Fort McCoy

Ocala, Florida

Weather: low 75 degrees, high 95 degrees, mostly cloudy skies, light showers in the afternoon

Remember yesterday's post where I talked about having a stomach problem most of the day? Well, Carolyn experienced the same problem today. Like me with my problem yesterday, she started feeling better in the middle of the afternoon. As I write this post tonight, she's feeling better. This was a strange illness we went through. The sick feeling lasted about 12 hours. It was almost like we caught a weak stomach virus.

Since Carolyn was feeling better in the afternoon, we decided to take a drive to the Fort McCoy area to see how that little cross roads has changed since the last time we were there about 35 years ago. Fort McCoy was originally developed as a fort during the Seminole Wars back in the 1840s. Did anyone know that the Seminoles were the only Indian tribe that never signed a peace treaty with the US?

We found that the countryside on the way has changed quite a lot, with several horse farms being there now, as well as many houses. Back in the day, there were hardly any people living on that road, which is County Road 316.

Driving into Fort McCoy from the west, we were stopped by a four way stop sign. No traffic lights in town, so that should give an idea of how busy the place is. The town has a small grocery store, a convenience store with gas pumps, and a sign of progress, a Dollar General store that looks fairly new.

At one time, there was a small school in town that has now become a public library. Back when we lived here, the school was so small that about the only organized sports that they participated in was boys basketball. They didn't have a gymnasium to play in, but played outside on a concrete court. Can you imagine how difficult it must have been for visiting teams to come play there? I can remember that they even played outside when the weather was cold.

It took us all of about five minutes to see the changes that have been made, and that was moving at a crawl.

On our way home, we took County Road 315 back toward Silver Springs, and took a side road across country to Anthony and back to the RV. We saw nothing earthshaking, but did continue to find some of the old Florida that we remember with nostalgia. If you know where to look, the old Florida can still be found. We're having a good time finding it.

More later, be safe.

Today's Town - Frostproof, Florida: The Friendly City

Not all who wander are lost.