The last several days we have been in The Everglades where internet and cell phone service were nearly non-existent.  It’s also been hot and humid with occasional rains.  A few mosquitoes, but nothing serious.  We were camped at Long Pine Key Campground. The campground was nowhere near filled up so we got to choose which spot we wanted.  Not bad for $8 per night.

Long Pine Key Campground in Everglades National Park, #10

The nearby Anhinga Trail and Visitor Center has signs warning that vultures liked to damage cars in the parking lots.  It seems they like to pick at the rubber moldings around the doors and windows.  The park service provided blue tarps and bungee cords for protection.

Warning: Vultures May Damage Vehicles

Cover Your Car!

Anhinga Trail

A Crane and a Gator

Nature Trail

Deep in the middle of The Everglades is a former Nike-Hercules missile base, a relic of the Cold War, built in 1964 immediately after the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.

The only way to see this now is with a ranger-guided walk, which we did.  The ranger explained the history of the base and let us into one of the barns to see a real missile and some other artifacts.

Nike Missile Site

Nike Hercules Missile

Nike Hercules Missile

There are more trails and boardwalks showcasing the river of grass of the Everglades.  It was still warm and muggy, and rained some.

The Everglades National Park

The Everglades

At the Flamingo Visitor Center at the very southern tip of the Florida mainland.  We had hoped to see some crocodiles here.  We did manage to see only one before it rained and we went home.

Crocodile

We decided we had enough of the heat and humidity and needed some civilization, (civilization=full hookups) so we have left the Everglades and made our way north to an RV resort just west of Lake Okeechobee.

M RV Resort at Moore Haven, FL, #96

• Gasoline Expense:  $85 @ $3.49
• Lodging at Everglades:  $24 ($8/night)
• Lodging Expense:   $23.19