots with the tips of the trees that are covered from 2-3 miles away. Fortunately only the oaks still had leaves so tree damage here was minimnal.

After arriving in Winston Salem, we were met be my daugter Therese (see below) who joined us for dinner here. The ladies had steak (sirloin and rib eye) and I had 1/2 rack of ribs. Great food.

All in all the day was good and aside from a 20 minute, one lane delay coming into Winston Salem, and the detour earlier, we moved along smoothly.  The roads were wet , but fine. Cathy wanted me to mention that we actually could smell the tobacco coming from the W/S factories by the road. Very strong and it weren't no orange blossoms, honey! (Maybe we will get that in FL?

This is daughter Therese who is a PhD candidate at UNC Greensboro. Therese lives just about 25 miles from where we are stayng and it was great to be able to share with her for a few hours. Note the clear sky!

See ya tomorrow from Georgia!

Day 1.  Michigan to Ohio on Halloween Day. (October 31 2012)

This will be a short entry , but it was a geography lesson for Cathy. She knows we are in Ohio tonight, and that we crossed the state line safely. I told the story of the acquisition of the Upper Peninsula after the war between Ohio and Michigan over that strip of land at the border. The U.P. was the gain that Michigan had as a result of that  war.  That was quite a trade. (Stephen T. Mason was the governor and only 29 years old  at that time). He was a most interesting man...(He died before he was 40.)

Some highlights of the day included the huge, and I mean huge , pumpkin fields in Northern Ohio of 20-25 acres in size. Cathy wondered what happened to them as they were still in the fields.  (Today was Halloween!). I explained that many products were made from Pumpkins, like sauces, canned pumpkins for pies, and even flavors like in coffee and baked goods. On the way through Dayton we could smell the rubber from the rubber factories as the damp weather kept the smell close to the ground. A couple of old Breweries also were seen.  Akron is a very busy town and the center city was seen looking east  from the freeway (I-77). After the turn south near Cleveland you begin to see the uplift of  the Appalachian montains as the rises and hills start to become regular.  Up to that point the land is flat and great fertile land , much of it left over from the  "Black Swamp" that at one time skirted Lake Erie from Sandusky to Toledo or thereabouts. Most of the corn has been harvested and all the soybeans fields are clear. There is some winter wheat coming up and a few fields are plowed getting ready for spring. There were many trucks of course and if someone can tell me what the structure was on one trucks that looked like three pieces of metal that made a protection at the back of the truck that stuck out about 4 feet, ...I would be grateful. One on each side and one at the bottom???

The rain from Hurricane Sandy still lingered and will for another day or two as we move south through West Virginia tomorrow. We hope the snow has been cleared, and belive that it will be as those folks are use to snow and it's removal. Some places got 28 inches in Northern WV and western MD while Rocky Top in Tennessee recived 22 inches. The rain continued after Lansing and stopped when we were almost to our destination at New Philadelphia, OH. The temperature has been between 41 and 37 F.

We made good time stopping for lunch which Ruth prepares each night to save both time and money. We stop at either a rest area or the travel stops along the highway. Cathy is navigating getting in and out  the tall step to the truck nicely. She has learned to "slideout" and land both feet on the ground which is easier than placing the foot on the narrow support on the truck. She has her own room at night and manges that nicely with some time of her own. We will be up and on the road at 9:00 in the morning. Breakfast iis Continental here at the Microtel. It is clean and well apportioned.

We did see three deer along side the road ,and about 7 species of birds (Those who follow our blog know we do watch for the birds). As we started out Ruth asked if we should record what we see. Why not we agreed? Some hawks, Geese, ducks, and swan were some of the species seen. We were disappointed no see no turkey.

We have a fine one story motel so access for Cathy and for Ruth was easy, as I was able to park right outside the door so moving bggage (we have much) and the special needs accutrements was much easier than it will ba some in the future.

We decided to eat next door at Dennys as the ladies wanted eggs with their meal. Wow, Dennys has a huge menu. Lots of choices which surprised me. I topped my veggie and potato platter with eggs over easy with a hot fudge sundae "to go". We picked up some ice and relaxed for the evening.

Tomorrow we traverse the mountains of WV. Cathy has never seen the mountains of the Appalachians so that should be a treat in November especially that they are covered with snow.  The reports are that the roads at mostly wet, with a few snow covered spots, but perhaps by midday with temps in the 40's the snow on the road should be history. What a storm, eh? 1500 miles across and so much damage and tragedy. Prayers for all those affected especially those losing their homes in Breezy Point from the fire.

I'll have a few pictures tomorrow so hang in there. Thanks for watching and happy Thursday!

Gee. I really missed those "little ones" coming to the door.

ANOTHER JOURNEY. A SHORTER SOUTH TRIP.

Welcome to our blog and another adventure of travel. This one will be only two weeks duration, but will cover the route from Michigan to Florida and return starting October 31 (Halloween) Ruth and Jim are taking Ruth's care receiver (Cathy) on a long time "wish trip" that she has had since she was young. She wants to "Swim With the Dolphins", so we are obliging her with this road trip to Florida and a chance to swim with those wonderful sea mammals.

There has been some trepidation on Jim's part with the snow in West Virginia (that was our chosen route to go south) , but it appears that by the time Thursday rolls around the roads should be wet and not as dangerous as they have been at times this week. There was a truck rollover on I-77 today in Mercer County, but I am sure that was cleared as quickly as possible. One lane traffic is slow, but doable.

If you follow along you will see us travel through Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia (a bit), North Carolina, South Carolina and the East coast, south to Jacksonville from Savannah, and then to Marathon, Fl where the Dolphin Research Center is located and where we will stay three days. They have trained personnel to work with special needs folks. (Cathy is Developmentally Disabled , and is a wonderful swimmer.)

The return trip will be more liesurely with stops at Busch Gardens, the Everglades, and a Marine Center in Atlanta, to mention a few places. Much of this will be new for Cathy including the Ocean, the mountains and the East Coast shoreline of the USA. Is she ever excited!

So check in once in a while and those of you watching from the USA as well as from other countries, keep those folks who were hit by the Hurricane Sandy in your thoughts and prayers for safety, shelter, heat  and comfort. They sure need it.

See you on the road!

 THIS IS THE TOYOTA TUNDRA WE WILL TAKE.   LOTS OF ROOM AND UP HIGH.