It's my Birthday, I'll Kayak If I Want To!

I like to think I'm not easily influenced, but over the past few years, the idea of kayaking has become more and more appealing. An old co-worker got new kayaks for her birthday last year. A lot of the folks on YouTube that I watch often go kayaking, and frankly... I just really wanted to do it. But Hubby isn't a water baby, so I had to find a way to do it on a Me Day.  

Enter Labor Day, my birthday weekend. Hubbin would be at work on Labor Day, so why not take a day for me and just do it? If it sucked, it sucked, and I'd never have to do it again. So I began to plan a Me Day. My day looked like this:

• Mystery Shop a car wash in Ocala (for $25 plus reimbursement!)
• Pick up donuts at Tas-T-O's Donuts
• Kayak
• Have lunch
• Shop
• Drive Home

About a week before my day, however, I got a call from my mom and she wanted to visit for my birthday. So I invited her to come kayaking. She wasn't up for that (she is elderly), but was okay with meeting for lunch afterward. 

So Monday morning, I took hubby to work, picked up a Sausage Biscuit for the road and made my way to Ocala. When I got to the car wash I was assigned to Mystery Shop, the car wash was broken! So that was a waste of time (still got paid, though!) that I could have spent getting delicious donuts. By the time I got over to Tas-T-O's (at about 9am), the majority of their case was empty! 

Pickin's are pretty slim at this point

What a full window looks like at 5am

I chatted up a few locals who told me that if you don't get there by 7 or 8am, all the good stuff is gone. I was able to score a cake donut, and it was heavenly. A great crumb, the right texture, and oodles of glaze on the outside. I definitely want to hit up this place again (but when in the world will I be there at 7am?)

From there, I drove over to Silver Springs, and my date with a kayak. I had reserved a Sit-On Kayak for an hour for about $35 after fees and taxes. I had to also pay park entrance to Silver Springs State Park ($5). Once I signed a waiver, I gave them my car keys to secure my kayak. I was given a lanyard with safety instructions. I picked up a life vest (not required to wear but to have on-board) as well as a paddle, and then I got my kayak at the launch. 

Holy moly, it was busy! I was in line to check-in for probably 20 minutes, the whole time I'm looking around at what had to be Church Van levels of crowds. So many teenagers! The launch area was clogged with teenagers who had already gotten in the water and were waiting for their friends; the check-in area was clogged with teenagers who didn't know their friends were already in the water! Eventually they all figured it out, and I took a few extra minutes to let the crowds disperse, because frankly... I didn't want to look stupid getting in to my kayak! I had absolutely NO idea what I was doing, and the fewer bystanders to see me flounder, the better. 

It was awkward to get in and as soon as I sat down, a gush of cold spring water hit my ass and flooded the kayak; apparently these types of kayaks had a little 'overflow' valve or something in the bottom of the boat, and I was immediately drenched. The entire seating area of the kayak was under 2-3 inches of water! The staff member said that this was normal and not to worry. I wasn't worried, per se, but I was damn sure glad that I had the forethought to put all of my gear in a drybag! 

Anyway, I pushed off, using the paddling techniques I'd learned yesterday, via 10 minutes of YouTube videos, then kind of 'pulled off to the side' to settle myself a bit. I wanted to pull out my GoPro and set it up, but there was nowhere to clip it, so I had to jerry-rig a way to hold it up via a selfie stick (I should have brought the chest harness, really). 

Once I was all situated, I got back out on the paddling trail and just... drifted. With no crowds around me now, it was peaceful and quiet. Birds chirping. Small splashes from fish and turtles. Once in a while someone else would pass me, gliding through the water. I can totally understand why people like this so much! I was in heaven. I love the natural parts of Florida, especially the interior portions (sorry, Beaches, you're not the best part of the state!). Deep, thick, green woody areas with clear blue springs... it's heaven! 

After a little bit (no idea how long), I came to the end of the Fort King Waterway, and onto the actual Silver River. Now, Florida had just been hit by Hurricane Idalia, as a Category 3, near the Big Bend area. I don't know if that had anything to do with this or not... but DAMN! The current on the Silver River was much more than I was expecting. Also, I admit that I didn't do my due diligence and get familiar with the map and the paddling route... See, when I came out of the FKW, there were tons of people on the river! Canoes, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, everywhere. It looked like people were coming out of a break in the bank on the other side of the river. So I just assumed that I had to cross the river to get over there. Well, as you can imagine, the current in the middle of the river was very, very fast (okay, maybe I overexaggerate, but it wasn't the slow and sensuous drift I'd just left). I had to put a lot of oomph in to it! And every time I stopped to take a break, I felt like I was just sliding further downstream. But finally, I made it all the way over to the other side!

