North bound on Highway 17

They say on the seventh day God rested, I think he went Geocaching. So if he can do it on Sunday so can I. I got up earlier than usual today and met up with a friend so we could head up to Palatka. There were a few caches on the way so we got those. One of them ( Quickie GC23KMF ) was across the highway from an old abandoned warehouse that used to ship oranges. This warehouse was in the book Weird Florida by Charlie Carlson. It is a great book and I know at least a few of the locations mentioned in the book have geocaches nearby.


The reason Palatka was chosen was not only because there were caches there but as it turned out, the Azalea Festival was going on this weekend. Also Ravine Gardens State Park in there also. Either of these would be ample reason to visit. This was the first time I had attended the Festival and except for the gyro that was made with something that was NOT Tzatziki sauce ( darn those fake Greeks ) it was a great day.

Ravine Gardens State Park has only one cache in it and it is an Earth Cache (Ravine Gardens State Park EarthCache GC13KM9 ) This was the first time we had ever attempted an Earth Cache and I would love to tell you about a happy ending but I am not the Brothers Grimm so no smiley on this one. However it is NEVER a loss visiting the Gardens. Although you can drive around the park, occasionally stopping at an overlook to see what there is to see, If your up to the very long walk I recommend the hike.



Palatka is a very nice place. It has beautiful churches, eerie cemeteries, ( for those of us who just can not stay out of that sort of thing ) waterside parks and a historic downtown filled with quaint shops and interesting eateries. Check out any side street to see some magnificent murals that have to be seen to be appreciated.









I love cemeteries. The only thing better than a cemetery is one that I have not been on or perhaps did not know was even there. Now I know this sort of thing is not for everyone but add a cache to the mix and now we have a party. We did two cemetery caches today one was in Palatka ( CacheGravedigger GCRE0Z ) and one was on the way home. ( Resting Place GC1NT5D )

What a day! Too bad, just like this blog, it has to come to an end. Oh well you know what I say...

More discoveries await.

Beginings

OK. Just at the start I have an admission. I have never blogged before. That's right I am a newbie. Just a few short weeks ago I would most likely have made some smart comment about blogging had I been asked if I had ever done it. My how times change.

What I have done is this great thing called Geocaching. You may have heard about it, you may have done it. If you are really fortunate you will check into it, maybe even because of this blog, and be hooked on it just like the rest of us ( and we are legion my friend ) I have been Geocaching since April of 2009 after hearing about it from several friends.

Geocaching is an online hobby that uses GPS coordinates to locate containers or "caches" that are hidden all over the world. These containers can be REAL small or REAL big and at least have a log that you sign to prove that you were there. Then you go online and post a note also to say you were there. This is of course a very simple explanation of what Geocaching is. For more information go to Geocaching.com, you will not be disappointed.

One of the things I love most about Geocaching is that because they are all over the place it takes you to places you may not have been to or to places you "always" wanted to go but never got around to it. Sometimes it may be a beautiful lake or park. Sometimes it could be some left over remnant of some bygone era. Many times you may see some animal life you just never know.

This is what my blogs are going to be about. The strange and yet beautiful. The unusual things that we come across be they animals, buildings or whatever. I can not promise you Sasquatch but it will not be because I did not try.





This image above is one of my favorite discoveries. The cache owner here, Geofam32174, has all the information on the cache's web page (What Might Have Been GC1G0Y8) so although in the future most of my information will be from my own research that is not going to be the case here.

This structure was built as a grand entryway for the Rio Vista subdivision platted in 1926. The subdivision was owned and developed by William Hardesty, who had made his fortune with the Hardesty Manufacturing Company (an Arts & Crafts furniture company, in Dover, Ohio). Plans included a canal system for residents to move around upon inspired by those in Venice, Italy.


Hardesty had moved to Florida in 1922 to deal in real estate. By 1927, a hotel, thirty-eight homes and over fifteen miles of paved roads had been developed. But this all came to a halt upon the advent of the Great Depression.

What you see is listed as an endangered historic property in Volusia County. The major threat to this structure is neglect. Come see it while you can!





For more than 80 years these Corinthian pillars have stood by waiting to welcome someone home. No one came. Some day they will no longer be here. Nature is ever so patient but she never loses. On the day I took these photographs dozens of red breasted Robins were flying all over.

More discoveries await.