Caloosahatchee Regional Park-Offroad Trails

I often ride the trails of the Caloosahatchee Regional Park in Alva, Florida. The conditions are typically extremely dry, but so much fun. The trail ride through prairie land has many palmettos, palms, and pines that line the clearing. The thrill of riding through the shade of the foliage and being out among the wildlife is exhilarating and eerie at the same time. I have made the trip several times by myself, and have seen eagles, hawks, and raccoons. But every once in a while I get that helpless, being followed feeling that every sound I hear is some kind of animal, though its often the prairie grass and surrounding trees blowing. Caloosahatchee Regional Park is a desolate and peaceful place that is filled with good times, adventure, and self discovery. I can have the worst day, and though it is about a thirty minute drive, exit 139 on I-75, when I arrive everything becomes so small when faced with the vastness of nature and the lessons it can teach through adventure. Unfortunately, Fort Myers and Alva are entering the rainy season and the trails are becoming flooded and unridable. If you get the chance, it is a must to ride at this collection of trails and feel the true adventure and beauty of nature.

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary- The Living Machine

Yesterday we went to the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. I have not visited this location before but it was extremely interesting to me. When I first arrived, I noticed the sign by the restrooms which stated the facilities used recycled water and that was a rather strange concept to me. Dr. Morris, explained the construction and the purpose of something called the "Living Machine". The simplicity of anaerobic and aerobic bacteria and how they were the natural cleansing block of the machine was fascinating. After the water was in the system, it was filtered through the plants that were placed on the slope then flowed through the soil onto a plastic material that does not allow the water to seap into the aquifer. When the water flowed downward to the end of the slope, it was collected in a tank where, by county regulation, chlorine must be added to insure cleanliness. The water is then filtered to remove the chlorine and it reciprocated through the system used by us. This process takes a total of 7 days. Also, something I did not think about was when the tourists are not as active at the sanctuary, the system has trouble working properly and more attention must be payed to it's functioning.