Back to Florida

Through New Mexico, through Texas, through Louisiana, through Mississippi, through Alabama and back into Florida. A couple of overnight stops on the way with nothing particularly interesting. But, we then stopped in Tallahassee for a couple of nights. We had never been to Tallahassee in all the time we lived in Florida. We drove through the center of town and pulled into an RV park on the east side of town. Tallahassee is, obviously, a city of some size, but the east side is more like nice suburbs. Pretty neighborhoods, tons of shopping including Costco, and many restaurants.  Unlike south Florida, everything was green. Most of the trees are hardwoods not palm trees. The weather is a little cooler than the south and overall, it turned out to be a pretty nice place. 

We decided to take a drive over to St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. About an hours drive over towards the Gulf of Mexico.  The preserve is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service operated refuge to protect the animals and plants of the area. There are over 75 miles of trails winding through several different environmental areas. The area was almost stripped of trees for turpentine production, but in the 1930's the Phillips Turpentine Company sold the land to the government and the woods have made a comeback. 

 At the end of the road is the historic St. Marks Lighthouse.  The House of Representatives authorized the construction of a lighthouse at the mouth of the St. Marks river in 1828.  In August 1837, a ten foot tidal wave washed away all the buildings surrounding the lighthouse , damaged the lighthouse and took the lives of eight people.  The lighthouse was rebuilt in 1842. During the civil war, President Lincoln ordered a blockade of southern ports and the light was turned off. Confederate troops used it as a lookout but northern naval bombardment stopped that. After the war, the tower was repaired, the height was increased to 73' and the light was turned back on. For the next, almost 100 years, the lighthouse was a steady sentinel against shipwrecks. In 1960, the light was automated and in 2000, the electric light that had illuminated the lens was turned off and an exterior solar powered lighting blinking every four seconds was installed. Today, the lighthouse exterior has been restored and it looks as if it is brand new.

Jo and I went for a hike on the Tower Pond Trail and about 45 minutes in remembered why we didn't hike in Florida.  Heat, sticky and bug infested.  And, quite frankly, no fun! Back to the air conditioning of the RV .

The next day, a drive in a different direction. 12 miles inland through some absolutely beautiful, tree lined roads and farms to Bradley's Country Store. The store was built in 1927 and stands today as it did then. The family still sells what it started with, the best, old fashioned, country smoked and fresh sausage. The building is a butcher shop and general store with some of the most interesting and fun items on the shelves.  We stopped for the $5 lunch of sausage on roll with chips and drink and sitting in a rocking chair on the porch. Looking at the farm and animals across the street.  You absolutely step back in time. We stocked up on sausage, pork loin and a beautiful porterhouse steak. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed it.  I felt like I was back in my grand father's butcher shop in Philadelphia.

 
 Check out the inside of the store. Hasn't changed much over the years.

On to Palm Harbor/Clearwater for family time and repairs to the RV and car.