Hi, this is Debbie Johnson. Karen and Gary spent some time with Doug and me in Florida, doing some testing of the bike and several personal appearances. After a busy couple of days, we decided to take off for some fun time.

Doug and I have owned airboats in the past and we still have connections with people who own airboats. One friend let us borrow his boat and then his son took us on a great adventure into the Florida Everglades National Park.

I know that for racers that short quarter-mile is truly a thrill a minute, but a ride to the magical Everglades has its thrills, too.

We began the day with a short ride just south of Immokalee. We showed Karen and Gary the sights of south Florida as we entered the National Park. We passed the post office at Ochopee, which is the smallest federal building in the United States. It is a working post office. NHRA has bigger ticket booths!

The day was beautiful; a nice warm 83 degrees with a blue sky that had cotton-candy soft white clouds with a gentle breeze keeping us very comfortable. We met our friend at the boat ramp and the guys unloaded the boat. We had borrowed a boat that at one time during our airboat racing days was very fast. It is a metal hull with an aircraft engine and a composite prop. Bet you didn’t know that air boating could be that technical, did ya? Well anyway, after a successful launch we began our ride.

As you can see in the pictures, you ride on seats which sit in front of the engine and then propel you across the water. That is where the magic begins. As we began our journey to the “camp,” we flew over water and sometimes grass, weaving our way to a private cabin built in the Everglades. The ride is like going into the deepest most remote area you could ever imagine and each turn is filled with anticipation of what will come next. Exotic waterfowl flew as the boat approached and we would cross a “speed bump” better known as an alligator. They would be swimming in the marsh and dive down as the boat approached and you could feel the gentle bump as we crossed over them. We rode a total of 11 miles into the “Glades” to reach the cabin.

As we entered the trail to the camp, we saw beautiful air plants, turtles, and alligators that were sunning on the banks. The vegetation engulfed us as we maneuvered our way. To drive an airboat you use the speed of the boat for forward motion and large rudders to change directions, which gets a little tricky when you have such a tight path to follow. We finally arrived at the camp, which in the standards of Everglade camps is probably a Monaco Signature. It has three air conditioners, two bedrooms, a kitchen and a bath, all run by a 15KW generator. Luxury!

After a tour of the camp, we were off for a ride. Once you clear the tight vegetation and get back out on the “grass,” it's wide-open throttle! You are flying on the ground! As you skim across the water and then onto the grass you begin to lift off and glide on top of the grass. Close your eyes and imagine riding a big huge elephant across the wide open plains, and feel bounces along with the up and down motion as the huge beast moves along. It is wonderful!

On our journey we visited a deep hole with lots of alligators and fish swimming and then the swimming hole, where all the air boaters sit to tell lies of each great ride as they chill in the cool water. We watched as other boats skimmed quickly by us, each on their own special ride.

All too quickly, our day ended. I will always be amazed and thankful that I have had the privilege of a day in the splendor of the Florida Everlgades. Thank you for letting me share this bit of heaven with you, and I would hope that someday you could take “the ride.”

I would like to recommend a couple of books that tell tales of this area in Florida better than I do. The first one is Totch by Totch Brown, a non-fiction work written by a man who grew up in the Everglades. Then the Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean, another non-fiction is also excellent. Then a fiction book called A Land Remembered by Patrick D. Smith, which tells a wonderful tale of Florida history beginning during the Civil War.