Thu May 6 - Upper Everglades - Shark Slough Tram
Key Largo, Key West, Everglades Travelogue

Thursday was our final day in Florida, and the day set aside for the upper part of the Everglades. We had a 6pm flight out of Fort Lauderdale meaning we didn't have a lot of time. Because of our long driving last night we didn't wake up until 9am. Bob made some of their "cheap" coffee for us and despite them knowing we had 3 people in the room we only had 2 coffees provided - one caffeinated and one decaffeinated. That in comparison with the Westin giving us an entire pot's worth of both kinds, plus tea!

Bob scouted us some more coffee and we read the free USA Today while we got ready. We checked out quickly - they wouldn't give me a receipt because they said it was all paid through lodging.com. It made me feel a little strange, but OK.

On we went to the Waffle House where we were now greeted as old friends. We had a delicious breakfast again. Jenn had a strawberry waffle, I had my usual scrambled eggs with cheese and this time Bob's ham omelet came (properly) without cheese. Bob called the woman in charge 'ma'am' as a friendly hello and she quipped to her co-worker that it made her feel like a librarian. They weren't sure how to get to Shark Slough quickly so we just drove to Homestead.

We got a map in Homestead and were told to just take 997 up to 41. This is the straight road but goes through little towns and is very slow. Off we went. It took us about an hour to get up to 41 (at the big Indian Casino) and left onto 41 into the everglades. We passed various airboat companies with run-down signs and missing letters. We made it to the Shark Slough center at 12:15. I showed my pass to get in and told the ranger that Bob was behind me but would pay his own way since he was on a motorcycle. She was nice and waved him past.

Unfortunately the tram had gone for noon and the next one wasn't until 1pm. We hemmed and hawed about that giving us enough time. The tram would be done at 3pm, and we had to be at the airport and ready to check in by 5pm. We asked one guard and he said it could take us over 2 hours to get to Fort Lauderdale. We asked the tram rangers and they said it was more like 1:15 to get there and we should be fine. So we said we'd go on it.

While waiting the 45 minutes for the tram we walked around the pathway a bit. It was much quieter than when we'd come in January - only a few alligators in the water, a turtle, and a few birds.

We sit by the tram spot about 12:45 and so does everyone else. We rather wish we could know what tram to get on and get a good spot but they say they won't know until right at 1. The other tram comes in at 12:50. Soon the ranger tell us about tram safety and says she's happy that we'll all fit on one tram, because it means we can back up and go forwards when we find cool things to look at. She tells us what to get on and everyone else gets the 'good' (closer to the front) seats first, so we're stuck in the very back with Bob sitting backwards. We do get on the driver's side which is good, because she tends to stop at things SHE sees.

Thu May 6 - Shark Slough Tram to the Tower

Main Travelogue Page for 2004 Florida Keys Trip

Florida Keys Trip 1998
Everglades Trip 2003
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