There are no words..

We are buying sympathy cards today -- actually Patty is,  I doubt there are the words.  

Two funerals today, one for an Airstream friend we never actually met and another for the husband of a childhood friend I first met when she was toddling around in snowsuits.  Both Irishmen who lived full lives, found happiness with strong women they dearly loved and died within hailing distance of the feast of St Patrick.

Patty was checking out with her chosen cards.  Connie, the checker, read each.

"TWO cards," she questioned, and then broke into sobbing. 

"I lost my son a month ago."

Patty had no words, and said so.  "I just can't imagine..."

"You know," she continued after both had eased their tears, "You are the first person who hasn't given me advice..."

In the last week I've read nearly a thousand messages to our Airstream friend Maggie, all trying to comfort and encourage and offer assistance.  All have been sincere and many eloquent.  Maggie has accepted all graciously, but ultimately words fail.

Sandy's big hearted Irish guy will be sent on his way with a huge rambunctious wake.  He financed it himself years ago and appointed planners he knew would follow through. 

Maggie's Doug will be buried from a historic old Moravian church in Iowa.  I imagine it will be quiet.  There will be words,  with strong families gathered near, but in the end there will be tears and the memories that will live silently in our hearts.
 

Withlacoochee State Bike Trail

THE THREE "MUST-GO-HERES"

THANKS to Dave & Eileen, our genial hosts and first class guides, all our Citrus County adventurers were scheduled for the perfect time and most salubrious weather. For Biking, they chose the Withlacoochee trail, one of Florida's long, smooth Rail/trails. Of course, we rode the premier section South from the quaint town of Floral City. 

 

Just part of the mural on the Bike Store

The highway noise faded and we found ourselves amid small ranches and lakes with glimpses of beautiful canopied roads.

Canopied roads are tempting...

Following our friends' routine, we laid out a day (and ATE PIE) but we returned to bike the same section on Sunday.  There WAS more traffic, but it was our LAST day. The winds were up and actually turned us around when a blown down tree blocked our path.  That may explain why the traffic was lighter.

Around Floral City, the motorcycles were flooding into The Shamrock for St Patty's festivities. and Aunt Martha was most gentle in breaking the news that the Strawberries were sold out. 

Well, maybe not strawberries...

Amid honey and preserves, boiled peanuts and a free book exchange,  Aunt Martha sells produce with the gentility and grace we should all try to master.

REAL PADDLING

  


The Sun burned through the fog just in time for our launch on the black smooth waters of the Withlacoochee. Dave and Eileen were continuing their role as tour guides; this was their secret favorite paddle and alligators were assured. Osprey and Ibis greeted us at the start.  Vultures circled and little herons waded among the cypress knees.  The hardwood trees were starting to bud out, but there was not a single insect except a half starved dragonfly.

The main river has cabins upstream and a friendly bank resident pointed out the only gator we would see all day. Then there was this guy, but not nearly as grisly as the white crosses mounted in trees at several turns,  Memorials to drunks lost to nighttime air boat crashes, he confirmed.

But there was the more whimsical...

 Downstream,  we entered preserve land and paused for lunch.  

Gum Springs rises nearly 5 miles from the river and braids its way through lowlands seldom over a foot above water level.  We entered Gum Slough not sure which braid would take us upstream. We  weren't prepared to hurdle or hack our way through blow downs, but we got lucky. We wound through passages that doubled back and overhung our boats, but there always seemed to be a way.  The water ran clearer here, less time for the spring water to pick up the tannin stain characteristic of swamps. Meanwhile every turn showed us glimpses of wildlife -- hawks, Ibis in flocks, a huge owl repositioning away from our voices,  little yellow warblers and many more too shy to give us a long look.  It was tranquil, mildly adventuresome and deeply satisfying to be in such a beautiful place with perfect weather and good friends.

Getting Acquainted with Quaintness

Cedar Key?  Its funky...laid back...QUAINT... 

We hear this from everybody.  

We found crowds of grey heads like us  (many on motorcycles), boat trailers, B&Bs, condos and bars, lots of bars, a wall of restaurants blocking the sunset and one bumper sticker of the laid back variety...

