On Saturday night, I had placed another order for some great weather for Sunday, and, once again, Mother Nature delivered! This Sunday morning sky was a deep blue with almost no clouds, the temperature was near eighty degrees. and there was a slight breeze from the southwest. Wow, what a day for a bike ride!
My neighbor Eagle Eye Ted, and I, had previously talked about taking a bike ride on the rim trail that goes around Okeechobee Lake and this was the perfect day for such a ride. You'll see why I call him Eagle Eye in just a minute, and it has nothing to do with the fact that I am blind in one eye and can't see out of the other eye! Ha!
We quickly checked our bikes, grab our water bottles, and mounted up for a ride. We weren't sure what our destination would be, but we would decide that once we got on the rim trail. We peddled out of Ancient Oaks RV Resort and turned right riding along highway 441 a short distance uphill until we reached the nearest rim trail entrance. Even though it wasn't a very long hill, my legs started to burn and I was thinking this could be a very long day. But, once we were up on the rim trail heading in a southerly direction, we settled into a rhythm that was comfortable for both of us and we were really enjoying the ride. It wasn't a fast pace, but I guarantee you the fastest turtles in Okeechobee Lake couldn't keep up with us!
We decided we would ride the trail until we saw a row of log homes along the canal that is adjacent to the rim trail. The Army Core of Engineers built a rim around Okeechobee Lake to prevent flooding when hurricanes came through this area. The dirt they used to build the rim made what is called the lake canal.
It seemed like no time at all and we reached the row of log homes that were on the canal, and we both kept peddling. Now, we decided we would head for lock 51 which would be almost four miles from our starting point, making this an eight mile round trip.
I am certain the engineers built the lock in this exact location because it is exactly the spot where our collective butt cheeks were screaming for some relief! Sitting on the most comfortable bike seat ever made for any length of time, is like have a fence post jammed up your backside. So, we coasted to a stop on the other side of lock 51 just in time to watch a boat lock through.
The following sequence of pictures will explain how boats lock through.
A fishing boat enters the lock from the canal side.
The lock attendant raises the canal side lock door.
 |
| Boat enters the lock |
Eagle Eye Ted is watching this operation very carefully to be sure they do it right!
Once the water level inside the lock is the same level as the lake, the attendant opens the lake side lock door and the boats exits the lock and heads to Okeechobee Lake.
From the lock, Eagle Eye Ted and I walked to a parking lot about 100 yards away. We were standing near the parking lot and he spots a big, snarling, viscous, black snake slithering from the parking lot to some rocks near the water's edge. I wasn't able to get a picture of the big black snake as I was too busy cleaning up the mess I just made in my pants! Snakes always bring out the worst in me! Ha!
Then, he spotted a fisherman just as he was catching a small catfish. While we were discussing the fisherman's catch, he spots an alligator swimming in the canal about 50 yards from where the guy just caught his fish!
Look carefully between the tree on the left and the dock on the right and you'll see the gator.
If you look back at my blog on December 4, 2012 about the murals in Lake Placid, you will note that Ted was the one finding most of the hidden objects in those murals. Now, on our bike ride, he spots a viscous snake, a man catching a fish, and a deadly gator swimming in the canal barely above water. And that, folks, is why I call him Eagle Eye Ted!
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