Another Warm Week

On Thursday 1/9, our new friend from Wisconsin, Glenn, gave us another ride to the Alafia River Alderman Ford Put-In.  We got a little rain on Saturday but by Thursday the level had dropped back down to 190 CFS. This is a good level for beginners but there is less room to navigate the little limestone shoals without touching a rock.

Downstream from the Put-in

Typical River Deadfall

Most of the river has a lot of deadfall from previous storms. They seem to keep a path clear but I’ll bet inexperienced paddlers will have a hard time weaving through the branches. Peggy always picks a good path for us without touching a branch.

Following the Great Heron down the river

We didn’t see as many birds today and no alligators. There was a great Heron leading us down the river (Ahead on the right shore). With a short stop for  a quick lunch we made it in exactly 3 hours. It’s faster when the water level is higher.

Sandhill Cranes along the bike path

We took 3 more bike rides on the Fish Hawk Ranch ranch trails. We saw several pair of Sandhill Cranes near the path. They are not frightened by people. The map below shows the 4 rides we took since we got here. This year they wouldn’t let us through the gated neighborhood at Fish Hawk Trails, the Yellow Trail on right side of the map. We couldn’t talk our way in. It is a very nice trail that circles the entire neighborhood.

Map of all 4 of our bike rides at Fishhawk Ranch

Last last two weeks set high temperature records and we only had one day with rain.

We leave here on Tuesday, 1/14 and drive down to WP Franklin Corps-of-Engineers Campground at a lock on the Caloosahatchee River near Ft Myers, FL It is a really nice campground but doesn’t have all the nice shade and trails like here at Lithia Springs. But several of our Phoenix Cruiser friends should be there again this year.