Getting To Everglades National Park
I woke in Big Cypress National Preserve ready to drive to the Everglades National Park. I showered, made pancakes and started to pack. I notice the one side of the car was sitting lower than the other.
Dealing With A Flat Tire
The rear driver’s side tire was flat. I tried to see if there was something in the tire but didn’t find anything. I called AAA, and they said they would send someone out; it would take over two hours. I had a tire in the back of the car, but I would need to dismantle the entire camping platform. One of the site supervisors stopped by and asked about the tire. He suggested inflating the tire to see if it held air. I fully inflated the tire with my CAT pump and it held. I contacted AAA and canceled the service call.
The air pressure held for two hours while I packed. I found a Subaru dealer in Fort Lauderdale that could take me if I arrived before 3:00 pm. I packed the car, and was able to make it to Subaru of Pembroke Pines around noon. They seemed to be a lot more professional than the Dyer Subaru Service Center I was at last week for my regular service checkup.
The news wasn’t good. I had a nail in the tire and it had entered through the tread and had done damage to the sidewall. The tire could not be patched. Due to the wear of the tires, one new tire would cause problems for the AWD system. To prevent my warrenty from being voided, I would need to buy four new tires. They gave me a small discount on the tires and were able to reduce the labor cost somehow, but it was still going to be about $700.
It was close to 5:30 pm when I left with four new tires and ready to continue the adventure.
Flamingo Campground Everglades
I had two nights at the Flamingo campground in the Everglades. Google said it was a two hour trip to the campground. With stops for gas and food, plus slower driving in the dark, I arrived at the campground around 8:30 pm.
As I got out of the car, swarms of insects descended upon me. I got back in the car and put on a long sleeve shirt. I grabbed the bug spray, covered myself with repellant and began setting up. It was a record setup. I quickly got in the tent and pulled out the Benadryl Gel to alleviate the itching.
My neighbors were blaring a sci-fi podcast about aliens that had come to Earth and couldn’t be distinguished from humans. I gave up trying to read my book and listened to the podcast as I killed mosquitos. I stopped counting the number that I killed around twenty. I kept thinking I got the last one and then I hear a buzzing sound in my ear or nearby. I drifted off around mid-night but wold be awaked periodically by these little monsters.