Gilchirst Blue Springs Trailer Camping Saturday

  I did not get the kayak on the water until 12:28 PM, Saturday, January 4, 2020.  The late start was, mostly, intentional.

 Rain was forecast to end late in the morning.  I had one unplanned, stop on the way.  On the 408 Toll in Orlando, the driver next to me was waving his hand in a downward motion.  I pulled onto the shoulder.  The rudder on the kayak was hanging.  I put it back in its loop, tightened the loop, checked for any other issues with kayak, trailer and car, and continued on my way.

 Gilchrist Blue Spring. Arm over the side

The Christmas camping trip to Silver River was a 90 mile drive, this one, 150.  So, I made a planned stop at a Rest Area on the Turnpike.  Felt the tires on the Cool Camp.  They were.  Cool.  Less warm the  tires on Outback.  I had the cruise set to 68.  Traffic, and rain, had be going much slower of a lot of the drive.

 It may have been 11 or so when I arrived at Gilchirst Blue Springs State Park.  Check in is 1, but my site was ready.  Took the trailer off the car, went to the electrical box, no standard outlet. No problem,  I tent camped here last year at a electric site, they have adapters.  My neighbor told me he might have one.  He did, but not the right one.  So, to the ranger station. "May I borrow an adapter"  "We stopped giving them out, people were keeping them" I asked if the camp store might have some. They did not.  Where could I get one? "Ace Hardware in High Springs"  Ace was the place. I bought two adapters.  One, where the male end goes into the female, the other, the opposite.  So, now, I should be prepared for any camp site with 30 amp power.  Speaking of hardware, half a dozen or so small nuts and bolts were on the floor of the camper.  Where did they come from?  Stay tuned.

 The Santa Fe River is full of turtles.  Worked out well to illustrate my delay,

I was paddling down River.

Stopping at springs.

Never got out of the kayak, as it was getting cool.

Turn around point

 Taking a break at Rum Springs

Jonathan Spring

It's 2 aces

I asked if the horse's name was Mr. Ed

Coming out of Lily Springs

Headed back down the Santa Fe

Rum Springs Park is closed to build a bathroom. This looks like it. 

From the outhouse, I'm guessing the plumbing has yet to be connected.

Returned to Gilchrist Blue at 5:15.

Naked Springs.  The ranger says it will reopen.  Closed to let it recover from overuse.

I'm not a fan of campsites so close together.  On Sunday, a ranger told be there will be more sites.  I did not get into details with her.

My kayak, tucked in for the night. As it got dark, I picked up the lamp in my trailer.  And, it came apart in my hands.  Ah ha! That is where the nuts and bolts came from. Shaken out on the drive.  That happens with a 35 year old reading lamp.  I put it back together.  More or less. Back at home next to the bed it is bent in a odd way.  But, the bulb works.