My trip to Florida

Went to the south east coast of Florida for a few days this past week.

On of the first things I noticed when we got in the state was the interstate fence. For about 250 miles from Pensacola over toward I75 they had a 10 foot fence on the side of the interstate. 4x6 line post and 6x6 pull post.





At first it seemed like a very proactive position the state took to keep deer off the highway.
But on the way home I saw the down side. Two yearling deer must have found a hole in the fence or came on at one of the exit ramps and were now trapped on the highway right of way with cars going by at 80 mph.

You turn on 75 south and from there to past Orlando on the turnpike is one big mad house of cars.
But once past Orlando we got into more open country.
Orange trees; turf grass; and cow pastures.
Was weird seeing center pivots in cow pastures with all the rain Florida gets. But if you consider below Orlando is nothing but a big sandbar I guess the water flows away as fast as it rains.

Then we got to our destination out on the east coast. Sand beaches; Sand yards; Sand Sand everywhere.
But the constantly blowing sea breeze sure did feel good.





They had the red and purple flags flying when we got there.





Red is for High surf danger and purple is for Dangerous marine life warning.
They still had people surf fishing.





And I allowed my 5 year old grandson to play in the water to ankle deep.








Anyone want to venture to guess how long it took this thing to float here. That is a coconut shell.





I did not allow him to venture in to deep though because I found out that the reason they were flying the Dangerous marine life warning flag was because a 16 year old surfer had been bitten by a shark the day before at this very spot.





The weather was a little cool for south Florida (Lows in 50's and highs in 70's) while we were there but I guess if you can find a bougainvillea bush growing in abandon lot it does not get to cold. Bougainvillea is a very tropical plant that will die with just a few hours of 32 degree weather.





But our trip to southern Florida was not all fun and games.
We were there on serious business.
Say hello to my sixth grandchild "Timmy".
First male from a son so we finally have someone to carry on the family name.











This sure has been a great holiday season for me and my family.

Two things down there in Florida. Did you see gatters, and armedillas? One time I was down ther on rt 4 there was a nice big sqwashed gator that had a nice big bus or truck tire mark right over it. The dillas down there they call mile markers. Most likely what possums or skunks are up north. Further north you see porkey pines as road markers and in the wooded areas you see beavers. Now if you like to decorate the house don't forget to pick up some Spanish moss. Damn near every tree in some areas is just loaded with the stuff. Looks kinda pretty and doesn't go bad. Have a piece hanging with some plants in 5he window from ten years ago.

I-75 is a mad house of cars from Michigan all the way to Florida. Your lucky you only had to run a couple hundred miles on it.

John,

I used to live in Hollywood, FL, just between Miami and Ft. Lauderdale. I loved it, but my family missed the changing seasons. Due to work requirements, we moved up to Atlanta in 1979 and have only very briefly visited back down there since then.

I envy your trip.

Tom in TN

We have more opossum where I live than armadillos but have enough of both. Also have gators. So I do not need to leave my state to see any of the things you mention.

Spanish moss is a living plant not a plankton that lives off the tree so it will live anywhere as long as you keep it warm.
Its the bugs that make the Spanish moss home the reason I would not want it in my house.
Chiggers, or some call them red bugs love the stuff.

We were in the Fort Pierce; Port St Lucie area.
My son met and married a girl from that area.

Nope never had any problem with the stuff I grabbed. Now what was funny is when I was pulling some of it down I realized that someone was looking at me! Little guy about four inches long and lite gray in color. Little lizard. Just shook him out.

Congrats. gramps. I went to Florida in 1977 and 78, haven't been back since. Were going 1st week of March on the other side, Captiva island. Wifes idea, I finally gave up dragging my feet, she got it all setup, taking son and daughter and spouses. I've never been on a big plane, don't know how that's going to go although I used to like going up in the little planes.

Used to use Spanish moss to brush my duck blind.scared the he!! out of me when I found a bat nesting in some of it!!

When my brother and mom lived at W palm, 95 was called suicide 95.

I think the traffic is worse in Georgia, especially around Atlanta. I find the trip is more pleasant driving through Alabama. Google maps says it faster going through Georgia, but google doesn't account for all the accidents slowing you down.

was he selling insurance?

Leaving tomorrow for 6 weeks down there. Two on Marathon Key and four in the Orlando area. Hope you left some of the warm weather there when you went home.

great post!And congrats!!

John
Sorry we couldn't get together while your were here. It was pretty busy here last week with family and friends in town for the holidays. I'm sure you will be back to see that grandson so let me know. And congratulations on the new addition to the family.

John in LA,

Congratulations to you and your family!

Cincinnati to Dayton, Whew!

Thanks for sharing; nice pics.

Hear you on carrying on the namesake. I'm 6th carrying my given name and the son I chose to carry it on has no children. So much for grandpaws wish to me on that.

That boy was very lucky to have his arm, better yet just to be alive looking at the size of the jaw on that bite. That shark could have done him a number. Considering the picture, one wonders why the shark didn't finish what he had started. I had fish on the stringer at the boat near Rockport, TX., and fish I was pulling in (Spanish Mackrell....best tasting fish I ever ate) while trolling the barrier islands off Gulfport, MS, about the diameter of his arm and up, were chopped in half (they keep the best half) on the way to the boat by sharks in the Gulf. Caught some while fishing for Speckled Trout (Spotted Weakfish...another delicious fish) fishing those same islands.....really put up a fight.

On Flags, when the two red ones with the black square go to flying, neighborhood surfers went to Galveston, TX. to fish for Bull Reds (Spotted Drum.....strong, fishy, flavor, but certainly worth the effort.). Daring dudes, those hurricane surfers but I never heard of a drowning, just lots of great fish caught. Galveston usually had a pretty bad rip tide and I can't imagine what it would be like with a hurricane bearing down. A Bull Red just doesn't give up. Just one 5# or so will have you pulling out the Absorbine Jr.

Went to Pensacola and Ft. Walton Beach once on a vacation from Biloxi. Really impressed with the white sand and as luck would have it a USN aircraft carrier was visible near the horizon headed for the Naval station there.

I live only about 5 mile from I75 and 70 mile notyh of Dayton and I DO NOT use I75. I find back roads that are better for what I want. I70 is worse. I call I69 in Indiana the Indi 500 and the Indi racers would be hard pressed to keep up with that traffic. Never on I80-90, just crossed it.