Download or read book Backroads of Paradise written by Cathy Salustri and published by University Press of Florida. This book was released on 2016-08-25 with total page 220 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the 1930s, the Federal Writers' Project sent mostly anonymous writers, but also Zora Neale Hurston and Stetson Kennedy, into the depths of Florida to reveal its splendor to the world. The FWP and the State of Florida jointly published the results as Florida: A Guide to the Southernmost State, which included twenty-two driving tours of the state's main roads. Eventually, after Eisenhower built the interstates, drivers bypassed the small towns that thrived along these roads in favor of making better time. Those main roads are now the state's backroads—forgotten by all but local residents, a few commuters, and dedicated road-trippers. Retracing the original routes in the Guide, Cathy Salustri rekindles our notions of paradise by bringing a modern eye to the historic travelogues. Salustri's 5,000-mile road trip reveals a patchwork quilt of Florida cultures: startling pockets of history and environmental bliss stitched against the blight of strip malls and franchise restaurants. The journey begins on US 98, heading west toward the Florida/Alabama state line, where coastal towns dot the roadway. Here, locals depend on the tourism industry, spurred by sugar sand beaches, as well as the abundance of local seafood. On US 41, Salustri takes us past the state's only whitewater rapids, a retired carnie town, and a dazzling array of springs, swamps, and rivers interspersed with farms that produce a bounty of fruit. Along US 17, she stops for milkshakes and hamburgers at Florida's oldest diner and visits a collection of springs interconnected by underwater mazes tumbling through white spongy limestone, before stopping in Arcadia, where men still bring cattle to auction. Desperately searching for skunk apes, the Sunshine State's version of Bigfoot, she encounters more than one gator on her way through the Everglades, Ochopee, and the Skunk Ape Research Headquarters. Following the original Guide, Salustri crisscrosses the state from the panhandle to the Keys. She guides readers through forgotten and unknown corners of the state--nude beaches, a rattlesnake cannery, Devil's Millhopper in Gainesville--as well as more familiar haunts--Kennedy Space Center and The Villages, "Florida’s Friendliest Retirement Hometown." Woven through these journeys are nuggets of history, environmental debates about Florida's future, and a narrative that combines humor with a strong affection for an oft-maligned state. Today, Salustri urges, tourists need a new nudge to get off the interstates or away from Disney in order to discover the real Florida. Her travel narrative, following what are now backroads and scenic routes, guides armchair travelers and road warriors alike to historic sites, natural wonders, and notable man-made attractions--comparing the past views with the present landscape and commenting on the changes, some barely noticeable, others extreme, along the way.

Download or read book Florida Trail Hikes written by Sandra Friend and published by . This book was released on 2024-04-02 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A guide to the best scenic day hikes and overnight trips along the state-spanning Florida Trail, this book helps readers of all backgrounds and experience levels plan an adventure exploring natural Florida.

Download or read book Florida Animals for Everyday Naturalists written by Larry Allan and published by University Press of Florida. This book was released on 2014-10-28 with total page 285 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Did you know fawns have no scent, an evolutionary defense against predators? And that the eastern grey squirrel is a formidable swimmer, which makes them quite suited for the Sunshine State? And that, unlike other avians, Florida scrub jay families stay together for years, with older siblings helping to feed younger siblings? Florida Animals for Everyday Naturalists contains everything you want to know about Florida’s furry, feathered, scaled, and shelled friends. With lively personal essays and stunning photographs, Larry Allan introduces you to the array of wildlife you might encounter in your backyard, at the park, or on a jaunt at one of the state’s many wildlife refuges. Each chapter is dedicated to a specific animal, like the bobcat, the river otter, and the caracara, and paired with vivid photos to help you identify these creatures in the wild. Allan’s fascination with Florida fauna is contagious, and his reverence of nature is unmistakable. While sharing his whimsical, enlightening, and instructive anecdotes, he gently argues for wildlife preservation in Florida and for responsible human-animal interactions. Perfect for young naturalists, inquisitive trekkers through the Sunshine State, or armchair adventurers, this book will help you appreciate the abundance of life right outside your door.

Download or read book Myakka written by P. J. Benshoff and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book takes you into shady hammocks of twisted oaks and aerial gardens, down the wild and scenic river, and across a variegated canvas of prairies, piney woods, and wetlands?all located in Myakka River State Park, Florida?s largest state park. Each adventure tells the story of a unique facet of this wilderness area and takes you into secret places it would take years to discover on your own. Your adventures through the park will be easy to navigate with the helpful maps carefully drawn to show you the best trails and paths. The wonderfully detailed illustrations and photos will illuminate the wildlife and plants that you will see along the way.

Download or read book Featherweight Boatbuilding written by Mac McCarthy and published by WoodenBoat Books. This book was released on 1996 with total page 112 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Using the Wee Lassie as an example, the author opens your eyes to the natural beauty around you. A practical and beautiful craft, this lightweight and strong double-paddle canoe will carry you to waterways that are inaccessible in most boats.

