Since arriving here at Kelly's RV Park in White Springs, FL, we have spent time comfortably settling into the quiet atmosphere and exploring the area. This place is so peaceful it is all to easy to just sit and relax, but we have managed to take numerous walks into town and along trails in the Suwannee River Water Management Area that borders the park property.
From where we are, the walk to the East end of White Springs is about a mile along highway U.S. 41. For being along a road, the route is surprisingly pleasant and clean. The berms are wide and planted with a large variety of wild flowers. Right now there are black-eyed susans, thistle, trillium and many other species in full bloom. Just before reaching the town limits, there is a large bridge crossing the Suwannee River and then wide sidewalks. We haven't walked all the way through town yet, but having it within a nice walking distance is a handy when we need to purchase a few odds and ends.
One of the things Florida did well was to protect the Suwannee River ecosystem from development and human alterations. It is one of the most highly protected river ecosystems in the world and the River Water Management Area plays a large role in maintaining it's natural beauty. Within 50 feet of our RV there is a trail marker into the Area that access numerous paths through woods, open meadows and bogs. If we wanted to, we could walk this Suwannee River Wilderness Trail for 170 miles to where the river empties into the Gulf. We're not planning that kind of endeavor, but having such a such a beautiful natural area at our easy access is one more perk in staying here.
The one thing you see everywhere here is Spanish moss. All of the live oak trees are heavily covered with it. We have been through a lot of places where it thrives, but none as so dominated by its ethereal presence as this area.
An example of a classic misnomer, Spanish moss is not actually a moss; it is an epiphyte that gathers nutrients from air and rain and is more closely related to the pinapple plant. During the eighteen and early nineteen hundreds it was heavily harvested for use as packing material. With the advent of plastic-based materials, that market quickly dried up and there is no wide-scale use for the plant today other than as mulch for bedding plants. The one drawback is that it heavily attracts wasps and spiders.
We still have plenty to explore in this area and plan to see more of the town and trails over the next few days. After spending too much time on our butts during our snowy winter in South Carolina, it's good to be exercising again on a regular basis. Now, if someone would just turn down the humidity level and UV index a tad every afternoon we could appreciate even longer walks.
copyright 2009-2010 Lane A Geyer
photos by Deb
No comments:
Post a Comment