When we were looking into where to stay near Ocala, we really didn't want to be in a park that had hundreds of people and were crammed in like sardines - really, who needs all of the "fluff" - since we like to go in search of new adventures. So it came to pass, that our reservation at the Goethe Trailhead Ranch RV Camp about 12 miles from the town of Dunnellon because our home for the next month. It gave us the opportunity to check out areas for hiking as well as several Jeep trips to see friends that we haven’t seen for quite some time.
We especially loved the Sandhill Cranes which were regular neighbors in the campground. Also on the favorites list, delicious gyros that we so love and can't find when were on the road. I think we ate at this place twice! And the iconic "Blues Brothers". They really don't share anything special with this town other than the owner where the statue is, just plain liked the brothers!
Amelia Island ~
The Island is the southernmost of the Sea islands that
the French visited, the Spanish developed, the English named, and the Americans
tamed. Whew! It is the only U.S. location to have been
under the dominion of eight different flags.
And they are:
French
Flag – 1562-1564
Spanish
Flag – 1565-1763 and 1783-1821
British
Flag – 1763-1783
Patriots
Flag – 1812
Green
Cross Flag – 1817
Mexican
Revolutionary Flag – 1817
National
Flag of the Confederacy – 1861-1862
United
States – 1821-PRESENT
Featuring over 13 miles of beautiful, beaches along the
Atlantic coast, this barrier island is quaint yet lively and showcases a 50-block historic
district in Fernandina Beach features a number of specialty boutiques,
Victorian Inns and a variety of cafés and restaurants
The Salty Pelican had some of the best shrimp that we’ve
tasted in a long time – fresh from the ocean – as the birthplace of the modern
shrimping industry is attached to Amelia’s cuisine.
We had a cold brew at the Palace Saloon. Constructed as a haberdashery in 1878 and
then transformed as the Palace Saloon in 1903, it survived the Prohibition
years by selling Texaco gasoline, ice cream, special wines, 3 percent near-beer,
and cigars. The Palace is Florida’s
oldest operating saloon.
One of five favorite beach spots that we toured was the
historic Fort Clinch State Park where we stepped back to the year 1846
during the Civil War. We explored the
many rooms, galleries and grounds of the fort to learn how the soldiers worked
and lived each day.
Goethe State Forest ~
We racked up many “steps” on our trackers at various
trail heads in the State Forest, which contains one of the largest tracts of
longleaf pine habitat in Florida. Good
walking for us, but the giant tree, on the Big Cypress Trail, definitely
beckons from a forested trail about a half mile roundtrip. Walking through what is a natural wonder of
palmettos, Southern Magnolias, ferns, wild pine wrapped around a canopy of
cypress we arrived at the towering botanical named, “El Dorado” or what is
known as The Goethe Giant. The cypress
tree reaches about 105 feet and is about 30 feet in diameter.
Crystal River and the Manatees ~
Situated on a warm, spring-fed bay on Florida’s Gulf
Coast, Crystal River is a place to explore and definitely check out the gentle
manatees that flock in these clear waters during the winter months. This is where we finally caught up with friends,
we met about three years ago at Lake Pleasant.
(Note: Rob and Carol were one of the
many workcampers that helped maintain the RV sites at Lake Pleasant and it is
there that we made a very unique friendship with them.)
Rob and Carol work at for the Crystal River National
Wildlife Refuge and they were more than anxious to share this experience with
us at the Three Sister Springs refuge that provided good viewing for us of the
manatees on our eco-adventure.
Our visit at Crystal River was very memorable and we will
never forget the natural beauty of this area.
Rainbow Springs State Park ~
This spring is said to discharge 300-400 million gallons
of water per day into the 5.7-mile Rainbow River, with water temperatures
remaining a cool 72 degrees year-round. Rob
and Carol joined us on this adventure which is supposedly one of Florida’s
largest springs in a beautiful park 1,472 acres in total.
The waterfalls are really the highlight around this time
of the year as the gardens really pop in the spring-summer with pinks, purples
and white with its famous azalea blooms.
It was a beautiful day to get some really terrific photos. The State Park also has a campground about
six miles from the headsprings which also provides access to the river’s
abundant wildlife, including otters, alligators, many species of turtles and
fish and a variety of water birds.
The combination of limestone, high rainfall and underground
water flow make up the reason why Florida has so many springs – well over 1000+
Christmas Day Picnic on the Gulf ~
We had planned to spend Christmas enjoying nature, so we
packed up all of our homemade goodies (turkey, cornbread dressing, cranberries,
sweet potatoes, etc.) and went in search of an area called “The Hidden Coast”
of Florida, near Yankeetown.
Just driving around, we came across the Withlacoochee Gulf
Preserve where we climbed a tower to view salt marshes, have our picnic, and
view the Gulf of Mexico via a tiny outlet
Jeep Trip to Ormond Beach ~
Good friends need to hook up occasionally which is why a
trip to Ormond Beach was on our agenda to see Kay’s friend from, oh let’s say,
some 40 years ago. It might be about 8
years since we visited Christine (originally from Baltimore) who has made
Ormond Beach her home for quite some time now.
With a pending retirement (January 31), we shared some awesome conversation,
a relaxing Mexican meal together and having a first-time experience at an Airbnb
– about 7 blocks from where Christine lives – for our overnight.
Happy Retirement, Christine!!! We love you!!!
Panama City Beach ~
When we left Dunnellon to start our journey up into the
Panhandle, we traveled to the town of Bonifay, not too far off the Interstate
about 50 miles north of Panama City Beach. The beaches here go for miles and miles and
the pristine white sand and waters whose “glittering jewel tones” had made it
famous are definitely beautiful.
But, on the day that we made the trip, a trip to the Russell-Fields
City Pier, the weather could have been a lot better. As one of the longest piers on the Gulf of
Mexico, all we could do was take a picture of it, and that was fine with us. We spent a few hours driving around the city
which was pretty much quiet as this was only January, but we were able to see
and imagine just how “insanely busy” they can be once warmer weather arrives.
Next on the agenda is Creole Country - the Big
Easy! Can you guess where?