Download or read book Myakka written by P J. Benshoff and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2015-10-17 with total page 211 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discover the story of the land of Myakka. This book takes you into shady hammocks of twisted oaks and up into aerial gardens, down the wild and scenic river, and across a variegated canvas of prairies, piney woods, and wetlandsall located in Myakka River State Park, the largest state park in Florida. Each adventure tells the story of a unique facet of this wilderness area and takes you into secret places it would take years to discover on your own. Whether you're visiting the park for the first time or have frequented the area since childhood, the adventures described here are sure to awaken your primitive instincts to explore the unknown. If you return to the same places at different times of the year, you'll find enough adventures to last a lifetime. You'll never be one of those people who asks, "Whats there to do in the park today?"

Download or read book How the New Deal Built Florida Tourism written by David J. Nelson and published by University Press of Florida. This book was released on 2019-04-11 with total page 315 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Florida Historical Society Rembert Patrick Award Florida Book Awards, Silver Medal for Florida Nonfiction Countering the conventional narrative that Florida’s tourism industry suffered during the Great Depression, this book shows that the 1930s were, in reality, the starting point for much that characterizes modern Florida’s tourism. David Nelson argues that state and federal government programs designed to reboot the economy during this decade are crucial to understanding the state today. Nelson examines the impact of three connected initiatives—the federal New Deal, its Civilian Conservation Corps program (CCC), and the CCC’s creation of the Florida Park Service. He reveals that the CCC designed state parks to reinforce the popular image of Florida as a tropical, exotic, and safe paradise. The CCC often removed native flora and fauna, introduced exotic species, and created artificial landscapes that were then presented as natural. Nelson discusses how Florida business leaders benefitted from federally funded development and the ways residents and business owners rejected or supported the commercialization and shifting cultural identity of their state. A detailed look at a unique era in which the state government sponsored the tourism industry, helped commodify natural resources, and boosted mythical ideas of the “Real Florida” that endure today, this book makes the case that the creation of the Florida Park Service is the story of modern Florida.

Download or read book A to Z of a Solo Travel Girl written by Jennifer A Huber and published by . This book was released on 2020-10-17 with total page 66 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A to Z of a Solo Travel Girl is a silly and fun, yet practical and inspirational look at the traits of solo female travelers. The Solo Travel Girl is adventurous, brave, and curious as well as xenophilic, youthful, and zealous, and everything in between. This book contains more than 70 positive words of empowerment. For women uncomfortable about traveling solo or not sure where to begin, find useful tips such as overcoming the fear of dining alone, security, and meeting other people. The author traveled solo for decades and her award-winning blog, SoloTravelGirl.com, and this book are her responses to the question she heard countless times during her adventures, "You're traveling alone, aren't you lonely?" She travels alone, not lonely, for various reasons including empowerment. There is a Solo Travel Girl in every woman who travels and dreams of traveling. This fun read will inspire other women to embrace the excitement and exhilaration of solo travel, whether it is lunch on her own in the next town over or a trip across the globe. A to Z of a Solo Travel Girls: Traits of Women Who Travel Alone, Not Lonely is dedicated to all the women in the world who think they cannot. Because I know they can. The print edition includes three word searches using 50 of the positive traits.

Download or read book Birds of New England written by Roger Burrows and published by Lone Pine Pub.. This book was released on 2004 with total page 376 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Full of interesting facts and useful information, Birds of New England is a field guide geared to both the casual backyard observer and the experienced naturalist. The book features 350 of New England's most abundant or notable bird species, each one illu

Download or read book 50 Great Walks in Florida written by Lucy Beebe Tobias and published by University Press of Florida. This book was released on 2008-02-17 with total page 434 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the deepest swamps to the most civilized sidewalks, 50 Great Walks in Florida features the best short, but significant, outdoor jaunts in the Sunshine State. Experienced tour guide Lucy Tobias fills each page with fascinating local history and vivid descriptions of the sights and sites encountered along the way. 50 Great Walks in Florida is divided by geographic regions and each section includes at least one beach or wetlands walk, a historic walk, a garden walk, a place to see wildlife, and one locale with an unusual natural feature. Included are the Vietnam Memorial, Gulf Islands National Seashore, Coca-Cola Town, Ybor City Fresh Market, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, and even a ghost tour! Tobias recommends additional activities for each walk and offers suggestions for where to stop nearby, including local restaurants, to enhance the regional and cultural experience. This handy guide includes comprehensive locator maps, listings of trip essentials, and useful warnings about possible dangers such as poisonwood sap. These manageable walks will appeal to tourists in search of the real Florida, as well as to residents who want to become better acquainted with their state but still be done in time for lunch. Though shoes may be required, backpacks are not.

