It is my last day on the Ochlockonee River. I discovered after my last post that I missed one of those "o"s.
The Brown Bird
Yesterday while doing yoga in the grass I saw the Brown Thrasher bird that is by my campsite feeding a chick next to the saw meadow palms. The little chick would run back into the cover of the palms on occasion. No wonder the adult zoomed at me the other day when I played the Brown Thrasher call I found on the internet.
It is interesting how when I learn a new bird species name it often becomes my new favorite bird. This one has a lovely repertoire of melodies like the mocking bird, which was/is a favorite too.
The White Squirrel
There are white squirrels in this campground too. Unlike the white squirrels in Wisconsin, these have a dusty streak of black down the back of their head and shoulders. Like they crawled under a dirty car.
The other day I was looking up at one and of course looking up you see things... I noticed that this one has one huge testicle. I got my binoculars out to stare because I thought maybe it was a momma with a pink baby squirrel clinging to a nipple. I am the crazy lady, staring at the underside of a squirrel with her binoculars. I wondered if it might be a special feature of these white squirrels, but I have been looking at others... It appears to be just that one.
Though they are always moving so it is hard to tell.
St Marks to Tallahassee
After I wrote to you last I drove over to St. Marks and rode up to the trail head in Tallahassee. Trail Links told me it was going to be about 40 miles round trip, but it was only about 32. Lots of shade, some interesting houses to look at. Was surprised by the call of a peacock in someone's yard.
I stopped at a park and found a Little Free Library.
I just happened to put a book in my bag in case I encountered just such an opportunity.
As I rode I noticed a pinching in my lower spine. I have been having a hard time tightening the web seat enough for good support. I even took the seat off and added tight velcro straps creating a webbing like on a lawn chair. It still sags. I stuffed my jacket behind me and it helped. I need to get a bike shop to fix that somehow.
So even when we run into a closed one, we know there is relief, just down the trail a bit.
There was a modest home with a huge branching oak tree reaching across the whole generous yard.
In St. Marks I saw a couple on ice trikes. "Hey, didn't I just see you unloading your trikes at the Tallahassee trail head?" I ask.
I was able to chat with them... well with her. He was pretty quiet and distant.
They were from Georgia and come down to do the trail regularly. They have had their trikes for two years.
When we introduced ourselves she shook my hand. This is an action we haven't been doing since COVID struck big. I turned my head away and said, "I have been doubly vaccinated." She said she isn't getting the vaccine.
She said her daughter got it and after 10 days started getting migraines. I told her that is important information to add to the CDC data base. I told her that when I got the vaccine I got a paper with information to sign up for the CDC to track my symptoms. I get a text asking me if I am experiencing any symptoms. It takes less than 20 seconds to check in and it really will help them assess the side affects. It is an important part of their ability to gauge whether the risk is worth it. She said she would tell her daughter.
She has seven children. I said, "Wow, you are a strong woman!" and at the same time I noticed that is what her t-shirt said, I am strong!
She pointed out that she had the same shaped glasses as I do now. I recently got new frames from Zenniopitical.com because my not-so-old ones got run over on the Withlacoochee Trail.
I was riding in the rain and so I took them off and hooked them over the neckline of my shirt. Later I heard a rubbing on my back tire. I went to check it out. I bent over to get a closer look and I think that is when they must have fallen to the ground.
I posted my loss on Facebook and someone found them and returned them to me. But they were scratched pretty bad. So now I have newer ones. It is fun to have a new look.
Mask-less Land
Though I have had both my vaccines I still wear my mask when in stores and restaurants or in close proximity to other non-vaccinated people.
All the park staff and volunteers wear masks, even when driving around in their golf carts.
I wanted lunch in St. Marks. I first went to a place that had a bunch of motorcycles out front and some of the riders outside. Some looking not to friendly at me, some a little wasted. As I walked through them, with my mask on, they stared... I wasn't one of them, I guess.
Inside all the patrons and the waitstaff were mask-less. And again I was the object of all eyes. I looked at the menu and there was nothing for me, so I left and went across the street. There was more space and a few masks and not as much staring. Still, there was a sign warning the wait time was an hour or more to get your food.
Dining in St. Marks isn't that important. I drove down the road and picked up a subway sandwich.
Dancing in the Moon Light
Back at camp I was looking at my messages on Facebook. There was a comment from Connie telling me to sing in the rain and dance with the moon, or something like that.
I told her I had sang and danced in the rain but never with the moon. What music would I play?
I took my phone outside with me and it turned out there was a full moon.
Heather commented with the lyrics to a song that was perfect: Dancing in the Moonlight
I took my phone to the trail by the river. Turned the song on and danced. Giggling. I only saw one other person far off.
Connie said, "Give me a minute."
Then she posted a picture of her and Jerry dancing to the same moon. And Heather sent a picture of the moon from her house. Thanks for the smiles!
Special Moments
Last time I told you about the wonderful send off dinner that Connie hosted.
There was another send off that makes me feel so blessed and valued.
Beth contacted me the weekend before I left home and said she wanted to have a ladies dinner before I go and I should name some of the people I would like her to invite. I had to keep the number down to six of us. So I thought of those I don't get to see very often.
Right away I remembered that I had just briefly met her friend Marti that she has talked about and I have seen on Facebook. I wanted to get to know her better. Then there were a couple gals I see on the trail that I just keep wanting to get together with but it never happened often enough.
Beth did all the work, got it all together, we each brought a dish to share. We had a wonderful time. Thank you Beth!
WOW! Why do I want to travel when I have such treasure at home?
A big part of it is that I want to see my sister and my family and friends in Wisconsin.
I am listening to a book that is appropriate for traveling, Do Not Go Gentle, Go to Paris. In the book she talks about perfect moments. She describes one for example, over looking a lovely green quiet country valley with grazing sheep and then the church bell rings, gong gong gong... a perfect moment.
The first couple days I was here I was feeling a desperate need to discover, to see, to explore. I didn't want to leave here and then have someone say, "Did you do this?" "Did you see that?" And me feeling like I missed out and I would need to return here again.
I was also hunting down that perfect moment or the delight of learning or seeing something new.
Then I started feeling discontent. The hunger unsatisfied, I was feeling unfulfilled. What was I seeking and why? Why wasn't I using my energy and talents for something?... for human kind? Is there something wrong with me that I can't just be but I have to be contributing somehow?
The next morning I decided instead of going out I would work a bit on the next book first. A few hours of work, I felt valuable again.
When I was getting ready for a bike ride I heard my neighbors chatting. I have met the neighbors across from me, Susan and Robert are from Ludington, Michigan. They like to come down for a few weeks each spring. They don't sit with me around the fire, but we stand and chat.
The ranger came by and we chatted with him probably 15 minutes! His name is Bruce. He wanted to know if we saw the white deer. I had, Susan and Robert and Bruce had not. Bruce said the range of the white deer is quite small and all within a part of this state park.
We chatted and joked for a while.
I was able to go for a bike ride without guilt... but first I drove 19 minutes to get ice cream in Carrabelle. I remember riding through this town when George and I rode our trikes from Illinois to Florida. We spent a couple nights in Apalachicola.
I love these names, Sopchoppy, Apalachicola, the loblolly pine tree.
The ice cream shop was closed when I arrived. No fear, there was a Winn Dixie down the road a bit.
I stopped at the library first and donated a copy of Alzheimer's Trippin' with George.
I was the only one in Winn Dixie with a mask. I took my ice cream to a water front park.
Tomorrow I leave here and head further west.
