Howell Avenue

Brooksville, Florida   

https://www.visitflorida.com/en-us/cities/brooksville.html

Formerly called Old Hammock it was renamed for Matthew Raiford Howell who bought this piece (160 acres) of land when he arrived in the county (Hernando) one suppose several years ago.

You reflect on the people who used to be in your life, and it’s like, ‘Wow, I can’t believe that person was ever really in my life.’ But people are put into your life for seasons, for different reasons, and to teach you lessons.

Selena Gomez

Sometimes you watch yourself, and you think, ‘Oh, wow.’

Saquon Barkley

Myakka RIver State Park

12 miles east on State Rd 72

8 am – sunset

One of the states largest (45 sq. mi)  and  oldest (1934).  Developed by CCC as a wilderness preserve.

5 mile drive paved road.  Boat ride:  Gator Gall (large air boat) around Lake.  Tram tour offered in winter.  Boats, canoes and bike rentals

39 miles of hiking reails (dry prairie and pine flatwood by ponds.  Cottontail rabbits, deer, alligators and red shouldered hawks.

Swimming not allowed (DUH) but fishing is (Bass Bream and catfish.

Tent and trailer camping sites are available–max stay 2 weeks.  Rustic cabins.

Campfire program

15 mile of riding trail.

For More Info:  https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/myakka-river-state-park

It was like being in the eye of a hurricane. You’d wake up in a concert and think, Wow, how did I get here?

John Lennon

Wow, I get to wake up again? Ok. You have to make good with what you’ve got. Dave Grohl

Route 219:  The Mountain Music Trail in West Virgina

Trip takes you thru 4 counties and some very scenic views.  From forest to hills–for Motorcyclists to Cruises and everyone else this trip is enjoyable and scenic too.

Start in Lewisburgh  —hope of the Livery  Tavern  http://www.liverytavern.com/

Catch 219 North

First Stop Maxwelton      https://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g59299-Maxwelton_West_Virginia-Vacations.html

Home of the Smooth Amber Spirits  https://smoothambler.com/

Then Hillsboro https://local.wv.gov/Hillsboro/Pages/default.aspx

Site of:  Beartown State Park   https://wvstateparks.com/park/beartown-state-park/

and Cranberry Glades Botanical Area  https://wvexplorer.com/attractions/natural-wonders/cranberry-glades/

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time

. Thomas A. Edison

As long as you keep going, you’ll keep getting better. And as you get better, you gain more confidence. That alone is success.

Tamara Taylor

Travel until you come to route 66 and turn right/south or East?

Follow the signs to get to Snowshoe resort  (Snow Shoe Drive loops around and it would appear the easier route to take would be the second time you come to it–both entries are on the left)—cause even in the summer: There’s always something going on at 4,848. From camps and demos to festivals and our live music lineup, our events team keeps the Mountain bumpin’ all year long.  https://www.snowshoemtn.com/

Return to 66 and turn left continue on  to Cass where you’ll find the Cass Scenic Railroad State Park   https://wvstateparks.com/park/cass-scenic-railroad-state-park/

Leave Cass and continue on 66 in the same east route till you get to 92 and turn left (north) and continue to Green Bank

 https://www.today.com/health/town-lives-without-cell-phones-wi-fi-meet-green-bank-t69911  home of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory     https://greenbankobservatory.org/

There is pleasure in the pathless woods, there is rapture in the lonely shore, there is society where none intrudes, by the deep sea, and music in its roar; I love not Man the less, but Nature more.

Lord Byron

Mt. Dora Museum of Speed has closed, collection for sale    75-year-old owner says it’s time for him to retire

https://journal.classiccars.com/2019/06/04/mt-dora-museum-of-speed-has-closed-collection-for-sale/ 

From there continue north on 92—also 250 — through

Arbovale–home of White Holiness Camp     https://www.facebook.com/WhitePineCamp/

Boyer–home of Boyer Motel, Restaurant & Campground     https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g30295-d7714404-Reviews-Boyer_Motel_Restaurant_Campground-Arbovale_Pocahontas_County_West_Virginia.html

Bartow

Frank  

Cheat Bridge  home of Historic Depot and vintage trains  https://mountainrailwv.com/tour/cheat-bridge-depot-location/

Dream, struggle, create, prevail. Be daring. Be brave. Be loving. Be compassionate. Be strong. Be brilliant. Be beautiful.

