Story Aunt Gus and Little Bear's Adventure Book 2 (Complete)
- Thread starter Kathy in FL
- Start date
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
I looked at the posting times as well, yikes. It is good to hear it is getting better and on the downhill side of being better.
March 30 (F) - Lake Louisa State Park
Okay, I’ve stepped into what feels like the Twilight Zone. After the last couple of days Rick is being … nice. He’s giving me the weirds he is acting so nice. This is just … weird.
We finished off the fruit and cheese platter for breakfast with some other stuff out of the frig that needed to be used. After that we headed to Lake Louisa State Park and met our guide. I wasn’t thrilled with this guy. Man, was he dour (not sour). I don’t know if it was because he wanted to be someplace else or if it was his normal personality, but he reminded me of Eeyore of Winnie the Pooh fame. He had a good speaking voice so that made up for some of it. Especially when he was giving the park’s historical overview.
In 1823, the Treaty of Moultrie Creek designated this area as part of the Seminole Indian Reservation; however, the area was never used as a reservation by the Seminole Indians. In 1910, John and Louise Driggers Hammond settled most of the land surrounding Lake Louisa. The homestead included the family home, a turpentine still, sawmill, shingle mill, a combination school and church, commissary, workers cabin and cooperage. The family exported their goods by way of steamboats and barges across Lake Louisa.
In 1943, the Bronson family acquired some of the property and established orange groves and a cattle ranch. Acres of old pasture and some of the orange groves from this era can still be seen in the park today. Purchased by the state, the Lake Louisa property became a state park in 1974 and opened to the public in 1977. The park is home to 11 distinct natural plant communities and lies within the eastern boundary of the Green Swamp Area of Critical State Concern and the northern boundary of the Lake Wales Ridge. The park’s three major lakes, Louisa, Hammond and Dixie, provide opportunities for canoeing, kayaking and paddleboarding. Bicycling is popular on the park’s seven miles of paved roads over rolling hills and on the 20 miles of unpaved multi-use trails.
We did so something unexpected today. Segways. Only these things looked like off-road machines compared to the ones that I was used to seeing. Big fat wheels with deep treads make them looked tricked out. Normally Benny would not have qualified to do this activity – there’s a 14 year old age restriction – but they were giving a special program a try and Little Bear became the guinea pig as part of his Junior Ranger program. A couple of hours on three miles of trail. Pretty cool to be honest.
We also got to go on a one hour and forty-five minute trail ride that covered six miles. The horses were obviously used to people that didn’t have much experience and I appreciated it. I also appreciated the two guides that Eeyore turned us over to. Benny had a blast and I had a good time watching Benny have a blast. By the end of the ride, every horse in the line seemed to be listening to Benny talk to them. Horses can be empathetic just like Little Bear and I wonder if horse therapy isn’t something I should consider for him. How to pay for it and everything else is just one more of those things I’m going to put in the idea folder because I can’t do anything about it right now.
We would have gone on a paddle on one of the lakes but they were pretty busy and no small amount of rough housing was also going on. Not interested in having to react to that kind of stupid. Especially not with Benny around and my Barrymore so close to the surface.
Tonight we camp in one of the campgrounds at the park but it took a good long time for things to settle down. Definitely Friday night and people were wound up and ready to have a good time. Thankfully it is now quiet. Benny is asleep and the guys are as well, or at least quiet and in their own tents. I’m now ready to find sleep myself but it will probably be a light one due to what Dad would have called “ijits” that are camped now far from us.
March 31 (Sa) – Rock Springs Run State Reserve
Okay, it isn’t just Rick. Now Lev and Benny are being nice. Something is up. Something is very up. Rick and Lev better not be pulling Benny into any kind of major male shenanigan; I’ll cut them off at the knees. If it is just trying to tease me out of a grouch, I guess that’s okay but nothing more than that. They will not be teaching him things that I have to help him unlearn.
On the other hand maybe it was just breakfast having a little too much sweet to it. Banana Split Oatmeal[1] is definitely going on the repeat list. I was more than a little bouncy myself after I finally got everything cleaned up so we could get on the road to today’s park which has been Rock Springs Run State Reserve.
Another guide today which tells me this might be the new method of covering a park. We’ve had them in the past without problems, and some of them really good at their job, but not quite this consistently. Today’s guide was a he … I think. A little androgynous and I’m pretty sure it was on purpose. Went to school with a few people that chose that life but can’t say I ever understood it. Since the guide’s name was “Pat” that didn’t help either. They were only with us a couple of hours and mostly just to give us a quick overview of the park. I got the feeling they really didn’t like the job they were handed.
The first property for the reserve was purchased in 1983 for habitat preservation and watershed protection and to provide recreational opportunities in the Central Florida area. Additional purchases in 1991 and 1995 have formed a vast natural area in Orange and Lake counties. Rock Springs Run is an 8-mile river that forms the boundary between Wekiwa Springs State Park and Rock Springs Run State Reserve. Rock Springs Run eventually flows into the Wekiva River, which then runs 15 miles and empties into the St. Johns River. The Wekiva River Basin includes Wekiwa Springs Run, Rock Springs Run, the Wekiva River, Blackwater Creek and Seminole Creek. These waterways are the first congressionally designated National Wild and Scenic River basin in Florida.
Logging has always played a major role in this area with the 1920s being the height of the logging era. Most of the old growth cypress was logged out of the river on elevated tram roads located throughout the park. Some of those tram roads are still used by park staff today to access different areas of the reserve. A number of small towns that supported the local industry have now all but disappeared. The Ethel Cemetery, located in Rock Springs Run State Reserve, is the oldest known cemetery in Lake County, built in 1880. The cemetery was located in the town of Ethel, which was a railroad stop town formerly known as Moody. Citizen support organization volunteers constructed a new entrance and fence for the cemetery, which contains four intact grave markers.
Unusual for the park system, Rock Springs Run Reserve is co-managed with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for the purpose of hunting. On select weekends from September through January, hunting is permitted within designated areas of the reserve. During these hunt weekends, the park is open for normal activities; however, to protect our visitors, some trails will be closed. All hunting areas and trail closures are clearly posted. We didn’t have to worry about any of that though we were warned that occasionally poachers are a problem.
We we did today was bike the seventeen miles of trail in the park. We didn’t just cover a lot of ground but all four of us seemed to get rid of the mullygrubs. We were all worn out by the time we pulled out of the park to head to the Wekiva Falls RV Resort which is where we were staying the night. It might be another work day tomorrow since Rick is due to be off. I hope we are all getting over whatever stray hair has been causing the problems.
[1] https://www.quakeroats.com/cooking-and-recipes/banana-split-oatmeal-parfait
April 1 (Su) – Gus’ 21st Birthday
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!”
Yikes! I’d been coming back from washing up and to have all three of them jump out at me was … er … startling. But I have to admit it was nice – if a little embarrassing – to find out they’d pooled their talents and fixed breakfast so I didn’t have to cook. And then to find out that was only the start of the day was … well it was amazing. Amazing also that Rick decided to spend his day off with us. So this was what my three caballeros had been up to.
“About the other day …”
I shook my head. “Don’t. Maybe I do have stuff to learn. Can we just leave it at that?”
He slowly grinned and nodded. “Yeah. Sure.”
That’s all we’ve said about it. Something tells me we need to cover this ground in more detail but I’m going to take Pei’s advice on this one. Until I figure out what I want, I’m not necessarily going to be able to give someone else what they want. Assuming they even know what they want.
After breakfast we took a birthday hike at the Black Bear Wilderness Trailhead. We arrived to hike this 7.1-mile loop trail at 7 am. It was popular, especially on the weekend, and the small parking area already had several cars in it. The trail winds through marsh & floodplains with a lot of hardwoods & foliage which borders several miles of the St Johns River. We started the loop counterclockwise & glad we did. We enjoyed this direction better as the last couple miles were the least visually appealing & less strenuous. The trail was narrow with numerous tree roots, drop offs, & required careful footing. I’m also glad we wore proper hiking shoes.
