BoomerGirl Diary

Travel makes the world a much smaller place. When we travel, destinations we have never been to become known, even familiar. The “six degrees of separation” become one or two. And forever after, if something happens to the place, or the people, we feel it more acutely then when it was unknown to us. Having a connection, any connection, changes how we react. Every journey makes the world feel more intimate.

At this time last week I was in a canoe drifting gently down the river at Ichetucknee Springs State Park. Most of you have never heard of Ichetucknee, or any of the other natural springs of north central Florida. But it is a beautiful place, the water cold and startlingly clear. Fresh water grasses grow along the bottom of the river. Turtles sun themselves on logs along the shore. Fish dart back and forth under the canoe. And the water … it is so clear that you can see everything. The reflections of the trees, oaks often dripping with moss, are mirrors with wavy edges. The sun seems to go down into the water, a prism of light, diffusing.

It felt too lovely to be real.

I spent some time in Lake City, a small, historic community centered on, you guessed it, a lake. Fourth of July fireworks are held over the lake. There is a courthouse and community square where free summer concerts and Friday night outdoor movies are held. The historic downtown has shops for browsing. I had one of the best chocolate malts ever at DeSoto Drug Store, where they still have counter stools that swing around and an inviting area for dining.

It was then, as we came out of DeSoto Drug, that the air started to fill with smoke, that we could see ash. At first we thought it might be coming all the way down from the big fires in Georgia. But then our guide, Harvey Campbell, Director of Tourism for Columbia County, checked. Fires were burning just 30-40 miles away. It was more local. And so, since I got back to Lawrence last Thursday, I have watched the news snippets on “Fires Rage in Florida” with a different eye, different ear, than I would have just weeks ago. And that’s because of travel, because I have been there … these fires are affecting places and people that I now know.

Let me share some first impressions of north central Florida. It was an area I’d never made an effort to get to, even when I was just hours away on the coast. Smitten with the beach, a Kansas girl who longed for sand and waves, I stayed put by the ocean. Now I can see that was a result of ignorance. I simply didn’t know what I was missing. Because, just a few hours from either coast, or north from Orlando, is Florida as it was decades ago. Florida before towering hotels, before condo development. Florida before Disney. They call it the “Original” Florida, and it’s true. Small, charming towns. Horse country, with so many stables and farms. More natural, freshwater springs than any other spot in the U.S. (Actually, that is an affirmation I need to check out … I could be wrong here. I don’t want to offend some state that has claimed the title.) Let’s just say that are lots and lots of deep, crystal clear, brimming, beautiful spring s… and thus lots of enchanting swim holes, and small rivers to kayak and tube down. The state parks are phenomenal (Florida consistently gets rated No. 1 or in top 5 states for their state park system). So even if we just list the state parks centered around springs, and just in a limited area, we get not just Ichetucknee Springs, but Fanning Springs, Homosassa Springs, Lafayette Blue Springs, Madison Blue Springs, Manatee Springs, Peacock Springs, Rainbow Springs, Troy Spring …

In coming columns, I’ll be writing about Daytona Beach (Forget wild college-kid spring break. Envision instead a family-focused spring break season … plus art, music, culture … and, of course, biker week and the Speedway.); day-trips from Disney (how to make those vacation dollars stretch by alternating Disney days with more natural Florida days); more on north central Florida (Gainesville is one hot college town); and more.

But right now I have to go e-mail Harvey, see how he is doing, tell him I’m thinking of him and all the people of Columbia and Alachua counties ...