Here are the contents of a couple of classic signs used to promote the long-defunct Tragedy in U.S. History Museum in St. Augustine:
“SEE Jayne Mansfield’s DEATH CAR … and learn the truth!”
“Inside You Will See: President Kennedy’s Car * Lee Harvey Oswald’s Car * The Ambulance He Died In * His Dallas Furniture and More * The Famous Zapruder Film * Bonnie and Clyde Getaway Car * Jayne Mansfield’s Car * Whistle from ‘Wreck of Old 97’ * Old Spanish Jail Built in 1718 Human Skeletons Inside * Antique Torture Equipment * Bear Traps * Flagler Tragedy * Elvis Presley’s Last Will and Much – Much More”
“Inside Tragedy Museum You Will See!
* President Kennedy’s Car
This is His Washington Limousine
* Jayne Mansfield Death Car
Famous Movie Star & the Truth of How She Died
* Also You Will See the Car Lee Harvey Used to Transport the Weapon that Killed the President
* See His Furniture from His Dallas Apartment
* See the Ambulance that Carried Him to His Death”
We set out from Pompano Beach for Riverbend Park in Jupiter early on Good Friday and it was a dismal, rainy morning. However, the rains subsided by the time we arrived and so we embarked on a three-hour hike through the myriad of limestone hiking, biking and equestrian trails that make up Riverbend Park. We viewed a lot of wildlife such as six deer (including a fawn!), marsh rabbit, raccoon and wood stork. The next morning, we set out for Riverbend Park again to explore the more rugged trails on the other side of the park. We enjoyed a great view of the wild and scenic Loxahatchee River from a kayak outpost and then reached the far end of the park, which was populated with cypress knees. We made our way back to the other side of the park for a quick loop and saw five more deer. All in all, a great time and next visit we are definitely going to do some kayaking here.
“Now, of course, having failed in every attempt to subdue the Glades by frontal attack, we are slowly killing it off by tapping the River of Grass. In the questionable name of progress, the state in its vast wisdom lets every two-bit developer divert the flow into drag-lined canals that give him ‘waterfront’ lots to sell. As far north as Corkscrew Swamp, virgin stands of ancient bald cypress are dying. All the area north of Copeland had been logged out, and will never come back. As the glades dry, the big fires come with increasing frequency. The ecology is changing with egret colonies dwindling, mullet getting scarce, mangrove dying of new diseases born of dryness.” ― John D. MacDonald, Bright Orange for the Shroud (1965)
“The thrill of walking comes not so much from movement—except for the initial turning of a step out the door into a journey—but from its gifts of freedom and nonconformity. In a world built on speed, walking somewhere is an act of rebellion. You reject every type of contraption that your forebears have invented to get you there faster—including the bicycle—for your own two legs. You head out into the world while turning your back on its ways.” —Thomas Swick, The Joys of Travel (2018)
Hike #52: 52 Hike Challenge: Hontoon Island State Park, DeLand. Completed Hike #52 of 52 Hike Challenge at Hontoon Island State Park, followed by lunch at Bellini’s Deli (yes, I ordered roast beef and provolone!). The 52 Hike Challenge has been a great experience and I encourage anyone interested to just head out and get started! I always considered the completion of the 52 Hike Challenge as just the beginning – now I’m ready for more challenging hikes! See ya on the trails! Distance: 3 miles.
Erickson, Roy. Lum’s hot dog restaurant – Fort Lauderdale, Florida. 1966.
Color slide, State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory.
“In January, 2015, American rock climbers Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson captivated the world with their effort to climb The Dawn Wall, a seemingly impossible 3,000 foot rock face in Yosemite National Park, California. The pair lived on the sheer vertical cliff for weeks, igniting a frenzy of global media attention. But for Tommy Caldwell, The Dawn Wall was much more than just a climb. It was the culmination of a lifetime defined by overcoming obstacles …” [For more information, visit the official Dawn Wall site]
Wandering Florida 