I for one was surprised to see people running by. The trail is apparently used as an Iron Man training location. The many boardwalks & peekaboo views of the St Johns River along the way were nice. The trail is mostly shaded by all the trees & other foliage. There are park benches occasionally along the way as well. We saw a deer, alligators, butterflies & more birds than I could bother to count. Approximately 3.5 miles in there is a primitive camp site with a BBQ & picnic bench, one of which is covered. There are no restroom facilities anywhere on site. To hike the entire trail with stopping for pictures & nourishment took us 3.5 hours.
But that wasn’t the end of the surprise. We moved on to a paddle boat ride on the St. Johns River. It started in Sanford but that is in Seminole County, not Lake County but it is a surprise that Rick came up with. I was a little concerned about the cost until I found out that it was a comp’d activity. It really surprised me because … well … I was starting to think that he is more into Rosa. Who knows? I’m just kinda done guessing and I’m going to let things ride until I make up my own mind, and that isn’t going to happen until after Rick gets control of what is going on in his life. And today has been too much fun to worry. The paddle boat was a lunch cruise and Rick even made sure it was gluten free so I would worry what Benny was getting into.
After the paddle boat we went to the Central Florida Zoo and Botanic Garden. I can’t believe that Rick had really noticed now much I like gardens. This one was nestled in a protected natural wetland and had animals from around the world including, rhinos, giraffes, leopards, monkeys, exotic birds, an Insect Zoo (that was strange), and much more. The Reptile House had the southeast's largest collection of reptiles. As in I had a ginormous black racer snake slung around my neck as the birthday girl. Lev got a picture that I’m not sure I want anyone ever to see. The snake stuck it’s tongue out to smell the air right as I was looking at it from the corner of my eye. I don’t know who turned more cross eyed … the snake or me. Benny thinks he’s getting a copy to keep “forever.” I’m hoping he forgets about it in favor of the picture of the two of us feeding the giraffes.
And speaking of feeding faces, the next faces we fed were our own at a restaurant called Thailicious. Score another one for Rick. I had no idea there were so many Thai food options that were gluten free. We had a family style dinner of Tom Yum, Pad Thai, Yum Woon Sen Talay, Som Tum, Mango Sticky Rice and a few things I’m not even going to try and figure out how to spell. All I know was that it was good, filling, and Rick and Lev split the bill.
Believe it or not there was one more thing, this one from Lev who had someone from his people find something really unusual for our overnight accommodations. And old firehouse. I’m not kidding. Right there in Sanford. I mean it’s not every day that you can rest your head in a historic fire station that was built back in 1887. It was a unique Airbnb. It had a rooftop deck, huge, seven-foot windows, and even the original fire pole.
With two bedrooms and two bathrooms, plus over 2,000-square feet of space, there was plenty of space to spread out.
Everything you would can imagine to find in a renovated fire station was right at our fingertips. We’re talking bare brick walls, exposed wood beams, unique architectural features, and so much more. The bathrooms are pure luxury with endless hot water.
While there is a fire pole connecting the levels, it isn’t functional. Boo hoo. You know all four of us probably would have been sliding down it multiple times. However, we still enjoyed the fire station feel.
Plus, the rooftop deck was outrageous. That’s where we had … what else … popcorn to top off my birthday feast. Lev also fixed some old timey lime sherbet punch to go with the popcorn. But all good things come to an end and I need to haul a catatonic Little Bear down so he can was up and climb in bed. The guys are looking pretty trashed as well … they added a couple of beers to their menu. They offered me one but I abstained despite being officially twenty-one. They got it and didn’t tease me about it for which I’m thankful. I’m no prude or puritan but I’m never sure how I’m going to metabolize something so I’m super careful. That doesn’t mean I expect anyone else to abstain just because I do.
Wow. Just … wow. This has been an unbelievable day. It’s been so long since I’ve really celebrated my birthday that I kinda forgot about it. Had to have been Benny that started it off. Sweet kid. No matter what tomorrow brings, today is going in the good memory file.
April 2 (M) - Lower Wekiva River Preserve State Park
I think I woke up with a celebration hang over. The guys were happy to eat the Thai restaurant leftovers for breakfast. I’m glad. About all I could stomach was a smoothie. I must have dreamed all night long. I’m not going to record them except to say they ran the gamut from fun and funny to sad and then on to chilling. Being twenty-one is not solving my problems like I once hoped it would. Nothing is solving those problems until I get a plan. But that’s not happening right now so I’m just going to do the best I can and not stress about it too much, at least not yet.
I was surprised to find a virtual birthday card in my email box from Uncle Daniel. I mean really, really, really surprised. I didn’t even know he knew when my birthday was. Maybe he really is trying. If for no other reason than Benny I need to try and little harder to get over my butthurtedness. The counselors always warned me about getting historical (similar to hysterical) when it came to dealing with my feelings. I need to set a good example and put that in practice.
The other thing I did this morning while the guys were eating is to digitally sign my finalized copy of my taxes and get it e-filed. Rick and Lev just looked at me like they were surprised at how organized and regimented I had that part of mine and Benny’s lives. I don’t suppose I should blame them but then again, I’ve been dealing with this stuff since Dad passed and Lawrence had to leave it to me when he was away so much. Christopher used to complain I was anal when it came to the estate and all the paperwork involved. Nope. Not taking my thoughts in that direction. Not gonna do it.
Today we headed to Lower Wekiva River Preserve. Or at least we did the part at this place called Katie’s Landing. There was construction going on at the park so we kept it to the least impaired area. Kayak’d 17.5 miles today at about 3 mph due to the equipment we had with us, or about six hours on the water between Katie’s Landing and King’s Landing (in Rock Springs Run).
The Wekiva River system is one of the two rivers in Florida that are federally designated as a National Wild and Scenic River for its scenery, recreation, geology, and diverse habitats. The word Wekiva (or sometimes wekiwa) is from the Creek Indian word for "spring of water". And this river is fed by a lot of springs, thirty of them along its 16-mile course with a total discharge of some 43 million gallons of water a day.
The river is home to a lot of native wildlife. We saw alligators, otters, the occasional manatee, great blue herons, limpkins, and hundreds of songbirds. Speaking of songbirds, this paddle is popular with birdwatchers during the migration seasons. Bald eagles are another bird often seen on this paddle along with other raptors including red-shouldered hawks, osprey, and owls. Benny was able to “collect” all of them with the help of other kayakers that would tell us what they’d seen and where.
I loved it but even Little Bear was more than a little tired by the time we got out of the water and got packed up.
It was the last park in Lake County and we left and are now in Orange County for a quick couple of days. We are overnighting in Wekiwa State Park so we are able to start on the hiking first thing in morning and then the spring area.
Resources:
St. Johns Rivership Co. | Home
Adventures in Florida | Kayak Trips in Orlando, Florida
Historical Markers and War Memorials in Lake County, Florida
Apr 3-4: Orange County
April 3rd (T) - Wekiwa Springs State Park (camp)
Breakfast was odd. Not bad but not sure that I’ll do it again; Citrus Ricotta Oatmeal[1]. Had kind of a strange texture. We woke up at the park so got an early start. As soon as we finished breakfast we hiked the Volkmarch Trail that was 5.3 miles long. We followed the Orange Blazes for the mid-length trail. We were really warm after that and headed to the Wekiwa Springs area. We were there for a little bit but the crowds got to be a bit much for our purposes and we had an open invitation from the next opportunity.
First we had California Hot Dogs[2] for lunch and let Benny finish the Junior Ranger program material so it could turn it in and get his stamp. After that we left the van at the camp and headed to Leu Gardens where we spent three hours. I know I’ve said this in the past, and I know Benny and I don’t necessarily get labeled as the type of people that would enjoy gardens, but it brings back fond memories of the things I used to do with Grandma Barry as fieldtrips and Benny just loves to look around and find details most people would miss.