Download or read book The Donnie Clark Myakka Gold written by Donnie Clark and published by . This book was released on 2012-10-01 with total page 342 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: President Clinton commutes Donnie's life sentence given to him for growing marijuana. A pot smoker and practical joker, a farmer and a felon, a bull rider and a business man and all done in the name of fun; in short, the life of Donnie Clark. It seems impossible that one man can pack so much fun into one life, often at the expense of others, but most at his own expense. And yet from a boy raising hell in the rural areas of Manatee County, Florida, Donnie was able to not only make his own fun, but his own kind of trouble. Riding the Brahma bull, Sam, in parades; learning how to catch and descent skunks; using rattlesnakes to get more mowing jobs, Donnie always had a stunt up his sleeve. The biggest joke was often on Donnie, not thinking about the consequences! Donnie's fame, though, came as one of the notorious Myakka Gold gang in the 1980s. He used his farming skills to grow some of the best marijuana in the country and paid the price. Convicted and doing state time, Donnie soon found himself part of the Federal RICO case. Convicted to spend his life in federal prison, Donnie did what he had done his entire life, made the best of living in prison and making his own fun. A commuted sentence by President Bill Clinton, on his last day in office, his given Donnie another chance to make his own fun on the outside. www.thedonnieclark.com

Download or read book North Carolina Waterfalls written by Kevin Adams and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 492 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 250 of the best waterfalls found in North Carolina with full descriptions, comprehensive directions, and four-color photographs.

Download or read book Fishes in the Freshwaters of Florida written by Robert H. Robins and published by University Press of Florida. This book was released on 2018-03-15 with total page 489 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is a comprehensive identification guide to the 222 species of fishes in Florida’s fresh waters. Each species is presented with color photographs, key characteristics for identification, comparisons to similar species, habitat descriptions, and dot distribution maps. Florida's unique mix of species includes some of the world's favorite sport fishes, the Tarpon and Largemouth Bass. This guide also features three species native only to Florida—the Seminole Killifish, Flagfish, and Okaloosa Darter—and the smallest freshwater fish in North America, the Least Killifish. Ranging from the panhandle to the Everglades, their habitats include springs, creeks, rivers, lakes, ponds, swamps, marshes, and man-made canals. As Florida's human population grows, the state's freshwater environments are being changed in ways that threaten its native fishes. This book provides important information on the diversity, distribution, and environmental needs of both native and nonindigenous species, helping us monitor and take care of Florida's water and its aquatic inhabitants.

Download or read book Birds of Massachusetts written by Richard R. Veit and published by . This book was released on 1993 with total page 514 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Suwannee River State Park written by Jolene MacFadden and published by . This book was released on 2023-09-02 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Suwannee River State Park is a full-service recreational area located in Live Oak, Florida. This workbook can filled out while visiting this park. We have included some puzzles, coloring pages, activity sheets, Camping Bingo Game and journal pages. We hope that you and your child(ren) will cherish these memories and record them using the journal pages inside. You can take pictures and paste them in and/or your child can draw some about their adventure. The puzzles and games are based on information available on the park's website so visit it, read about it's history, activities and other great information. Supporting our great public land areas by visiting them, recording your adventures and sharing them with friends and family is a great way to keep them open and available to the general public for years to come

Download or read book Living Sanibel written by Charles Sobczak and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Living Sanibel is the only book you will need while on the islands! With more than 650 full-color photographs, illustrations and trail maps, Living Sanibel is the most complete identification guide to the native plants, animals and eco-attractions of Sanibel and Captiva ever compiled.

Download or read book No Sunscreen for the Dead written by Tim Dorsey and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2019-01-15 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A USA Today Bestseller! The Sunshine State’s most lovable psychopath, Serge A. Storms, kills it in this zany adventure from the “compulsively irreverent and shockingly funny” (Boston Globe) king of mayhem, New York Times bestselling author Tim Dorsey. Serge and Coleman are back on the road, ready to hit the next stop on their list of obscure and wacky points of interest in the Sunshine State. This time, Serge’s interest is drawn to one of the largest retirement villages in the world—also known as the site of an infamous sex scandal between a retiree and her younger beau that rocked the community. What starts out as an innocent quest to observe elders in their natural habitats, sample the local cuisine, and scope out a condo to live out the rest of their golden years, soon becomes a Robin Hood-like crusade to recover the funds of swindled residents. After all, our seniors should be revered and respected—they’ve heroically fought in wars, garnered priceless wisdom, and they have the best first-hand accounts of bizarre Floridian occurrences only Serge would know about. But as the resident’s rally for Serge to seek justice on their behalves, two detectives are hot on the heels of Serge and Coleman’s murderous trail. In this epic adventure that jumps between present day and the tumultuous times of the Vietnam war, mystery fans are in for a witty and deliciously violent delight from the twisted imagination of bestselling author Tim Dorsey.