The Everglades: A Small Snapshot

Here are a few photographs before/while the canon broke. Most are taken in the Everglades.

Sunset at nine mile pond.

Nine mile pond canoe trip. Heading towards mangrove forests.

Nine mile pond canoe trip. Seagrass marshes.

Nine mile pond canoe trip. Red mangroves.

Nine mile pond canoe trip. American Crocodile.

Mrazek pond, Everglades. Alligator resting in the morning sun.

West Lake, Everglades.

Crocodile at the Flamingo Marina, Everglades

Manatee and baby coming up for air. Flamingo Marina, Everglades.

Campsite in Flamingo, Everglades.

Shore birds on the beach by our campsite. Flamingo, Everglades.

Flamingo, Everglades.

Easter weekend campout

This Easter, Ly+Alan spent the weekend camping in their favorite spot - Shenandoah National Park. Despite the fact that Ly still has to wear her surgical boot, she still managed to have fun. She went "hiking" (if you consider being pushed in her wheelchair by Alan for 1.5 miles on a trail hiking), made s'mores, napped, took lots of photographs, read, and soaked up the 80 degree sunshine. It was a perfect weekend.

Turtle the Tent

A few weeks ago Ly and Alan bought a new tent due to their previous camping experience.

Alan loves Turtle the Tent. There are numerous reasons for this love - durability, ease of assembly, size, etc. Ly, however, likes Turtle because he kept her very dry during a massive thunder & lightening storm this past weekend. While nearby campers scrambled to pack up their tents and sleep in their cars, Ly comfortably hung out in the tent reading her book.

So it looks like Turtle is a keeper...and there is more camping in the Lee's future.

"Camping" on the Outer Banks

This past weekend the Lee family journeyed to the Outer Banks in North Carolina. Ly was excited for the following reasons:

1. She had never been to North Carolina and would finally get to check it off her list.
2. She discovered an Alligator Refuge which promised visitors alligators, bears, deer and other wild animals.
3. The Outer Banks = a beach. Ly loves the beach.

Alan was excited for the following reason:

1. He convinced Ly to camp (yes, in a tent) on the beach for the weekend.

This was by far the worst/most adventurous camping trip ever.

Exhibit 1: Weather. It was very warm and sunny most of the time. There were the occasional torrential rain storms and 30 mph winds. These lovely winds were so strong they tore our lovely tent limb from limb - and ripped open the zipper beyond repair (and believe you me - the Lees spent quite a long time trying to repair that dang zipper)

Exhibit 2: Due to subsequent lack of a tent the Lees were forced to "camp" in Ly's car. Good thing Panda came through. And now the Lees need to go buy a new tent.

Exhibit 3: Alligator Refuge. Let's just say that there were zero alligators, bears or any other four legged creature. There were, however, tons of bugs and the Lees have the bites to prove it.

Exhibit 4: The Outer Banks beach is nothing like a sunny California beach. The sand isn't soft - rather when the wind blew the sand felt like a sandblaster against the skin - and there weren't really any places to hang out to enjoy the waves.

Despite the negative aspects of the trip the Lees discovered beautiful Kayaking paths, a few lighthouses, ate an awesome pancake breakfast, and drove along part of the infamous highway 12.

At least now Ly has been to North Carolina.