February 3
End: White Springs
Miles: 38.3
Total: 797.5
I packed up and left the museum as a truck came and opened up the gate. I wasn’t sure if I was seen, but when a Forest Service officer drove out to check on me on the first forest road I hit, I figured they had.
I got to cross interstate 10, the road I used to drive all the time far west of Florida. The Osceola National Forest was nice, but not too distinct from the rest of Florida’s forests.
Walking fast and without rest so as to make it to White Springs, I covered a lot of ground, but knew I had lots more to go. I was probably lucky to hit a tree clearing zone near lunchtime, as it seemed to be cordoned off (as most of the Florida Trail seems to be).
I passed a shelter I wish I could have stayed at, and was surprised to see the signatures of Stumpknocker and Mrs. Gorp, who I thought had left the trail and were behind me. Their entry said they were headed for White Springs, so I thought that I might meet up with them there at the end of the day.
I saw a cool shelter on private property that Stumpknocker and Mrs. Gorp had stayed at, but I wanted to eat hot food in White Springs. I pressed on to the Suwanee, which was far below the trail.
The last few miles into White Springs were up and down as it navigated the creeks feeding into the river. I moved fast, and as darkness approached I was counting orange blazes to keep myself focused after such a long day.
I reached the back of the Suwannee River Campground just as it got too difficult to see blazes. I walked through the television watchers and on through the back roads into White Springs, where I made a beeline for Fat Belly’s, the only open restaurant.
I had some good food, and met Tom, who had seen me walking on the road that afternoon. He let me sleep outside a house he owned in town, and I was grateful to be away from the headlights of the road.