Harry P. Leu Gardens[3] is 50-acres of beautiful gardens and a historic home minutes from downtown Orlando. There are over forty different collections including a tropical rain forest, Florida's largest formal rose garden, a butterfly garden and much more. The brochure says something is always blooming and I believe it.
We made a brief, bizarre stop at the Museum of Osteology[4] afterwards. They are paying to advertise with the State, so the entrance fee was comp’d. Despite the bizarre of being surrounded by skeletons, it was fun and interesting. The docent that walked around with us gave Benny enough fun facts that I’m almost sorry. I had to help him remember a few of them so he could put them in his journal and finally begged Rick and Lev to help out so I could keep my attention on the road. Rick was wearing thin on the twenty-questions game but Lev had the patience of Job and even managed to finally distract Benny by telling him about the time a guide he was working with over in Germany butt-slid when a mountain trail gave way, winding up with a compound fracture and it was him carrying the guide out. Apparently bones is bones is bones in a conversation which slid over once again into being prepared for emergencies and following rules.
For supper we each grabbed our favorite fried rice from a take out place and then it was on to our final activity of the day; a Glow in the Dark Clear Kayak Tour that lasted two hours after I finally found the location over in Winterpark. I’m just going to put the brochures description her because I’m not sure how to describe it any better.
Be ready for a glow in the dark paddling excursion that will showcase Winter Park’s natural beauty from the water and lead guests through the night. Enjoy the glow from our LED equipped kayaks as we’ll guide the way through narrow Venetian style canals laced with history and lined with some of Florida’s finest flora and fauna. Plenty of birds, fish, and other wildlife will no doubt make an appearance, along with the extravagant houses that are nestled among the lakes.
It was different and pretty cool. Cool enough that Benny finally gave up the skeleton questions. We were supposed to take a look at the Disney area but with them just beginning to open up the entire park it was voted by the State and the Concessionaire just to mention it rather than try and force it into the schedule. The ruins of Discovery Island and River Country … already ruins before I was even born … are apparently outright dangerous right now as they’ve used those two locations as staging areas to pile all the hurricane destruction until it can be picked through for things to save, stuff to sell at auction, and stuff to recycle before taking all of the remaining debris to the landfill.
Benny was a tired Little Bear and is in a puppy pile with The Crew now that we are back in Wekiwa Springs State park for our second night. One more night and then we’ll move on. Tomorrow is another active day so I’m going to put this down and hit the hay myself. I wish Rick and Lev had more comfortable digs but at least it isn’t as hot as it is going to get next month.
[1] https://www.quakeroats.com/cooking-and-recipes/citrus-ricotta-oatmeal
[2] California Hot Dogs | The Food Cafe | Just Say Yum
[3] Leu Gardens
[4] Skeletons: Museum of Osteology | Skeleton Museum
April 4th (W) – Blueberries and Nature
Made a nicer than normal Breakfast today; : Gluten free granola[1] and waffles. I’m telling you the guys certainly didn’t complain and I brought the rest of the granola to snack on during the day. We had an early start today and they were going to need their energy.
Today we went blueberry picking at Tom West Blueberry Farm[2] (Ocoee, FL) - “The Tom West Blueberry farm has been in the family since 1954, when Tom bought it as a plot of orange groves. After the greening disease hit, he and his grandson, Scott, decided they needed to come up with a new agricultural plan. The family removed the remainder of the orange groves and began planting blueberries. Today, the Ocoee farm consists of 10 acres of them.”
Blueberry season is a little late this year due to the storms last year and the damage they caused. March is normally the high season at this farm but there were still berries to pick the first week of April though it was getting to be the tail end of the season. Fresh blueberries … yum. There was a huge blueberry farm and a couple of blueberry festivals when I was a kid in north Florida. Grandma Barry, Meemo, and I always went. And honestly? I like dried blueberries even more than I like raisins so I made sure to get enough that I could put them on the dehydrator so I could have some later.
After picking blueberries we went on a kayak tour on the Econlockhatchee River Chuluota, FL. Try saying that three times fast. It is technically in Seminole County but we fit it in here since it was so close. Pretty cool excursion. The tour lasted five hours and included lunch and bottled water. We paddled eight miles through the mysterious, moss covered cypress forest of the Little-Big Econ State Forest.
According to our brochure and guide: Somehow escaping the uncontrolled growth dominating Orange and Seminole Counties, the tightly winding upper portion slowly becomes a widening, lazy river. The high sandy banks will shade you with enormous live oaks, pine, pal and ancient cypress. A light lunch will be served picnic style at the Boy Scout Bridge on the Florida Trail. Throughout the tour, your guide will help you navigate the waters and spot native wildlife like alligators, hawks, and river otters. At the end of your trip, a private shuttle will drive you back to your car.
Blueberries and paddling didn’t end the day however. Next was an invitation to the Lukas Nursery & Butterfly Experience. They are an independent, family owned nursery and garden center that carries a vast selection of plants and landscape materials.
You can definitely tell the vendors in this area of the state are more actively supporting the State’s efforts to restart tourism.
None of us were really hungry for a full supper so we just grabbed a smoothie at a local shop before heading to an evening activity we’d been invited to at Mead Botanic Garden[3]. It was called “Down the Rabbit Hole” and had an Alice in Wonderland theme. Rick’s direct boss was there and we were all on our best behavior to get him some brownie points in case he needed more family emergency leave.
Now we are back at Wekiwa for our last night. Tomorrow we start a short tour through Brevard and Indian River counties. The activities in the itinerary are starting to reflect the vendors who are partnering with the State. Not bad but some of the days are more chopped up than I would like them to be. They are also getting more tiring.
Resources:
Lukas Nursery
Get_Up_And_Go_Kayaking_Winter_Park-Winter_Park_Florida.html
Historical Markers and War Memorials in Orange County, Florida
[1] Gluten Free Granola
[2] Tom West Blueberries – Est. 1954
[3] Mead Botanical Garden – Journey through this natural habitat in Winter Park.
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Thank you 
Apr 5-7: Brevard/Indian River Counties
April 5 (R) -Sebastian Inlet State Park
Don’t know how many times I told the guys to reapply their sunscreen. Just because the weather was breezy, cool (for Florida), and pleasant today did not mean that the sun wouldn’t get them. Especially with it bouncing off the water the way it did. They’ve been just a tad on the uncomfortable side tonight (understatement) while giving me the look for simply turning toasty colored. Benny didn’t burn or tan but that’s because I was constantly dumping the 50 - 100 SPF on him. The stuff claims to be waterproof but that just means you reapply hourly and not every time you sweat. I’m glad I had the aloe after-sun gel to spare, but on the next grocery store run I should pick up one of the gallon jugs because I have a feeling they are just going to forget until they get skin cancer. I’m also getting some zinc for Lev’s nose. His Romanesque honker is lobster-colored. Wear a hat Dude. Rick’s ears are just as bad because his baseball cap missed the mark.
But all of that happened later. First thing I did was get up and make Pumpkin Cheesecake Oatmeal[1] for breakfast. It was good. It was really good. It just seemed a little mis-timed and would have been better off in the Autumn when everyone seems to go pumpkin-flavor crazy. That doesn’t mean I won’t put it in the repeat pile.
We moved camps today by way of going to Sebastian Inlet State Park. We didn’t have a guide, didn’t really need one, but we did pick up a packet of information at the entry kiosk including some lightweight Junior Ranger materials.
Sebastian Inlet State Park lies within a stretch of barrier island along central Florida’s east coast. Sebastian Inlet is a manmade cut through the barrier island. This main feature of the park connects the Atlantic Ocean with one of the most biodiverse estuaries in the world, the Indian River Lagoon. Stretching over three miles of barrier island, the park spans 1,000 acres.
