The rain was pounding.

The gray skies had opened up and the water hadn’t stopped falling for the last four hours. Our canoe weaved through the dense mangrove trails and we were cold and sopping wet. Trying to navigate through the dense weather, my crew and I were searching for the guide poles that led the trail. Sitting in the second row of the canoe, I tried to synchronize my paddling with my friend Carolina, steering and leading from the front. The waters had risen considerably from the night before and the wind was pushing our canoe across making it difficult to keep it on course.

As we pulled out into a clearing of open water, we suddenly saw waves in front of the canoe rise into a torpedo-like shape. The streamlined form glided near the top of the surface, catching us all with a mixture of surprise and reserved fear. Picking up speed, the waves torpedoed mere feet from the bow of our canoe and what we saw caught us with excitement.

For the longest time, I wanted to camp out in the backcountry of the Everglades. These “primitive” campsites, are far from the electricity and amenities that the front country sites offer. When I heard about National Park Week, I got in touch with my friend Veronica who made the arrangements and chose our site.

The backcountry of the Everglades stretches for over 700 square miles. It is a landscape unlike any other, encompassing all of Florida’s southern half with swamps, waterways, and dense mangrove forests. Camping is limit to three types of sites: beaches, land sites, and chickee hut platforms. All sites except one are accessible only by kayak or canoe. We wanted to get deep into the waterways, so we opted for the area known as “Hell’s Bay”.

The mosquito rating system, more commonly known as “Florida’s state bird”.

As we counted down the days to our trip, Florida revealed its wild spring weather (torrential spring downpours) and the weather worsened. We debated between ourselves about taking our chances in the rain and figured we’d forgo comfort and just do it anyway. Carolina, Veronica, her boyfriend Ruel, and I made the two hour drive towards the area known as Flamingo, the southernmost point of the mainland United States. Checking in at the ranger station, the rain had thankfully slightly let up, so we checked in at the rangers station and picked our campsite, called “Lard Can Camp”.

The three of us loaded our gear and set off in our canoe for the four mile trek to the campground. Our trip started off ominously just minutes after we had left the dock and winding in the deep mangrove forests, we barely grazed a hornets nest that was overhanging the river. Guiding our trail were sets of numbered plastic tubes that lined every twist and fork in the river. We started off at marker #1 and our campsite was at marker #154. Several times, the bush had grown to such a height where we couldn’t see the next marker and had to blindly guess the next turn. Our better pathfinding and judgement took hold and we made the right decision, leading us through every bend in the river.

The thick mangrove trails were like this the entire way

The trip is only four miles, but the twists in the trail made it feel much longer, and after three and a half hours of paddling and trying to locate our site, we came across the buoy marked “Lard Can”. On the side of a large clearing, a dock beckoned our campsite, and with relief and a fine sense of accomplishment, we pulled our canoe ashore.

Our campsite was made up of a small wooden dock, a flat clearing for our tents, and a run down looking port-a-potty. We quickly set up our tents, a large dome tent and a smaller tent to store our supplies, and enjoyed a let up in the rain that gave us clear clouds for the rest of the day. Away from everything, deep in the heart of the river, there was a remarkable silence and sense of serenity. The mosquitoes had died down to a minimum and sitting on the dock as the sky changed colors throughout the day was a welcome respite from the daily rush of civilization.

The view from Camp Lard Can at sunset.

As the night fell on the camp, we munched on our dinner: Turkey sandwiches and sticks of jerky. Ruel and Veronica started the fire and we roasted the kettle popcorn, sitting out on the wooden planks and listening to a wide variety of animals that lit up the night with calls, shrieks, and whistles. Sitting along the remarkably still water we heard voices in the distance approaching our camp, and before feeling like some ranger was on their way to put out our fire, a couple in their dual kayak, fresh from having accidently fallen in the water, pulled out of the darkness and stumbled upon our site. The more, the merrier, so we helped them set up their tent and sat up into the late hours sharing stories and trail mix on the dock before crawling back into our campsite and drifting off to sleep as the rain once again began to pour.

When we awoke, the rain was still coming down hard. It had collected under our tent so that moving around felt like walking on a waterbed. After another go/no-go decision, we decided once again to forgo the rain and canoe back up the trail. After dismantling the small tent and realizing that dry clothes weren’t an option, we loaded the canoe and took off immediately heading into the higher water.

The four mile trail back upriver.

That “torpedo” had caught us all unaware, and the initial fear was that we had run into a rather large gator. As we looked back we watched the unmistakable finned tail and fin come swooping out of the water and realized we had just had a close encounter with one of the few river dolphins that glide the waterways of the Everglades.

