Sunday, March 6, 2011
Wekiwa & Rock Springs
If anyone has been watching the national news, by now you have heard about the “Iron Horse Wildfire” that had been burning out of control in east/central Florida for almost the last week. Parts of I95 and Rt 1 have been closed on and off several times. Since everyone knows where Orlando is in Florida and where the Kennedy Space Center/ Cape Canaveral is, I will use those two well known places as points of reference. The fire started north of Kennedy and Merritt Island, where H and I went to explore, while staying in Moss Park. I95 and Rt 1 run north /south, parallel to each other, from Miami and all along the Atlantic side of the state. Orlando is in the center of the state and the town of Opopka is just north of it. The fire is about 50 miles east of where we are. The news reports today have been stating that we should be seeing smoke and ashes but it has rained on and off all afternoon so we have seen nothing. We are in no danger and finally the fires are getting under control. No lives lost and only one young fireman was injured.
Wekiwa Springs State Park is just on the outer limits of Apopka and is the headsprings for the Wekiwa River. The drive from the main gate to the campsites is a combination of pine and oak woods, dispersed with fields of waving grasses. The campsites are good sized and most are secluded niches carved out of the Palmetto jungle. The spring itself is down in a fairly good-sized “valley” with a great view of the run that leads to the Wekiwa River just around the bend. Lots of canoe’ers rent boats and paddle up to the bridge at the edge of the swimming area. The swimming area is on average about 4-5 ft deep and on the weekend, full of kids and families. On Sunday we assisted in the crowding of the cool waters and on Monday the “pond” was a lot quieter and just a few adults took turns at cooling off! 42 million gallons per day of crystal clear water flow out from the deep dark blue crevice where brave teenage boys show off by diving down into its dark depths. We stayed for 2 nights before moving 7 miles, up and around the corner to Kelly Springs, which is an Orange County Park, just like Moss Park. The price for camping is much more affordable in the county parks!
Kelly Park was donated to the county in 1927 as a park and wildlife sanctuary, and is the location of Rock Springs, a natural free-flowing 37.5 million gallon a day spring which meanders a winding 9 miles to the Wekiwa River. On our last visit here, we floated/ snorkeled down the ¾ mile run within the park proper but since the temps have cooled down just a bit, we felt the 68 degree water was just a bit chilly, so instead, H and I watched an otter frolic in the stream and then watched as a few boisterous groups floated on down scaring him back into the lily pads! We’ve been exploring the small neighboring towns and exercising our bikes around the roads and paths in the park. We’ve walked some of the trails, spotted a few deer and even tried to sneak close enough to some strutting turkeys to get their picture. We were hoping that this one pompous Tom would pay more attention to his “ladies” and not see us. No such luck
Another week has come and now gone. The locals have now filled the campground for the weekend and the parking lots down by the spring are full of vehicles, packed with ice chests and inner tubes. For us it was off to the flea markets up in Mt Dora and then over to Sanford where we found a good sized RV show that filled a whole section of a mall parking lot and then a Red Lobster for lunch. H even got to go thru a hobby store and I shopped at a Joann’s. Too bad their sale starts tomorrow.
When Sunday gets here – we’ll leave Kelly Springs and move 35 miles north to Alexander Springs in the Ocala National Forest. (Sigh) It must be “SPRING” time! (Sorry)
Wekiwa Springs State Park is just on the outer limits of Apopka and is the headsprings for the Wekiwa River. The drive from the main gate to the campsites is a combination of pine and oak woods, dispersed with fields of waving grasses. The campsites are good sized and most are secluded niches carved out of the Palmetto jungle. The spring itself is down in a fairly good-sized “valley” with a great view of the run that leads to the Wekiwa River just around the bend. Lots of canoe’ers rent boats and paddle up to the bridge at the edge of the swimming area. The swimming area is on average about 4-5 ft deep and on the weekend, full of kids and families. On Sunday we assisted in the crowding of the cool waters and on Monday the “pond” was a lot quieter and just a few adults took turns at cooling off! 42 million gallons per day of crystal clear water flow out from the deep dark blue crevice where brave teenage boys show off by diving down into its dark depths. We stayed for 2 nights before moving 7 miles, up and around the corner to Kelly Springs, which is an Orange County Park, just like Moss Park. The price for camping is much more affordable in the county parks!
