It started raining Thursday night and didn't stop until there was a moat around our 5th wheel nearly 24 hours later. I was beginning to get a little worried that I'd get my feet wet just to get to the truck. Because of the rain, we changed our Friday plans and did our weekly housework early. It was also a good day to visit a museum so we went to the local Cracker Museum in Zolfo Springs. Here's the skinny on the Florida Cracker Trail: in the early 1800s cowboys from cattle ranches on the east coast of Florida would drive the cattle to the west coast of Florida along the same route as the highway now takes. The cattle would be loaded on boats in Tampa and about 85% of the cattle would sail to Cuba according to the museum curator. The term "cracker" came from the sound that the whips the cowboys used would make......a sharp crack. The sound was so loud that it could be heard miles away. The term later became associated also with the down- to-earth pioneer families that made their living from ranching and/or farming.
Saturday the sun came out and dried up all the rain!! So we hopped in the truck and set out for Highland's Hammock State Park. There are hammocks all over Florida and that doesn't mean there are a bunch of people lazing around swinging between trees. Here in Florida the word "hammock" means "A forest of broad-leafed trees surrounded by pinelands or marshes. The origin of the word hammock is obscure but you will find it a place of interesting plants and animals." It was truly an interesting place and one where someone could find peace and relaxation. But, of course, that's not what we found or did!! First we visited the Civilian Conservation Corps Museum where we found out that the CCC was created by FDR during the Great Depression in order to put young men to work in order to earn money to help their struggling families. There are several trails throughout Highlands Hammock that were worked on by the CCC and we started out to walk as many as we could with Dude as our faithful companion. On the Big Oak Trail we stood in front of an oak tree that was older than 1000 years. It was a pretty massive tree. Following Hickory Trail, Dude alerted us to a close-up encounter with another armadillo. This one was rooting around in the plants beside the trail and was not at all disturbed with our camera clicks or Dude's eagerness to play. We had to leave Dude behind to walk the Fern Garden Trail. It was a boardwalk trail with the possibility of alligator encounters and the rangers wanted to prevent pet tragedies. While on the Fern Garden Trail we did see an otter swimming around in a lagoon but no alligators. The Cypress Swamp Trail was another boardwalk trail so Dude was left behind again. It was my personal favorite of all the trails we walked that day. The boardwalk at one point turned into a catwalk with just two narrow planks to walk with handrail on just one side. This catwalk allowed a real close encounter with the swamp and made it quite an interesting adventure. The swamp is a beautiful eerie place full of strange sounds, breathtaking sights with palm trees, ferns, hanging Spanish moss, tall cypress and oak trees.
Today was mundane.....it was pack-up and laundry day. Tomorrow we move to Lake Okeechobee where we'll be close to the Florida Everglades!!