Whence Cometh Thou?

Come with me as we enter the sanctum of the cypress, the haven of the unseen creeping in the shadows beyond the barb wire boundary.
The Alligator Lake Park was our destination this morning just after 9AM. Arriving, I was greeted by a hiker yelling inaudibly to me. I rode over to where he was. Excited, he said there were wild boars in the woods, to be careful.
He seemed genuinely frightened. Amused, it was my desire hopefully to come upon these vicous tuskers!
Rounding the trail and opening into the open canopy of oaks, something lay in the trail ahead. Was it a boar? I got off the bike and crept closer to this sleeping wraith. Camera poised, I snapped. It awoke the creature. It lunged. It ran. It was a cream colored dog resembling a wolf. So much for boars.
Riding onward, I came to the bridge crossing Price Creek. I stopped and attempted photographs in the stifling humidity. Glasses fogging, feet slipping on the wet banks, mosquitos feasting upon soaken skin. The backlit scene was enticing, perhaps inviting. In my haste, I do not think it was given ample time to make a compelling composition.
Strapping the heavy camera bag over my shoulder, I embarked again on the journey. The load was made overtly heavy due to carrying the extremely heavy metal and glass old manual 180mm 2.8 with the equally heavy TC2o1 tele-extender attached. This duo weighs as much as my two Nikon D40's with both lenses attached! To make matters worse, I never used it today. Arriving to the location that leads outside the park, I leaned the bike against a sapling and set out. It was a short hike to the barb wire fence. I leaned under the lower rung, just scraping my bag on a barb and entered the realm of the cypress sentinels.
Creeping about, I heard ahead what was probably deer, not boar. Each slow deliberate step offered opportunity to photograph. The
routine was to stop, unpack the D40 with the 18-55 lens and flash cord. The other D40 with the 55-200 was around my neck. It got me to thinking how convenient it would be to have the 18-200 lens with one camera body. As it was, much time was spent going back and forth between the two. I did not venture too deeply back this day, due to the extreme heat. Turning back, I made my way to the park, the tail bone and upper legs hurting from yesterday's twenty mile bike ride.
Along the way, I stopped several times, once, following a mother turkey and her young chicks into the cedar tree grove off the trail. I was amazed how quickly she disappeared into this grove, as it was not that large, with only one escape route not hemmed in by water.
Upon reviewing the days "catch", I again lamented, as I usually do, the focus being off, the lighting being off, etc. It never gets any easier.
There is always room for improvement. That opens the opportunity to invite you to go with me again, another day.
Perhaps we shall come upon wild boars, have to scurry into the trees. It will be great fun. I look forward to it.