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Newspapers here in Florida recently had an article about the opening and it will be open for you. It was a great place for years and the new park should be even better. Winter Haven is the best stop and is within about 4 miles of the park.
Posts: 561 | Registered: Jul 2003
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Thansks for the tip on the New York Times article. I went to DeLand High School and then on to Stetson University in DeLand. I still visit DeLand frequently, and it looks like I'll be visiting even more since Amtrak train service has ended here in Ocala, and I have little interest in getting off the Star at 4:30 am to ride a 3-hour bus to Ocala.
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Wasn't it some kind of underwater pagent in which the performers got to "take a gasp' on;y when their routine called for them to break the surface?
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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The lost Ocala park I believe is Silver Springs. That's where they had glass-bottom boats.
Posts: 5 | From: Corona, CA, USA | Registered: Apr 2003
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Ah, Old Florida! Yes, there's still a bit of it left. As someone who more-or-less grew up in South Florida (Delray Beach) I wholly agree with Carl Hiassen, columnist for the Miami Herald, when he says, "There's nothing wrong with South Florida that a good Category 5 hurricane won't fix!"
I've been to DeLeon Springs, Deland, and Orange Park, and driven Bartram Highway along the river. It's a favorite stretch of "what once was" and, for the moment, still is. And the former ACL main line runs right through it.
Another remote and wonderful area lies between Gainesville and Tallahassee, along what once was the "Perry Cutoff" used by Chicago-Florida train "The Southland" with cars for St. Pete. Tampa, Punta Gorda, and points south. The railroad is gone now, by I recommend a stop in Walker's Oyster Bar in Perry. I sat down, the waitress came over and said, "You here for oysters?" I answered yes, and her next question was, "How many dozen you want?" Turned out they were $2.50 a dozen. Now that was 20 years ago, but I had some in Tallahassee a few years back for $3.25....it's a long way from Tallahassee to Ft. Lauderdale.
Posts: 614 | From: Merchantville, NJ. USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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You bet it's a long way from here in Tallahassee to Ft. Lauderdale. Speaking of the Perry cutoff, I rode on part of that line on what likely was its last move. A few years ago several of us had a chance to ride private motorcars (speeders) on the Wilcox Jct to Cross City segment which, at that time, was the northernmost remaining part of the line. The dirt road crossings were totally covered by sand and we dug down several inches before the rails could be seen. At othe rpoints the weeds were 3 feet high and we were surprised the motors didn't get fouled. About a week later they pulled up the rails.
Posts: 561 | Registered: Jul 2003
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