Long bike ride

There is a canal that runs east and west most of the way from the everglades to the intracoastal, alongside the I 595.  They have recently constructed a bike path on the north side of the canal from Markham Park (by the everglades) to University Ave. - a distance of 7 miles.  It's a 10 foot wide, smooth, flat, mostly straight path, very easy to ride, so today we decided to do it all.

Fishermen use the canal, they even use pretty powerful boats to do it.

At one point there is a wall about 24 feet high as a buffer for noise.  But they at least made it pretty.

We saw a LOT of iguanas, but they mostly didn't enjoy human company or want their picture taken.  I was impressed by the claws on the left hind foot of this fellow.

What do you think - is she chewing him out for something?  Is he henpecked?

There was always water on the south side of us, but often pretty trees, vines, etc on the north side.

And of course the waterfowl, like this purple galinule......

.......and this little blue heron.

This fellow was asleep under the tree when we went down and when we came back - we think he might be homeless.  At least it's a nice part of the world to be in.

There is construction all along the I 595, and they are shoring up the walls of the canal on the south side.  It's like a big plastic bag that they pump full of cement.  It hardens, and the walls aren't going anywhere.  It looks kind of like the top of a pillow-top mattress.

Just a few miles before home, we stopped in to an Ikea store to browse around and eat lunch. 

This guy hung around longer than most til we got a little too close.  I love the way his eye is peaking through the grass at us.

I think this is some kind of a vine - just gorgeous!

When we got home we went for a hot tub.....

.....and a swim.

It's been another great day here!