Bike Ride With a History Lesson

 

As promised in my last post, I want to show you the bike trail we took recently along the Withlacoochee River, the Withlacoochee Bay Trail (not to be confused with the Withlacoochee State Trail).

Years ago there was a project to dig a 200-mile shipping channel from the Gulf of Mexico in a northeastern direction toward Jacksonville. 

The idea was a result of threats by World War I and II German U-boats on American ships along Florida's coasts. Ground-breaking was in 1964, during Lyndon Johnson's presidency. The effort was put to a halt by President Nixon in 1971 due to the opposition by scientists, economists, and activists in a group called the Florida Defenders of the Environment.

The bike trail we followed on this trip runs alongside part of the canal project. The trail makes for a scenic ride as you will see.

The night before our adventure we figured out how to load our bicycles onto the new rack and took off in a westerly direction on about an hour's drive.

When we reached Highway 19, our directions told us to turn left. We did not take "Follow That Dream Pkwy" since that was not the plan for the day. We didn't know why that road was given the name, but I Googled it a few days after we got home.

The street was so-named after a movie starring Elvis Presley, Follow That Dream was filmed in the area. Perhaps that information will lead to another adventure for us on another day. But to get back to our bicycle ride...

The parking lot at the head of our trail is large with acceptable restrooms, several picnic pavilions, and an informational kiosk about the flora, fauna, and history.

The trail is wide asphalt where no motor vehicles are allowed, just bicycles and pedestrians. Bike trails are in the place of former railroad tracks, so the route tends to be pretty level (i.e. no serious hills). If you are seniors like us who don't use electric bikes, then you know how welcome that is. (electric bikes have become all the rage in retirement communities)

Along the path there are roofed wood decks with picnic tables overlooking the Withlacoochee River. The above snapshot is looking to the east.....

.... and from the same standpoint, this is the river looking to the west. It was a very calm morning, early enough for the air temperature to be cool and the river water was as smooth as glass.

We didn't stop at all the rest areas, but there were enough of them to be able to see water on both sides of the trail.

A huge swampy area at low tide was on our left. Sea shells washed up from the Gulf were scattered on the muddy river bottom. 

Our wood walkway did not extend past the muddy area to the water, so we could not look for manatees that day. But in truth, these "gentle giants" are probably not in this body of water yet. In winter they prefer to occupy Florida's warm natural springs that maintain a constant temperature of 72 degrees. 

The above isn't the best picture. I have lightened it up as much as my tools permit. I wanted to capture some of the hurricane carnage from this last summer. There were many downed trees and branches along the swampy side of our trail. To see this in person is sobering.

There was also a lot of smaller plant-life alongside the trail which the storm left in mounds.

This trail is five miles long, so to ride it out and back is ten miles exactly. You can see the end of the path culminating with this shelter that overlooks where the river empties into the Gulf of Mexico. If the shelter looks a little askew, it is. Storm damage, we are sure. 

From the shelter we got a very good view of where the waters merge. A motor boat passed by us from the Gulf, presumably fishermen. As beautiful as this was, we did not linger long because itty bitty gnats were biting our ankles. That was a problem while we were stopped at that point, but not on the ride itself.

This mile marker verified we had ridden our bikes for 5 miles to reach the Gulf end of the trail. Also a helpful amenity along the way were rest rooms. The trail is very bicycle-friendly.

Because this is alligator country, the obligatory signs warn people to be careful, never feed the wild animals, and approaching them is discouraged, too. We saw no gators on that day (that's not a complaint from me, in case you're wondering).

Having gone to the Gulf and back, we knew we were nearing the end when we pedaled under the bridge at Highway 19.

Lest I give you the wrong impression, we are not speed-racers on our bicycles. Peddling and occasionally coasting is our preference. And a round-trip of ten miles is just right. (maybe a couple more, but not much)

Bike helmets, sturdy shoes, and our chartreuse shirts were the uniform of the day. We each had a water bottle strapped to our bicycles, which we used at every stop along the way.

Lunch after the ride was peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with a side of potato chips and bottled water. Not fancy but filling. I slathered the peanut butter pretty thick on both slices of bread to prevent the jelly from seeping through, causing the bread to turn soggy. 

