Day-15 Gainesville, Ocala, Tampa, Ft.Myers

Here's a typical blogging-post work set-up, every night this trip.  Trusty wifi-enabled Chromebook,
map(s), notebook that I scribble in during the day, wire-bound research compendium, and my
organizing binder with trip facts.   So far so good.   Been fun.

Because I closed yesterday's post with thoughts and observations of the devastation of Hurricane Michael in the Florida panhandle, I didn't mention my stop at the stunning facility on I-10, the Florida WELCOME CENTER !   Wow!  It's like a Disney attraction.    Since tourism is No.1 in Florida, they went 'all in' on this location.    Here's a few pic's.    A couple of greeters are there to answer any questions, direct you to large sections of wall that have many brochures and maps for different parts of the state, and then they offer you orange or grapefruit juice!

I also meant to list a bunch of interesting river names.   After today's travels I've added to the list,

starting in Mississippi :   Biloxi, Pascagoula, Escatawpa, Apalachie, Escambia, Choctawhatchee, 

Chipola, Apalachicola, Ochlockonee, Cocohatchee, Caloosahatchee, Myakka, Suwanee, and 

Chattahoochee.

An early morning sunrise on I-10 :     (remember the one from .. New Mexico?)

started on I-10 and drove about 100 miles before deciding to .. explore.   Took off on Hwy.24,
then turned south on Hwy.41, visiting towns : Archer, Raleigh, Williston, Morrison, Chatmire,
Dunnellon, Hernando, Inverness, and Floral City.

Picture theme of the day turned out to be signs, trees, and a court house.

Spanish Moss  ?

I worked hard for this sign!

Inverness

So many towns, so little time.   Jumped back onto I-75 and hustled down to .. my next lodging hosts,
my little sister Sue and her husband Scott in Alva, close to Ft.Myers.    When I arrived they took me
around in their golf cart to look at the community center and neighborhood.  Then we went to dinner :

A fun day!
Tomorrow-  more visiting and .. laundry,  and ... NHL hockey!    Drive up to Tampa.

today's mileage :  416
accumulated trip mileage :  3852