Inland Explorations

My travel plans were to mosey my way up the coast from Central Florida while watching the weather report to the north. As I started searching for a camping spot within my usual two-week window, I was taken by surprise. There was absolutely nothing available within a two-hour radius of the Palm Coast, so I started frantically making phone calls. A conversation with an Ocala National Forest ranger set me straight -- it was Bike Week in Daytona (no, not bicycles), and there was not a spot to be had within 100 miles. Thanks to this same gal, I found Rodman Campground, just south of the nondescript town of Palatka. 

My first 36 hours were drenched in rain, followed by sunny days and cold nights (yes, below freezing) but the campground was a very pleasant place with new facilities and a very cordial staff. While I biked very little this week, I did walk nearly 25 miles of trails, and made a great discovery. 

Did you know that there's a Florida National Scenic Trail? I certainly did not, and it's a 1,400 mile, non-motorized hiking trail that was conceived in the 1960's, and stretches the length of Florida. It begins to the south at Big Cypress National Preserve near Miami and ends to the north at the Gulf Islands National Seashore near Pensacola. You can backpack and camp straight through the middle of the entire state. I'm game! 

Sidebar: I'd love to tell the story of Marjorie Harris Carr of Boston, but instead I'll send you here for details well worth reading. 
​