DAY 165: CHATTAHOOCHEE - GRETNA - QUINCY, FLORIDA

We are within 40 miles of TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA, a rather large city. The ranches are looking more prosperous and more business are popping up along US 90.

Not as sheik as some parts of the US, Florida Panhandle - at least along US 90 - has it's share of good looking properties. Most "for sale" signs are for forested property. Still, too, the majority of homes are "manufactured" homes.

At daybreak, drove SPIA from the RV Park up the hill to the town of CHATTAHOOCHEE, FLORIDA. I tried the local restaurant, which did leave something to be desired all around.

Drove a mile out of CHATTAHOOCHEE looking for a place to park SPIA. Finally selected this back-in sloping farm road leading into an open field. Walked East on US 90 WITHOUT SAM and back for 12 miles total. Much of the roadway had NO berm, so no SAM today.

Spotted two or three lonely wee churches along the way. This one looks pretty good...another had vines growing over the roof and was unkempt.

Then again, was this sign in front of a large tract of land with a VERY large new building a bit set back behind some trees. Appears not everyone has been effected by the Nation-Wide Recession in a negative way.

Had an in-length conversation yesterday with a local fellow regarding the Church and the South. Not appropriate for this venue.

Another of the many Water Towers along US 90. With the water shortage, these structures gain new priority.

This is the first at-work tractor I have seen since entering the Florida Panhandle. Those tanks hold chemicals - probably pesticides - which are sprayed from the long arms extending from the sides of the tractor. Click click for the larger view.

Without going into the gruesome details, this photograph was obtained standing on the macadam of US 90. It reminded me of scenes from Gone With The Wind.

A few weeks ago in Texas, a woman chased me down with her BMW demanding I "delete" my photograph of her home. I did so. A "gentleman with a SUV full of kids and a "wife"?, stopped me as I put my camera into my pocket. Why are you photographing my property? No one is allowed to photograph my property! I deleted my "first" pic. On my way back an hour later, I obtained this pic from the US 90 Right Of Way (place where the vehicles drive).

Try as I may, I sometimes get upset with folks who exclude the world from their world. My Credo: A thing not shared, remains just a thing.


GRETNA, FLORIDA is a whistle stop little village with large schools. A woman in CHATTAHOOCHEE told me this morning, that many local schools have been integrated with other villages...schools she attended no longer exist.

Walking out from SPIA, this woman was mowing a VERY large lawn - nearly a block in size - with her very expensive mower (I priced the Kubota version: $11,000.00 plus !

Walking back an hour later, she was still at it.

For the non-farmers among us, this barn caught my attention. It is a classic, known as a "Hip Roof" barn. The top center has a large door which swings UP. Hay (feed) for wintering over the animals is stored on the top floor. The animals are normally housed in the low "wings", and the main floor center area is for storing machinery and room for a hundred and one jobs...like mixing feed, cleaning out stalls (places where the animals live).

If a Country Fair happens near by, they can be quite interesting and educational.

A number of "Woofs", as I call them, have taken runs at me in the past couple weeks. I have stood my ground, staring into saliva dripping mouths, and talked slow - low - firmly that they have nothing to fear from me and should STOP. So far, they have all stopped and just stared at me. Guess I'm not their normal passerby. Perhaps I should show a little fear and retreat a bit just to let them have the psychological upper hand. Now I have Mace clipped to my "pencil" pocket pointing directly at them - with a range of 10 feet or so -, gotta be careful not to become so friggin confident that one of these nice doggies calls my bluff.

DAILY REPORT: Walked 2 legs totaling 20 miles.

SEE YOUR IMPACT.ORG: Credit 20 miles @ $0.02 = $0.40 for the day.

Ahead of schedule, the Florida Panhandle sky started flashing and booming well before noontime. About 1:00 pm local, the first rain fell. Every 30 minutes or so, a cloud would burst and inundate all under it. Some ditches filled with water incredibly quickly. So, I stayed close to SPIA all day.

We have entered the town of QUINCY, FLORIDA, taken a detour South to the local Wal*Mart, where we have permission to stay the night.

In the morning, will drive back to US 90 - about 2 miles North -, find a spot to park SPIA, and continue walking East on US 90.

Tomorrow evening, we will be in the environs of TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA.