Southern Tier Day #2 Hawthorne, FL to Ichetucknee State Park, FL
March 30, 2021
Hawthorne, FL to Ichetucknee State Park, FL - 64 Miles
Start 8:40 AM Finish 5:17 PM
Ride Time 6:59
Ascent 486 Feet
Descent 537 Feet
Tour Total 136 Miles
Details at: https://cyclemeter.com/3f1ef27914a4c684/Cycle-20210330-0739-08444
I slept fairly well stealth camping alongside the Gainesville-Hawthorn State Trail. I woke up a few times when I realized that Blanka was standing up looking at the wall of the tent. I figured something was probably out there, and I tried to settle her. She slept by my feet and then alongside me. There was a light rain shower at 5 AM.
I had set my alarm for 7 AM because I didn’t want to get caught. Yesterday I passed a Florida prisoner chain gang and I didn't want to be part of one. My fly was wet from the rain and had to be folded and stowed under my rear rack pack. Blanka watched me pack from a hundred feet down the trail, and appeared to be raring to go. I was wearing my cycling shorts, short sleeve jersey, and sweater. It was a cool clammy overcast morning.
I spotted a deer alongside the trail and was relieved that Blanka didn’t jump out to chase it. One weather app pinged a thunderstorm advisory and another app warned of imminent rain. There were dark clouds in the sky and I kept my fingers crossed. The rail trail offered a pleasant ride through Prairie Reserve State Park.
I flipped to map panel #106, and passed a woman standing beside the trail with a tripod and camouflaged telephoto lens. She was photographing birds and was particularly interested in woodpeckers. We were surrounded by swamps both black and green. The trees were draped with thick hanging strands of Spanish moss. I spotted a cardinal darting into a tree above me. On my approach to Gainesville I was passed by a female day cyclist who commented that Blanka looked happy. We were on a small uphill which she effortlessly climbed while I struggled.
I spotted two deer standing at the edge of the forest and encouraged Blanka to chase them. She jumped out of her wagon and ran right to the forest’s edge. She’s such a good dog. Because of the snakes and alligators I’m afraid to let her out of my sight. The trail took us around a sharp curve and I realized that I was circling my first Florida sinkhole. I missed the turn off to leave the trail, but only by a little bit. The trailhead was a single track and not very obvious. It was a gorgeous trail and I’ll miss it. I believe there will be no more rail trails on this tour.
Back out on roads shared with motorized traffic, I found myself on SE 15th St. There was no shoulder so I rode on the sidewalk. I entered the Gainesville city limit and called my friend Ward who lives in Gainesville. Unfortunately he wasn't in town today. He told me that the town was known for its hippies. I had read about its marijuana culture and Gainesville Green.
I had breakfast at Fast Eddies which advertises itself as having the best breakfast in town. I ordered the shrimp and eggs special with a biscuit, grits and cheese. They only served take-out, and were packed. Cars snaked around the building and filled the parking lot. I enjoyed my meal on a bench covered with hairy caterpillars. I thought that I had brushed them all off, but later found several crawling on me. Blanka got half of my grits and licked my tray clean. The sun emerged and I donned my new UV arm covers. Gainesville has good bike lanes, and I effortlessly navigated around the city by the University of Florida campus. I noticed a large homeless population, sleeping on benches and camped in the bushes.
I rode by Devil's Millhopper Geological State Park, which is an enormous sinkhole with a tropical forest within. Unfortunately it's closed on Tuesdays. I spotted a herd of cattle in a field alongside the road. Blanka had never seen a cow so I pulled over for her to get an impression. She jumped out of the wagon and started to pull it over with her leash. I unclipped her and she ran right up to the fence, barking at them. I'm well aware of her herding instincts. The cows were unfazed. I noticed that she had vomited her grits in the wagon and I cleaned up the mess.
I flipped to map panel #105. My iPhone battery was low and I attempted to charge it with my charger. Neither cable would work and I was at 20%. I stopped at a Shell station in Alachua and bought myself a very fancy new cable. The sun came out full force and I donned my new brim and UV leg protectors. In High Springs I stopped Bevs Burgers and BBQ where I ordered a pork sandwich with pink lemonade. Blanka had a cheeseburger patty. We sat out on the porch and enjoyed the lazy afternoon. Restaurant service in the south is not what I’m accustomed to in New York.
We crossed the Santa Fe River into Columbia County, and were now in a protected Springs area. US Highway 441 had a lot of traffic with little tree cover. I was exposed to the sun and I passed many Trump signs. I took a left on County Highway 18 and rode on a path alongside the roadway. There were many deep puddles that went up to my panniers and pedals. My feet got soaked. This area must have gotten the rain that I had heard about earlier. I passed a confederate flag on Elim Church Road.
There are many cattle ranches in this part of the state. We came to Ichetucknee State Park and noticed numerous tube and kayak rentals for the Ichetucknee River. The tree cover was welcomed, and it was nice to be out of the blazing sun. I’ve been following the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail.
We pulled into the Ichetucknee Family Canoe and Cabins which offered camping and had a store. I bought a six pack of Stella and set up camp next to a picnic table. A church group had set up camp in the primitive area before to me. I showered and plugged in my charger. A camp counselor told me that they had been deluged by a storm last night, and then again this morning. As I was inspecting my rig I was shocked to see the wear in the tread of the wagon wheels, which was down to the threads. I'm two days from Tallahassee through remote territory. Although I'm currently well ahead of my itinerary, this could be a problem.
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