The area is great for surfing, swimming, snorkeling and beach combing. We saw some impressive catches come from the two jetties that extend into the ocean. There are two boat launch facilities that provide access to nearby inshore and offshore fishing and diving. One is on the south side of the park and the other is at the park marina.
Rather than having to wait for the normal check in time, we went from the entry kiosk straight to park at one of the fifty-one campsites. I was happy to leave the van and jeep in place and utilize the bikes. The campsite has water, electricity, a fire ring, and picnic tables. They even have campfire programs at night on the weekends which is something Benny and I have been missing. That was usually our end of the day activity when we were in the national parks, and they were also good educational opportunities. I wish more of the state parks did that, but I think between storm damage and short staffing it is difficult even on the weekends. In addition to the other amenities, the park hosts two museums -the McLarty Treasure Museum and the Sebastian Fishing Museum - that highlight local history.
Sebastian Inlet State Park is a 24-hour operation. Unlike most other parks it never closes. From the campground I saw people stargazing or beachcombing but most played it smart and stayed out of the water. The predators come out at night and are closer to shore than people realize.
Rick and Lev didn’t really want anything for supper but I insisted they drink a smoothie and stayed hydrated. Uh uh uh, they are grown men but it took everything I had not to let the hamster turn Granny on them. I hope they feel better in the morning. We are supposed to get a treat assuming the weather cooperates.
[1] https://www.quakeroats.com/cooking-and-recipes/pumpkin-cheesecake-oatmeal
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Thanks Kathy/
April 7 (Sa) – Kennedy Space Center, McKee Botanical Garden, and night time kayaking.
I fixed omelets for an early breakfast because I did not want to have to break the bank by eating out again today. First stop of the day was the McKee Botanical Garden, an 18-acre tropical hammock that featured a diverse botanical collection, award-winning art exhibitions, and educational opportunities for all ages that I wish there had been more time for. We got in right before they opened by special invitation and spent almost two hours there. That helped with the humidity factor and also meant that Lev didn’t have to work around so many people appearing in his photos.
Next came … drumroll please … a tour of the Kennedy Space Center. This was better than a Disney park in my opinion. The comp’d tickets included so much that I’m still blown away. The entire place is organized into what they call “mission zones”: Heroes & Legends, Behind the Gates, Race to the Moon, Shuttle: A Ship Like No Other, NASA Now and Next, and Plan Your Mission. The science was so cool even if you don’t do maffs too well.
We spent an hour in the Space Shuttle Atlantis are, about half that in the Rocket Garden. Then it took two hours to complete the space center bus tour where we got to see the launch pads and stuff. Half hour in the Journey to Mars mission zone and nearly that long in the Planet Play area. We would have spent longer in the Planet Play area but it turned out since Benny is so tall for his age that he was able to participate in the two “launch” activities … Spaceport KSC and the Shuttle Launch Experience. I went with him on those two as did Lev but Rick kept his feet on the ground, apparently he gets queasy on some of those 4D type attractions. Oh not me and Little Bear. It was fun and what I imagine realistic would be when tamed down for regular people.
If the day had been over at that point, I tell you Benny and I would have still floated back to camp but there was one more activity. We went on a bioluminescence kayak tour in the Thousand Islands area. Wow. Florida is one of only six places in the world where you can experience such bioluminescence. Bioluminescent kayak tours are a bucket list experience for many travelers. We were there specifically to see comb jellyfish. While they are referred to as jellyfish, they are not technically jellyfish and don’t sting. They are pre-historic comb jellies that have been around for a lot longer than history records. By using their glowing bioluminescent nerves, they protect themselves by keeping other predators away.
How it worked was as we paddled toward the sunset, the comb jellies lit up as the movement of the water woke up their bioluminescence. Fishnets were provided to catch the comb jellies which allowed us to watch their “oxidation luciferin” process ignite. The bioluminescent comb jellies travel in the cold current. They can live in cold climates such as under the glaciers in Iceland and get as large as the size of a baseball. The best months to see the bioluminescent comb jellies in Florida are November through February but the storms last year disrupted their season this year. So, while they weren’t at their height, we still got a fantastic show, enough of one that Lev was able to get not just vids but some really cool photos that he has promised to give us copies of.
Little Bear has crashed and burned with a very silly jelly fish stuffie that Aunt Gus couldn’t resist and a little astronaut stuffie as well. It was pretty funny watching a very tired Benny introduce the two new members to The Crew and then say he was just too tired and a welcome party would just have to wait so they needed to be nice and introduce each other to the newbs and he’d know if anyone misbehaved.
I know he knows that the stuffies aren’t “real” but he’s also got a great imagination. Of course the funniest part was watching him or so slowing keel over in sleep. He didn’t even wake up when I got him all the way onto his bed so he could sleep without using The Crew as a mattress.
Resources:
McKee Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden | Florida Tech
Historical Markers and War Memorials in Brevard County, Florida
Historical Markers and War Memorials in Indian River County, Florida
Apr 8-13: Polk County
April 8 (Su) - Colt Creek State Park (camp)
Rick’s Day off and he headed off even before breakfast which he was having with friends. But he seemed in a good mood and usually he is a little fritzy right before he takes off. I should stop trying to predict things like that. Self-fulfilling prophecy maybe? I just hope he comes back in a decent mood. He said he would meet us at tonight’s camp first thing in the morning for a workday.
Breakfast this morning was Caramel Apple Oatmeal[1]. Then we packed up, cleaned up, and headed to Polk County where we are going to be five more days after today. Today’s park was Colt Creek State Park; five thousand natural central Florida acres. No guide so we had to use sign-thingies to find out about the park’s creation and history.
In 2006, this 5,067-acre parcel of land was purchased from the Overstreet family to become Florida's 160th state park. The acquisition was a joint purchase between the Southwest Florida Water Management District, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Polk County Natural Resources division, with the Florida Park Service taking the role as the lead managing agency.
The land was primarily purchased because of the important role it plays within the floodplain of the Green Swamp region since the water that flows off the property eventually makes its way to four of Florida's major rivers - Withlacoochee, Hillsborough, Peace and Ocklawaha.
Charlie Mack and his brother Stanley Chick Overstreet purchased the land from John Keen in 1940. Eventually Charlie Mack purchased his brother's interest in the land and continued to operate it as a cattle ranch along with his son Mark. During their decades of ownership, the Overstreet family used the land for beef cattle production, silviculture (growing and harvesting pine trees) and hunting.
In the 1990s the Overstreet family engaged in a lime rock mining operation that included the digging of several large pits. In some places these pits are over 50 feet deep. In fact, they are deep enough to reach the aquifer layer beneath the soil, which allows the water to flow through that soil and up to the surface. As a result, the pits are now natural-looking lakes, providing additional habitat for numerous species of birds plus aquatic plants and animals.
We were lucky that the state had reserved us one of the 27 RV compatible campsites. We’ve got water and electricity and access to a dump station. All the comforts of home which means I can run the van AC at night without killing the batteries. And we are starting to need it, even if only to have the fan to keep the air stirred up. Humidity is starting to kick up.
Today we biked the fifteen miles of multi-use trail, worked on a geo-cache project, and Benny and I got out and did a little kayaking so Lev could stay in camp and have some quiet time to get organized and provide up yummy uploads to his team of people that never seemed to stop asking for more and faster.
I just threw together a stir-fry for dinner but for dessert I surprised Benny and Lev with Peep Ice Cream Sandwiches[2] that they both thought were hilarious. Lev is staying in the van with us tonight and I think I’m going to follow his example, put this log down, and try and get organized for tomorrow’s workday so we can get as much ground covered as possible.
