Florida - Rice Creek Conseration Area Hike

We haven't hiked in ages so I found this 5.2 mile hike online.

This is part of the 3 mile bike trail

 but we turn off after about 1/2 mile

 It's a Jungle in here!

 Tucson is just happy to not  be home alone

Lots of planks to walk on - only there were none in the muddiest section.

 I keep expecting to see a Boa Constrictor hanging off a branch

 There are 36 bridges on the trail

and since it is so swampy - lots of Cypress Trees

 Not quick enough to get pictures but saw 3 deer and an Owl flew by.

an old hollowed out Cypress you could take shelter in.

 and more boardwalk

 This one leads to the 8th largest Cypress in Florida

 It is that light colored tree in the distance.  As of March 2007, it stood at 107 feet tall, 24 feet 9 inches in circumference, and a crown spread of 48 feet by 42 feet

 we are just over half way through the loop

We happen upon the camping area for the Florida Trail

It is the Rice Creek Hilton.  A screened in picnic area below and a trap door above the ladder leads to sleeping quarters.  Quite swanky for the wilderness.

 Bridge 36 - we must almost be back.

Home in time to grill dinner

It was a beautiful hike.  If we have time we will go back and do the bike trail and then hook up to another hiking trail that goes to Hoffman's Crossing an1886 yard boardwalk through large cypress trees.  However we will not bring Tucson and I will not go off trail as I found almost a dozen ticks on Tucson and 3 on me.

Florida - Palatka Wall Murals

Today we make it back to Palatka to see the Wall Murals.  We had tried last week but when we got there my camera battery was dead.

We got a parking spot right next to No. 1 - Putnam County Jail Circa 1880

 Putnam County Courthouse, Circa 1909; Bronson-Mulholland House, Circa 1854; Palatka City Hall, Circa 1905, and Old T & K Railway Station, Circa 1886.  We missed 2 that were around the corner and couldn't find a 3rd one.

 The Putnam House, Circa1891

 The Battle at Horse Landing, May 23, 1864

Night Passage, Circa 1884. 
Traveling up the Ocklawaha River at night on the way to Silver Springs,the captain navigated his steamboat by the light of a bonfire on the upper deck.

To God be the Glory.  Billy Graham was baptized in Silver Lake and had his first pulpit at Peniel Baptist Church

 The County Courthouse

 One of my favorites the 3D effect is very well done.  The only real elements are the windows

Bygone Days, Circa 1880

These were not on the Map

 Putnam Treasures - Birds and animals found in Putnam County

Harlem Nights in Palatka

 Mary Lawson Hospital - opened in 1918 as a facility for African-

The Train Station

 Not a Mural but and interesting Mosaic

 This was a long one  - Cattle Drive to Paynes Prairie (near Gainesville)

 Senator B.C. Pearce Agricultural Mural

 Annie Oakley

 High Time in Palatka - Circa 1872

 Putnam County Wildflowers

 William Bartram traveling by boat on St. John's River in 1774

I think we got to see all but a handful.  It was a pleasant day to walk around town.  Got home and sat outside and got to see this Osprey soaring overhead

Florida - Cape Canaveral Kennedy Space Center

We finally make it down to Cape Canaveral to visit the Kennedy Space Center.

It is about a 1.5 hour drive.

 We cross over the Indian River

 We make it!

Yes!  Let's explore!

 There were a gazillion school kids outside the gates so we decide to go on the bus tour over to the launch pads and the Appollo / Saturn V Center first thing.

 That's the vehicle assembly building ahead on the left.  Originally built to accommodate the vehicle assembly for the Apollo and Saturn missions, the VAB underwent renovations to support the Space Shuttle.  525 feet tall, 716 feet long, and 518 feet wide, the volume is almost 4 times that of the Empire State Building.  It is so large it manufactures it's own weather.  The American flag, used 6,000 gallons of paint. At 209 feet high and 110 feet wide, the stars are six feet across, the stripes are nine feet wide, and the blue portion is approximately the size of a regulation basketball court.

 The six-million pound Crawler-Transporter moves space vehicles to the launch pad at a mere one mile per hour, and a gas-guzzling 42 feet per gallon, the Crawler can position the vehicle for launch with an accuracy of one inch.

 It travels along this route - the crawler straddles both sides of the grassy area.

Launch Pad 39A

 We get dropped off at the Apollo / Saturn V Space Center

Secured to the ceiling is the Saturn V the largest rocket ever flown.

And it is huge!

Stage 1

 Stage 2

 Stage 3

 The Service Module

 and lastly, the Command Module.  So it basically sits on 5 gas cans.

I tried to get the whole rocket in on one picture

 Apollo 14 Crew Capsule

 Space suits

Next stop the Atlantis Shuttle.

We got inside the building and there were hundreds of people and kids lined up the spiral staircase and the sound was deafening.  I suggested we come back later.  Outside, Gary asked one of the workers why it was so busy.  Turns out it was the line for one of the Imax Movies and we got directions how to bypass all that and get to the Shuttle

 Gary says "I got this!"

 Last stop for the day - the Hall of Fame