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To Grayton We GoJan 12, 2007
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Eastern Lake Behind our Site
Riding Route 19 northwest paralleling the west coast of Florida this sunny January 12th, we have passed some interesting local curiosities. One, in Cross City, was a drive through convenience store complete with cold food cabinets you can access from your car window. That is the ultimate in convenience and it's not even in California. Unfortunately, this is not a charming back road, though it is a step up from Florida's Turnpike and Interstate 95. Long stretches of undeveloped land abound as Ken tools along at the speed limit - 65 mph. The first big city we will encounter today is Tallahassee, which is east of our final destination for the day, Grayton Beach. We intend to be past it before rush hour traffic arrives. Sadly, we will not pass a Costco so the few things that I really wanted there will go unbought. Publix, Florida's equivalent of Shop Rite, will have to do.
Florida has an amazing number of counties as compared to NJ. As we ride, we pass from one county to the next as if we were going through towns. It definitely looks like winter here with most of the deciduous trees sans leaves. The tall naked trees are bearded, however, with that ever-present Spanish Moss. Their leggy bodies look like old thin gnarled men with long beards. I thought of Chinese pictures of old men that I have seen, lean and bent over with long pointy beards. Speaking of China, when we were at Epcot we once again went to the China Pavilion and were amazed to see the changes in the country since our trip in 1988. When we were there, they were just starting to build - skyscrapers supported (unbelievably) by bamboo scaffolding upon which workmen stood doing their modernization of Beijing, while on the streets below locals pedaled by with trees perched upon the backs of their bicycles. Not the picture of China any longer as we learned at Epcot. The skyscrapers are many and complete and the streets jammed with cars moving images of which surrounded us in the 3600 movie theater. Oh the amazing changes that happen in 20 or so years.
Arriving at Grayton was a little like coming home. We were immediately greeted by our friends Joan and John and invited to a gathering. Once set up at our site - another of those stunning spots on Eastern Lake, water lapping at the shore - we took our wine, meat and chairs to join eight other friends who made us realize yet again that one of the special joys of traveling is seeing and meeting new people who become part of our extended circle of friends all over the country and the world. For me, this is a joy, and a major part of the adventure that has endeared it to me.
