Whew. I woke up exhausted. Who knew waiting in line could be so tiring? I refueled at Dunkin’ Donuts. One of Florida’s strengths is that they are approaching the proper DD/square mile ratio. In the parking lot, I surveyed my map. In order to arrive in North Carolina on Saturday, I needed to cover a shade over 150 miles each day. Completely and thoroughly achievable. I decided to allow myself as many breaks as needed; consequentially, it took a solid nine hours to complete today’s leg.
I escaped the Orlando suburbs and drove through the lovely Ocala National Forest. In many ways, it seemed to be a recapitulation of my trip. The plants included stiff pines, tropical fronds reminiscent of the desert, swampy trees coated in moss, and leaves that were changing color despite the eighty-degree temperature. The two-lane highway was of variable quality, other cars were infrequent, and both wading birds and songbirds were commonplace. It was at once new and familiar.
Outside the forest, I stopped for lunch at Zaxby’s, which is a Southern chicken chain. Very respectable food, but nothing will ever replace Popeye’s in my heart. I continued to meander my way north, thankful for the setting sun and the end of the oppressive direct heat. I decided to circle around Jacksonville instead of drive through it because, quite frankly, it scares me in a way that no other city does. Just watch this video that allegedly shows Jacksonville at its finest:
Back when I was in Colorado, the Bruins games started at 5pm local time, which was delightful. Now I’m on the East Coast and the Bruins are in Colorado, so the games start at 9. I’m sitting outside a Bed Bath & Beyond, siphoning the wi-fi and staying up past my bedtime. Hopefully I’ll make it through Georgia tomorrow.