With the adrenaline kicking from our encounter, and our paddling greatly improved from the day before, we headed back into the thick mangrove bush, encountering two snakes sliding in the water, and keeping our heads low for whatever may be in the branches above.

Our group: Mike (Me) Carolina, Veronica, and Ruel soaked but happy and accomplished at the end of our adventure.

In the pounding rain, we followed the plastic tubes and found the starting point, high fives and celebrations for what was one of the more unique adventures I’ve been on. We checked out of the rangers station, still sopping wet, and began our drive out of the park, as our car went down the straight road, we caught site of the one thing we had hoped to avoid in our canoe: a giant gator walking across the side of the road.

Getting to see the backcountry of the Everglades is an opportunity unlike anything else. What people see from the more popular northern Everglades is only scratching the surface of the entire park. The trails and mangroves weave into an intricate network of life, sustained by the rain that was prevalent our entire trip. Looking back, we were blessed to see it in the rain. It’s like seeing a factory at work. The Everglades has been plagued and decimated in recent decades by development and urban change, but seeing how the rain sustains the life and the river brought a brand new perspective on the landscape.

Written by guest contributor to MiamiRealEstateCafe.com:  Michael Restivo –  MikeOffTheMap – Adventure Blog

It’s that time of year again! For one week, all 397 National Parks across the United States are absolutely free from April 21-April 29. With free entrance it opens a host of options to hikers, campers, and climbers alike, as well as an opportunity to inspire the next generation to take care of our treasured lands and promote environmental consciousness. Along with the endless possibilities of exploration, the National Park Service is hosting a wide breadth of events from volunteer services, to historical and cultural demonstrations. Here’s what you need to know about National Park Week 2012!

What is National Park Week?

National Park Week is the one week reserved every year, where the National Park Service waives entrance fees to all their lands and opens the park to endless exploration and sport. This year it falls in the week of April 21-April 29.

What kind of events are the parks hosting?

April 21st (Saturday) is Volunteer Day, you can check with any National Park for the kind of projects they are hosting including preservation, enhancements to trails, working with animals, or conservation duties. (link here) On April 28th is National Junior Ranger Day, where children, through special hikes and events, learn how to “explore, learn about, and protect” the parks. At the end of the day, each child will be sworn in as a Junior Ranger. (link here)

Smokey Mountains National Park, South Carolina

What about camping, hiking, or climbing permits, are they free?

Camping and climbing permits are not free during National Park week, however many of the campgrounds inside the parks are being reduced for the week, and same goes with hiking, climbing, and fishing permits. Be sure to inform yourself about which lands are accessible for activities and don’t stray into the backcountry unless you have permission to do so. Visiting the national parks is also a boost for local businesses who thrive on visitors so make sure that you give them a visit too! Check out the special deals and discounts that the parks are offering here.

I live in the city and can’t get out into the open, what can I do?

National parks aren’t only limited to wide open lands. Alcatraz is considered a national park, and so is Ellis Island. They are reminders and preservers of our national history and identity. In the Florida Keys is Dry Tortugas, site of the largest masonry structure in the Western Hemisphere. The African Burial Ground in downtown Brooklyn, the site where thousands of unnamed slaves were buried is part of the park service and offering free entry as well. The national parks don’t only serve to remind us of our natural heritage, but of our historical as well.

All the parks are going to be so crowded! Where can I truly get away?

Yes, some of the major parks such as Yellowstone, Yosemite, Arches, and the Everglades will be popular, but it gives an opportunity to check out some of the lesser known national parks as well. Check out the winding cliffs of the Canyonlands, where one could hike for miles without seeing a single other group. Take a boat into the Channel Islands just off the coast of California, where seals and sea lions are returning to their summer nesting grounds. In Arizona and Colorado, check out the Petrified Forest, and the Great Sand Dunes, with their hills of ancient sand, one turned to rock through millions of years of wind and water, the other a wide expanse of dunes, some as high as 750 feet, that offer a range of unique sports such as sand sledding.

Shark Valley – Everglades National Park, Florida

I have no time to get off work and I’m going to miss the greatest week of the year. What can I do?

So you’re stuck and can’t get to a national park this week. No worries! The national parks will be free once again on June 29, for Get Outdoors Day, September 29 for National Public Lands Day, and November 10-12 for Veterans Day Weekend. It’s an entire year of opportunities to get outside! Can’t get out those days either? Many of the national parks and reserves don’t even CHARGE an entrance fee and are supported through public donations and volunteers.

National Park Week is the perfect opportunity not only to get away, explore the wild outdoors, and engage in some great sport, but also to educate our future generations and teach them the responsibility of protecting and respecting our lands. Check with local rangers before you blaze your own trails. Be courteous to the land and to other outdoor enthusiasts, and take the opportunity to try a new experience and truly get wild. Enjoy the week everyone!

