Day 7: Ponce de Leon, FL to Blackwater River State Park, FL

Ranger Robert helped my out with directions to Blackwater River State Park an easy 60 miles along the 90 and even called ahead to make a reservation for their campground. After coffee and backyard-fresh eggs I take a look at the natural spring in the park that remains 20 degrees all year round.

To break away from this being a faceless blog.

I reluctantly pull away from the comfortable generosity and roll down the ninety. Today will leave me with a nice short ride into Pensacola tomorrow morning and chance to have a gander.

There was a headwind all day and I kept being told it'd be getting cold. DeFuniak Springs, a rare pretty town, came sightly too early for a proper lunch but just in time to provide me shelter from a motherload of a storm in a small hut named The Opinion Place. Disappointingly there wasn't anyone to share an opinion so naturally I stuffed my face full of peanut butter and waited out the rain.

To be honest I found today a drag. Sometimes the monotony of a road gets to me towards the end of the day, especially when there's a wind in your face and you know the campsite is still another while away down the quiet road. Or maybe it's just called fatigue. It's true what folk have mentioned earlier in the day: it gets uncomfortably cold. What's this weather? I didn't pack gloves for you, Florida. I divert off the 90 towards the park along some back roads, including a brief stint on a strange Martian track. As the light starts to fade I find that cold wind tough but I know keeping a good pace will see me to the day's finish line.

I get to the campsite before sunset and the ranger is expecting me from speaking with Robert earlier. I'd hoped there would be some unspoken arrangement or alternative cheaper pity option but no, unfortunately there isn't much love and he says the full $24 camping fee. It's a bit too far away and too cold to look elsewhere. After heading down to my site it's obvious this is another RV-centric site. These things are ubiquitous in Florida; essentially all retirees and other sunshine nomads from the north escape to the comfort of their monstrous motor homes - electric, cable TV, with their 4x4 in tow on the back. Some people are even full-timers. It seems to mean a lot of the campsites cater for them and leave overpriced campsites even when we just want a patch of grass. Tonight i'm left with a gravel site ten times too big for my one person tent and ground unable to pitch it. I am resigned to the decorative grass patch.

Now I've finally got fuel for my Trangia I get to use the pork n beans that has been riding with me for the last few days. This is the first time I've ever used the stove and it works a treat. Looking forward to a cuppa in the morn.