It is warmer than Ohio

So it has been chilly off on and on here in Florida but I watch those Ohio weather reports. Any day that the dogs can still get me out the door to walk is more than I could imagine me doing in the Ohio temperatures.

The last full day at the Stable/campground near Santa Rosa beach was spent walking down a very quiet, foggy beach.  When you can't really see the distance it is harder to judge how far you have walked.  The dogs did not care they kept encouraging me.

Back at the ranch, er barn, the bouncy castles had been brought out and inflated for a preschool pony ride, bouncy castle birthday party.   It still seems a little over the top for a birthday party but then I know that many children's parties are more involved than even this....

The view across from the RVs still carried the peace and tranquility of the environment.   Those preschoolers weren't my responsibility to chase down and protect

I arraigned to back out on the trails with just a guide so that we could go farther and on some of the less traveled trails.   Don't get confused by that white stuff you northern folks. We are surrounded by sand.   

The dogs and I pulled out on Sunday and because it was expected to rain all day anyway, I decided to drive straight through to the campground which is about 30 minutes south of Gainesville.   It was a long day of grey wet interstate driving.  The traffic didn't become an issue until just west of I-75 and never really stopped just slowed way down.....   I arrived just after dark but knew where the campground was in McIntosh and friends Carol and Liz came out in their rain coats to welcome me and help my road weary brain make some "how am I going to park in this site, decisions.   The dogs got to come out once and quickly empty bladders and do other important dog things in the rain with promises of long walks the next day.  They are so trusting.

Dog walking around McIntosh means walking around the small town and enjoying the architecture of a past era with the giant live oaks to back it up.    The cranes waiting hang around the gate while I watched an arm and bucket throw out patiently awaited feed.  Never really saw the person just the arm and the patient birds. 

Sportsman Cove is what many of us would call a "rustic" RV park but the price was/is right, the dog walking around town full of visual candy and complete with a couple of friends to go kayaking or in general ready to hunt up "fun" like teenagers at the mall.   And for the record, Carol won the card game, though Liz will say she was still recovering from the effects of her colonoscopy sedation.   It wasn't like we were asking her to sign legal papers or at least not any that she has a memory of signing.....:-)

A couple of shots of the worthy dog walking streets of McIntosh.

We drove over to the Silver Springs State Park to have lunch with another friend from the WomenRV group.  This is a beautiful park in Ocala.

Carol, JudyB (her rig in the background), Liz and Irmi, who we picked up from her campground up the road so she could join us.   Yes some of us have some jackets and/or sweatshirts on but notice no gloves and our lips are not turning blue.

 We tried to walk off part of the lunch and made the mile plus walk down to the Silver River.

We then drove over to what used to be the a commercial park complete with glass bottom boats, wild animal displays and amusement rides. The animals are gone but the glass bottom boats still run and give close up views of many of the springs.

The old pavilion curves around the headwaters of the river and you can imagine it filled with little gift shops and touristy places.   The potential is there to be a vibrant destination once again as it probably was 50 years ago. 

Yesterday, Liz and I escorted JudyB on her first kayak paddle.  We may need to go back because Irmi had another commitment and had to postpone her acceptance.

This guy was just hanging out trying to catch some warm sun beams.

Judy just wanted to take a closer look.  "Just trying to stay warm. Nothing to see here. Just glide on, ladies."

Remnants of the old amusement park, historical "villages"..... 

Driving JudyB back to her camp site, were informed to travel carefully past areas that were undergoing "controlled" burn.  Seeing fire burning and smoldering through the undergrowth helps dramatize the insidiousness of fire.  Even knowing this was a controlled burn we appreicated how carefully all those hot spots and smoldering piles had to be monitored and would have to be completely found and put out before the firemen's job would be done.   

Today we drove over to Salt Springs Campground in the Ocala Forest. It is very nice and is far enough away from Ocala to allow some longer term winter campers.   Carol and Liz rode over to meet another Carol, that I had only met once in a parking lot in Carolina Beach State Park, NC, over 5 years ago.   Isn't the internet a wonderful thing?   Carol and her husband have a beautiful Airstream and have done some extensive work camping in New Mexico. They travel with their kayaks and they shared their recommendations with us for many of the springs and rivers in this area of Florida.

Liz and I are planning to revisit the Silver River soon and do the longer down river paddle from the headwaters to a public access point farther down stream. There is a benefit of traveling with two vehicles and the ability to provide your own transportation back and forth.  

Paddling down the Silver River feels like a meditation on life and finding balance.  Best self seminar......