In closing this out, and while thinking of the history I've shared,  Proverbs 16:9 is appropriate meditation:

The heart of man plans his way,

but the Lord establishes his steps.

While we make our plans, God ultimately controls what happens. 

Until next, time, grace and peace.

Bicycling Through My Fairy Tale

 

chocolate birds -- 
the Fairy Tale in our back yard

Ornamental birds are a common sight in Florida yards. We have 5 of them (although, shhh! One of them may be removed soon). The unrelenting sun and sub-tropical rains here cause the paint to wear thin and rust to develop. Today 4 of the birds got a fresh coat. These in our back yard look like they were dipped in a huge vat of Hershey's chocolate!

loaded and ready to go!

We bought our second bike rack in less than a week. It turned out the first one was not going to work well and was not returnable 😣, so it's for sale. This second rack is better. We put it to the test on Thursday with a 10-mile ride along the Withlacoochee River. 

one of several rest stops on the bike trail

I'd say 10-15 miles is about as long a ride as I care to do. A wide, paved asphalt path is necessary, too, and preferably no other traffic. Although I am not sore today for the effort, I did take a really good nap after lunch today, after a good night's sleep last night!
 

where the Withlacoochee meets the Gulf

I plan to write more about the bike ride in another post, including the snapshots taken along the way. In the meantime, I've answered Joyce's Hodgepodge questions for this week focused on Fairy Tales. 

linking up with Joyce's Hodgepodge

http://www.fromthissideofthepond.com/2025/02/hodgepodge-questions-volume-591.html

1. February 26th is National Tell A Fairy Tale Day...have you read a fairy tale lately? What's your favorite fairy tale? Do you believe in 'happily ever after'? 

While I have not read a fairy tale lately, I feel as though I am living in one with my Gary. He is the prince who rescued me out of a dark time of grief and loneliness with his dashing good looks, gentlemanly ways, skill and willingness to take care of practical problems, and a great sense of humor. I call him "Handsome." He always responds that he's "just an old geezer." But my comeback is always this: "I love a mature man!"

me with my Prince Charming

2. Complete one of the following sentences with a thought relating to your life currently- once upon a time; a long time ago; in a place far far away.

Once upon a time, I did the majority of the cooking in my home. Now I just bake and Gary does the rest!

3. Which of the following 'fairy tale foods' is your favorite? Which have you made/eaten most recently? 

porridge/oatmeal (Goldilocks and The Three Bears), an apple (Snow White), a gingerbread cookie (The Gingerbread Man), pumpkin soup/pie/bread (Cinderella), peas (The Princess and the Pea), beans (Jack and The Beanstalk) or a cup of tea (Alice in Wonderland) 

I would not classify any of these foods as true "favorites" with me, although I would not turn any of them down. As for which of them I've had most recently, it would be a cup mug of [decaf green] tea, which is sitting beside me as I type this post.

4. What's your idea of fun? 

mine is purple;
NOT electric

I enjoy riding my bike (it's a "Townie," known for its "flat foot technology*), I like walking through Hobby Lobby, and I LOVE eating a hearty meal beside the ocean, a river, a stream, or a lake.

FYI: Townie flat foot technology provides an efficient, relaxed riding position that allow you to sit upright and not bent over the bike handlebars. It gives a relaxed arm position and a wide view of the road.

5. Next week's Hodgepodge lands in March. Is that right? I guess so.  Give us one noun, one verb, and one adjective that tell us something about your February. To make you think a little harder, you cannot use the words cold or snowy. 

noun: Florida

verb: traveled

adjective: enjoyable

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Most mornings I read a short devotional authored by Susie Larson. Last week she gave this wonderful thought to ponder: "I will not allow my history to speak to me except to teach me."

This reminds me of Psalm 90:12, 

Teach us to number our days,

that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

My personal paraphrase of the verse is something like this:

Make good use of each day, 

learn from the experiences and 

put those lessons to good use.

Until next time, grace and peace.

