Our Final 2022 Adventure

It’s the time of year when it starts to get cold in Ohio.  To avoid winterizing the van (which can be a pain) we decided to make one last adventure this year to get Samsara somewhere warm for the winter.  We drove from Ohio down to Florida, hitting 5 national parks and several cities we wanted to see along the way.

Our plan in 2023 is to drive along the southern US border and then up the western US coast., flying home periodically to take care of things and spend time with our kids who we miss terribly while we are gone.  There are a handful of parks we would like to go back and visit again, and many friends and family we would like to spend time with.   You know who you are 🙂

Mammoth Cave is Mammoth!

At 426 miles and no end in sight, Mammoth Cave is the longest cave system in the world.  Mined for many years for calcium nitrate that could be converted into gunpowder, the cave played a pivotal role in the War of 1812.  After this, visitors flocked to the caves for tours, with many new trails found.  

The cave is dry, which makes it very different from any other cave we have ever seen.  It was also pretty spectacular to see how massive the trails are, as well as the graffiti from the 1800s from some of the explorers.  

The Rarely Visited Congaree

Congaree only sees about 87,000 visitors a year.  It protects the largest remaining patch of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest in North America.  The majestic cypress trees, mostly underwater, produce “knees” that rise up from the roots of the tree and can be seen across the forest floor.  The knees provide the trees for more support during floods and high winds, which are both common.  The Spanish moss, water, and tranquility of the park create a state of ease and time for meditation and reflection.  

The area was originally full of Congaree Indians, who will killed by small pox brought by European explorers.     It was also a safe haven for individuals escaping slavery as the dense vegetation provided safety.  Also, moonshiners and bootleggers were able to produce their illegal liquor in hiding.

Biscayne Underwater Beauty

More than 95% of the Biscayne national park is water, and under the surface is an underwater wilderness.  We took at chartered boat to the mangroves where we snorkeled among the fish, coral, urchins, and jellyfish.  It’s always so interesting to me to think about the world beneath the surface….the life, the diversity, the beauty. We also did some paddleboarding around the mangroves to try out our balancing skills.

When we arrived at Biscayne at 8 am, the parking lot was completely full.  They were conducting a Naturalization Ceremony at the waters edge.  100 people were becoming US citizens.  They have resumed ceremonies here post COVID.  We stayed to watch, and were misty as they sang “America the Beautiful” while a massive sized Amercian flag was draped overhead.  

The Isolated Dry Tortugas

Dry Tortugas isn’t easy to get to….not only because of location but also because of difficulty in getting a ticket to boat over.  It is the southernmost island in the US, 70 miles southwest of Key West and only 90 miles outside of Cuba.  

Ponce De Leon named the island.  Tortugas, for all the turtles in the waters surrounding the islands at the time.  And Dry for the fact there is no fresh water for 70 miles.  Today, the turles are endangered.    

The main attraction is a military fort, Fort Jefferson.  It was constructed to protect the US from foreign invasion as well as to preserve the shipping route.  Despite being worked on for 30 years – over 16 million bricks with slave and prison labor, the fort was never completed.  As time went by, tropical environment created high maintenance costs and the military technology became obsolete.

As hard as it was for us to get there, it in no way compares to all the people attempting to migrate to the US from Cuba.  The shore of Dry Tortugas has many boats of Cuban voyages.  If the boat makes it to this island, they are sent over to the mainland for processing into our immigration system.  If they are found on the water before they reach the shore, they are taken back to Cuba. In the 4 hours we were on the island, we witnessed 3 boats full of Cuban refugees that were retrieved on the water and sent back home. 

Here we were, riding on the Yankee Freedom Ferry; witnessing refugees making their attempt at freedom only to fail.  Not from a lack of will, but from the brutaility of the waters making their journey unsuccessful.  Such dichotomies of our country to be at a naturalization ceremony in one park as well as witness this in another.

How Long will the Everglades Survive?

The Everglades is 1.5 million acres of of wetlands, the largest in the world.  The park consists of birds, fish, alligators, tall grasses, lily pads, and water flowers.  We took the time to see alligators as well as take an epic ride on an airboat, traveling across the shallow water at a high rate of speed.  The engine on the boat was so loud we had to wear headphones.     

50% of the park has already been destroyed by development.  Nearly all the pine forests have been logged.  The redistribution of water and the creation of canals, as well as the introduction of invasive plants and animals has turned the ecosystem here on a tailspin.  The Florida panthers are almost extinct.  Nesting birds have declined by 93%.  The park is on life support.  And the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan is bogged down in bureaucracy.  I am glad I got to see it when I did, but sad to know it probably won’t be here for very long.  

Cities we just couldn’t miss…

Given the fact we live in the van, and we have quite a bit of flexibility in our schedule, it is easy to say, “hey, let’s take a minute to check that out”.  So, we took some time on our adventuring to stop and see some cities we have wanted to spend more time in.  

Asheville

We have been to Asheville before and have spent some time at the Biltmore.  But we have never been there at Christmas, and heard it was epic.  Over 100 trees, 450,000 ornaments, 100,000 lights, thousands of luminaries, and festive live music.  It is a must do!

Savannah

I have always had a desire to spend more time in Savannah, and the architecture, walking tours, and numerous parks did not disappoint.  It would be a great place for a long weekend.

Florida Keys

This was our first time to the Florida Keys, so we had to spend some extended time at Key West.  The city is so fun, full of activity and a vibrant night life.  The homes were quaint and beautiful.  And you get to be awakened by the many roosters roaming the island at 4:00 am!

We also fit in some beach and kayak time at Bahia Honda.  Beautiful sandy beaches, deep clear water, and tranquility.

Once last stop to spend time with our dear friends Matt and Jason before we head home for the holidays. Samsara will spend Christmas at the airport until we come back to retrieve her in January.

I am so thankful for all the adventuring we have been able to do this year.  30,000 miles of driving, half the year on the road, and 43 national parks this year!  We are lucky, blessed, happy; and ready to spend the holiday with our family!

Wishing you a wonderful rest of holiday season and will be back with more adventuring in 2023!