Kelly Park was donated to the county in 1927 as a park and wildlife sanctuary, and is the location of Rock Springs, a natural free-flowing 37.5 million gallon a day spring which meanders a winding 9 miles to the Wekiwa River. On our last visit here, we floated/ snorkeled down the ¾ mile run within the park proper but since the temps have cooled down just a bit, we felt the 68 degree water was just a bit chilly, so instead, H and I watched an otter frolic in the stream and then watched as a few boisterous groups floated on down scaring him back into the lily pads! We’ve been exploring the small neighboring towns and exercising our bikes around the roads and paths in the park. We’ve walked some of the trails, spotted a few deer and even tried to sneak close enough to some strutting turkeys to get their picture. We were hoping that this one pompous Tom would pay more attention to his “ladies” and not see us. No such luck
Another week has come and now gone. The locals have now filled the campground for the weekend and the parking lots down by the spring are full of vehicles, packed with ice chests and inner tubes. For us it was off to the flea markets up in Mt Dora and then over to Sanford where we found a good sized RV show that filled a whole section of a mall parking lot and then a Red Lobster for lunch. H even got to go thru a hobby store and I shopped at a Joann’s. Too bad their sale starts tomorrow.
When Sunday gets here – we’ll leave Kelly Springs and move 35 miles north to Alexander Springs in the Ocala National Forest. (Sigh) It must be “SPRING” time! (Sorry)
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Sebastian Inlet To Melbourne
The road from Moss Park to Sebastian Inlet weaves from St Cloud, to I 95 in Melbourne, south to Sebastian and over the bridge to the barrier islands that protect the mainland and back north to the Sebastian Inlet State Park and it’s distinctive two jetties that reach far out into the crashing Atlantic Ocean waves. Every day, each jetty is lined with hopeful folks hoping to successfully hook and reel in the great catch of the day. The longer jetty on the north side is braced with cement and has huge (at least 8 ft across), scary, OPEN grates that taunt those folks who walk over them (well, me anyway!) with the possibility of falling down thru any one of the 2 inch wide openings into the crashing surf below. The Inlet itself is a great place to watch boats drifting and fishing to whichever way the tide is going and also the glistening white charter fishing craft with their tall flying bridges and vertical stacked fishing equipment, heading for the deep blue open water of the Atlantic. Each day, H and I walked from the campground, along the winding sidewalk, past the fishing pier and the patiently waiting pelicans and wood storks, up past all the benches, lined up and facing the waterway, to the jetties and the stately bridge that rises elegantly up and over the blue water.
Thursday, February 24th was the long anticipated launching of the Discovery Space Shuttle. The day started clear and the sky was blue with only a 20% chance of rain later that afternoon. H decided we should drive the 20 miles north and join R&N at the Melbourne Beach and watch the lift off from there instead of from the break-wall at the state park. Unfortunately, it was hazy up along those crashing waves of salt water and a lot of other folks had decided to join R&N on the beach also! Then the gray clouds started rolling in from the west. The later the hour, the more cloudy the sky got, and more crowded the beach became. N was watching her cell phone for the official Nasa countdown when we almost missed the whole launch!! Someone in the standing room only crowd yelled, “ There it is!” I was standing behind a broad shouldered man and didn’t see where the fast rising shuttle was coming from, so H grabbed my shoulders and yanked me to the left and said “ There!” Just in time, I clicked a picture before the small but bright glow disappeared into the dark clouds. Disappointed a bit – but at least we saw it! From there we made a quick escape from the parking lot and met R&N at a really good Mexican restaurant down A1A. I don’t think I’ve ever had spinach in any enchilada before!
From Sebastian Inlet, back up A1A to Melbourne and across town to Wickham Park – one of H’s favorite campgrounds, was Friday’s project. SPFB – again! This large county park has 2 lakes for swimming and for model boat sailing races, an equestrian center, plenty of picnic and playground areas, and a Frisbee golf course, besides the two camping loops. The politics of the campground have not improved over the last few years and it upset H tremendously. There were several empty spots in both “electrical” loops and still we were stuck in the overflow area – a big bare field with lots of tenters (homeless?) and weekend partiers. In spite of all that, the one bright spot out in the field was the Gopher Tortoise that H found trying to make a “quick run” from the anthill dotted field to the woods on the opposite side of the fence. H interrupted his bid for freedom and held him while I snapped his picture several times.
Thankfully, we spent the whole day Saturday out of the park! Breakfast at Subway, then, off to the flea market where the boys went their way and we two girls got to shop without any male pressure! The guys headed off to the nearby gun club to try their skill at the skeet range while N and I headed for our favorite drapery/upholstery store that just happens to have fantastic prices. Dinner that night was at Fishbone Willy’s – more seafood, of course!
