Category: Travel

2 weeks ago (2 Thursdays ago) I returned home from my Spring Break 2021 Road-Trip. It was a fun 5-day adventure traversing 624 miles through the 10 South and Central Florida counties of Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Martin, Okeechobee, Highlands, Hardee, Glades, Hendry, and Collier. I also barely touched Monroe County, and I saw its many islands.

Last Thursday I wrote on Days 1 and 2 – my first 229 miles. The story continues now:

On Day 3 on a rather chilly (for South Central Florida standards) and rainy Tuesday morning I headed northward and then westward from Lake Placid into Hardee County. My first stop was the small town of Zolfo Springs. I visited Pioneer Park – a sprawling county park straddling the Peace River. I tried to visit the Cracker Trail Museum at the park, but it was unexpectedly closed. I did enjoy some time at the Hardee County Wildlife Refuge (also at the park).

My next stop in Hardee County was Solomon’s Castle. I spent over 2½ hours there taking a couple of fun and pun-filled guided tours. I also enjoyed Lunch there. It was my 2ND visit to this quirky place out in the middle of nowhere (essentially swamplands). My 1ST visit was almost 5 years to the date earlier. I need to get back to this place again sooner than 5 years from now.

My final stop of Day 3 was another weird and wacky place back in Lake Placid in the downtown district – the American Clown Museum & School. I think they are the only clown museum and school in the U.S.A. I’m guessing that if you’re a clown – a professional one that is – then you may have gone to school there. They were actually getting ready for a new class in a few days. I spent about a half-hour checking-out their clown memorabilia. (They also have a small gift shop.)

In my intentional goal to stretch-out my Spring Break 2021 Road-Trip recap for as long as I can, and milk-it for all it’s worth – I’ll close for now. I’ll share Day 4 of 5 next Thursday here on my blog. It’ll include my very short visit to Avon Park, and an unscheduled spontaneous experience in downtown Sebring that could be a vision of what I may be doing about 3 years from now.

Miles Driven on Days 1, 2, & 3 = 344

All rights reserved (c) 2021 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries

One week ago (last Thursday) I returned home from my Spring Break 2021 Road-Trip. It was a fun 5-day adventure traversing 624 miles through the 10 South and Central Florida counties of Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Martin, Okeechobee, Highlands, Hardee, Glades, Hendry, and Collier. I also barely touched Monroe County, and I saw its many islands.

Starting here in Miami-Dade County (my home of 33 years) I ventured from my church building in Homestead (right after Sunday service) up to NW Broward County. That’s where I attended the TobyMac concert at the BB&T Center. I wrote all about it this past Monday.

On Monday morning (Presidents’ Day) I was back on-the-road from Broward to Palm Beach to Martin, and into Okeechobee County. I made a pitstop for a few hours at the northern rim of Lake Okeechobee – just south of the city of Okeechobee. It was my 2ND visit to the area. I’d previously spent a few days leading-up to Christmas Day of 2019 there. I walked a portion of the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail (high atop the dike / levee). I actually walked exactly 2.00 miles on that dike – a mile up to it and then eastward along it, and then a mile back to where I started. After that I took in views of the beautiful lake from the pier.

I drove northward from the lake about 15 miles to Arnold’s Wildlife Rehabilitation Center (a first-time visit). This place exceeded my expectations, and I really appreciate the work that they do to save and care for the animals in the local area.

After my fun few stops in the Okeechobee area it was on to Highlands County (probably my future hometown county once I retire). I arrived in Lake Placid on Monday afternoon, and this would be my home for the next 3 nights.

I enjoyed Dinner at a nice restaurant in town with a friend who used to live in Homestead and was a close sister in my first church family. She and her husband moved away and settled in Lake Placid. It was good to see her again. We may be neighbors in the future.

On Tuesday morning I headed northward and then westward from Lake Placid into Hardee County. I’ll share my Tuesday and Wednesday of my road-trip next Thursday here on my blog.

Miles Driven on Sunday & Monday = 229

All rights reserved (c) 2021 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries