Friday February 18th 2022

The latest cold front arrived this afternoon with a bit of a fizzle. The day began sunny and ended cloudy with a spritz of rain now and then. The temperature still made it to the upper seventies and the rain never lasted more than a minute or two. It satisfies my criteria for a nice day.

I was back on the unmarked trails behind my campsite today. The main trails seem to form a figure eight or two squarish circles stacked on top of each other. There are also several spur trails off to the west that go to the river. The spur trails are not easy to walk. The ground along those trails is torn up from the foraging of feral hogs. I’ve seen similar disturbed ground on most of my hikes in Florida State Parks. They can be a big problem. The hogs are active at night, so I shouldn’t have any undesired encounters.

There were a few other hikers on the trails today, but the river was still the most popular form of recreation. An organized paddling excursion has been staying at the state park last night and tonight. They arrived from down river yesterday afternoon in about thirty five high end kayaks. No short sit-on-top boats for these people. Most of the kayaks are fifteen or sixteen feet long with skirtable cockpits. Some of the tents they are spending the night in are at the opposite end of the deluxe spectrum. They’ve seen better days. Today was a day of rest that most of the kayakers took as an opportunity to explore the river and the springs at the headwaters. Tomorrow morning they continue on toward the Gulf of Mexico. The excursion ends on Sunday.

It is hard to believe this is a holiday weekend. The mix of Florida license plates to other states changed a little bit today. There are more Florida tags for the weekend. Most of the weekend arrivals came with two or more kayaks on the roof of the tow vehicles. Along with the kayaks came some pretty interesting contraptions to transport the boats to the river. Today I say one made with bicycle wheels that carried two stacked kayaks. They towed the kayak trailer contraption behind a bicycle.

Thursday February 17th 2022

It was another great weather day. The only thing keeping it from perfection was a strong breeze out of the southwest. That is one of the hot weather wind directions. Today’s high temperature was in the mid eighties.

The headwaters area of the Rainbow Springs State Parks used to be one of Florida’s big springs attractions. It opened in the 1930s and closed in 1974 when the Interstate Highways and Walt Disney World took its visitors away. During its life as a theme park it had glass bottom boats, man made waterfalls, aerial gondola rides, extensive gardens, a zoo and a rodeo area. The former attraction became a state park in 1990 after years of neglect.

I drove the seven miles from the campground to the springs area of the park. The entrance from US Highway 41 is a tree lined approach with an occasional azalea bush in bloom. The two dollar per person fee is included in the camping fee. The first thing I noticed was that the manicured gardens visible in the pictures of the old attraction were now much more natural and slightly wild in appearance. The main feature of the state park in this area is swimming in the springs. There are also kayak and canoe rentals. I was interested in the beautiful azaleas, waterfalls and trails.

The azaleas are not in full bloom. Some of the plants have heavy blooms and others are very sparse. They are all big plants that could use more pruning surrounded by lots of other vegetation that should/could be removed. The areas that were probably wide open grass lawns in the days of the original theme park were filled with brush and medium size trees. Only one of the man made waterfalls had water running today. The others were filled with leaves and grass. I understand that is a winter condition.

It was a nice few hours wandering around the grounds. If the intent was to allow the natural elements of the area and the springs to stand out, they have succeeded. The area is not a manicured green space. It is a natural setting. Even the banks of the river around the springs are filled with grass and other water plants.

I took many pictures of azalea blossoms, turtles and the springs. If my internet connection allows I will include many here. They may be at a lower resolution.

Wednesday February 16th 2022

The cold weather pattern of the last few weeks is gone for now. The overnight temperature only got down into the mid to high forties and today was a beautiful day. The temperature got into the upper seventies with only a few fluffy clouds in the sky. Tomorrow and Friday are forecast to be in the eighties.

I’m struggling a little bit establishing a pattern to my days at this new location. The hindrance is a little thing we take for granted; Internet access. My cell phone does not have a reliable data connection, so I can’t read all of the things I usually read with my morning coffee. It means I’m ready for my first walk of the day much earlier and consequently I’m back at my RV home earlier as well. To fill the additional time I took a third walk today.

