Reconnecting with an old friend

And some unexpected adventures

We planned a couple of days in Starke, Florida, hoping that Mark could reconnect with his high school best friend Ernie (after ~20 years). Mark finally made contact 2 weeks ago…AND…Ernie and his wife Deb were around (less than 2 miles from the campground we’re in)! SO…we just spent the last 2¹/₂ days having great time visiting and catching up.

**Ernie and Mark at Kanapaha Botanical Gardens**

Visiting, catching up, and touring around north central Florida, with our local tour guides.
We had fun with Ernie and Deb…

Walking around Kanapaha Botanical Gardens in Gainesville
Driving around the University of Florida in Gainesville (Ernie is an alum, Deb worked there for years)
Lunching in and walking around the historic town of Micanopy, Florida’s oldest inland town (settled 1821)
Visiting Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park, site of Florida’s largest Civil War battle, Feb. 20, 1864. Casualties were 5,000 of 10,000 soldiers in a 4 hour battle. It’s also Florida’s first historic site/state park (1929) and another CCC site.
Visiting and grabbing lunch at our 1st Ever Buc-ee’s (in St. Augustine)
Walking around Camp Blanding Memorial Park in Starke, just outside Camp Blanding Joint Training Center for the Florida National Guard. It has display of tanks, aircraft, and armored vehicles, and memorials for Florida National Guard units.