[1] https://www.quakeroats.com/cooking-and-recipes/caramel-apple-oatmeal-with-almonds-and-chia
[2] Peep Ice Cream Sandwiches
April 9 (M) – Work Day
We should have done the workday thing yesterday and then done Colt Creek today, but I suppose then Rick wouldn’t have had a day off and it would have sparked off problems for him. Or maybe I just don’t know how to have a day off like he seems to need. He came back in a good mood. Surprise. Now it is Lev who needs to put the caffeine down.
Lev is looking a little toasty around the edges (and not just due to leftover sunburn) and when he wasn’t meeting with Rick about whatever comes in from HQ, he was editing, editing, editing. He’s told me this is one of the longer assignments he’s been on. Usually, it is in and out as fast as it makes sense because the place is a little on the sensitive end of the spectrum, or there is a time limit because it is some kind of seasonal thing or a festival or whatever.
Benny and I got in some school-ish type stuff. I bought a digital copy of What Your Kindergartener Needs to Know and we basically went through it. Benny got bored with most of it and I struggled to keep him on task. There were very few things he didn’t already know. I told him to just pretend it was a kind of review so I could tell the Big Teacher in the Sky that we were doing our jobs. I also bought a preview of What Your 1st Grader Needs to Know and it looks like he has covered most of those concepts as well. And what he hasn’t covered either isn’t important enough to freak out about or he grasps them just from the review. The things he doesn’t know are more about putting it in a context that is familiar enough that it can plug his brain wires into it.
I did notice once again that Stinker Butt may have my issue … or maybe it is an issue that most kids have but that gets trained out of them in the school setting. If I’m not interested in a subject, I’m resistant to learning it. Or I was when I was Benny’s age. That’s one of the reasons for the unit study approach that Grandma Barry took. Looks like I’m going to have to figure out something similar for Benny. He enjoys learning thank goodness, but the learning needs to have some purpose in his life and I’m not always creative enough to come up with a good one.
All three of us … Rick, Lev, and I … took a hard look at the next couple of counties after this one. Two days in Hernando, two days in Pasco, and then eleven in Hillsborough, and then two in Pinellas.
“Why so many in Hillsborough?” I asked.
Rick answered, “Some of it is Admin and some of it is trying to fit vendors in that want to participate in the grant.”
“Is there a problem?” I asked.
He shook his head and also acknowledged Lev’s silent asking of the same question. “Not a problem per se. We only have about two months to go on the grant, or on this portion of the grant, and we are starting to run into the more affluent areas of the State. We have more people and businesses that want to participate now that they see how things are working out.”
Lev chuffed a cynical laugh. “There was a preview of a couple of the episodes and now people want to make sure they get their name in the credits.”
That was news to me but Rick nodded. “Yeah. So it would appear. That’s good, but it also complicates our schedule. Hillsborough is where we start finalizing the rest of the itinerary and telling people there’s no more room.”
“Ugh. It’s gonna be like chum in the water.”
“Er … maybe not quite that bad but I don’t think there is going to be much relaxing.”
Lev then carefully asked Rick, “And how is this working for you? You haven’t said much about your uncle.”
Rick looked like he was going to ignore things then he just gave up and shrugged. “I’m not moving to Costa Rica regardless of expectations. That’s part of what I’m going to be covering with HR when we are in Hillsborough. The rest is … going to depend on my uncle’s health. He’s much improved but his doctors aren’t comfortable with him traveling any time soon. Until he is able to travel things are going to be up in the air.” And that’s all he was sharing on that subject.
So it looks like I have a month, month and a half to figure something out for Benny and I. We start The Keys the middle of June and I want something in writing before that point. I’d really like to have things figured out before Miami but that’s a goal, not a necessity. I’m going to expand my job search up into Georgia. I know there are some small private RV camps up that way. Maybe I’ll even call some of my grandparents’ old friends. I need to expand my network. Even if it makes me uncomfortable I can do that for Benny.
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Another thank you from my part of the world
April 10 (T) - Lake Kissimmee State Park (camp)
Got up and moved parks after a quick breakfast of ye ol’ dependable breakfast burritos. Today’s park was really interesting. It was full of historical demonstrations that went along with local history and the park in particular.
Rick was correct, it looks like we’ll have guides here and there based on how much Admin wants to highlight things. I don’t know, if regular visitors don’t have their own guides should we? Or maybe I am making trouble when there isn’t any. Either way the guy from today made an effort to be fun even though it was obvious he didn’t know much about kids. I think he was going to follow the Junior Ranger program but quickly realized that Benny preferred for him simply to do his own thing. He sealed the deal as far as Benny was concerned when Bird (the guide’s real name) saw the ranger stuff in his back pack and said, “That’s cool. Will he show up in the geocache’s?”
“I’m thinking about it but I wasn’t sure.”
“Hey, Little Bear and Gus the Pelican could help him out or something. My cousin’s kids really like them. I never knew what to talk about with them – they’re kinda noisy – until I showed them the geocache system.”
Well that conversation would have gone and on if we hadn’t reached a sign-thingie that started Bird on our first history lesson.
During the Civil War the area was used for raising cattle that were shipped to the Confederate Army or traded with Cuba for supplies. After the war, cattle became the main industry, and this continues to the present day. In 1969, the state of Florida purchased 5,030 acres of land from the William Zipperer estate for use as a state park. Lake Kissimmee State Park was opened to the public in August 1977. An additional 900 acres was purchased in 1997 and added to the park's western boundary.
We just kept rolling from there by going to the 1876-era cow camp where we law living history demonstrations of the early Florida cow hunters. From there we did some hiking and wildlife viewing on the 13 miles of trails where we saw white-tailed deer, bobcat, turkey, Sherman’s fox squirrel, and a shy grey fox.
We took a break for an early lunch and to move the van and jeep to our campsite for the next four nights. It was one of 54 sites that had full hook ups, another relief since it was staying warm at night. Rick and Lev were still camping in their tents but I plan on giving Lev at least one night break when Rick heads off for his day off. Neither one of them seem to mind sleeping out, and I’m not wimp, but I’m glad that Benny and I have the van to sleep in even if it is a bit of a luxury.
For the afternoon what we did was the Buster Island Paddling Trail. Wasn’t for beginners but that was fine, Benny and I needed a challenge. It covered 11 miles, three lakes, two creeks and a canal, all in a loop you paddle counterclockwise. The trail nearly circumnavigates Lake Kissimmee State Park. There was a bald eagle that flew overhead, several storks, lots of wading birds, coots and moorhens and a couple of gators. It was a peaceful paddle where the only sounds we heard for hours were birds. The only boats we passed were a few fishermen on the lake and two motorboats and one air boat on Tiger Creek.
Lev had come with us and road in a tandem with Bird but Rick stayed in camp taking care of business. Whether that was the grant’s or his personal business I didn’t feel like I could ask. If he doesn’t volunteer I’m not sticking my nose in. What I do know is that he appeared to appreciate it and since I was tired after the six hour paddle, Rick had picked up BBQ from the Cracker Shake[1] camp store. He even invited Bird who unfortunately had to turn it down as he had to get home and sleep as he had an early shift tomorrow.
I let Benny paddle several times today so he was a tired boy and hit the hay not long after evening chores and clean up. I think the rest of us are going to do the same thing now that dinner has settled and the sun has set.
[1] P3 Lake Kissimmee
April 11 (W) – Lake Wales & Bok Tower
Bok Tower[1] in Lake Wales was our first destination this morning. Like the brochure explained: Historic Bok Tower Gardens, a national historic landmark, features two hiking trails, 50 acres of gardens, the 20-room El Retiro Estate and the 205-foot art deco and neo-Gothic Singing Tower carillon. Bok Tower Gardens has fascinated millions of Florida visitors since it’s opening in 1929. Our tickets were comp’d as was lunch at the Blue Palmetto Café.
Bok Tower is a 250-acre garden and bird sanctuary. Visitors can explore the myriad of Florida flora and fauna as they wander through the gardens on paved paths at one of the outdoor historical places in central Florida.
