Hike Week

This week was Hike Week at our house, and not only did we take a couple of hikes, we also completed the last one in each of their respective areas. On our next hike activity, we'll be heading to a new place!

Hike #1 - Southern Glades Water Management District

Last time Wayne hiked the "inner" dike from point A to point B; this time he hiked the "outer" side. Once again, I was quite content to let him walk the 11.6 miles while I read a book, particularly after learning that this was a "buggy" hike.

It was interesting to note that the closed sign for the visitor's center has been up long enough to turn mildewy. So sad!

Maybe because it was just a hot day, maybe because it was our last trip to Florida City for the foreseeable future, or maybe we felt like being a bit rebellious, but we decided that even though Covid restrictions were still in place (the reason we'd passed by without stopping on our last few trips), we'd get a milkshake at Robert Is Here anyway. 

As we drove through the entry (this was an adjustment for the pandemic - no more in-the-store ordering or shopping) the owner recommended their Strawberry Canistel Shake. I took his advice (the one on the right) while Wayne had a mango shake; they were both quite delicious. Have you ever heard of the canistel fruit? I haven't. So, I looked it up. Now you can learn something new as well.

Canistel (Pouteria campechiana), commonly known as eggfruit, is a tropical fruit tree. Though the size and shape of this fruit can vary greatly from one tree to another, the most favorable trees produce large, sweet yellow fruits with an oval shape. Having been most commonly compared to the texture of a hard-boiled egg (hence the common name), the roundish fruits are popular for their use in dairy recipes and other baked treats.

Hike #2 - Cypress Creek Natural Area

We finished the last hike in this area as well! The Bow Leg Trail was a short one, less than two miles, and while most of the "trail" was along old roads, there was a section that was an actual wooded trail. That was kind of fun! It only took us a few minutes to reach the center of the area, where the observation tower was, which makes it a great option for a future hike with grandchildren. Now I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

We found a completed Eagle project. Thanks to Brendan Van Marter, we didn't have to get our feet wet! Although not listed as an amenity on the website, on our last visit we noticed a picnic table, so this time we took our lunch. We had a great time on our little activity. I wonder where the next natural area on the list will take us.