Tempatures dipped to 34 last night. We had a roaring fire in one of the most serene settings we've ever camped in. Barely a sound except the rustle of palmetto and the night bird calls. We had a great dinner of leftover white chili, toasted jack cheese, avocado and green chili sandwiches. I finished with hot tea and a chocolate. WFS had a hot shower and I washed the dishes. By the time we got inside, we were both grateful for our cozy little bed & a very warm TinCan.
Yesterday we explored a radius of fifty miles. We hiked two state parks and one federal preserve. Rivers, marshes and estuaries, deep hammocks and golden sandy beaches. This was the land of native people and so pristine. We relived their lives in every hammock and midden. The Timucuan were decimated not by war, but by disease. We stood on the banks of the Tomoka River, just before it flowed into the sea, imagining a world of peace and content under the huge live oak trees.
Our next park was an old sugar plantation. This hidden jewel was so far off the grid we were fearful we were heading to no man's land. After 10 miles on sand roads we found the old ruin. Deep in the hammock, forgotten by time, we walked through the ruins knowing this whole world succeeded on the backs of slaves. A sobering moment in a beautiful setting. As we drove back through the wooded lane, we spoke of how little the world has changed.
Fortunately, we can speak out, reach out and hope.
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