The founder, Edward W. Bok, did not settle for anything less than amazing when he created this masterpiece. Bok immigrated to the United States when he was only six years old from Den Helder, Netherlands. After striving to lead a successful life, Bok became a Pulitzer-Prize winning author along with completing many other noteworthy achievements. He retreated from Pennsylvania to Lake Wales, Florida during the frigid winter months, and during this time, he fell in love with the sunsets, birds, and hills of this area.
With a vision of creating a beautiful place to inspire others and touch hearts, Edward Bok worked alongside landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. to produce a Singing Tower, the gardens, reflection pool and more. In 1929, he presented these gifts to America as a way of expressing his gratitude for the many opportunities this country had presented him.
No two days at Bok Tower Gardens are the same due to the ever-changing environment and the many seasonal blooming plants, shrubs, and trees. From Giant Victoria Water Lilies spreading up to eight feet in diameter, to the stunning Japanese stone peace lantern, Bok Tower Gardens really puts on a year-round show.
One of the most interesting part of the attraction is the Singing Tower Carillon. It has 60-bells and is 205-foot tall. The carillon plays 30-minute bell concerts twice each day. We managed to catch both of them. I also spent some coins so that Benny could feed the Koi fish in the ponds around the tower.
After Benny and I had burnt off most of our energy for the day, Lev – who rarely asks for anything – if we could go find Spook Hill in town. Rick snickered but agreed. I wasn’t sure what they were up to until I looked it up on my phone. Yep, it was one of those silly guy things that I can see my old friends enjoying.
The legend goes something like this: Legend has it that a Native American tribe in the area was being harassed by a giant alligator. They sent their warrior chief to fend off the beast. Following his brave battle to the death, the chief was buried on the north side of the hill. Years later, pioneers hauling goods from the army trail, noticed that their horses strained at the foot of the ridge, even though it appeared to be going downhill. This eerie occurrence is why they started to call this area Spook Hill.
Basically when you are on the “hill” your car appears to defy gravity and roll up hill all by itself. Spook Hill is what is known as a magnetic hill or “gravity hill.” Gravity hills can be found all over the world, and continue to spur folklore and curiosity as cars appear to roll up hill when placed in neutral. Not only is Spook Hill one of the country’s oldest known gravity hills, it is also the only known magnetic hill in the state of Florida. It is so well known in fact that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2019. I’m still not convinced it isn’t anything but an optical illusion but my caballeros got a kick out of it.
We headed back Lake Kissimmee State Park for the night and Lev has been doing his editing thing and Rick has been doing his administrative thing and I’ve … just not got a thing to do now that Benny has hit the hay so I think that is where I am going as well.
[1] Bok Tower Gardens - Lake Wales, Florida
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Thank you
Siskiyoumom
Veteran Member
Wow! You are churning out the chapters full steam ahead. May you keep healing and get your rest. I now want to spend at least six months traveling in Florida! Thank you for your fine tale.
April 12 (R) - Catfish Creek Preserve State Park
Another guide today. She was nice but we honestly could have done the park, Catfish Creek Preserve State Park, on our own with no problems. Jenny met us at the entrance kiosk and provided Benny with his Junior Ranger materials. A lot of the stuff was repetitious but that’s okay. Benny was more focused on what we were going to do this morning … the equestrian trails.
A couple of hours and it was time for the horses and people to take a break, have lunch, and go onto another activity. It’s warming up and even though it was only in the upper 80s today, the humidity sucked because we were around a bunch of water.
The park is on the Lake Wales Ridge and covers more than 8,000 acres of scrub, sandhill and flatwoods in addition to 65 acres of submerged land. Submerged land, don’t think I’ve heard it described quite that way before. How about just say creek or lake or whatever. The phrase got stuck in my head like an earworm and the hamster gnawed on it all day long. I hate when that happens.
The preserve had 6 miles of hiking trails, 7 miles of equestrian trails, a covered pavilion, fishing and excellent wildlife viewing opportunities. The equestrian trails is what we used this morning. In the afternoon we hiked so we could get a closer look at what calls the preserve home. There are numerous rare plants, such as the scrub morning glory, scrub plum, pygmy fringe tree and cutthroat grass, and several protected animal species including the Florida scrub-jay (noisy things), bald eagles, gopher tortoises, and Florida scrub lizards.
I’m glad I had everyone pack their day-packs with several water canteens. There aren’t any potable water stations in the park. The place is probably miserable in summer and Jenny said the bugs can be bad on top of that. There is a primitive campground but it is used much more in winter than in the warmer months.
Last thing we did before heading back to our Lake Kissimmee camp was give Benny time to create a virtual geocache at the head of the equestrian trail. It was a simple one that “Ranger Lawrence” provided the voice over for since it was on how important it was to bring sufficient drinking water while on the trails. Cute.
I was happy to throw Benny in the shower when we got back. Little Bear can create some stink. What is it about boys … even the grown up ones? I had to string a line so that Rick and Lev could toss their t-shirts over it to dry after they rinsed them out. Whew.
beaglemama
Contributing Member
Thank you, Kathy!
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Thank you
April 13(F) - Van Fleet State Trail
I set this morning’s breakfast up in the slow cooker last night. Little different but I think I’ll put it in the repeat pile; Pineapple, Banana, Pecan Slow cooker Oatmeal[1]. It was a little rich so a little went a long way for me. The caballeros ate it up big time so no leftovers.
We had another guide today. Very strange. We were on part of the Florida greenway system, not in a “real” state park. Okay, I wouldn’t dare say that to Rick, but I know what I mean and I trust that anyone that eventually reads this log will understand. It was a multiuse trail, not a park.
We were biking. We didn’t need a guide for that, not with the experience that the three of us … Rick, Lev, and I … now have doing this sort of thing. And she wasn’t along for security or anything either. I had to help her get her pants out of the bike chain for Pete sake. Nice lady but she belonged at some other job than the one she was given today. By the end of her time with us she was kinda huffing and puffing and very red in the face. I did say she was wearing pants. Not even Rick is that stiff on days we have these types of activities.
With only one curve in the trail's 29.2 miles, there’s the opportunity to go slow and view all the wildlife or put some adrenaline to work and enjoy it at a brisk pace. Most of the trail is shaded but there were a few sunny stretches.
The wildlife we saw included gators, turkey, deer, gopher tortoises, rabbits, and even a family of frenetic Sherman’s fox squirrels. Saw a few squished snakes too. Not sure if something ran them over or if a hawk or similar dropped them and decided not to pick them up. I’m more inclined to think they were run over by people either not paying attention or unintentionally on purpose. People are just dumb like that. We passed pastures filled with cattle, goats and even alpacas. The alpaca farm was a little north of the Polk City trail head.
We also so a lot of repaired fencing, wooden rail fencing waiting to be put in, and signs that a lot of the trees had taken a hair cut. Our guide explained that hundreds of trees were blown down over the trail during last year’s storms and although every effort was made to remove all fallen trees and associated hazards, there were still some along the trail. I for one marked a “widow maker,” a hanging limb that looked like the most recent tree service had missed. Rick had us stop, take a GPS reading, and then called it in immediately.
There isn’t really any place to stop along the route, so I was glad we brought three canteens apiece. There used to be potable water stations, but they haven’t been replaced since there was an E. Coli outbreak a couple of years ago and it was traced to homeless individuals using the public water stations. That gave me something to think about for sure.
Everyone was pleasantly tired once we got back to camp. All I did for dinner was a big stir fry and then an even bigger bowl of popcorn. Tomorrow we are breaking camp and moving to Hernando County. I need to go over the itinerary yet again because Rick said a few new activities have gotten shoved in that weren’t expected.
Resources:
The Gardens - 10 Years After Hurricane Charley - Bok Tower Gardens
https://www.lakelandgov.net/departments/parks-recreation/hollis-garden/
Tenoroc Public Shooting Range
Historical Markers and War Memorials in Polk County, Florida
[1] https://www.quakeroats.com/cooking-and-recipes/pineapple-banana-pecan-slow-cooker-oats
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Many thanks.