Sunday morning we said our good-byes to R&N over another good Subway breakfast sub. Ohhhhhh, they are tasty! We’re heading north to Apopka and Wekiwa Springs State Park.
Thursday, February 24th was the long anticipated launching of the Discovery Space Shuttle. The day started clear and the sky was blue with only a 20% chance of rain later that afternoon. H decided we should drive the 20 miles north and join R&N at the Melbourne Beach and watch the lift off from there instead of from the break-wall at the state park. Unfortunately, it was hazy up along those crashing waves of salt water and a lot of other folks had decided to join R&N on the beach also! Then the gray clouds started rolling in from the west. The later the hour, the more cloudy the sky got, and more crowded the beach became. N was watching her cell phone for the official Nasa countdown when we almost missed the whole launch!! Someone in the standing room only crowd yelled, “ There it is!” I was standing behind a broad shouldered man and didn’t see where the fast rising shuttle was coming from, so H grabbed my shoulders and yanked me to the left and said “ There!” Just in time, I clicked a picture before the small but bright glow disappeared into the dark clouds. Disappointed a bit – but at least we saw it! From there we made a quick escape from the parking lot and met R&N at a really good Mexican restaurant down A1A. I don’t think I’ve ever had spinach in any enchilada before!
From Sebastian Inlet, back up A1A to Melbourne and across town to Wickham Park – one of H’s favorite campgrounds, was Friday’s project. SPFB – again! This large county park has 2 lakes for swimming and for model boat sailing races, an equestrian center, plenty of picnic and playground areas, and a Frisbee golf course, besides the two camping loops. The politics of the campground have not improved over the last few years and it upset H tremendously. There were several empty spots in both “electrical” loops and still we were stuck in the overflow area – a big bare field with lots of tenters (homeless?) and weekend partiers. In spite of all that, the one bright spot out in the field was the Gopher Tortoise that H found trying to make a “quick run” from the anthill dotted field to the woods on the opposite side of the fence. H interrupted his bid for freedom and held him while I snapped his picture several times.
Thankfully, we spent the whole day Saturday out of the park! Breakfast at Subway, then, off to the flea market where the boys went their way and we two girls got to shop without any male pressure! The guys headed off to the nearby gun club to try their skill at the skeet range while N and I headed for our favorite drapery/upholstery store that just happens to have fantastic prices. Dinner that night was at Fishbone Willy’s – more seafood, of course!
Sunday morning we said our good-byes to R&N over another good Subway breakfast sub. Ohhhhhh, they are tasty! We’re heading north to Apopka and Wekiwa Springs State Park.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Moss Park Orlando, Fl
MOSS PARK! A Florida Favorite! SPFB for the pictures of the long lanky gray sandhill cranes and big tall swaying pine trees and the huge sprawling live oak trees! These last 2 weeks have just flown by - - - like the cranes and hawks have been doing! It’s nesting/mating time for all the creatures that live here so there’s been A LOT of squawking, and courting and chasing – including the Jurassic Park sounding sandhill cranes and the frisky little fox squirrels that zing around and around the tree trunks! One of the tom turkeys has been busy strutting and gobbling and pecking at the shiny bumpers on George’s SUV!! George is the resident camp host and wildlife photographer here in Moss Park and has put together a really good movie with narration of all the birds and animals that call the park home. On last years blog we talked about the baby cranes and G has them featured in his movie presentation! They were SO cute!
The canoe made it off its home on top of the Jeep for several days! We bought fishing licenses at Walmart but unfortunately we got the ones that didn’t work. Never the less, it was great to be able to drag that lure around the lake and enjoy the wonderful 70-80 degree weather, taking in the serenity of the peaceful 2 lakes and the small cypress lined river that joins them. Most of the time the surface of lakes and river was like a dark tinted sheet of glass with an occasional ribbon of baby rickrack ripples disturbing the calm. The rushes would whisper in the gentle wind and the red-winged blackbirds would sing to each other - - - BUT THE FISH WOULD NOT BITE!! Oh well – there’s always next time.
Bobbie and Gene arrived and were joined by their friends, Ron and Ginny – who soon became our friends too! Twice we enjoyed a meal together and got to know each other better around a perfect campfire, which included the making of blueberry or cherry pies! Those 4 folks are musically inclined so H and I were treated to several interludes of dulcimer, lap harp, metal drum and even Indian flute music! This old blind lady can play the lap harp and I couldn’t even see the strings!
