We Saw the River Sink and Now We See it Rise

Wednesday March 18 and Thursday March 19, 2015
O’Leno State Park
High Springs, Florida

 

 

WEDNESDAY March 18

Wednesday is the first velcade shot.  It takes over 4 hours to drive there, wait and wait, get his blood draw and wait and wait some more in spite of his having an appointment.  Finally he gets the 2 minute shot and drives back.   That pretty much is the day.   I do a brisk 7446 steps around the park but never get to 10,000 and do an hour of yoga.   Day over.

Many thanks to those 50+ readers who commented on the disappointing news post and an special thanks to those 17 or so who stayed with us into more pleasant topics on the following post.  It seems bad news brings people out but the ordinary and better times, not so much.  Unless you are RV Sue that is.  Not sure how that works.

 

 

THURSDAY March 19

 

 

We are on a bit of a roller coaster.  Very tough day on Monday but better on Tuesday.  Not so much fun on Wednesday but better on Thursday.  We continue to be thankful that “so far”, after the stem cell transplant,  David’s effects from all these powerful drugs have not limited his activities.

So today we want to visit the River Rise, to see the river just reappear out of the ground 3 miles away from where it disappeared.  We find we can couple this with a trip down the Old Bellamy Road. 

The state still maintains a long stretch of the road off of US 441. There are a few driveways off this section of the road but not many.  We drive down the road to the parking lot just before the road ends at the gate with River Rise State Park sign.   We are the only car in the lot.  Looking good so far.

 

 

 

 

 

From here we can walk a 1.1 mile section of the road on the way to River Rise.

There are 5 informational signs along the road. They are well done and provide most of the information we have about the road. The first sign tells us that sections of the road flood seasonally and to use insect repellent for protection from ticks. Ok then.

The Bellamy Road once led to the town of Keno which later became known as Leno and ultimately Old Leno, now O’Leno.

 

 

The Old Bellamy Road is the Eastern section of the first federally funded road in Florida.  This road, constructed through the wilderness from 1824-1826, connected Pensacola and St. Augustine to the new territorial capital in Tallahassee in the middle of the state.  Of course we all know that Tallahassee is not in the middle of the state but it was then.  The rest of the state was uncharted territory, home to Native Americans and almost no one else.

 

 

 

The Santa Fe River passes beneath the road which crosses the land bridge.  The land bridge and later the road were used by animals and  westward traveling pioneers as any easy way to cross the river.  So here you can see the road going across the land bridge and we will start from the right side and go 1.1 miles before turning off to River Rise.

 

 

 

Once you cross into the park, the road begins to look like it must have during its early years.

 

 

 

The road is dressed up for spring which officially begins tomorrow.   We have to watch our feet not to step on these little white beauties.

 

We’ve seen these lovely yellow blossoms on the ground many times but have never seen them in bloom on the vine because it is usually high up in the trees but it appears a limb fell down and brought the vine with them. I just love their little yellow bells.  They look like jasmine but we didn’t smell the fragrance I would expect.

 

One thing I did learn in my several times of taking a ‘birding by ear’ class in Charlottesville from the incomparable Dan Bieker was the call of the Easter Towhee so when I hear it as we walk down the road I stop and look around until I find him and his lady fair.  They are one of my favorite birds.  An old friend.  I don’t even drink tea much but I love to hear him tell me to do it.

 

 

 

 

David thinks this is opening day for the wild azalea.  Their pretty pink blossoms line on both sides of the road.

 

 

 

 

We come to the point where we must make a turn to hike over to the Rise.  David sees a pond just off the road and we go over to investigate.  What we find are cypress and knees nearly as big as I am.  A lovely hidden spot.

 

 

 

We’re now on the trail leading to River Rise.  There hasn’t been much rain in the past few days but you wouldn’t know it here.  Good thing we wore our waterproof, mudproof, everything proof hiking boots.

 

David heads off the trail numerous times to check out big trees.  One of the reasons our pace is seldom more than 1 mph.  I am his official photographer.

 

 

 

 

 

I’m amazed to come upon the Red Buckeye.  It is sure beautifying these Florida woods in March.  I read that it is a favorite of the hummingbird and can exceed 10’ in height.  Ten feet.  REALLY?

 

 

 

 

 

Every once in a while there are very large rocks just out in the woods.  David says they are erratics but without glaciers anywhere near here I wonder how they came to be.   Does anyone but me see an animal head here?

 

 

 

There are a lot more things we see on our hike to the Rise.  I take so many pictures of this wonderful hike but it’s time to show the Rise and what we do while we are there.

 

Here it is.  Out of nowhere.  It looks almost looks like a lake until you look closely at the flow and walk down one side to see the river heading further along.  The reflection in the waters make it impossible to see the red bellied slider which is the lone occupant today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We do walk down the riverside knowing that we will see a beautiful nearly virgin forest with huge trees overlooking the magnificent river views.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have our lunch here.  What a view.  The Santa Fe is a gorgeous river where it is so well protected.

 

 

The walk here was just over 4 miles and we have that much to go yet so before we head back, I find this great resting spot to relax while David, who is having a dex day, continues to roam all around like an energizer bunny.

 

 

 

Before we leave David decides he’s warm enough to peel off the bottoms of his pants and hike in shorts.  I’m shocked after the tick warning.  I’m not untucking my pants from my sox and in my opinion neither should he. He reconsiders but ever the statistician, decides to test the theory.   One leg off, one leg on.  

 

 

I really do love sandy forest roads.  They are always a surprise.  Seems trees, especially hard woods, shouldn’t be growing in sand.

 

 

Just under a mile and half from the car we come to Sweetwater and it is definitely sweet. Outstanding reflections.   There is a large fire circle in the middle of the trail passing by the lake.  Clearly this spot gets some use by backpackers. It comes complete with an outhouse nearby.  I think it would be wonderful to camp here on a full moon. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The last bit of the hike continues along the lovely forest trail with more big trees to hug.

 

 

 

 

 

When we arrive back after 8.4 miles, we are still the only car in the parking lot.   What a wonderful hike to an amazing spot.  The Santa Fe River Rise.  If you come to O’Leno State Park, don’t miss it.  There are 3 different ways to get here.  This one that we took.  A slightly longer hike from the O’Leno and an entrance which allows you to drive all the way to the sink.