Tallahassee

I’m at Rose’s house in Tallahassee. We got here a few days ago. In Dunnellon we camped at Rainbow Springs again. It’s truly a beautiful place. After getting a campsite and setting up for the night we went to see about renting a canoe. The canoe had to be returned no later then 3:30. That is when they closed. It was already 2 o’clock so we only had an hour and a half. Not really enough time but we both really wanted to explore the crystal clear river a little, so we went ahead and rented one. To say it was beautiful is an understatement. We found a great swimming hole that had no gators visible and swam a little. Then it was time to return the canoe.

At camp we cooked an awesome meal. Steak with sautéed onions mushrooms and garlic noodles with cheese and greenbeans. As always dinner was a joint effort. When I was at the farm before Christmas my sister in law reunited me with my small cast iron frying pan. I’m uncertain where I got the pan from but in 2008 I canoed from New York into the Mississippi River. This was the pan I used on that trip and many others where weight wasn’t a huge factor. Dan and Emily collect Griswald cast iron and I had given it to them. It was nice to be using it again. Some things, like steak just taste better when cooked in cast iron.

After a pretty good night’s sleep we were up early. It was cold. 33.7 degrees. We both love our hammocks and agree they are way more comfortable then a tent but due to the air being able to circulate under your back they are not near as warm. Had we known it was going to get so chilly we would of used our tents. The night life was particularly noisy and I don’t think I fell asleep until 1. I enjoyed listening to the coyotes howling and the occasional raspy bark of a fox but all the raccoons fighting got a bit irritating. We greeted the cold morning with lots of hot coffee,pancakes, eggs and bacon. The strong morning sun warmed us and by the time breakfast was ready I was ready for an ice cold espresso. The cans of Cafe Bustelo are my second favorite. Almost as good as Black Rifle coffee.

It was a slow morning with lots of lollygagging. But by 11 we were packed and ready to go. Looking at maps and planning the days ride I kept thinking about the river. It was so beautiful and we had enjoyed our canoeing so much I really wasn’t ready to leave. We both really wanted to canoe the entire 7 or 8 miles but Rose had to be in Tallahassee on Friday. Tallahassee was about 150 miles so we had planned on three fifty mile days. We discussed our options and came up with a brilliant plan! We could canoe all day then rent a Uhaul and drive to Tallahassee. A Google search showed a uhaul dealer 6 miles away with a 10 foot box truck for $120. So that’s what we did. It was epic!

The 2 days from Starke wilderness to Rainbow Springs was excellent. It was almost all on trails.

The few days spent in Tallahassee have flown by. We canoed the Wicissa River with is also famous for it crystal clear water. We have been cycling on a few day trips to pick up some of the miles we skipped in the Uhaul.

Tomorrow, Tuesday Rose will drop me off and I will continue my trip across the country. Rose has a 3 day horticulture trade show in Mobile Alabama in 9 days. I also am headed that way and will get to see her for a couple days there. The westbound leg of my journey has begun!