Week 6: Fort White FL R&R

I arrived at my father’s house in northern Florida Monday, 1/27 just in time for dinner and 4 days before his 71st birthday.  The drive included leaving Louisiana, passing through Mississippi and Alabama, and ending in Florida.  

Fort White, FL

Leaving New Orleans and heading East out of the storm

Fort White & PattyWaggin
After being a road warrior for a while, I was happy to be settling into Dad’s house for a couple of weeks.  My father, his wife Carol and their dog Amos live in Fort White which is about 30 minutes northwest of Gainesville, FL.  Fort White is home to approximately 500 people, three gas stations, a post office, library, two dollar stores, and no grocery stores (and certainly no cafes or Starbucks!).  It may not be a thriving metropolis, but it is certainly a perfect place for R&R.  Amos and Trooper didn't exactly become best friends, but Trooper developed a devotion for my father and followed him everywhere. 

Best buds

Since Dad is an avid RVer, we spent most of Tuesday checking out PattyWaggin.  After 4,000 miles, she needed an oil change, the refrigerator door was broken, the nav system was still not working, my mountain bike rubbed off paint in the back, and she was in dire need of a thorough cleaning.  We spent several days running errands, repairing what we could and cleaning up my “home”.  I must write that after our efforts, she never looked better!

Dad starting to wash... clearly the ladder meant he was serious!

Me on the roof (Dad made me get up there)

True team effort!

Happy Birthday Dad!

As I mentioned in my last post, I didn’t expect to be in Florida 30 days after leaving Seattle, but as fate would have it, I was and was able to celebrate my father’s birthday with him.  I had the house to myself Friday morning and baked double chocolate walnut brownies from scratch.  The simple pleasure of baking in a full kitchen with a real oven and all the baking gadgets one could dream of was a luxury not to be taken for granted.  That evening, I took Dad and Carol to dinner at ‘The Great Outdoors’ restaurant in a neighboring town called High Springs.  As soon as I saw ‘Naked Ed’s Low Country Boil’ on the menu, I was sold!  Dinner was delicious and the 2nd round of adult beverages were on the house.  I am very thankful that I was with Dad to celebrate his birthday. 

Dad & Carol enjoying Makers & H2O (second round)

Dad & his baby girl, Amos (yes, she's a she with Amos as her name) 

Like father, like daughter

Naked Ed's Low Country Boil... delicious!

West Virginia Day

Saturday was West Virginia Day.  My father was born and raised in South Charleston, WV and has a commendable hometown pride.  Since there are a significant number of West Virginians in Florida, several folks have organized an annual “West Virginia Day”.  Shortly after arriving at the church for setup, Carol was put on coffee duty and I became the photographer.  I had several folks offer to pay for the photos, so perhaps I have a future as a photographer!?!  It was a fun day connecting with so many people who are humble, genuine, and enjoy making fun of themselves and the stereotypes around WV.

Welcome sign

Dad & Carol selling raffle tickets

I staged this so I could sneak a brownie :)

A room full of West Virginians

The accounted for WV counties

Ichnetucknee Springs
Sunday, I went to Ichnetucknee Springs State Park to check out local flora and try to get Trooper to swim and cool off.  I forgot about East Coast humidity and with temps in the 70’s, it was a bit warm for a 100lb Malamute.  There have been a few days where I find myself craving the cool and refreshing air of the Pacific Northwest.  You may think swimming is a natural instinct for dogs, but apparently that is not accurate.  Trooper is a dog where “sink or swim” leads to him sinking and flailing for the shoreline.  After a few hours of hiking, it was time for both of us to cool off.  Florida is home to natural springs that are crystal clear and refreshingly inviting.  Blue Hole Spring is one of these and where I decided to attempt getting Trooper in the water. I took off my boots, rolled up my pants and stepped off the canoe/kayak platform into the water.  It was invigorating!  I held onto Trooper’s harness and after several minutes, I was able to coax him onto the first step.  He loves water as long as his paws are touching the ground.  As soon as he went for the second step, he sank then began thrashing.  I lifted him back onto the deck and he immediately started running around and spinning in what I refer to as his “happy dance”.  It has become a goal on this journey to teach my dog how to swim.  It was a great day in the local woods and other highlights from this day were finally fixing my navigation system and the incredible Seahawks Superbowl victory!

Baby turtle crossing the trail

T on trail enjoying new smells

T & I ready to cool off in Blue Hole Spring

Most of the week was spent relaxing, repairing, eating great food, cozying up to the wood fire, and enjoying long reminiscing conversations with the family.  It has been a fantastic week and I have been spoiled, so a HUGE thank you to my father and Carol for their incredible hospitality (and to Amos for letting T invade her space)!

Carol's homemade carrot pie... yes, carrot pie and it's more delicious than pumpkin pie!

Final Thoughts
As I drove the 4,000 miles to Fort White, I realized two things.  The first is that for people who think our country is overpopulated, I highly suggest getting in a vehicle and driving.  Traveling through places like Northern Arizona and Texas, and southern Louisiana and Alabama gave way to mile after mile of nothing but pure, raw nature.  It was beautiful, reassuring and comforting to see.  The second thing is that there are a lot of people living in poverty.  Driving across the country through many remote and rural areas opened my eyes and left a lasting impression.  I am very grateful for what I have and hope that these experiences will help me to live more simply and have more compassion for others.

enjoy & until next time...