FunkyFlorida

08/19/2024

On Saturday I drove up to Amelia Island in Northeast Florida and checked out the Wheels & Wings car show at the Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport. Lots of great cars to see; I just wish I had more time to really soak in all the sights! I still ended up with tons of great photos. I really loved the sleek lines on the Olds 88 and the '54 Skyliner gave those drive-in hot rod vibes. The Shelby GTs needed no introduction while the rat rods gave off that "old school cool" vibe. What car shows do you recommend visiting in Florida? Let me know in the comments which car is your favorite.

05/21/2024

Four years later, this is still one of the coolest places I've visited.

The Dam That Never Was

In the 1930's there was a plan for a canal to be built in Florida that ran from the St Johns River, just south of Palatka and run southwest until it reached the Gulf coast at Inglis. This project halted and restarted several times until President Nixon declared the project cancelled in 1971 but not before some infrastructure had been partially completed. A segment of the canal was completed and is now known as the Cross Florida Greenway. This segment sits between the St Johns River and Lake Ocklawaha.

A lesser known relic of this cross-state canal project is a set of locks intended to be accompanied by a dam that was never built. These were to be known as the Eureka Lock and Dam. Now hidden amid the thick Florida trees bordering the Ocala National Forest and brushing up against the Ocklawaha River, this lock system and compound sit abandoned and obscured from the public eye by a pair of bordering fences. The building and infrastructure remnants included a mix of equipment from the 60s/70s and the 90s/early 2000s. Since the lock was decommissioned in 1971, perhaps the compound was used as a state sponsored or private youth camp or recreation area.

There are two sets of locks; the downstream locks are first, followed by the compound, where the upstream locks create a large chamber of water for raising and lowering boats and ships through the channel. The downstream lock gates appeared to lift using a pulley system. A walkway at the top of the pulley system provides a great vantage point to view the gators sunning and swimming on the west side of the lock. The upstream lock gates are in the open position, exposing the large hydraulic pistons which are quite a sight. An abundance of alligator gar and grass carp swam in the lock chamber. At the far end of the locks was a Corps of Engineers survey marker indicating the locks were completed in 1969.

04/03/2024

Today is the last day to receive a discount on advance purchase tickets for the Clay County Fair in Green Cove Springs, FL. I'll be checking out the exhibits, food and rides this Friday with my family. If you're interested in attending, here's a direct link to the online ticket portal for the fair.

https://www.claycountyfair.org/p/buytickets

04/02/2024

Its blueberry season in Florida! I'm planning a visit to HNH Blueberry farm in Botswick, FL. If you want to beat the crowds, try visiting on a weekday and be sure to get there early in the season because this activity is really popular. There's nothing like fresh picked blueberries and if you have a surplus, just bag and freeze! The kiddos love blueberry pancakes and I'm partial to fresh-made lemon blueberry muffins.

Does anyone have suggestions on where to pick blueberries in their area? Share your favorite u-pick spot and favorite blueberry recipes!

Behold the first berry of the season! It was good too. We're about 10 days away from opening day, give or take. Time to get out your rain boots if you have them or invest in some if you don't. The farm's been pretty wet lately so we're going to have the usual muddy rows towards the back. Hopefully it stays sunny and warm the next week or so to help dry things out. Either way I know I'll see you guys soon!!

03/29/2024

I am utterly amazed at the sudden growth of this page and it's all because of you! The page has gained nearly 1000 new followers in a week's time and I am both humbled and honored to have your support.

I want to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who has commented, reacted and/or shared this page's content. I'd also like to welcome all the new followers over the past few weeks. Your engagement is exactly why I created this page and I truly enjoy sharing places and activities that have created memories with my family and friends. This is something I do in my free time and my hope is to paint an experience with photos, videos and words that serves as an inspiration to go create your own memories and for those who have already created those memories to reminisce and share in the experience and pass it on to generations to come.

Thanks again!

03/28/2024

The Clay County Fair is only a week away and I'm excited to go see the exhibits, enjoy some fair food and find the best ride! What's your favorite thing to do at the fair?

I'll be gathering some photos and videos and posting about the fair on the different social platforms. Be sure to give the page a like and follow us on all platforms to share in the fair experience!

If you're interested in attending the fair here's the official site
https://www.claycountyfair.org/

03/26/2024

Some of you may be curious about the source of this page's profile image. Those who grew up during the Space Shuttle era may recognize this as the external fuel tank used to launch the space shuttle into orbit. This tank was single-use and held a liquid fuel mixture that helped push the shuttle into our stratosphere and ultimately into orbit. This astonishing task was also aided by two solid rocket boosters mounted on each side of the external tank. The boosters ran independently from the tank and the tank would feed the three main shuttle engines. Once the boosters were expended, they would be jettisoned from the spacecraft to fall back down to the ocean to be recovered and used again. The external tank would provide fuel for the main engines a bit longer before also separating and falling to the ocean. Unlike the boosters, the external fuel tank wasn't reused. The Space Shuttle program was ended in 2011 with the shuttle Atlantis completing the final mission in July 2011.

While the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral is a great place to view and learn about the relics of the space shuttle era as well as other great achievements in space exploration, research and innovation, this particular fuel tank is sitting in an open lot next to the St Johns River in Green Cove Springs. In fact, this distinct muted orange piece of history can be spotted when travelling westbound across the Shands Bridge on SR16. A keen eye can pick out the tank's silhouette standing out against the riverbank, concealing its impressive scale from the distant view. The size cannot be appreciated from photos or a distant vantage point. Standing next to the behemoth is sure to raise your curiosity and lead you to the type of questions spawned from fascination and awe. How many gallons of liquid fuel did the tank hold? What's it's empty weight? What's the government nomenclature for the wagon the tank is mounted to? How much weight did that orange paintjob add to the total weight? Just how sharp is that nose tip?

This tank has its own story regarding how it ended up orphaned on the shore of the St Johns and that story is linked below. It should also be noted, this tank saw no official missions and I believe it was used for testing. It's still an impressive sight and definitely a nostalgic piece of history from a bygone space program. If you're in the area, I recommend you make a quick detour and check it out!

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/nasa-space-shuttle-fuel-tank

03/23/2024

Situated on the Ponce Inlet between Port Orange and New Smyrna, the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse dwarfs the surrounding trees and stands tall for all coastal travelers to see. Towering at 175 feet, this lighthouse was completed in 1887 and was in service until 1970. The museum and grounds include many period-accurate displays and structures, as well as several lighthouse artifacts that allow you to see how life was as a lighthouse keeper through the years. If you feel adventurous, you can climb the 203 steps to the top of the lighthouse and take in the panoramic coastal views, while reflecting on the daily rigors performed by the keepers. After making the journey back down, be sure to stop by the lens exhibit building for an immersive experience on the history and innovation of signal lenses. If you truly enjoyed the experience, you can visit the gift shop on the way out and purchase a souvenir or even purchase a museum membership. This museum is funded solely through visitors, memberships, and private donations and every dollar helps preserve the memory of this historic site for future generations.

Check out their webpage for more information and plan a visit!
https://www.ponceinlet.org/

03/05/2024

Spring is almost here, and the weather is great for outdoor activities. Do you have any outdoor plans for spring?

03/01/2024

Some primitive houses still standing in the countryside. I saw these as a kid 20+ years ago and I always found them fascinating. I always wondered who lived there and what life was like for them. It amazes me how little these houses have changed since seeing them as a child.

02/25/2024

Who's ready for spring at the springs? The cooler mornings and mild afternoons make for a perfect day to spend at a Florida spring. Do you have any outdoor plans for this spring?