Heading North Two Lane Adventure - 1st Leg

We started out journey north today on US 98 N. Did you know that there are two large ranches on 98, Iafrate and Larkin Ranch. There is also a Helena Chemical Company. They are one of the nation’s foremost distributors of crop protection and production inputs and services for agricultural, turf & ornamental, forestry, aquatics and vegetation management. In Dade City we picked up US 301 N. Where we saw the Etgle Christmas Tree Farm. For more than 26 years, they have been a holiday tradition for Central Florida families by offering a variety of fresh trees (cut your own, potted, and pre-cut), fresh wreaths, and Christmas cactus. They work all year to provide the most beautiful fresh trees at the best price. You can "select & cut" varieties including Cedar, Sand Pine and Carolina Sapphire. They also offer strawberries that are hydroponically grown, along with u-pick blackberries, blueberries. We also sell fruit plants and fruit trees. Life is about tradition and creating memories, take the time to make some with Ergle Christmas Tree Farm. In Ridge Manor we took FL 50 And headed due East. The Richloam Hiking Trail is just off SR 50 east of Ridge Manor. These trails offers mostly dry hiking, with some wading during rainy seasons. The Richloam Tract of Withlacoochee State Forest offers a wide variety of plant and animal life. Of interest here is a state owned herd of longhorn cattle descended from the original Spanish cows, and one of the state’s top fish hatcheries.The trail passes through cypress floodplains, bayheads, pine-palmetto flatlands, hardwood hammocks and open pine prairies. Ancient live oaks shade the trail in places. There is also a relict experimental eucalyptus plantation from the 1930′s that the loop trail passes through. Wildflowers are abundant in the spring, summer and fall. The trail borders the Withlacoochee River in the southwest and the Little Withlacoochee River in the northern section and crosses numerous streams which drain the tract. Eagles, deer, turkeys, and other wildlife inhabit the area. The Mazak Mine is also located on SR 50. It is a limerock mine and quarry. The Van Fleet State Trail starts on SR 50 and is officially designated as part of Florida's Statewide System of Greenways and Trails and is one of Florida's most rural, paved rail-trails. The Van Fleet State Trail runs through the Green Swamp, the headwaters for some of Florida's most popular paddling destinations--the Withlacoochee (South), Hillsborough and Peace rivers. Landscape views include former citrus lands and cattle ranches. An equestrian trail parallels the length of the paved path. The trail has excellent wildlife viewing opportunities. In Groveland we took FL 19 N. After a bit of driving we remembered this road, we took it once to get to Country Squire MHC in Paisley FL. The Cherry Lake Tree Farm goes on for miles and miles. It is an 1,800 acre wholesale, containerized nursery growing trees, palms and shrubs. Their mission is to beautify our environment for generations to come. We crossed under Florida Turnpike and saw that the traffic was stopped on the northbound lanes. Which is why we love these two lane roads! We traveled through Howey-In-The-Hills. It is a rural village located on the shoreline of Little Lake Harris. With its predominant 1920’s architecture, Howey-in-the-Hills is a town that thrives on tradition with a relaxed country feel. It's nature is forever preserved in the Griffin Waterfront Park as well as the Sara Maude Mason Nature Preserve. Hickory Point Recreational Facility is created as a unique, recreational waterfront park, the 68-acre facility is located near the City of Tavares. It is no average recreational park, the highlight of Hickory Point is its two-story, screened picnic pavilion with first-floor picnic tables and barbecue grills. The second floor features two screened banquet rooms. Also located in Eustis Florida, Trout Lake Nature Center is an interesting wildlife preserve located on 230 acres bordering Trout Lake. Florida's Natural Juice Sectionizing Plant is located along FL 19. We traveled through the town of Umtilla, which has beautiful flower filled medians. We drove on the Florida Black Bear Scenic Highway through the Ocala National Forest and discovered that Florida has a barge canal. The Cross Florida Barge Canal is one mile wide in most places. The canal project was to connect the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean across Florida for barge traffic. Two sections were built, but the project was cancelled. Opponents campaigned against the canal on environmental grounds, and the project halted in 1971. It was officially cancelled in 1991. In 1998, the right-of-way was turned over to the state and became the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway, named in honor of Marjorie Harris Carr, who had led opposition to the canal. The planned route of the canal followed the St. Johns River from the Atlantic coast to Palatka, the valley of the Ocklawaha River to the coastal divide, and the Withlacoochee River to the Gulf of Mexico. About 28% of the 107-mile project was built—the cross-country section from the St. Johns River to the Ocklawaha River, part of the route along the Ocklawaha, and a small section at the Gulf of Mexico end up to the dammed Lake Rousseau. Just north of Palatka we turned north east onto US 17 N and saw the Seminole Electric Cooperative Power Generating Station. We found Jaxma Orchid Greenhouse. They sell and distribute Phalaenopsis orchids imported from Masan, South Korea. They carry 400,000 Orchids in inventory. They do wholesale, retail and are also open to the public. We saw horse & rider crossing signs, turtle crossing and terrapin crossing signs. No moose crossing signs, but we did find Moosehaven, also known as the "City of Contentment." Beautifully situated on a wide expanse of the St. Johns River in northeast Florida, the 72-acre campus has been home to members of the Loyal Order of Moose and Women of the Moose since 1922. As a Continuing Care Retirement Community, Moosehaven offers independent living for seniors 65 years of age and older, and promotes an active lifestyle on a campus full of amenities and services. Moosehaven’s LifeCare Center provides all levels of health care. We discovered the Bacardi Rum Bottling plant, but knew we would not get samples, so we did not stop. We crossed into Georgia on US 17 and traveled by Fancy Bluff Bay, over the Atlantic Inter-coastal Waterway onto Jekyll Island. Stay tuned for more of our adventure!