Fort King Waterway Map (Courtesy of Florida Paddle Notes)

And wouldn't you know it... I didn't need to be over here! All of the other people I'd been in the vicinity of while paddling the FKW was staying on the left side of the river, happily making their way upstream... What was I doing over here? So, I pumped my way back across the river. My arms are just dying at this point, as well as my lungs. Also, for some reason, I thought that I'd only need to be on the river for maybe 5 minutes (again, didn't look at the silly map), so it felt like the river just kept going and going! I definitely wasn't prepared for how long I was going to need to paddle as hard as I did. 

Thankfully, I made it to the actual Silver Spring without losing myself to the current, and I slipped back into the FKW to return to the launch. I originally wanted to spend more time paddling around the springs area, but by this time, my 1-hour return time was coming up, and I didn't want to get penalized for returning it late (and having to pay extra!) My paddle back wasn't nearly as relaxing because as you got past the boardwalk that crossed over the waterway, you ran into the people who were going out toward the springs, and felt like rush-hour traffic. Everyone coming back in, like me, was instructed to kind of queue up as much as possible, to allow for new people to launch out. I kept getting bonked by a father/son canoe who proceeded to give me dirty looks every time it happened! As we sat there, I saw that one of the employees had cleared the launch-in point, and was waving us over. Well, since I wasn't lying down in my boat (like both of them were) and I was actually paying attention to what was going on, I was able to paddle over there quickly and get out. They saw me going and shot me the nastiest look, but who cares! 

Getting out was a thoroughly awkward experience, though! I was at an incline, since it was a boat ramp, and I just couldn't get my feet under me, so the employee gave me a hand to help me out, and bless his heart, I almost pulled him in with me! But I was able to get my legs under me finally, and I hopped out, thanking him for his assistance, of course! I headed back to the check-in desk to swap out my lanyard for my car keys, then dripped my way to my car. Once there, I changed clothes and headed to Long John Silver's for lunch with Mom and my aunt. We'd agreed to meet at 12pm, but when I got there a bit late, I didn't see their car. So I parked and texted her that I was there. And waited. And waited! After 20 minutes or so, I began to worry, so I texted again, but no response. About 10 minutes later, I look up to see my aunt walking toward me... They parked on the other side if the building after I'd already parked, and for some reason, she didn't get any of my texts, nor did I get any of hers! So they'd been here for probably 45 minutes waiting for me! We enjoyed our uber-greasy fish and shrimp and chicken as I told them about my trip, both of them wistfully saying gee, I wish I could do that, and me saying well, why the hell can't you? You're only as old as you act! (It's been 6 months since that discussion, and both are still in the I wish stage, no matter how many times I suggest we all go do it... sigh.) 

After lunch, the two of them headed out for some quality Thrift Shop Hoppin' while I needed to get on the road and head home to pick up hubby. On the way there, I stopped to pick up some groceries, as well as my birthday cake. 

So.... Let's take stock of how I'm feeling today. 

My body doesn't hurt nearly as much as I was expecting. Kayaking is really an ab-focused sport more than an arm-focused sport, so I definitely felt some fatigue there. A bit tired in my arms, too. But all in all, I felt wonderful! I certainly didn't feel like a 46-year old woman who just spent all morning kayaking!

I now totally understand why people love kayaking (as a relaxing sport, not a crazy "wild water rapid" sport). It's like taking a walk in the woods, but on water. It's chill. It's beautiful. It's relaxing. You get to experience nature from a different perspective. 

I'm so ready to do it again! Maybe next time I'll plan to do an entire day! I'll launch from the same place, and then go all the way down the river to Ray Wayside Park (they'll shuttle me back to the parking lot). I think that's only $55 or something... totally affordable for a full day trip! If I can swing it (and the weather cooperates), maybe I'll aim for the warmer end of winter (like February or March) in hopes of spotting Florida Manatees living their best mermaid lives in the river. 

And I'll leave a lot earlier so I have a fighting chance to get some of those donuts, too!

I Gotta Get Outta This Place! If It's the Last Thing I EVAH Do!

