Wild Hog in the Everglades

Yesterday could not have been any more beautiful in South Florida! A perfect day to trek out to the Big Cypress National Park for a get together at the Monroe Station Conservation Center.

We first met at a friend's house to kick off the celebration with a fresh bloodymary. Then to head out with hiking gear packed up in the trucks and SUV's, and coolers to boot for more refreshments later! Only a half hour in, we made a pit stop at Dade Corner's, which really is just a gas station for the truckers, but the local "hogs" gather there as well before heading whichever direction they decide. Usually, this is the last stop before crossing into the Micosukee Indian Reservation going east deep into the national forest. To my surprise, a few friends from Animal Services were there for a quick potty break, and they too were heading out to the 61st annual Wild Hog BBQ. This ought to be a blast!

Now, there is an easy way to get to this picnic in the sticks, off route 41, but who wants easy when you can have an off-roading of a good time through the scenic backwoods! So off the highway we go, down a narrow pathway that winds into the glades! Begin dirt road, and get get ready for some bumps! Fortunately, the road bed was dry, so no 4x4 was necessary, but still a challenge, and not a road for the faint of heart! As we sped down the trail kicking up dust to high heaven, we catch glimpses of shiny black along the banks of the narrow canals... yes, the infamous alligators of the Everglades! Tons of them, of various sizes all soaking up the much needed sun! Turtles too! It was worth the few extra miles to see nature at its best!

After a few stops along the way for photo opportunities, our entourage continued on, finally to arrive at our destination! We hiked in a few yards with our folding chairs, coolers, and backpacks. Everyone is spread out everywhere in the grass, most under the shade trees, others had pop-up shade tents. Band playing, the smell of BBQ, kids playing, and we passed by the swam buggies revving their engines through the mud! The sound of shots firing off in a distance was where the skeet shooting range was, as well as archery targets set up for practice. All I could think about was how cool this was and then I turned to my group of friends and asked, "does this make me a redneck?" They all laughed loudly and said yes!

We found the clan of animal services, and set up our chairs next to theirs. The smell of barbecue was calling to us, so we jumped in line for lunch! The plate included chicken, ribs, slaw, and baked beans! Extra sauce was on the side! Yum! We sat down to get our grub on, and wondered if the ribs were wild hog? I mean it's not unlikely that it could be, there are wild boars in the Everglades that have become a nuisance since they are a non-native species. Regardless, it was awesome! After a cold beverage to wash it down, we all wanted to swamp buggy it up! So off we went to enjoy a redneck pastime in the sticks (and swamp). We goofed off while waiting in line for our chariot to arrive, and finally boarded this hybrid machine that can conquer all kinds of mud! It was only a short loop around, but we had a blast! Once you disembark the vessel, you felt like a bobble-head, and as if the ground was still moving. A swamp of a good time!

 A few hours later, and a lot of booze, we called it a day and decided to head out before dusk. Everyone said their goodbyes and parted ways.. I for one wanted to see more than meets the eye, so on the way out a few miles down the road, my roommate was cool enough to make a stop for me at the Oasis Observatory. This boardwalk overlook allows you to be just a few feet away (safely) from alligators of all sizes! I was excited to be so close but unfortunately, my camera battery was on it's last few seconds of charge, so I snapped as many pictures as I could before it shut off. I rememer the last shot was taken with a BIG smile!

I could not complain otherwise, it was a great way to end a great day!