A Late February Road Trip

We left at the usual time for heading to the pickleball court, just before sunrise. The day was warming quickly as we made our way North, beginning on the 408, continuing onto the turnpike before landing on 1-75 for a few miles, all before leaving the big roads for the small roads. While it helps to get out of Orlando on some of the big roads, as you well know, we take the long way as soon as possible. In this instance we got on US-27 which becomes US-98 when it splits , 98 going West and 27 going NW. Here's a fun recounting of a similar journey from 2013!  What I found so interesting, while re-reading that long ago post, is that I was doing the driving. Yup, I used to do that and guess what???? I finally got behind the wheel  after having been such a chicken for multiple years. I think it all began when Bruce drove us cross country to Vancouver and I was a passenger all 4,000 plus miles. Then a year later, after not driving even one time while we lived in Vancouver, I was once again, the passenger/navigator. A week ago Tuesday, I got behind the wheel and stayed there for about 100 miles of the journey. I was just fine. 

Our destination was Apalachicola, called Apalach, or so we learned by the locals. 

No one is on those roads. 

Maybe a few cars, but seriously, it was a quiet ride indeed. Finally we stopped for a bathroom break and while waiting, I saw this in the parking lot.

Hardly any cars and hardly any people either. That's usually the way when we are on a road trip; huge swaths of empty land, devoid of people and things. Thankfully there was this little roadside store. I think it was called JRs Aucilla River Store. Tell them Bruce and Gail sent you should you stop by. Food was served in the adjacent building under the name of Mo's Place. 

Although we did not test their claim of having the best food around, I did take the photo and sent it to both Nancy and Lisa because our dearly departed sister Maureen, was affectionately called "Mo" by many who knew her. 

An excellent resource for those wanting to travel around Florida is the blog Florida Rambler, written by two journalists so you know that the writing is top notch. Whenever I have an idea about going somewhere for a quick trip, they have already been and can tell me lots about it. Places to stay, camp, ride bikes, kayak, all the good stuff. While reading said blog, I learned about St. Marks Lighthouse and Wildlife Refuge a place that sounded great to me, although at first Bruce was a tiny bit hesitant as the mileage sign was just a bit off and we were making such good time. The lighthouse is about 11 miles off of 98 and thinking of it as the round trip it would become, we wondered if it would be worth our time and mileage. 

We wonder no more and neither will you once you see how cool it is.

I hardly know where to start, so let's go with the obvious, the lighthouse.

Directly on the Gulf of Mexico, just behind the lighthouse the shoreline is a little rocky but adjacent to it, my, oh my, was that sand pretty. And, even more interesting was this.

What the heck? Hundreds of these little blobs of sand because, you guessed it, crabs galore!

These little suckers were fast, so not easy getting a shot before they darted underground! 

Do you see the really tiny one on the left? I admit, I am a bit of a roamer when in this sort of environment, so I had to go in search of Bruce once I had looked at another area. Am I ever glad it worked out that way because he was in the midst of what I'm calling a "nature documentary moment." 

Can you count them? The whole area was sort of marshy and each time Bruce took even the tiniest step dozens of the crabs disappeared from the swampy surface shown below.

The lighthouse has been there for a very long time and this plaque will describe it if you are interested in Florida history. 1842!

There are a couple of readers who will chuckle at the notion that 1842 was a long time ago. :)

For more about the wildlife refuge aspect, this will give you all the information that my casual readers could want. In other words, it is very short!

Driving into the wetlands, this was our first sighting of birds, in this case, Snowy Egrets and Egrets frolicking amongst what we now understand to be salt marshes. 

Although I doubled my zoom range with my new lens, most of the birds were still too far away for great photographs.  I did what I could. Was I ever grateful for the woman that I ran into who identified this interesting duck as a Canvasback.

With that cinnamon colored head and light back, it was quite handsome and because I'd never seen one before (how great is that?), he, and it is a he because the female looks mostly different, gets his own shot.

This group is varied.

While those were too far for my lens, this cutie on the beach, was not.