Apr 14 – 15: Hernando County
April 14 (Sa) - Weeki Watchee State Park
Oh my gosh! The crowds today were awful. This is not a park we should have done on the weekend. Benny was wound tight most of the day but still had fun. I reminded him how the national parks would sometimes get busy and that we still needed to control our wiggles for safety if nothing else. Giving him a point of reference helped but man … let me say again the crowds were crazy. And if Rick had been any stiffer, he could have been used as the cardboard cutout of a ranger toward the front of the park. He finally ducked into a bathroom and changed into civvies so he could blend in better.
Where were we? Weeki Watchee. This is the park we could have used a guide, but the one we had been assigned got pulled away to address the max capacity crowd. They were turning people away at the gate. Let me say again … oh my gosh.
“Weeki Wachee” was named by the Seminole Indians. It means “little spring” or “winding river.” The spring is so deep that the bottom has never been found. Each day, more than 117 million gallons of clear, fresh 74-degree water bubbles up out of subterranean caverns. Deep in the spring, the surge of the current is so strong that it can knock a scuba diver’s mask off. Despite this the world-famous mermaid show still happens multiple times of day, assuming the weather cooperates.
The basin of the spring is 100 feet wide with limestone sides and there, where the mermaids swim, 16 to 20 feet below the surface, the current runs a strong five miles an hour. It’s quite a feat for a mermaid to stay in one place in such a current. Flowing from the spring, the Weeki Wachee River winds its way 12 miles to the Gulf of Mexico.
How it all got started was with a man name Newton Perry. In 1946, Newton Perry, a former U.S. Navy man who trained Navy Frogmen to swim underwater in World War II, scouted out Weeki Wachee as a good site for a new business. At the time, US19 was a small two-lane road and all the other roads in the area were dirt; there were no gas stations, no groceries and no movie theaters. More alligators and black bears lived in the area than humans.
Unfortunately, the spring was full of old rusted refrigerators and abandoned cars. But the junk was cleared and Newt, as Perry was known, experimented with underwater breathing hoses and invented a method of breathing underwater from a free-flowing air hose supplying oxygen from an air compressor, rather than from a tank strapped to the back. With the air hose, humans could give the appearance of thriving twenty feet underwater with no breathing apparatus.
Submerged six feet below the water’s surface, an 18-seat theater was built into the limestone so viewers could look right into the natural beauty of the ancient spring. Newt scouted out pretty girls (naturally) and trained them to swim with air hoses and smile at the same time. He taught them to drink Grapette, a non-carbonated beverage, eat bananas underwater and do aquatic ballets. He then put a sign out on US 19 that read: WEEKI WACHEE.
On October 13, 1947, the first show at the Weeki Wachee Springs underwater theater opened. Putting that into historical perspective, it was the same day that Kukla, Fran and Ollie first aired on that newfangled invention called television, and one day before Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier. I had to look up and then tried to explain who the heck … or as it turns out what the heck … a Kukla, Fran, and Ollie was to Benny. Rick and Lev admitted they hadn’t known either, so I didn’t feel quite so stupid.
On that first show, the mermaids performed synchronized ballet moves underwater while breathing through the air hoses hidden in the scenery. However, in those days, cars were few along US19. When the girls heard a car coming, they ran to the road in their bathing suits (considered skimpy in the old days) to beckon drivers into the parking lot, just like sirens of ancient lore lured sailors to their sides. Then they jumped into the spring to perform.
By the 1950s, Weeki Wachee became one of the country’s most popular tourist stops. The attraction received worldwide acclaim. Movies were filmed at the spring drawing even more attention. Sights at the park included the mermaid shows, orchid gardens, jungle cruises, and Indian encampment and a new beach. To spiff them up for the paying clientele, the mermaids even took etiquette and ballet lessons.
Weeki Wachee’s most famous era began in 1959, when the spring was purchased by the American Broadcasting Co. (ABC). One of the big television companies back when that kind of media entertainment was a thing. When they took over, they “modernized” the operation. They built a new theater that seated 400 and which is still used despite many renovations over the years. They embedded it in the side of the spring 16 feet below the surface. They also developed themes for the underwater shows, with elaborate props, lifts, music, and storylines such as Underwater Circus, The Mermaids and the Pirates, and Underwater Follies. The mermaids performed Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz, Snow White and Peter Pan.
Being a mermaid also became a potential ticket to fame. In the 1960s, girls came from as far away as Tokyo to try out for the privilege of becoming a mermaid. The glamorous mermaids performed eight shows a day to sold-out crowds and as many as half a million people a year came to see them. Thirty-five mermaids took turns swimming in the shows and captivating the crowds by playing football and having picnics underwater. Some of the mermaids lived in the mermaid cottages out behind the attraction. The mermaids wore one-piece suits (for family friendly shows) and were treated like royalty wherever they went in Florida.
All sorts of people stopped to see the mermaids, even Elvis Presley. Now that caught my attention. Benny let the secret out that I love Elvis by showing my music playlist to Rick and Lev. One of these days Little Bear is going to pay for that one.
The more modern history of the park is that the city of Weeki Wachee incorporated in 1966, putting the area on maps and state road signs. In 1982, the added feature Buccaneer Bay opened with waterslides and a white sand beach. In 1997, the popular Former Mermaid shows began, bringing former mermaids back to Weeki Wachee Springs to swim in the Mermaids of Yesteryear shows, which play to standing room-only crowds. Being a mermaid must be akin to being a Marine because their motto is: “Once a mermaid, always a mermaid.”
Benny and I took one run on each of the waterslides inside Buccaneer Bay, but the crowds and lines were so bad we exited the waterpark area. You just can’t really have fun if you are having to share your oxygen and personal space with that many people.
All four of us got filled up with crowd anxiety after reports that there’d been some brawls as the heat and number of people inside the park took their toll on people’s behavior. That is not anything that I wanted to expose Benny to and both Rick and Lev had reached their own version of max capacity as far as their patience went as they did their best to help me keep Benny from getting run over and pushed around. The park is really great, no mistake, the crowds did their best to ruin it for everyone. We headed out early to grab a quick bite to eat – the prices in the park was about like you would expect and one of the places had even closed because they’d run out of several menu items – and then head over to our last activity of the day.
It was the strangest looking thing; a clear kayak. It reminded me of the story of Cinderella’s glass slipper. This would have been so cool had it still been manatee season in the area. You can see everything which is really kinda freaky.
It was a small group of ten people and that included our guide, very welcome after the crowds we had been dealing with. The tour gave us access to the wildlife and plant life near the springs. We began our adventure by kayaking through a quiet estuary with brackish water before heading to the spring fed aquamarine waters of the Weeki Wachee River. The river is a popular place to live and recreate especially on weekends but it was later in the day and most people were more concerned about putting something on their sunburn and getting dinner than still being on the water. We stopped at some memorable places along the way to learn about the area. Our guide was fantastic and it wasn’t difficult at all for Benny to keep up. We saw wildlife all right – fish and birds primarily, but we also saw otters and a couple of dolphins. What a two-and-a-half-hours that was.
Rick took the jeep after dropping us off at the van so we could go check into an RV park down the street from the park. It wasn’t glamping and it was crowded but it was a place to stop for the night with all the hook ups we needed. Rick left Lev’s tent and gear so I guess he is under the assumption that when he is not around Lev still pops his tent. By mutual understanding we don’t tell him otherwise, even Benny gets it in his own way. It isn’t a “bad” secret, it is just to keep Ranger Rick from feeling guilty and stressing out that he is taking his mandatory day off. Well, whatever works.
No park tomorrow but it is an activity that I’m fairly certain that Rick is happy to get out of. We’ll see how it goes for us.
