On the Road: northern Florida to Ft. Myers Beach

When I left early this morning, it was totally overcast, half misting and quiet. I checked out and parked in a lot behind a gas station across the street trying to see some of the birds I was hearing. I finally found what I thought was a brown thrasher at the very top of a tall tree and figured most of the noise was coming from that particular bird. Steve and Andree had given me a CD of bird songs which I keep in the car and listen to periodically. I positively identified the thrasher against the thrasher track. It's song is melodious and complicated. There were also yellow-rumped warblers in the grasses here.

On down into Florida on Hwy 19, a perfectly flat, straight, divided 4-lane and, for a long time, a great alternative to I75. It was like the the Seney stretch in the Upper Peninsula. There was very little traffic on a Saturday morning and only occasional small towns.

At the placid and murky Suwannee River, I realized the crows making all the racket were not the crows we hear in Michigan but were fish crows. Similar but slightly smaller and easily identified by listening to the CD again. Another life bird, #5 for the trip so far.

I tired to find Chassahowitska NWR which is just a few miles off Hwy 19 but missed it somehow. I drove by modest homes and canals and trailers, with signs for fishing guides and river trips. Unless tamed by human habitation, the flora is dense and verdant, growing wildly together in tangles. Most homes or trailers had screened-in rooms or porches. The milieu reminded me somewhat of resort property and cottages in northern Michigan but with different trees.

And then suddenly the traffic went from 1% to 95%. It was crazy with non-stop commerical establishments on either side of Hwy 19, which was now 3 and 4 lanes in both directions, and there were dozens of immense billboards for personal injury lawyers. I cut over to I75 and was dismayed to learn it was still 130 miles to Ft. Myers Beach. The sun had come out; it was now 80 degrees. There was a lot of traffic, all driving fast. It was busy, monotonous and tiring. I can drive all day and mostly enjoy it but not on these interstates. Although, I WAS thinking how they mostly work...Republican and Democrats and Independents and non-voters all driving and cooperating and obeying rules and accomplishing goals of getting from one place to another, respecting one another for the most part.

I was in phone contact with Maria and called her about 3 times for directions as I made my way to the condo which was 15 miles off the interstate. Ft. Myers Beach is an island, accessed via a bridge, with periods of stop and go traffic to get over the bridge. While waiting in line, I saw dozens of brown pelicans either perched or flying overhead. Once across the bridge the scene was of tourists milling about, including girls in bikinis, the ocean, beautiful beaches, families pushing strollers, slowly moving traffic, restaurants, bars, hotels, motels and shops.

Musa's condo is on the 4th floor overlooking a broad, nearly white sand beach. The tide was out, and there were a couple hundred birds on a sandbar close to shore. We will check them out tomorrow morning. The condo is spacious and comfortable with a screened balcony. And of course the setting is idyllic with palm trees blowing in the breezes and the sound of waves.

We sat out until sunset when Maria made a delicious dinner of seasoned rice, steamed shrimp and asparagus with home-made key lime pie for dessert. Another strenuous day tomorrow....