In most day trips
the objective is to go out and come back in a single day. In this
version the objective is travel some where to stay 1 whole day and
then return. This would actually take the better part of two or three
days depending on the travel time and method. My was by car and, due
to traffic, both outbound and return legs cost me ten plus hours of
drive time. Was it worth it?
For me the answer
is a resounding, yes! I travelled to visit visit family camping in
the central panhandle of Florida. Despite being surrounded by
impending storms and cold layers around the fringes of my travel
envelope the day I spent in “sunny” FLA could not have been more
pleasant.
The trip started,
naturaaly at home in Greensboro, North Carolina. The weather at my
departure was cold wet and rainy. The driving conditions did not
improve until I was almost to South Carolina. The majority of the
trip was along I-95 which as many already know is the
most heavily traveled road in the US. Traveling SC on I-95 can be
challenging because the highway never expands beyond four lanes so
when any minor slowdown occurs it has repercussions for several miles
behind the cause. By the time I reached Georgia I was seriously
considering returning via Tennessee, if not for doubling the drive
time I might have done just that. The remainder of the trip went
smooth and quick despite one final small back-up west of Jax due to
rush-hour traffic. I made my destination right at sunset.
The endpoint of
this journey was a small RV park north of Lake City aptly named Lake
City Campground. It could retain the name campground because they can
and will accommodate tenters but they have year round RV's park there
courtesy of some Canadian Snow Birds who like to travel south for the
winter. Most of the occupancy was RV trailers and motor homes.
My arrival started
an evening of festivities that included dinner, a campfire, some
adult aperitifs and hours of catching up on family gossip. My wife
and I had missed out on the trip to Hawaii to witness the marriage of
my oldest niece. And though she could not be there herself my wife
joined in for a shortspel via the wonder of modern technology that we
still incorrectly refer to as a phone. It is unlikely the reader
would find the conversation as scintillating as I, not necesarily
being part of the family, suffice it to say we had our share of
laughs and a few solemn moments as well missing those who are no
longer with us.
The one full day I
spent with la familia, a nod to my other niece's husband and his
Hispanic heritage, was spent at Ichetucknee State Park. Ichetucknee
is a summer haven for tubers, rafters and canoers. Though it lacks
the adrenaline rush of white water Colorado or even Natahalla NC it
makes up for it in unspoiled nature and peaceful relaxation. I
imagine after a strong rain it stream might reach speeds of three of
four knots it never moves faster than a comfortable summer nap. Even
so, this trip took place at the end of December and despite Florida
warm climate the water is piped directly from deep springs and is
quite chilly year round, never getting above 72 oF. To
some that may sound balmy but not to this old Florida Native.
We walked several
of the trails, saw the Ichetucknee head springs, an abandoned
phosphate mine and another river spring called the Blue Hole. You can
see the opening of the spring through the clear blueish water and an
informative sign board tells of the caverns beneath your feet. The
caverns are open to divers to do some scuba spelunking but with a
simple snorkle you can visit the upper chamber of the cavern. The
understanding is that it takes a strong swimmer to battle the
pressure of the outflow from the spring to get down that far. On a
warmer summer day sometime in the future I would like to return and
check out the underwater view.
The waters of the
springs are crystal clear but favor a blue-green hue that borders on
turquoises, even on the cloudiest day, so it is not reflecting
scattered sunlight. The color comes from the diversity of algae
living in the water fed by the nutrient rich minerals burbling up
from deep under Florida's Karst topography. As the water moves out
into the river the blue fades becoming mixed and trapped in other
sediments stirred up by natural river current. The winter season is
one of the best times to visit Ichetucknee as the tourist traffic is
much lighter. In spite of Florida's warm climate it can still get
cold enough to spawn hypothermia therefore swimming is not the most
popular thing to do in December, but I saw several brave souls wade
in and swim the 72o water during this trip. Once in your
body adapts quickly. Those who did swim said it was beautiful.
The second night
at camp was much like the first except that the depression of
departure was looming in the morning light. I was concerned about
possible inclement weather on the return trip but that was over
shadowed but the disappointment of having to leave my family behind
and return home. Yet for a short 1 day vacation it was all it could
be. I would do again without hesitation, maybe next time my wife
will be able to join me. Though we both want to eventually be living
in the mountains, nothing beats spending quality time with family, no
matter where it is.
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