Florida Caverns a bit Phallic!

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        Florida Caverns State Park was our last stop in the state of Florida located in the northwest corner of the panhandle.  The Florida Caverns State Park is an interesting place to see with 1300 acres, it boasts a wide variety of plants and animals. Zero growth Marianna is the neighboring city with a rich history of a southern town, yes southern.  Even though we are in northern Florida we are very southern, if y'all know what I mean.  Biscuits and gravy, grits, southern smoked sausage and fried chicken.  It all comes to you with a hearty "Y'all" in front or at the end of the sentence with a couple of yes Ma'ams or no Ma'ams in the middle; Southern hospitality in northern Florida.

CCC Working Man Tribute
Flowstones with phallicmites
  We took a guided tour of the Caverns ($8.pp) our guide was a southern girl named Bonnie with  a little park ranger shirt and a big white bow in her hair. We were the only ones for that morning tour so we had her all to ourselves.  As the tour descended 50 feet below the surface, Bonnie's 3 years experience giving tours was wonderful.
Stalactites/Stalagmites












 

 Our campsite was called Blue Hole campground, in a tall old growth forest with Upland hardwoods, Florida Maple, White Oaks, Champion Florida Elm, American Beech, Black Walnut and Southern Magnolia.
Horse Trial pond
Blue Hole Campground
Although with limited trails we biked a very nice winding 6mi horse trail and it kept us wanting for more.  There is a saying "if a Tree Falls in the Forest and no one is around to hear it- does it make a noise"  You bet the farm it does!.  I thought the whole forest was imploding when this Giant of a tree started to fall without warning, incredible the sound and power displayed as it came crashing down through the forest canopy, shaking the earth as it came to rest on the needle laden ground.
Cracked Flowstones / soda straws

We spent an afternoon driving around Marianna, viewing 2 story classic revival period homes from the families that settled there. Finding dinner was a task as our
choices were limited. Lunch was a
surprise!  We chose a nondescript place that turned out to be a Turkish Restaurant, who knew!!  Our stay was brief at the Florida Caverns State Park,  ready to head further north into Georgia.

Indian Paintbrush
 We had breakfast on the road as we made our way across the state line. A little Deli grocery store was one to remember- Fresh brewed coffee, fried egg, heap of bacon, biscuits, Jojo's  and Southern Smoked sausage we stood eating on the front seat of our rig, in the parking lot.  That was some good Grits Buba!!

Making tracks north to Georgia Veterans State Park, "Got Georgia on my mind".

See Y'all on the road.

🚙.....