As a side note, to publish this blog entry I use my Verizon MiFi device. It has an external MIMO antenna that can establish a decent connection with the distant cell tower. I have a 15GB data cap on the device, so I’m self rationing my usage to keep some level of high speed internet access throughout my stay here. If I get into real internet withdrawal, I can always buy more data.

There was a lot more activity on the river today. In addition to all the kayaks and canoes, today I saw a couple of dive boats. They were hosting a number of people on a snorkeling adventure in the river just up stream from the campground. The snorkelers weren’t the only ones in the water. Two swimmers were in the river swimming up river against the current. I don’t know how deep the water is in this area, but they were alone without anyone spotting from a boat.

I also found a marked nature trail today. Unlike yesterday’s unmarked trails north of the campground, this one was on the south side of the campground access road. It had plenty of little arrows along the trail to keep you going in the right direction. There were also a few benches to take a break from walking. What I didn’t see was any animal nature, just plants and trees. I didn’t even hear any birds along the trail.

Tuesday February 15th 2022

The temperature got down to just above freezing last night. The inside temperature was in the forties this morning. Adding to the chill this morning was the cloud cover. It was mid morning before the sun broke through for a short period of bright sunshine. By mid afternoon a high level of clouds returned to filter the sunshine. The temperature made up to about seventy.

This was my day to get settled in and acclimated to the new location. For the first time this winter I’m at a park that I haven’t visited before. I had new territory to explore. The park is nice and I’m sure I’ll enjoy my stay. It just isn’t what I expected. Unlike the Silver River on the other side of Ocala, the Rainbow River has a lot of development along it. The head waters are about six miles up river from here. You can not walk there. The land between here and there has a housing development and I think a golf course. Across the river from the campground part of the State Park is all developed with large homes.

The river is about a quarter mile from my campsite along paved paths and roads. The river access has a kayak/canoe launch area and a swimming area. During the warmer weather a tube ride concession also uses the area. Today a few kayaks were using the launch area. Just like the Silver River the Rainbow river has very clear water and a swift current.

Out behind my campsite to the south there are many trails and access roads. They are not marked and a map isn’t available. I wandered down one of the trails and found another much more isolated river access. My surroundings were trees and bushes, but across the river were more homes with large covered boat docks. I will be exploring the trails more during my stay.

Monday February 14th 2022

The temperature got down into the high thirties overnight. It was in the mid forties inside this morning. I couldn’t roll over and snuggle under the covers until it got warm. Today was a travel day. The temperature eventually reached the mid sixties.

I took my time getting ready to travel. Checkout time in most Florida state parks is 1PM and I only had about thirty miles to my next stop. Even taking my time, I managed to create a bloody mess. Somewhere in the cold temperature I nicked a knuckle on one hand and scraped the back of the other. Both were minor breaks to my skin, but I found blood all over before I found the source. A little washing and blotting with a paper towel and I was good to go. I didn’t even need a bandage.

I pulled out of Silver Springs State Park at 12;45. My first order of business on the road was finding gas to fill my tank. With a little detour off the shortest route, I found a gas station with easy access that wasn’t too busy. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the cheapest. Later on my journey I saw gas almost ten cents a gallon cheaper. At $3.48 per gallon, I didn’t get the tank full even with two credit card authorizations. One Hundred and ninety eight dollars almost filled the tank. I need to stop letting the tank get so empty.

I arrived at Rainbow Springs State Park northeast of Dunnellon at 1:45. You need to have a gate code to get in. The campground had called earlier with the code, but I didn’t have to use. The trailer arriving moment before me had to call for assistance resulting in the gate getting opened remotely for both of us. This park is setup different than other Florida State Parks. You need to check in at the concession office rather than a gate house.

My site is a little uneven. It took extra effort to get leveled and setup. Overall it looks like a nice campground. There is plenty of distance between sites and a good amount of foliage for privacy. A quick wander around the campground showed that the park is popular with travelers. Out of state license plates heavily out numbered Florida plates. Just Like Silver Spring State Park, the river is a good hike away. I’ll explore that walk in the morning. On the down side cell reception is poor and consequently so is the speed of my internet access.

