Why did the gator cross the road? My wife and I tried to find out

Somewhat frequently, readers submit photos of alligators in places they shouldn't be -- bike paths, screened porches, sewer drains.

I've never had the good fortune until Saturday, when my wife and I drove to Hunting Island State Park. Just after crossing Johnson Creek onto Hunting Island, we noticed a car in the oncoming lane was at a dead stop as an alligator crossed the road.

I couldn't get to my smartphone quickly enough to record the 8-footer before it scurried into the woods. Fear not -- my wife and I gave chase. Attached is a video of our search. We made sure to stay at a safe distance once he was located. We didn't want to scare the critter, and we sure as heck didn't want to get attacked.

Then, it was on to the lagoon for a four-hour paddle. I've attached a gallery of photos from that excursion.

This story was originally published May 25, 2014 at 11:20 AM with the headline "Why did the gator cross the road? My wife and I tried to find out."