April 15 (Su) – Brooksville Blueberry Festival
Rick’s day off. I will admit here that I’m relieved I didn’t have to field his crowd anxiety. How on God’s green earth he has survived in his current position I am at a loss to figure out. He’s fantastic in small group and really knows how to deal with bureaucracy but crowds? He is going to have trouble front and publicity work if he can’t get a handle on it. I mentioned it briefly to Lev as we packed up to head out towards Brooksville.
“Might just be that he has too much going on. If he had more headspace …” Lev shrugged. “I’d still rather have him than some others that I’ve met that wanted the job.”
“Other people wanted the job?” That was the first I’d heard about that.
“Yeah. But since it was Rick’s suggestion originally and since he already had a bit of an ‘in’ with you and Benny since he met you during your national park gig, they decided to give him a chance. My people said they had plans to replace him if it didn’t work out but it has and … even with the personal mess, he’s a better match than the others. You think Rick is stiff and anal about the rules, these people would have run things like a boot camp. I’m not sure Benny could have handled a few of them as they appeared to have zero patience.”
That gave me more info than I’ve had and now I feel churlish – looked that one up in the thesaurus – for complaining, even if it was privately in this log, when Rick gets on my nerves. Ugh. Gus, you need to learn to be grateful for what you have and not irritated by what you don’t, when you don’t.
We just had a small smoothie for breakfast because we planned on grazing through most of the day. We were going to the Brooksville Blueberry Festival in Hernando.
Lev and I had checked over the stats last night so we weren’t heading in blind. With a total number of vendors setting up shop expected to top out at 500[1], the rows of local maker-markets and small-business booths displaying unique craft goods are shaping up to seem endless this year, or so said the paperwork. We are supposed to just scan them and not pay particular attention to anyone stall so avoid any appearance of favoritism. That didn’t mean we didn’t stop and look, just that we avoided staging photos or even taking too many casual ones.
There were some carnival rides but it wasn’t anything like the Strawberry Festival or the State Fair. There was also constant local entertainment options so the noise was pretty much a problem for me. Thankfully Lev understands and helps to keep an eye – or in this case an ear – out for when my APD is becoming a problem.
The part of the festival everyone was really there for of course, was the food … in particular blueberry-flavored food. There was also a ton of BBQ stuff as well. Holy mackerel - from sweets like cakes, cookies, candies, and cobblers to stranger things like blueberry-infused coffees, beers, and wines, to just even plain-ol' fresh berries. Just some of the blueberry things that I tried – and Lev and Benny if it was gluten-free – pie, cobbler, cotton candy, cakes, cookies, candies, taffy, infused wine (Lev), infused beer (Lev who made an awful face that I got on digital to use as blackmail if necessary), infused teas, infused coffee (another trying to be polite face from Lev that was downright hilarious), blueberry shortcake, jams, jellies, preserves, juice, ice cream, pancakes, cheesecake, Blueberry BBQ sauce (yum), and other things that I can’t even remember at the moment because the hamster is nearly comatose from a carb crash.
We left the festival before nightfall as Lev heard from a couple of local men that the cops were going to be out in full force as some kids from neighboring communities had been making noise that they were going to fight over some stupid school pride stuff. If I knew the type it didn’t have anything to do with school since most of them were likely failures grade-wise and was more about just showing their backside and getting their fifteen minutes in the local news. Buncha idiots. They’re going to wind up Impressed into the local Hard Labor programs even if most of them wind up being minors. Florida just stopped fooling around about that sort of thing years back during the Immigrant Riots, and unlike many States they never dismantled the programs when the rioting stopped.
The one time that Lawrence ever really got mad at me when I went to go live with him was when I got “befriended” by a group of kids that turned out to be turds. I was already waking up to it as Pei explained to me what was going on but Lawrence, man oh man, he chewed me out righteously and told me I couldn’t be a backwaters kid from Podunk, FL anymore. Looking back he was probable more scared for me than angry but at the time it felt righteously flambe’d and I absolutely deserved it.
On the way to our camp for the night – Rick will meet us in the morning – we went by the May-Stringer House, supposedly the most haunted house in Florida. Lev has a thing for the weird and off the wall and this fit the itch he wanted to scratch.
Neat looking house with an interesting history. Built in 1852, it is a 14-room house that has gone through a lot of owners over the years. According to local lore some of them have stayed beyond their lifetime. Abandoned and set to be made into a medical complex at one point, the May Stringer House was purchased by the Hernando Historical Association and today stands as an example of local history.
It is a bit of a tourist trap these days. The lady there acting as one of the guides was more than happy to give us the run down on the history of the house and some of its occupants. In 1852, the Armed Occupation Act proposed a deal: families were encouraged to go to Florida, build a dwelling, and farm on the land, then after 5 years the government would officially sign the land over to you. As seen in an 1847 land survey, the land that the May-Stringer House stands on was given to Richard C. Wiggins as part of the Armed Occupation Act after he fulfilled these conditions, but he did not stay. By 1852 he sold the land to John L. May and his family. May built the original four rooms of the house. John May, however, did not get to live in his home long, passing away only 3 years after it was built. Following his death May’s widow, Marena, remarried. Her now husband was Frank E. Saxon, recently returned from the Civil War. Saxon was a man of the town, he had been Postmaster General, was involved in various positions in local politics, and had served in the Civil War.
While living in the house Frank Saxon and Marena May had a child, Jessie. Sadly, Marena passed away in childbirth. Even more tragically, Jessie passed away when she was only 3 years old. Unfortunately, the records that would have contained her cause of death have been lost over the years, but Jessie is still said to be present in the house as a ghost. Often, when paranormal investigators, such as the Brooksville Paranormal Investigation Team investigate, they focus on Jessie’s room. Frank Saxon, over the course of the next few years, remarried and built a home for his new wife, Tallulah Hope. Hope had told Saxon there was too much tragedy in the May house for her to remain there. It is probably around this time that the home was sold to Dr. Sheldon Stringer.
Dr. Stringer added 10 rooms to the original 4 rooms for a grand total of 14. During his time as owner of the house, Dr. Stringer ran his medical practice out of the house, using pocket doors to be able to separate his office from the family areas of the house. The last Stringer to live in the house left around 1945. In this intervening period, they do not really know what went on in the home. According to the docents at the May-Stringer House, the building was converted into apartments for a few years, then was abandoned and damaged by the homeless. At some point a couple, the Hensleys, purchased the home with the intent to tear down the house and turn it into a medical complex. The Hernando Historical Association felt that this would be a tragedy. The Historical Association purchased the property in 1980. From there, it took many years for the local Brooksville community to restore the May-Stringer House. But, 17 years later the house was restored, open for tours, and was able to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Every item in the museum has come to the Historical Association through donation, most of which have come from the residents of Hernando County.
Today, most of the rooms in the house are set up and decorated in “themes.” For example, one room is themed to be a medical office, another is a typical Victorian parlor. Other rooms are designed to fit a certain collection of items, such as the Brooksville history room or the telephone and communications room. Then there are the ghost tours. These take guests through the lore of the haunted history of the May Stringer Home and the items within. The museum still gets its fair share of televised investigations as well. I looked up some of them on utube after Benny went to sleep. Most of them are hokey but there are a couple that made me go hmmmmm.
Speaking of, we are overnighting in a place close to tomorrow’s park. We had to drive into Pasco county to get there and I’m glad I called ahead to say we might be late or they would have given our site away. Hickory Point RV park was very close to our activities and I would have hated to have lost the space.
Resources:
Get Up And Go Kayaking - Weeki Wachee (Spring Hill) - What to Know BEFORE You Go
Historical Markers and War Memorials in Hernando County, Florida
[1] In 2023 the number of vendors topped 350. I’m using artistic license to estimate the number of vendors in a future time period.
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Thank you very much for the chapters it's been a headache day for me and it is calming for me to read.