Caterina Fake

She was a lovely laid my friend—she was my sister by choice not blood……she is gone but she lives on in our hearts—-her smile, her joke, her kindness and so much more.  RIP my dear and say Hi to Mike when you get to heaven—I know he’ll be there to great you—and keep him out of trouble please

Follow 250/92 as it turns north along

Shaver’s Fork:  Shavers Fork of the Cheat River is situated in the Allegheny Mountains of eastern West Virginia, USA. It is 88.5 mi long and forms the Cheat at its confluence with Black Fork at Parsons

250 will eventually turn south/west away from the river and drive along:

Red Run  

And you will travel along this stream for several miles.  Going thru

Cromer Top    a physical feature (gap) in Randolph County.

Past this 250/92 turns north

 Tacy Farm     A 557-acre farm surrounded by three WV State Parks with 1500 ft. Greenbrier River frontage which is currently for sale. The 557 acre Tacy Farm dates back to 1852 when young George N. Tacy purchased his first tract of virgin timberland in the remote Allegheny Mountains of Virginia. He then set his mind and back to carving out a subsistence farm along the Greenbrier River. Today, 165 years later, the historic mountain farm is surrounded by three WV State Parks and still retains 1500+/- feet of frontage on the wild and un-tamed Greenbrier River  https://www.landsofamerica.com/property/George-Tacy-Road-Cass-West-Virginia-24927/4515419/

250 meanders north west and then makes a marked burn to the south west

now skirting the Back Fork and eventually turns north again along

Riffle Creek

Take chances, make mistakes. That’s how you grow. Pain nourishes your courage. You have to fail in order to practice being brave.

Mary Tyler Moore

Be brave and be fearless, and for God’s sake, stand up for yourself.

Gretchen Carlson

Continue on 250 through

South Huttonville–Home of Mountain VIew Church-Naverene

Cross Laurel Run 

and continue on 250 which continues beside Riffle Run and then slowly turns north and across

The Tygart Valley River   Also known as the Tygart River, the Tygart Valley River rises in Randolph County in the Allegheny Mountains and drains an area of about 1,420 square miles, including all or parts of Taylor County, northern Upshur County, southern Barbour County, western Marion County, and eastern Randolph County, where its namesake valley is most conspicuous. The river joins with the West Fork River at Fairmont, West Virginia, to form the Monongahela River. The Buckhannon River is its largest tributar

European first settled in the Tygart Valley in 1753 when David Tygart, for whom the river is named for, and Robert Files located separately with their families in the vicinity of present-day Beverly, West Virginia. A party of Indians raided the Files home and killed seven members of the family. One son escaped and warned the Tygarts, allowing the entire family to escape. No other European settlements are known to have been attempted in the valley until 1772. Several minor battles erupted in the valley during the Civil War, including the Battle of Philippi, the Battle of Laurel Hill, and the Battle of Cheat Mountain.

250 joins with 219  at

Huttonville  A community in Randolph County, was incorporated in 1899 and named for the Hutton family, which settled in the southern Tygart Valley. The Huttonsville Correctional Center is located at Huttonsville,

Home of:

https://wvexplorer.com/attractions/wildlife-management-areas/huttonsville-wildlife-management-area/

https://wvexplorer.com/attractions/state-forests/kumbrabow-state-forest/

https://wvexplorer.com/attractions/national-parks-forests-public-lands/monongahela-national-forest/

Being brave enough to just be unapologetic for who you are, that’s a goddess. Banks

From Images of America:  Lake Mary by John Hope

Continue on 219 north thru

Mill Creek    a community in Randolph County, was incorporated in 1903 and named for a mill operated on Mill Creek near its mouth on the Tygart Valley River.

Home of

https://wvexplorer.com/attractions/wildlife-management-areas/becky-creek-wildlife-management-area/

https://wvexplorer.com/attractions/wildlife-management-areas/valley-bend-wildlife-management-area/

Continue on 219/250 north and then turning east

Thru Valley Bend    a town in West Virginia with a population of 635. Valley Bend is in Randolph County. Living in Valley Bend offers residents a suburban feel and most residents own their homes. Many families live in Valley Bend and residents tend to be conservative.

Drive on thru

Daily

Beverly    Today a quiet small town, Beverly is a hidden treasure of history in the Tygarts Valley of Central West Virginia. One of the first settlements west of the Alleghenies, Beverly dates back to the era of the American Revolutionary War. By the time crucial Civil War battles were fought nearby in 1861, Beverly was  an established county seat and crossroads. The rise of nearby Elkins at the end of the 19th Century left Beverly to be largely unaffected by later development. As a result, Beverly today preserves a unique look into an earlier time.

Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.

William James

There’s no fear when you’re having fun.

Will Thomas

You finish up your drive continuing on 219 as it slowly turns North/East  thru

Hazelwood

Elkins:  The tiny mountain town of Davis, perched on the edge of the Monongahela National Forest, is perfectly positioned to serve as a gateway to nature’s playground. Here, outdoor lovers come to hike, bike, camp, hunt and fish to their heart’s content. Two state parks and a ski resort complement the outdoorsy vibe of an area that appeals to everyone, from hardcore mountain bikers to those just looking to relax and get away from it all.