 I'm losing my mind a little bit guys... I'm not meant to be a Work-from-Home kind of person. Not by force, anyway. If I were a freelance writer or photographer, it'd be one thing, but I'm not. I'm an Admin Assistant for the Government. So, I have to stay available "at work" all day. Monday through Friday. 8:30am to 5:00pm. If my phone rings, I answer it. If my email dings, I answer it. 

I've been working from home since March 20th. I'm just so fucking over this! I decided to get the heck out of town. 

First things first, I stopped off at a local bakery joint who makes potato donuts, called Halo Donuts. They've been in town for years, first as a food truck, then as a walk-up storefront in the newly revitalized South Main Street area. I always say I'm going to go try them, but I never remember until late in the day (when I get a hankering for a pastry), and by then they are either closed or completely sold out. Since I would be in their part of town, I made it my first stop (well, second, after a soda stop). 

The line was insanely long. And not just because of stupid social distancing. I think there were probably 20 people in line in front of me. For donuts. I was easily the oldest person there (at 40+), and also probably the fattest one. I was surrounded by 19-year-olds in yoga pants, tweeting and tiktokking and instagramming every single moment of their morning. 

I hated it. 

Once at the front, I decided on a Maple Glazed, an OG (Vanilla Glazed), and a Cinnamon Sugar (Tastes just like a churro! they said). 

(Whoops, OG and Maple Glaze are backwards)

These three donuts - that honest to God must have weighed a pound - cost ten bucks. TEN BUCKS! They better be fucking magical donuts. 

They weren't.

 

But before I tasted the donuts, I drove south to Paynes Prairie to take some photos. The Prairie is another local spot that I never go to, simply because I forget it's there, except for when I drive though it on the interstate! Paynes Prairie is designated as a National Natural Landmark and Florida State Park. 

 

This is a great place for sunsets

 Back in the 1770's it was called the Great Alachua Savannah. The park hosts 20 distinct biological communities, supporting the habitats of alligators, bison, horses, and up to 200 different types of birds. In the area I was in, there was a long boardwalk allowing an overlook into the Prairie. Short of getting lost one time in the actual park (long story), I've never stopped to check it out. 

 

The boardwalk extending into the Prairie

It's very pretty, especially right now, with it full of water because of the spring rain. Yes, a prairie... full of water. Back in the day, (like the 1700s and 1800s), it was more of a lake, and people could ride steamboats across it. Now, it's either a swamp or a prairie. But right now, it's full and it's beautiful.

 

Lots of swampy areas for birds, fish, insects, and .....

...gators, of course! This guy was probably about 13-feet long

After walking up and down the boardwalk, and then up and down the road, taking way too many photos, I headed back to the car and finally tried my donuts. 

The Cinnamon Sugar donut tasted like any other cinnamon sugar baked good I've tried. It was fried nicely. The Maple Glaze was not maple-y enough for me; I was hoping for a bigger punch. The OG was fine, too, just tasted like a basic donut. All in all, they were massive, heavy donuts (because of the potato) that were meh. I will probably give them one more shot, but I'm not impressed, especially for the amount they cost. 

My next reason for hitting the road was to get lunch. And lunch just happened to be an hour away in the next town, Ocala, at Long John Silver's (LJS). By this point, I was ready to eat inside a restaurant again, and even brought a stupid mask with me, just in case. 

Turns out, I didn't need a mask, because this place was still Drive-Thru only. Well, that puts a ding in the plans! I ended up ordering a special that they had (3 chicken + 5 Shrimp, for $6) and then drove over to a nearby park to eat. 

I was able to enjoy my impromptu picnic in the shade, near a cute pond that had old ducks, and one tiny baby duck, and old men racing remote-controlled boats! I spent half the time reading my book and the other time watching the pond.

The Duck Family wanted no part of me, and repeatedly 'circled the wagons' around the Chick

Go, Old Man, GO!

Once I finished my lunch (and packed up the leftovers for the Kiddo), I made my way toward the interstate, but passed a huge Dollar Tree, housed inside an old CVS/Walgreen's! It was massive! I, of course, had to go in and check it out! It was awesome, and of course, I spent $25 on random crap. 

Then I picked up soda and lemonade at Wawa and made my way home. 

Hopefully, between this and going to Disney next week, my wanderlust will be sated for a while and I can get out of this funk I'm in. 

I miss people.