For more information, check out the official site here.

Guest contributor – Michael Restivo for MiamiRealEstateCafe.com

Rock climbing is a sport of balance, stability, and stamina. It is much more akin to yoga than it is lifting. While physical conditioning aids the climber as they progress, climbing is a sport that is open to all people and body types. Plus, it’s a great alternative to traditional gym workouts because it is dynamic, challenging, and ultimately rewarding. Safety is paramount in climbing and therefore requires constant communication between the climber and his or her partner, as well as a thorough knowledge of the equipment and skills that make for a safe and fun experience.

Beginner climbers should start in a gym environment. Climbing gyms, which are now becoming increasingly popular, offer a supervised introduction to the sport. A climber is given a harness and climbing shoes. The harness, which must be snuggly attached around the waist of the climber, is the point where the climbing rope connects. The climbing shoes, not unlike ballet slippers, must be tight around the feet but not constricting. Climbing shoes allow climbers to flex their feet comfortably while the tough, rubber soles help the climber securely grasp the wall.

Bouldering Overhang

There are three main styles of climbing, each offering their own unique take on the sport:

• Bouldering

Bouldering is scrambling up large boulders without the aid of a rope or a harness. In most cases, the boulder is not tall enough to cause injury in the event of a fall. Bouldering is a great start for new climbers because it teaches proper hand placement, weight distribution and body positioning.

• Top Roping

This is where the climber is affixed with a harness and climbing rope that is secured to a rope that hangs from a fixed point at the top of the route. The climber teams up with a belay partner whose responsibility is to act as the climber’s anchor and control the flow of the rope and its tension. The climber is held securely in place by the belay partner’s weight, so if they let go of the wall they are suspended in place. Once the route is completed, the climber takes their body off the wall, and the belay partner slowly lowers the climber.

• Lead Climbing

The most advanced of the three styles, lead climbing begins with the climber affixed to a rope from below. As they ascend the wall, they must clip themselves into strategically placed points, which protect the climber from falling, while he or she continues up the route. Unlike top roping, the climber is given a generous amount of slack rope providing for a greater range of motion.  If the climbers fail to clip themselves before a fall, they run the risk of dropping a great distance before their protection catches them.

Climbers are initially introduced to the basic knot: figure eight. This knot serves two purposes: it creates a secure link between the rope and the harness and it acts as a shock absorber if the climber falls. When the climbers affix themselves to the route that they choose, they learn to tie a double figure eight, securely following the lines of the original knot.

Figure Eight Knot

An important part of climbing is managing strength. Climbers who frequently use their arms to get up a route tend to over-exert themselves compared to a climber who comfortably positions their feet and stands up to be within reach of the next hold. Paying attention to difficulty levels labeled along the route is recommended for beginners still gauging their strength.

Once the basic skills are mastered, climbing is an alternative, dynamic and, not to mention, challenging work out. With good safety skills and communication it can be an enjoyable experience.

Post written by Guest Contributor, Michael Restivo … Mike Off The Map

 

 

“This post is dedicated to the dreamers of the world. The ones who are ready to put aside what makes them comfortable and travel to a new land, discover a new culture, make a new friend, and eat something extraordinary.

 

When I started this site, I wanted to inspire people my age to explore the natural and cultural world around them, I wanted people to explore and fall in love with their own backyards, and I aimed to throw away all cultural biases and discover what the world truly is: A unique, diverse, and ultimately beautiful place.

 

The new year has arrived and while I rarely believe in setting resolutions, I do believe in goals. I believe in places to experience, mountains to climb, new foods to try, and cultures to explore. In the past year I’ve seen people craving adventure and escape into something strange and new. In this day and age, travel is not expensive and impossible anymore. It’s about wise management, open minds, and bringing zero expectations about the adventure ahead. My goal in 2012, is to get more people traveling and exploring, collect stories, and ultimately prove that there are no closed borders in our world. In this post I’ve come up with a list of suggestions and advice about how make 2012 your best travel year ever.”