Elkins is Home of

El Gran Sabor  https://elgransabor.com/which specializes in authentic Latin American food.

Randolph County Community Arts Center

Mountain State Forest Festival Association

Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad

Main Line Books: This charming small-town bookstore rivals the big-box giants with personalized service and hard-to-find local and regional reads, as well as national best-sellers.    https://www.facebook.com/Main-Line-Books-143901642349102/

Artists at Work: A one-stop shop for some of the region’s best artists. This space packs in the work of 23 local artists and designers, featuring everything from jewelry and pottery to baskets and watercolor paintings.   http://www.madwv.com/item/artists-at-work/

Seneca Rocks

West Virgina Railroad Museum  https://wvrailmuseum.com/

Blackwater Falls State Park

The Forks Restaurant and Inn

Graceland Inn – Restaurant – Conference Center

Vintage Restaurant & Wine Bar – Elkins, WV

1863 Grill

CJ Maggie’s

 

Then we move on down the line to

Davis   The tiny mountain town of Davis, perched on the edge of the Monongahela National Forest, is perfectly positioned to serve as a gateway to nature’s playground. Here, outdoor lovers come to hike, bike, camp, hunt and fish to their heart’s content. Two state parks and a ski resort complement the outdoorsy vibe of an area that appeals to everyone, from hardcore mountain bikers to those just looking to relax and get away from it all.

Davis is home of:

https://wvtourism.com/company/timberline-four-seasons-resort/

The Leaf Peepers Festival takes place in late September just when fall color typically peaks in the higher elevations.   .https://canaanvalley.org/see-do/listings/leaf-peepers-festival

• The Canaan Valley Birding Festival in June welcomes all levels of birders for lectures, workshops and nature walks.  https://canaanvalley.org/home/listings/mountain-state-birding-festival

And we’ll end a tour here you can return the way we came or continue on 219/250 a few miles north to US Route 48 and from there to wherever you choose.

I just like having fun.

Katy Perry

My psychiatrist told me I was crazy and I said I want a second opinion. He said okay, you’re ugly too.

Rodney Dangerfield

Have you ever been to Key West https://www.keywestchamber.org/  If NOT you’ve missed something and while I’ve been told since the last hurricane the damage (from the people who are changing it to something that hides or takes away what I loved most—the craziness)

These waters have lots of fish from dolphin (the smaller, edible fish)  to snappers, mackerel and grouper to name a few.  https://keywest.com/fishing.html

Other nautical things to do in Key  West

And there are diving from snorkeling to scuba:  https://keywest.com/dive-snorkel.html

Not too far from Key West    is the only coral reef in (well kinda) the USA proper–with its living coral and bright tropical fish:  https://www.drytortugas.com/coral-reef/

There Jet Ski  as well as other waterspors businesses that offer adventure that circumnavigate the island:  https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g34345-d1763886-Reviews-Key_West_Jet_Ski_Tours_Rentals-Key_West_Florida_Keys_Florida.html

Then there’s the Key West Sailing Club that has summer adventures including Sail boat rentals and cottage to stay in:  https://www.keylimesailingclub.com/

You can also just hang on the beach:  https://keywest.com/beaches.htm

and did I mention parasailing?  https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g34345-Activities-c61-t192-Key_West_Florida_Keys_Florida.html

Or run away and take one of the Ferries or cats or sea planes to Ft. Jefferson,  https://www.drytortugasinfo.com/  which is 70 or so miles from Key West where you can snorkel and dive—explore the Civil War age Fort that was the prison for Dr. Mud (the one who treated John Wilks Booth as he ran from killing Lincoln) and now a 10 acre museum and national Park that is well worth the visit.  You can camp there—but there are strict regulations about what you must bring to stay the night:  https://www.nps.gov/drto/planyourvisit/camping.htm  They don’t call them The Dry Tortugas for nothing

I’m crazy, and I don’t pretend to be anything else.

Calvin Klein

Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.

Michael Jordan

Ponte Verdra Beach

Once upon a time it was called Mineral City named for the heavy minerals found on its beach and dunes’s sand.  The present name is credited to the National Lead Company in 1930, which according to sources I found wanted a Spanish-sounding name  when the area was being developed for residents and visitors.  The name was reportedly contributed by an architect from New York was actually already the name of a city in Spain—though I understand that the current name is not vaguely like that city in spelling or speaking.