Sunday February 13th 2022

It rained lightly off and on all night. This morning the sky was cloud covered and gloomy, but as the day progressed conditions improved. The sun made an appearance shortly after the noon hour. By 2:30PM the sun dominated the sky allowing the temperature to peak at seventy degrees.

Today was my last full day at Silver Springs State Park. I have really enjoyed my stay. The river has a fascinating array of wildlife to watch. The rifer is a long way from the campground, but that has its advantages too. I got plenty of exercise walking to the kayak launch or the overlook on the river. Both areas are more than a mile hike each way from my campsite. Along the trail there is also a chance of seeing a few of the land animals in the area. I saw several deer, but never got one to pose long enough for a picture.

On my first walk to the river of the day, the kayak launch was once again filled with kayaks and their occupants. The first paddlers to arrive seem to get out of their kayak and leave the boat right at the water’s edge blocking most of the eight foot wide aluminum ramp. The next people to arrive either try to climb over the boats already there or pull up along the shore beside the launch area. Eventually, people get the idea to carry or drag their boats inland a bit away from the bottleneck at the end of the ramp. After people finish their lunch or bathroom break the congestion of launching boats and landing boats gets even more exciting. People with rental kayaks that may be paddling for the first time don’t have a clue how to get in and out of the boat without unintended comedy.

I have completed most of my outside travel prep for tomorrows journey. It is less than fifty miles to my next stop. I won’t be leaving until close to the 1PM checkout time, so I’ll have plenty of time to finish the other tasks.

Saturday February 12th 2022

The temperature got up to eighty before the clouds associated with the next cold front started to move in. Rain is forecast overnight and tomorrow morning before the sun returns on a much cooler Sunday.

The state park was very crowded today. The day use area parking lot had more cars parked than I’ve seen before. On my first walk of the day to the Silver River I couldn’t even get near the Kayak launch dock. There were over twenty five kayaks scattered around the area. Most of the down river paddlers stop at the campground Kayak launch for lunch or a bathroom break. At two miles from the headwaters, it is located about mid way on the down river paddle.

Further along the River Trail a secluded area that has a bench to sit on while watching the river was filled with a family having a picnic. Along the bank a little further I found a couple of other people with a camera on a tripod waiting for interesting subjects on the river. Both of these areas are usually very quiet and empty. Not today!

My second walk of the day was to the river overlook. I found a couple and their two dogs using the overlook for a late in the day picnic. There were also still many boats on the river. Usually as sunset approaches the river is quiet. All of the activity on and around the rive seemed to keep the birds away. I only saw one lonely Anhinga today.

Between walks, this was a chores day. I got a little cleaning done, took the trash to the dumpster and cooked a hamburger conglomeration with Penne Pasta for lunch today and tomorrow. My stay is winding down here at Silver Springs State Park. Tomorrow is my last full day.

Friday February 11th 2022

The positive weather trend continued today with a high temperature in the mid seventies. The only downside is the humidity is also increasing. It seemed to be a little warmer than the actual temperature. Tomorrow is the last day of this trend. Rain is in the forecast for Saturday night and Sunday will be much cooler.

After almost two weeks here at Silver Springs State Park, I finally visited the actual spring today. The first time I visited Silver Springs was in the mid 1960s as a kid with my parents and grand parents. In those pre Disney World times, Silver Springs was one of the biggest attractions in Florida. After Disney opened in 1971, Silver Springs struggled to remain competitive. It added amusement rides, shows and concert venues to attempt to draw some of Walt Disney Worlds leftovers, but it struggled. The Glass Bottom boats along were not enough. In 2013 the state of Florida took over the Silver Springs park area and combined it with the neighboring Silver River State Park to form Silver Spring State Park.