R&N moved from Davenport to Melbourne and had to pass thru St Cloud, about 20 miles south of here. We met them for lunch at the Catfish Place and indulged in yet another good seafood meal! Another fun side trip was last Saturday when we joined G&B at a surprise birthday party for B at their daughter’s home in St Cloud! We met so many of their friends and family!
As most of you now realize – the Space Shuttle is set to launch for it’s historic final trip on Thursday Feb 24th. H decided we should drive over to Titusville and Merritt Island’s Canaveral National Seashore to see if we could see the shuttle on it’s launch pad at the adjoining Kennedy Space Center. We stopped at the Merritt Island visitor center and then drove out to the beaches but unfortunately the day was hazy and the view was not very clear. You could see the assembly building and the two launch pads but the shuttle itself was on the furthest away pad and the shuttle was on the wrong side. We did walk the white sandy beach and took in the sand and white rolling surf. All along the beach were signs about nudity and how it was not permitted on the beaches. HOWEVER – at the north end of the National Seashore beach – were more than just a few folks who had on little more than just a hat! I wanted to post on this blog the picture I took of an older couple walking in front of us up the beach, but H said NO! The shorter, rounder lady was fully clothed – her taller, thinner gentleman had on - - - YEP – a hat!! Nice buns tho, for an old guy!
Our stay here at Moss Park is just about done. Our two weeks are up. We’ve taken attendance of all the animals, we’ve drug those beetle spins up and down the shorelines, we’ve given our bikes a good workout, we’ve enjoyed the company of good friends and breathed in the WARM fresh air of Central Florida so now it’s time to pack up the sewing machine, roll up the carpet, put away the chairs and hang the bikes on the rack. Time to go to Sebastian Inlet and hopefully see the shuttle launch!
The canoe made it off its home on top of the Jeep for several days! We bought fishing licenses at Walmart but unfortunately we got the ones that didn’t work. Never the less, it was great to be able to drag that lure around the lake and enjoy the wonderful 70-80 degree weather, taking in the serenity of the peaceful 2 lakes and the small cypress lined river that joins them. Most of the time the surface of lakes and river was like a dark tinted sheet of glass with an occasional ribbon of baby rickrack ripples disturbing the calm. The rushes would whisper in the gentle wind and the red-winged blackbirds would sing to each other - - - BUT THE FISH WOULD NOT BITE!! Oh well – there’s always next time.
Bobbie and Gene arrived and were joined by their friends, Ron and Ginny – who soon became our friends too! Twice we enjoyed a meal together and got to know each other better around a perfect campfire, which included the making of blueberry or cherry pies! Those 4 folks are musically inclined so H and I were treated to several interludes of dulcimer, lap harp, metal drum and even Indian flute music! This old blind lady can play the lap harp and I couldn’t even see the strings!
R&N moved from Davenport to Melbourne and had to pass thru St Cloud, about 20 miles south of here. We met them for lunch at the Catfish Place and indulged in yet another good seafood meal! Another fun side trip was last Saturday when we joined G&B at a surprise birthday party for B at their daughter’s home in St Cloud! We met so many of their friends and family!
As most of you now realize – the Space Shuttle is set to launch for it’s historic final trip on Thursday Feb 24th. H decided we should drive over to Titusville and Merritt Island’s Canaveral National Seashore to see if we could see the shuttle on it’s launch pad at the adjoining Kennedy Space Center. We stopped at the Merritt Island visitor center and then drove out to the beaches but unfortunately the day was hazy and the view was not very clear. You could see the assembly building and the two launch pads but the shuttle itself was on the furthest away pad and the shuttle was on the wrong side. We did walk the white sandy beach and took in the sand and white rolling surf. All along the beach were signs about nudity and how it was not permitted on the beaches. HOWEVER – at the north end of the National Seashore beach – were more than just a few folks who had on little more than just a hat! I wanted to post on this blog the picture I took of an older couple walking in front of us up the beach, but H said NO! The shorter, rounder lady was fully clothed – her taller, thinner gentleman had on - - - YEP – a hat!! Nice buns tho, for an old guy!
Our stay here at Moss Park is just about done. Our two weeks are up. We’ve taken attendance of all the animals, we’ve drug those beetle spins up and down the shorelines, we’ve given our bikes a good workout, we’ve enjoyed the company of good friends and breathed in the WARM fresh air of Central Florida so now it’s time to pack up the sewing machine, roll up the carpet, put away the chairs and hang the bikes on the rack. Time to go to Sebastian Inlet and hopefully see the shuttle launch!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
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