Revising the Tamiami Trail
My first encounter with the Tamiami Trail was in 1963. President Kennedy had just been shot and killed. It happened while I was on my way to Florida delivering an old 1956 Chevrolet from Pittsburgh to Miami.
During the early 1960s, thousands of 1950s vintage cars were bought up from cities in the north and transported to Florida for eventual shipment to Cuba and a few other island countries. Many of these cars are still being used in Cuba today and are a coveted means of transportation on the island. Gas and oil was on me but it was free transportation. The old Chevy did use 10 quarts of oil on the trip down and I was advised by a service station to keep it under 50 which I pretty much did.
After a day in Miami Beach where I saw the ocean for my first time, it was on to Key West. I hitchhiked and after a ride to Homestead, Florida, I was getting a bit anxious as night was approaching and the sounds of the Everglades could be heard and no motel was in sight. Finally an old four door Dodge stopped and inquired of my destination. 鈥淜ey West鈥� was my reply and the driver said if I didn鈥檛 mind sharing the car with Alice and Fluffy I was welcome to ride along.
Alice was a beautiful white pet goat and Fluffy a white rabbit. They inhabited the rear seat and floor area and made for great conversation and traveling companions. Somewhere in my boxes of life鈥檚 pictures I have a picture of Alice and need to finally get around to bringing some order and organization to my pre-Internet pictures.
The return trip home was interesting. A bus ride from Key West to Miami and then another free car delivery from Miami to Tampa. This time, a new Ford. The road to Tampa was right through the heart of the Everglades and the canal along the highway was filled with birds and alligators. The road is still called the Tamiami Trail. It took ten years to build and was completed in 1928.
Last week, Diane and I had occasion to visit the Everglades and travel the trail. Much is the same. Wildlife was everywhere. The sky was filled with countless birds and the canal along the road was still filled with alligators. We spent a day visiting the Fakahatchee Strand Preserve. 85,000 acres of Strand swamp houses the world鈥檚 only Bald Cypress Palm forest and is known as the Orchid capital of the U.S.
We traveled on a gravel and mud road for six miles. You can hike or bike many additional miles, but access to vehicles is restricted. We found a nice hiking trail bordered on both sides by a swamp and saw a lot of wildflowers. Ahead we saw a rather large gator sunning himself on the trail. With swamp on both sides and not a whole lot of experience with gators, we decided not to attempt passing him. Thus a shorter hike, but perhaps a safer one.
Some campers on the way back were pleased to report sightings of a mama bear and two cubs, along with a Florida panther. Their camp was set up in a fenced area 鈥� one of the last privately owned camps.
Dinner on the way back was at the Havana Cafe a nice outdoor Cuban restaurant in Everglades City. Cuban pork with rice and black beans and Key lime pie for dessert. A great way to spend a January day.