From Myakka River State Park to Lakeland, Florida

Today's travels took us near Tampa and to a visit with my oldest high school friend. (Oldest refers to the time we've known each other, not to age—I'm actually older than he is, by a few months.) But first…there was a matter of a bear or alligator.

Feel free to tap or click on any photo to see it full-screen. From there, browse all the pictures on the page by tapping or clicking on the arrows on the side. If you have a full-sized keyboard, you may also use the arrow keys. Click on the picture to toggle viewing any captions that may be present.

Day 20: View From The Tent

Paul S Cilwa

Myakka River State Park was an excellent campground, clean and quiet. But then, during the night, both Keith and I had become aware that something was prowling around outside the tent, knocking over things we'd left outside on the picnic table. There was no food, but there were a couple of containers that might look like they contained food to a hungry critter.

Paul S Cilwa

Knowing that Keith is as nervous about alligators as Floridians would be about Arizona's rattlesnakes and scorpions, I kind of didn't point out that the park rules had specifically warned of their presence.

Paul S Cilwa

But as I was taking my customary photos of camp, I realized that something had reached into our tent through the tiny hole meant for a power cord and managed to pull out some of our garbage bag, which I happened to have put in the same corner. (Our site included electricity, which I had used to charge our devices while we slept.)

Paul S Cilwa

Inside it was clear that the creature had smelled our discarded food containers and tried to get to them. I guess I won't be keeping the trash bag in that corner anymore!

Paul S Cilwa

Then, walking to the restroom, I spotted a whole flock of buzzards on top of the building. I couldn't help but wonder...what were they doing there? What could they possibly expect was going to happen that would require their presence in such numbers? I also wondered what the collective noun would be. If they were crows, they would be a "murder of crows". (It's true; look it up.) I'd never heard the collective noun for buzzards, so I looked it up. It's a "wake", as in, "a wake of buzzards". But what attracts them? How many people die in this campground, that it is worth their while to wait up there?!

Paul S Cilwa