On the road again . . . the Florida Panhandle

University of Florida in Gainesville Florida

It was a low key travel day today.  We left our friends Cheryl & Tom May in Interlachen and then moved slowly west crossing through lots of small towns.  I was surprised to see Gainsville, Florida.  For some reason I had always pictured it different in my mind.  Funny how that happens.  Gainsville reminded me of Concord or Keene New Hampshire with nice wide, clean streets, nice old county buildings, a small, civil city with a beautiful, well manicured college campus.

My friends recommened a small, fishing village on the southern coast of the Panhandle called Steinhatchee, Florida.  It was indeed quite quanit with working fishing boats and marinas. It also had interesting houses up on stilts.  Some were great architectural feats and some were no more then a shack.  I traveled through lots of forest land today.  Florida does a very good job managing their forests, burning the underbrush.  They are really beautiful to drive along miles of pine standing tall with nothing below but their dark burn marks which rise about 10 feet high.  Our friends son and daughter-in-law do this kind of RX burn work for the State so it was interesting talking with them about it.

Not much to look a today.  I seemed to get stuck on an animal thing.  I sopped at the pigs and the aligators but then I went on later in the day to see huge cows, horses, on and on - I got tired of pulling around and goind back so I share with you a few of the best animals I could find along Route 98.

We pulled off the road early tonite staying in a beautiful new Best Western in Crawfordville Florida.  We're really looking forward to the next few states.  Looks like Louisiana comes next.  We topped 3,150 miles today since we've left New Hampshire.  It was a reall pleasant day, high 70's, bright sunshine - lots to be thankful for.  PEACE!