1. Rediscover Your Own Backyard!

In 2011, I set out to discover the best of South Florida in adventures that took me from a bicycle ride among wild gators to a rehabilitation center for stranded whales. There is a time where a city that might seem so exotic and exciting to outsiders becomes mundane to those that live there year round. However, being so close to our own unique landscapes provides an escape that rediscovers clarity and balance in our everyday lives. This year the U.S. National Park Service will be offering select days of free entrance  to our national

parks including National Park Week from April 21-29. It’s one of the most perfect opportunities to perfect outdoor skills and introduce a new generation to our diverse outdoor landscape. Discovery is also open to those who are not as outdoor inclined. I urge many this year to add an international flair to your weekends. Find the most uncommon international cuisine in your city, support local artists and musicians who strive for their talents to be seen and heard. In South Florida, we are fortunate to have two major cultural events each month, the Gables Gallery Night and the Wynwood Art Walk where local artists display the latest and most exciting flair in the international art scene. For the food lovers, check out Food Trucks, located now in almost every major city, for a unique and gourmet spin on fast food. By taking the ordinary out of your weekend, wether sweating it out on the trails, or being dazzled by neon colors and intricate designs, re-falling in love with your own city will guarantee a more fulfilled year.

2. Hostels Are the Way To Go

One of the biggest obstacles facing the young modern traveller is affordable accommodation. Traveling through pricey European cities can be a daunting task when considering a limited budget. This is where hostels come like a godsend. Hostels are small privately run hotels and lodges that provide little more than a

bed, a campground, or simply a roof over your head. The hostels are usually dorm style, where eight or more people could crowd into bunks in a single room but are comfortable social hotspots which are great places to meet like minded people willing to join your adventures. In May I took a week long trip to Moab, Utah, a haven for climbers, hikers, people going cross country, and young adventurers. At $9.00 a night (thats not a typo, thats nine dollars a night) I stayed at the Lazy Lizard Hostel providing a bunk with clean sheets, a shower, a communal kitchen, and a host of new friends all there for the same reason. For the international traveller, looking up sites such as Hostel International will provide you with a list of international rooms, some even with campgrounds, that will assure you affordable accommodation nearly anywhere in the world. Of course the drawback to the hostels is in some cases you will have to sacrifice certain hygienic qualities for price but if you’re one that doesn’t mind being perfectly squeaky clean all the time, then hostel travel is definitely the way to go.

3. Be Adventurous With Your Eats

Food binds the world together. It is a part of travel that everyone uniquely understands. The modern tourist in Europe will be hounded by restaurants, usually located near the most tourist heavy landmarks, that think they know what the traveller wants, and usually deliver in mass portions yet low quality. Be adventurous this year.

 Instead of flocking to where the guidebook takes you, slip into the empty streets and the alleyways until you find what your nose and your eyes tell you. One doesn’t need to speak the language to try something in a place where you’re going to find locals staring you down and snickering, yet where the food is fresh, homemade, and uniquely cooked each time.

When in Italy or France, explore the local markets, usually in the midweek or weekend, where you find local cheeses, meats, and produce. In India or East Asia, explore the nearly daily spice markets where the air explodes in scents of curry, cumin, and coriander seed. Go to the markets in the morning, buy as much as you’d allow yourself, and make your own lunches or dinners in your hotel, knowing that the family in the farmhouse down the road is possibly doing the same.

4. Do You Really Need All That Stuff?

 There are two types of travelers, the backpackers, and the flashpackers. The backpackers are those that are able to withstand at least two pairs of clothes over a multiple span of days. The flashpacker must include a multitude of options and the electronics to go with it. In the new year, make the effort to go light, you’ll find the advantage in spending less to worry or maintain it, and more space in your pack for the important things, like food and souvenirs. In the past year I found most airlines were extremely lenient when it came to well packed backpacks (of the large camping variety), and I’ve been able to fly multiple times without having to check what was immediately on me. Invest in a great quality pack that locks around your waist, and transportation, mobility, and weight become a thing of the past. Take the essentials with you, most European cities already offer a multitude of internet options, and if you were ever in need of something as important as a hairdryer, chances are somebody at the hostel already brought it.

5. Give Back

One of the best ways to see the lesser known parts of the world is to volunteer. Through organizations such as International Volunteer Headquarters, programs up to six months are offered throughout the developing world. You choose where you want to go, the type of work you want to do, and the amount of time you’d live to give with flexible program schedules. Jobs include working with children and supporting women’s rights, to AIDS education and wildlife conservation. It’s an opportunity to truly immerse yourself in another country and culture by living, eating, and experiencing everyday life through their eyes.

6. Leave Your Comfort Zone and Get Off The Map!

This year, there is no excuse not to explore, travel, or find adventure. I urge anybody to truly have a one of kind experience this year. There are many ways to see the world cheaply and efficiency. In 2012, discover what your body is truly capable of. Take in a place not as a tourist but as a resident. Discover for yourself what makes the world truly extraordinary. Travel requires a dream, an ambition, and careful planning. It is not impossible or inaccessible to anybody. Over the next year I will continue to share my experiences, suggestions, and stories as well as passing along my passion for travel and adventure to inspire a new generation to see the world for themselves.

Happy Travels,

Michael