Oh we found some QUAINT...

...and some QUAINT that was perhaps past it's "Sell By" date...

But we also found what Patty likes best about coastal towns...

...Huge twisted Live Oaks festooned with Air Plants, ferns, Spanish Moss and sometimes entwined in Trumpet Vine.  We found this grove had "captured" a sky blue and salmon colored Bed and Breakfast.

We left with visions of summer nights looking out from one of those upper story windows....
 .....and with our Quaintness Quota satisfied.

ADVENTURERS AND ADVENTURES

 Eric was climbing the long shallow hill to the campground when we slipped by his loaded touring bike.  He was still grinning after 85+ miles.  In the campground, we enjoyed hearing about a lifetime of cycling adventures -- a full year around the world with his wife, big loops out Washington DC and this trip from the Keys to Silver Springs Maryland.

Eric packing in the early morning fog and demonstrating the super lite gear (and sunny disposition) which allows him to cycle tour while the rest of us are holed up in a motel or camper.

On this day's ride Eric encountered a Polish gentleman who claimed to have been the US Olympic Cycling team coach.  We pooled our vast encyclopedic knowledge (and then checked Wikipedia) to discover that he had indeed shared the trail with the great Eddie Borysewicz .

 

 

 

Paddling --finally

The Head springs of Rainbow run were developed as an "attraction" in  pre-Disney Florida.  There were gardens of native and exotic plants, man made "waterfalls", the usual glass bottom boat rides, and stone paved walking paths. 

It is a state park now and nicely restored. We toured it during the chilly days last week, but we AND EVERY OTHER WATER LOVER IN THE AREA welcomed the sunny weather today. 
 

We joined Dave and Eileen and a flotilla of canoes, kayaks, dive boats, standup boards, water taxis and assorted other floating apparatus for a run from the campground launch into the Spring reserve. Sunny Sunday meant Wildlife sightings of a whole different kind, but everyone was good natured and glad to be out.  The otter sightings we had hoped for will have to wait for a weekday.

Rainbow Springs

Here we are in Rainbow Springs State Park near Dunnellon, one of Florida's Premier Parks.   You know you are  in a premier park cause you paid $30 and the roads are paved and the spotless gravel pads are level.  The bathhouses and all physical features are first class. There are few trees, but the spacious sites in the B,C loops are well separated by natural greenery about shoulder high. 

So we are "Big Rig Friendly" here and the multiple slide set have clear satellite shots.  Is is just me or does it seem that the bigger the rig, the smaller the dogs?


Most importantly this park has Ranger Cynthia, who, despite reduced hours and staff, can welcome campers with the most thorough briefing we have ever had, answer the phone and sell ice nearly simultaneously, smiling warmly all the time. 

We are just a short portage (portage carts furnished free) to the Rainbow Spring run -- 500 million gallons of crystal clear 72 degree water slipping daily past the launch. There may be more car top boats here than people.  We all want to paddle, but it is 50ish, overcast and blowing hard and it is KILLING US!

We have amused ourselves with short bike rides and shorter walks.  Lunch with friends Eileen and Dave was a delight, and Dave has a few more adventures planned as the weather warms.  We learned that shopping anywhere the first few days after the retirement checks come in means long lines, but lots of friendly banter. We found that Don Pepe's has the same menu of any Mexican restaurant we've tried, but does each item better.  (We went back twice to verify.) The men's club at St Johns Catholic Church were trained in the Friday Fish Fry tradition of the North and brought their skills South in retirement.  

OK THE SUN CAME OUT AND IT'S LIKE A  DIFFERENT PLACE!      

Campers are out of their boxes and interacting, kayaks are launching, boys are fishing --it's Florida.

   Today we biked  the last five miles of the Withlacoochee bike trail along the aborted Cross Florida Barge Canal. (R.I.P.) It was sunny with just enough breeze to discourage little bitey things.  Dolphins were fishing close to shore at the end point on the Gulf and the parking lot had both an active Osprey nest and a Horned owl with fuzzy chick in residence in an abandoned eagle or Osprey nest.