On the Road Narrative and Photo Essay

Thank you for reading this week’s on the road narrative.

At Gainesville’s Burrito Famous.

Last week I ended the post by saying we were ready to pack it up and go. We packed it up and went!

FLORIDA

Could Vanna do it better?

Our first night was spent at O’Leno State Park, in High Springs. The Sante Fe River disappears into a sinkhole here, after which it flows underground for three miles before popping to the surface again and continuing its way to the Suwannee River. I recommend a visit to O’Leno State Park– it’s nice!

Swamp azaleas along the trail at O’Leno Park.

On the O’Leno suspension bridge.

River Sink. The Santa Fe River disappears here.

From there we went to Florida Caverns State Park, in Marianna. We took a tour of the caverns, which was a great thing to do! The tour took an hour, during which time we were more than 60 feet below the surface, surrounded by fantastically sculpted line rock. Electric lights kept us from multiple toe jams, or head jams, depending which end would have struck. Fantastic place.

The tour guide does her thing.

Stalactites.

Colored lights add an eerie ambiance.

We spent that night and the next at Moonpie Farm, where we got a full dose of farm animals. Elizabeth, the owner, was super nice and except for the no showers part it was a great place to camp.

Elizabeth and Ivan, of Moonpie Farm.

Elizabeth makes several goat’s milk cheeses.

Unlike most geese, these were almost nice!

We also visited Falling Waters State Park, the location of Florida’s highest waterfall! It’s a lovely little falls, where the water drops deep into a sinkhole. It was cool to see, but, it was then, OK, what else ya got? We took a short hike around a lovely landscape, but short was the operative word.

Florida’s highest waterfall!

An unusual type of thistle along the trail.

ALABAMA

We drove to Spanish Fort, Alabama, the next morning, to camp at Meaher State Park. It’s little more than an RV park- I would not go there again. A cold front with accompanying rain and lightning spiced up our stay.

Approaching front at Meaher.

MISSISSIPPI

We had breakfast in downtown Mobile the following morning, totally forgettable. Then we crossed another state line, into Mississippi. As I write this we’re at the Davis Bayou Campground in Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Walter Anderson’s personal room, now at the museum.

We visited the Walter Anderson Museum in Ocean Springs. This guy, like so many artists, was simply amazing. He was compelled to create, working with watercolors, oil paints, wood, clay, found materials- the medium didn’t matter. He rowed a little dingy 12 miles out into the Gulf all the time to get inspired by nature on uninhabited Horn Island, a barrier island off the coast. He had some fantastic work on display, easily a trip highlight for us.

A section of an Anderson mural at the museum.

Same mural, different section.

That cold front I mentioned? It meant business. When I woke up this morning, the air temperature was 39 degrees. The Sienna doesn’t have an auxiliary heater. We were not in a hurry to roll out of bed.

Pitcher plant blossom at the wildlife refuge.

When we did, we visited the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge. Like all federal properties these days, the visitor center was closed. We took a lovely, too-short hike through a pine savannah filled with pitcher and sundew plants. The pitcher plants were blooming, large yellow flowers, lots of them.

Random shot in Ocean Springs. Maynard G. Krebs, prop.

Tomorrow another state line awaits, I gar-on-tee!

Thank you for reading this week’s On the Road narrative!

Life is great and I love life!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! or take a trip!

John Kumiski, author of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide

Purchase a signed copy of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide at http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2021. All rights are reserved.