I am clueless as to the id. I did spend some time reading a new birder's guide aloud to Bruce and the author claims that I should first focus on the shape of the head and beak. Plus, the eye stripe. Going through my book, I was looking under Sparrows, however, the beak seems to be both the wrong color and shape. Yikes, this bird identification business is so hard! At any rate, doesn't the above unidentified bird blend into the landscape so well?

Driving in, I did not notice it. 

Driving out, I squealed with delight when I did.

One of the inhabitants was atop a nearby tree. It is one thing for someone to tell you where an eagle's nest is, and quite another to discover it on your own. In other words, thrilling. 

Not too far down US- 98W, as I was watching our progress on the iPad, I told Bruce that a bar-b-que restaurant was coming up on his side of the road.  Attracted to the strong color, we parked the car and were greeted with this mural.

What a crazy name for a restaurant, right? They are proud of it as it is displayed in multiple ways throughout the small space.

Why yes these are bottle caps.

After the absolutely delicious food was delivered, when the server returned we mentioned that both of us thought it would be a good candidate for Diners, Drive Ins and Dives. He's already been there, done that. As well, it has been featured on another show on the Cooking Channel. When I quizzed her about the name, she claimed that it was a colloquial term for a "little rascal". She also said, in a seriously Southern accent, that her grandmother used to call her that when she was acting up as a youngster. While I've done my best to confirm this definition, I've come up empty-handed. 

Whether it has been from television, or word of mouth,  the pinned map on the wall shows quite the fan base from surprising places. 

Following our late lunch we continued our journey. I mention this because although we got such an early start, as is so often our custom, it takes us forever to get where we are going! At any rate, the next small place we stopped was Sopchoppy to check out a city campground. As you have learned from this small space on the gigantic World Wide Web, finding campsites is shockingly difficult. I'd read about this one somewhere, so why not see it in person? It was good, and not as good. The bathrooms were new and terrific which was part of the good, the not so good included not having picnic tables at all sites, a must for us. As we were coming into town, the haze and smell of a prescribed burn was evident. Bringing back some fond memories from our arrival in Vancouver, I was able to photograph the sun at 4PM.

Located on the shores of the Sopchoppy River, I am sure that it is far prettier than when we saw it. For one thing, the smoke in the air, and another was the mostly bare trees. Not that I don't love bare trees, but the lushness of Spring would have done wonders for this place. I walked on this little bridge and what to my wondering eyes did I see?

Do you see it? What a delightful surprise to come across a White Squirrel when I was not expecting it at all. Now you understand why I love road trips! Finding the unexpected goes a long way with this curious gal.

Bruce chatted with a few of the campers and then we were back on the road again, but not before I took this photograph which I like very much.

Back to the Vancouver reference, the first day we were in the city it was in the midst of wildfire season and it was there that I saw how the smoke made the sun look so interesting. So there's that.

Before leaving on our trip, I'd called the place to make reservations, Riverwood Suites to be exact, and I asked Monica about fishing. In a testament to how small the town is, and friendly too, she gave me the phone number of someone who could tell Bruce lots about fishing. Although she no longer has a boat, Pam was born in Apalach, (it was she who introduced us to the term), and knows all the waterways. We were to meet her at her gift shop and she closed at 5:00. Looking at our watches we wondered if we could make it in time. Bruce put the pedal to the metal as we zoomed along the coast.

With the miles and minutes ticking away, we came over the bridge to Apalachicola with only minutes to spare. Parking the car we saw her as she was heading out of her downtown shop, Reel Memories.

Begging forgiveness for the tardy arrival, she showed Bruce a map and gave him a few ideas. She also gave us an idea for dinner at a place beloved by the locals. Okey dokey, thanks for your help!!

Riverwood Suites was within walking distance from our parked car so we went to check it out, keeping our car where it was. While Bruce found our suite, I roamed the charming back garden with a waterfall and all manner of comfortable seating. 

We were invited to "Relax." 

How is that even possible when you've driven 300 miles to see things? 

That's the excellent first day. More to come next time from our late February road trip. But you knew that already didn't you?

your friend,

Gail