Outdoors

The Python Challenge

December 6, 2012 by I Love South Florida Leave a Comment

The state wildlife commission is offering $1,000 for catching the longest snake in the Everglades, and $1,500 for catching the most. The event is to be called the 2013 Python Challenge.

2013 Python Challenge — Credit: Pat Lynch – South Florida Water Management District

The challenge will start on January 12 at UF’s Davie campus and move off to the wilderness after a daylong open house on pythons and other invasive species.
Competitors will be allowed to catch snakes at four state wildlife management areas: Francis S. Taylor, Big Cypress, Holey Land, and Rotenberger.

The competition is being sponsored by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Nature Conservancy, the Future of Huniting in Florida, Zoo Miami, and others. The prizes will be awarded Feb. 16 at Zoo Miami.

To learn more about the 2013 Python Challenge, check out PythonChallenge.org http://www.pythonchallenge.org/

Mountain Biking at Quiet Waters Park

July 29, 2012 by I Love South Florida 1 Comment

I bought a Mongoose mountain bike from Wal-Mart (and took off all the stickers) for a little over $200 and decided to give this mountain biking thing a try.

I was told there are two great places to mountain bike in South Florida: Markham Park and Quiet Waters Park.

Quiet Waters is the better choice for beginners or those looking to condition their bodies back into biking shape. The trails are smaller and not as intense as those found at Markham, and it usually isn’t a very busy location since most of the pros prefer Markham Park.

I used the Endomondo Sports Tracker app on my iPhone to track my progress and location.

After biking 4.55 miles in about 45 minutes (with some small breaks), I felt great. And even though the bike I used wasn’t professional grade, it held up to the rough terrain and a couple falls without any problems.

If you decide to give it a try, just make sure you are careful and gain enough momentum before attempting any tough ramps. I learned the hard way. Always wear a helmet. Knee pads can’t hurt either. If you carry an iPhone with you, make sure you have proper protection, like an Otterbox. I dropped mine a couple times while using it for music.

After a few more tries, I’m going to try the trails over at Markham Park and I’ll report my experiences here (If I survive!)