I decided to drive the Alligator Alley to the east coast of Florida from Bradenton and stopped in the Everglades National Park on the way. Such a treat. At the Shark Valley Visitor's Center they have this 14 mile bike trail with bikes to rent so I went for it. Got to see dozens and dozens of alligators, some from less than 10 feet away. They are very accustomed to tourists walking and biking on the path so they don't seem to mind. Gets your heart pumping, however. Saw countless birds of various sorts. I was grinning like a little kid the whole way. Plus , I got in a workout. In the most amazing encounter, I was very lucky to see a very large alligator enjoying some Python for dinner. Didn't see the kill but came along shortly after. Wow. Nature red in tooth and claw. That must have been a huge Python. Looks like the size of my arm or larger. Pythons are not native to the Everglades and are a huge problem. This one won’t be an issue any more.