Predicaments and Peace

 

a peaceful fountain in a
former Florida neighborhood

To quote the man who cuts our grass, "I don't know whether to jump into the pool or build a fire!" Our weather has been that kind of crazy here in North Central Florida. Today I'm wearing socks with my sneakers, long jeans, and a long-sleeved crew T-shirt over a cami. When I step outside, a sweatshirt hoodie will be required. We've got clouds and some wind -- not the best conditions for bike-riding.

reading the instructions

Speaking of our bikes, yesterday we had a different kind of adventure regarding them. We rolled our tires out onto the driveway to make room for assembling the new bike rack Gary had purchased. 

looks precarious

Putting it together proved to be more of a challenge than expected. The No Return Policy where we got it may have contributed to Gary's exercise of persistence to get the contraption put together (although my man seems to thrive with a good puzzle).

test ride

Today he put the finishing touches on the project and then we drove around for a few miles to assure ourselves that the rack was indeed secure to the back of our car. All went well with no problems at all. 

One feature I appreciate is that there are velcro straps to prevent the wheels from turning while the car is moving. Whenever we are on the road and pass a car with bicycles in tow, I find it unsettling to see the wheels turning in the wind.... makes me worry the bike might fall off.

"before"

Another recent purchase we've made is to replace the pendant lights in the kitchen. The last time Gary changed the light bulbs, he noticed inner workings were wearing out and commented we should replace the fixtures.

"after"

While Lowe's is to Gary as Hobby Lobby is to me, we could not find anything we really liked, so a [more spendy] stop at a local lighting store got our cash. Those were installed recently and we are pleased.

yum!

While we're in the kitchen (so to speak), I'll share my last serving of the Baklava that we bought in last week's blog post about our visit to Tarpon Springs. Actually, you don't get a taste of it but you can see the picture. It was sooo good but it's just as well it's all gone now. It's not a low-cal dessert.

As I was writing the paragraph about the light fixtures, I had a "senior moment" when I could not remember the word "pendant." I asked Gary. After providing the word, he went on to say (and this is a direct quote), "Let's just keep the questions easy. It's Saturday afternoon and I'm in a rest mode. No difficult, head-scratching, no hard questions this afternoon." 

Yes, that's what he said. 🙄 🤭

looks like a smooth white stone

We have had a stinky invasion in our back yard. For weeks I've observed an odd mushroom-type growth in the mulch. Generally I do nothing when the occasional mushroom pops up in the grass after an especially wet few days. But as time went on, more and more of these invaders appeared and they lasted for many days.

They demonstrated a peculiar life-cycle, looking like ping pong-sized white stones and then getting much larger. Eventually they turn orange-red and burst open to reveal the most disgusting gooey grayish liquid inside that attracts swarming insects, and the smell!!!!

you can see one of them starting open
up to the orange stage

They are rather fun to gather up for disposal when they're small like this, but I discovered there are many more of them underneath the ones easily seen. And as I said in the previous paragraph, as they mature, there is a HORRIBLE smell.

With the help of the Internet, I found an app that allowed me to submit a snapshot and tell me what this disgusting growth is. Phallus Ravenelii, also known as Ravenel's Stinkhorn. Not poisonous or particularly harmful, but nonetheless an obnoxious nuisance, there is no known chemical to destroy them. I am hopeful that when the very hot temperatures of summer get here, perhaps they will burn to a crisp and die off. In the meantime, I wear gloves to harvest them, easily filling up a plastic shopping bag which I tie off securely and then leave outdoors beside the garage to wait for trash day. There is no way we could tolerate the smell in the garbage cans stored in the garage (per our HOA requirements).

the gender reveal

On a MUCH MORE pleasant note, while talking about new growth, Gary's granddaughter and husband announced this week that their expected baby is another boy. They have two already that are affectionately referred to as "The Minnesota Twins." So now they can lay claim to the old TV show, "My Three Sons." (which is on TV  here, right after "Leave It to Beaver," but we always switch to the noon news)

Regarding my announcement earlier this month about the very premature birth (at 25 weeks) of my nephew's son, thank you so very much for your prayer support on his behalf. He is making progress every day. Please continue to pray for him and his family as he works toward the day when he can go home.

Since January 20th, in particular, the nightly news has been as engrossing as a soap opera. While I don't mean to make light of politics, there is no denying we do well to stay informed in this ever-changing chapter of our American history. There have been a lot of surprises (some very unwelcome even to those who voted for the current administration). 

Add to that the appalling number of aircraft disasters, losses due to fires and damaging winter storms. I am reminded of scripture in II Timothy 3:1,

This know also, that in the last days

perilous times shall come.

