An Oldie in Florida

The second full day in Florida found us leaving Saint Augustine to head to the family party in Ocala (via Daytona and New Smyrna). It was a lovely drive along Florida's A1A. Lovely to see the beaches and families fishing off the bridges. I'm still fixated on the palm trees and (according to my Seek app) the brown anole's entertaining me everywhere. 

We had a few hours until the convergence so we detoured for Virtuals, and the first one blew me away! Imagine driving down an avenue of moss-dripping boughs shadowing the road and turning into a park to see this amazing entity! Breathtaking. Awe-inspiring. Humbling.

Timeline Tree Virtual GCC9CA

From the cache page

"My name is Quercus Virginiana, but people around here refer to me as The Fairchild Oak. 

I am one of the biggest trees in Florida. I have been standing here for over 2000 years. 

Sound like a long time? 

Think of it this way, I was close to 30 years old when a man named Jesus was spreading his teaching. 

I was over 1000 years old when the Timucuan Indians gathered their shellfish, in the tidewater creeks around me I was old, when the soldiers of the Civil War camped near me 

I have survived Hurricanes, fires, and the folly of man. 

I have sheltered & help feed animals for seasons uncountable."

🙒

Speaking of animals - look who made an appearance!

He moseyed all over the protruding roots and then directly at me!

Our first live armadillo!

After that I think the other Virtuals paled. We drove to the Daytona 500, found ourselves at the foundation, paid our respects to the pup-pup, sailed into surfside for the Surfer Memorial. 

Daytona-New Smyrna Virtuals
No spoilers here.

Daytona was packed, commercial and pastel gaudy - what a great place to people watch! We saw an amazing flash storm off the ocean as we crossed over from the beach onto the mainland, heading West. But even storming, we had to get one more cache in the art district...

Pottery of Gold Reborn GC2PXCX

We were just a little late to Ocala, but the birthday boy didn't seem to mind! Happy Birthday, Pops!

90-years young

I don't have pictures here, but there were giant Pileated Woodpeckers bopping branch to branch and playing tag tree-to-tree as the sun set on our second day.