I don’t remember much from my first visit more than 55 years ago. We took a smaller competing glass bottom boat all the way up the Silver River from highway 41 instead of the “World Famous” Glass Bottom boats at Silver Springs. I remember the story about the monkeys released on an island in the river as an attraction that escaped to the mainland. There are know signs warning you about interacting with them all over the state park. It is hard to believe somebody didn’t know they could swim. The other thing I remember was watching a reptile show at Silver Springs. The guy leading the show “milked” a rattle snake for its venom. The things a kid remembers!

To get to Silver Springs I hiked about 2.5 miles on the Sandhill Trail and the Springs Trail. The name Sandhill trail helps define the main characteristic of the hike. The hill is only about ten feet of altitude change, but the sand lining the trail makes walking in some areas difficult. The majority of the hike is through a Long Leaf Pine Forest that has been subject to many prescribed burns over the years. Evidence of the periodic fires can be seen in absence of thick ground cover and the charring on many of the remaining pine trees. The fires are necessary for the health of the trees and the ground animals like the Gofer Tortoise.

The park was busier this year than last. Many people were sitting at picnic tables and on the grass enjoying lunch on the warm sunny day. The line for the thirty minute glass bottom boat ride was very long. I think the next available seat on a boat was over two hours away. The ninety minute ride that I was interested in wasn’t available at all. I chose to walk all the trails and view the springs from the shore. You can hear all the stories the boat captains tell about the springs and park from shore. Sound carries well across the water.

Views of Silver Springs and the Silver River

Birds

Manatees

Turtles

Flowers

Thursday February 10th 2022

Today’s weather was a slightly warmer version of Wednesday. After a cold start in the thirties the temperature warmed to the upper sixties. A few high thin clouds marred the otherwise blue sky late in the day. It was a beautiful hiking day.

I got a really slow start today. My energy level this morning was really dragging, but this afternoon I took a long hike. I chose a trail call “The Sinkhole Trail”’ that I had not walked before. It lived up to its name and circled part of an old sinkhole in the woods. The trail stayed well away from the actual sinkhole. It appeared to have some water and swamp grass like vegetation in the actual hole. The hike was nice, but the sinkhole was anticlimactic.

On both of my hikes today I spotted and managed to get pictures of woodpeckers. I’ve heard them on my walks pounding on tree trunks every day, but today is the first day they have been close enough to the trail to spot them. I think I saw two different varieties of woodpecker.

Late in the afternoon at the Silver River Overlook I managed to get pictures of a few more water birds. It took a little more patience than normal. When I first arrived at the overlook it appeared as though all the birds were in hiding. Gradually I was able to find them hiding in the camouflage of the river bank. They almost seemed to know when I spotted them, because they would start to move around more soon after I spotted them.

Wednesday February 9th 2022

The latest cold front has cleared the area. Today was a bright sunny day with very low humidity. There were no clouds to hide the sun, but the overall temperature didn’t reach the seventy degree normal. The high temperature was in the low to mid sixties.

I was up early this morning to compete for my next two weeks of reservations in a Florida State Park for next winter. There were only seven or eight suitable sites available across two parks in my target area. I had internet problems that did not allow me to connect to the reservation web page. After trying a few things, I gave up with the hope that everyone was having similar problems. Later I discovered that I could connect to the reservation server from my cell phone. All of the sites I could use were booked.

Powering everything down and restarting the computer and the MiFi modem got the internet working correctly. I don’t think the problem was on my end, but rather the Verizon access point I was connected to. With a functional internet, I started my search for an alternative location for the second and third week of January 2023. The first couple of state parks I checked were full. I expanded my search north and found a site at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park south of Gainesville, FL. I have enjoyed my stay there in the past, but hadn’t planned on returning this year or next.

After four days without any significant periods of sun, the turtles in the Silver River were all out getting some sun. I observed several groupings of turtles on my morning walk to the river. The cool temperatures were still keeping the number of kayaks down, but the turtles don’t seem to mind the water craft. They are more skittish when someone approaches along the bank. In my experience, alligators are the exact opposite.

The water birds were also back along the river bank. During the last few cloudy and wet days they have been back elsewhere. They were probably back in the woods were it was a little warmer. I got several nice pictures of a Great Blue Heron.