In another translation it is said this way:

You should know this, Timothy, 

that in the last days 

there will be very difficult times."

Wars, rumors of wars, famines, earthquakes .... these are the "birth pangs" of what is to come as we anticipate the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

One of my frequent comforts is an old hymn with these words,

"Come every soul by sin oppressed,

There's mercy with the Lord.

And He will surely give you rest

By trusting in His Word.

Only trust Him, only trust Him.

Only trust Him now.

He will save you, He will save you.

He will save you now."

by John H. Stockton, 1874

Until next time, grace and peace.

source

A Valentine Voyage

one of many boats docked
on the Anclote River

Although last week's adventure (and resulting blog post, "Island Hopping to Key West") was enough to satisfy any of the wanderlust the two of us have, with this week's Valentine holiday, we decided to observe it in a special way. 

Of course with our usual pre-dawn* coffee there was the exchange of cards and chocolate. 

*Early to bed,

early to rise,

makes a man healthy,

wealthy, and wise.

Benjamin Franklin

headstone blurred for reasons of privacy

Then we drove to the cemetery to place flowers at the graves of our Valentines from years gone by.

headstone blurred for reasons of privacy

They are never forgotten, always in our hearts. They helped make us who we are, and without a doubt prepared us for where we are today.

Dodecanese Blvd.

Then we drove the nearly 70 remaining miles to Tarpon Springs, on the Gulf coast, located north of Clearwater. For those who have not heard of this place, it is the "Sponge Capital of the World," a leader in the global natural sponge market. Home to the Sponge Docks, visitors can see the sponge industry from harvesting to auctions. (thank you, Wikipedia, for this information) 

This fishing village is known for its very Greek style, white-columned Hellas Authentic Greek Cuisine Restaurant and Bakery. After parking our car, that was our intended destination, but we first needed to get our tickets for a boat tour. If we learned nothing else from our trip to Key West last week, we knew to secure tickets for such tours sooner rather than later, then do all the other things that can be more flexible.

We hoofed it down the street (past our lunch choice) to find the ticket window for the boat, and not seeing it, we had to retrace our steps to discover the address on their website was actually a white tent near this plaque on the waterfront. Okay, that was a little strange, but our tickets were purchased without a problem. 

ticket stubs

By this time we were some distance from the famous Hellas. We didn't want to get too far away lest we miss our boat's launch time in a little over an hour. Dimitri's was literally just next door and highly recommended, so that's what got our lunch money that day.

Dimitri's
https://dimitrisonthewater.com

Any thoughts of regret for not dining at Hellas vanished when I realized our lunch would be on the water, while Hellas was on the other side of the street (NOT on the water). My long-time blog readers may remember that one of my very favorite things about Florida is to eat on the water (a treat not so common in my former Colorado home). 

me, waiting to order
(east is behind me)

Gary, waiting to order
(west is behind him)

Tarpon Springs sits on the Anclote River, which pretty much runs east to west, emptying out into the Gulf of Mexico (or Gulf of America, per President Trump).

menu at Dimitri's

I wanted to embrace the culture, so my order was the Moussaka. 

If you have seen the chick flick, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, you may remember mention of this dish in the school lunch room. It's pretty much a Greek version of lasagna made with baked or pan-fried eggplants, potatoes, a rich beef or lamb sauce, and topped off with a creamy béchamel sauce. Considered a comfort food, I definitely agree!

the moussaka wasn't quite as large as this picture shows

As you can see, the servings were generous. My Moussaka was a surprising large serving, although this picture makes it look more generous than it actually was. But with that said, there was no way I could finish it all, and since we were a 2-hour drive away from home, plus a 90-minute boat tour, I knew it was not wise to ask for a doggy bag. I ate a little over half of it and had to leave the rest. But it was very good. Gary enjoyed his burger and fries.

kayakers on the river

As to be expected, we saw lots of marine traffic go past our table on the literal water's edge. The weather was perfect for all of it. I highly recommend Dimitri's food and the waterfront tables, the service was good, and the rest rooms clean.

our tour boat

The timing of our lunch and the launch of our tour boat was perfect. We climbed this metal staircase and stepped onto that wide orange lip of the boat (with help from the crew members) to get on. That was a little dicey but okay. The seating was wood benches lining the outer part and more benches in the middle. We sat on the edge and I'm so glad we did. We could see and hear (relatively) everything. 

the sponge diver, in his 60s, 
and from Cheyenne, Wyoming!