One thing that might interest you is  that Nazi saboteurs landed here during World War II—to learn more about this little known part of Florida history click here:  https://www.jacksonville.com/article/20100712/NEWS/801248749

And to find out more about the town and things to do there:  https://trip101.com/article/best-things-to-do-ponte-vedra-beach-fl

If you want to succeed you should strike out on new paths, rather than travel the worn paths of accepted success.

John D. Rockefeller

“How do we consume as much of your time and conscious attention as possible?”

Sean Parker, an early investor in Facebook statement on  the earliest mission of Facebook “

The Frog and Monkey in Mt. Dora

https://www.thefrogandmonkey.com/

has new owners and I met them at the museum on Sunday…I’m hoping to stop by and get more details from them soon—but they were intrested on getting more information on the Reniassance Building that they’re housed in so here goes.

This building was erected during the 1920s for use as a hotel, and continued as such into the late 1970s. Earlier it was the Dora Hotel. It has since been remodeled for restaurant, office and retail use. One of its later names is The Renaissance Building.   UNF Digital Commons

It’s so funny how social media was just this fun thing, and now it’s this monster that consumes so many millennial lives.

Cazzie David

‘

To get up each morning with the resolve to be happy?is to set our own conditions to the events of each day. To do this is to condition circumstances instead of being conditioned by them.     

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Once you see St, Petersburg Pier (800 2nd Ave) for the first time its not likely you’ll forget it—but old times say that it was the 1926 Million Dollar Pier (before that there was a pier pavillion (1899) which was born when Peter Demens hooked up his Orange Belt Railroad to a half mile wharf and D.F. Brantley started that first pier in 1895.)  But back to the 1926 pier which is still remember by old timers and which was torn down to build today’s Pier (1988).

The town’s father was General John C. Williams by the way-was-originally a mayor of Detroit before he came south and  developed the downtown of St. Pete.

Oh and by the way:  The City of St. Petersburg has engaged two design teams to create a new Pier District, which connects the city’s downtown core to its waterfront with an active, connected and coordinated sequence of facilities and venues. The Pier District encompasses two projects: the Pier and the Pier Approach.  http://www.newstpetepier.com/overview.php

Visting and want an easy way to get around you can park here at the pier and catch a trolley all about town:  Check out the details and schedule here:  https://www.psta.net/riding-psta/trolley-services/

• Drag your thoughts away from your troubles… by the ears, by the heels, or any other way you can manage it. –
• Mark Twain

One way to get the most out of life is to look upon it as an adventure.      

William Feather

Cornwall is lovely and enticing—the scenery will stay in your mind long after you leave these long occupied yet seemingly deserted in some spots along it’s stark yet beautiful coast line.  But one of the most amazing places in Cornwall is man made and dedicated to the Arch Angel Michael.    In fact the angel is said to have appeared here as early as the 495BC to warn fishermen of danger.  Oh and other legends tell of mermaids dwelling here and luring ships

to their doom.

St. Michael’s Mount became a Benedictine abbey (since this order was a favorite of the Norman I presume that this was after their annexation of England in 1066) presumed to be located here due to the long history of Saints (or mermaids?) , then a fortress after Henry VIII had it done away with as part of his dissolution of the Monestaries (an effort that proved very financially as well as spiritually? enriching for the many spoused monarch and finally in 1659 (modern in British terms) it became a private home and that is what it has been preserved as today and it’s a place well worth a visit or two….I’m planning my next one soon.

To learn more about St. Michael’s Mount click here:  https://www.stmichaelsmount.co.uk/explore-the-mount

The purpose of life, after all, is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.     

Eleanor Roosevelt

Another little bit of Key Weird that appears to have gone the way of all things

Video games are a waste of time for men with nothing else to do. Real brains don’t do that.

Ray Bradbury

Ok he’s probably someone you don’t remember and probably never even heard about but…..

His name was Jimmy Durante (1893-1980) and he was a comedian famous for lots of things but what I remember is his gravely voice and huge nose.  He made several movies (check here for a major rundown on all things Durante  https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002051/ )   including narrating Frosty the Snowman   and his signature song was Inka Dinka Doo (go to You Tube https://www.youtube.com/     and type in the song name and several versions will come up.

Another thing I remember is that he would exit his show and performance walking away from the camera in the spotlight with his coat hanging over his shoulder and would turn and say “Good night Mrs. Calabash, where ever you are.”  There had always been a lot of speculation as to who Mrs C.  was and I have read several takes on who she was, but I never heard anything that

everyone agreed on.

He passed away at 86 from what we use to say–“Old Age” and his final resting place is at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, CA (5835 Slauson Ave about 1/2 mile from I-405 in Section F to the right of the altar.

I think people should have fun. And don’t get so down on yourself. Enjoy life and be the best person you can be.

Keke Palmer