Way down upon

The Suwannee River ...  

So we three got the bikes out today and rode up to White Springs (2000 census population was 819).  It was pretty darned cool riding because the sun just wouldn't stay out for more than three minutes.

We had to go down ALL these stairs (well the going down wasn't too bad, but the coming back up ~ now that was tough) to one of the springs in the area.

The spring was pretty interesting, but pretty dried up!  I guess, according to the information signs around the spring, that in it's heyday (which apparently ended in the 1970's) there was a six story building where this "monument" now is and people would jump from the balconies into the spring below.  Below is a photo of what that spring looks like now!  No jumping these days huh!  That thing that looks like a ladder was actually how they closed the space off so the spring didn't run out into the Suwannee River behind.

Prior to going over to the springs we had lunch at the Telford Hotel shown below.  What an interesting OLD building.  It is obviously still operating as a restaurant and a bed and breakfast (the Vermont and New York sisters would love a sister weekend here I'm think)!  Nice lunch buffet - and of course we ate too much.  Paul says they also have a great Sunday Brunch!

Below is a house across the street from the Telford (just because it appealed to me it got posted!!).  Lots of very old buildings in this teeny tiny town.

From the Springs we went to the Stephen Foster (who wrote "Way Down Upon the Suwanee River) Folk Culture Center State Park!  What a fabulous campground ~  with a few (five or six) good sized pull through sites that we would be able to fit in and not have to disconnect the trailer (aka the shed).  But like most state parks, it can be difficult to get a site, particularly if you don't plan ahead (um we do not plan ahead ... man we hate to try to plan ahead).  Below is the Museum.  This entire huge park was just immaculate.

Below is the tower at the park.  While we were there the bells from the tower were ringing.  I thought I took a video of  Rick and Paul with the bells in the background ~ but alas ... I think I goofed (again) 'cause there be no video on the camera!  I think we need to go back there and hopefully get  campsite there and enjoy the gorgeous place.

Now for the grand finale of this particular post (yes I do realize I've been lax, to say the least, in my posting this past week ... I will try to do better).  So to continue ~ Rick and Paul went out the other day to have a repair made to Paul's new truck and have a transmission service done on our car.  When they got home Paul was all excited to give me this great prize he bought for me.  Check out the box it came in ~ see the bottom right hand corner ~ the product is "100% Redneck Approved" ... doesn't that speak volumes!

I was going to record a short video of the prize in action but I haven't gotten there yet.  It really does need a video to fully appreciate the prize ~ trust me!  

Paul knows how much I love cows and this is a trailer hitch cover ~ not just any hitch cover mind you - oh no not for this girl.  It moves and lights up when you hit the brakes or put your blinker on!  It is hysterical and of course Sir Arlo is petrified of it.  We took him out to show it to him just after I put it on and of course he was scared.  For the next couple days every time we left the house or the coach he would go directly to the cow and check it out, sniff it and bark like a fool at it!  Such a goof he is.