We were able to watch the laborious process of the diver putting on his suit, which as you can see, is quite bulky, and heavy.

me

Before he put on his helmet, passengers were encouraged to try it on themselves. I was the first to step forward. While I did not line up the windows with my face, I could easily see Gary snapping my picture. I had to smile to myself -- this headgear gave illustration to the popular hair style from about 20 years ago, "Helmet Head."

Anclote River

While this voluntary 'fashion show' was in progress, the diver continued to get geared up for his dive. The boat captain described what is involved with diving for these natural sea sponges. They are the second lowest form of life, just above the amoeba, and invertebrate animal. Thriving in abundance all along the Gulf coast waters from the Big Bend area (north of Tarpon Springs) clear down to Key West. 

diver under water

When our diver dropped into the water, the depth at this spot was about 14 -20 feet. He had an air hose and another rope that was used for communication purposes (pull if in trouble). 

diver with a sponge he had just harvested

From the deeper location, he walked under water to a depth of only about 5 or 6 feet where he used a grabbing, fork-like tool to pull a sponge from where it was attached on the river floor. 

diver returns to the boat

In total on this trip, the diver was probably in the water no longer than about 15 minutes before he climbed back into the boat -- with help. 

am I helping???

Our diver said he has no need to go to a gym for exercise. The weight of the suit, helmet, and shoes, combined with navigating himself both in the boat, in the water, and climbing in and out requires a great deal of physical strength. In his 60s, I don't know how he does it.

Again, we were encouraged to have our snapshot taken with the diver. Just as with the spirit of embracing the experience with ordering Moussaka and trying on the diving helmet, I got this picture taken, too. (it's all blog fodder, after all!!)

the freshly-harvested sea sponge

The sponge he harvested was passed around to everyone. They are black like this under water.  The slimy black stuff is cleaned through a somewhat laborious effort and then they are put out to dry.

cleaned sponges drying on a boat

While we typically see these sponges as brown or a golden yellow, when harvested from the river floor they are covered with a black slime.

This boat tour was good, well worth the money because we saw so much, were educated on sponges, and got plenty of show'n tell in the process.

sea sponge art

After we exited the boat, we began the walk back to our car, with some shopping along the way (of course!). Since we are bikers (bicycles, not motorcycles), I had to capture this example of art using the sponges.

logo on my shirt front

Just as with our shopping in Key West and the Everglades last week, my primary purchases are refrigerator magnets and T-shirts. I did not find any magnets that I liked (I'm very particular on that), but Gary got this T-shirt for me, which I modeled after we got home:

Salty air
Messy Hair
Don't care
Tarpon Springs, FL

While we did not have a meal at Hellas, we did stand in a long line to buy Baklava from their equally famous bakery. Not an inexpensive purchase, one has to appreciate the price when examining the product. 

a slice of Baklava

It was way too sticky to eat in the car on the way home, so last night we enjoyed some of it. Look closely to see the extremely thin, very fine layers of phyllo dough that make this treat so special. Below those layers is a delightful mixture of nuts and honey.

I have said many times over the past three years that ours is a "Hallmark movie romance." Many of our friends have said the same.

While Gary has agreed, he is NOT a chick-flick kinda guy. Cops 'n robbers, westerns, FOX news, and Leave It To Beaver comprise his entertainment preferences. Oh, and car racing. We like to watch the races..... the Daytona 500 is tomorrow (weather-permitting. They've already changed the start time due to predicted rain.)

However, since he is a nice guy and affectionately aims to please me, plus perhaps the fact that it was Valentine's Day, he agreed to put my DVD copy of My Big Fat Greek Wedding into the TV to cap off our wonderful day.

How shall I bring this post to a close? What Bible verse seems applicable? A lot, of course. I am struck with the wonders of God's creation of earth as well as how He has enabled humans to explore, to discover, and to put to very practical use what we find.

A favorite verse I've shared with you many times is this:

Call unto me

and I will answer thee

and will show you

great and mighty things

you know nothing about.

Jeremiah 33:3

Until next time, grace and peace.