I have been thinking about classic diners in Florida after recently discovering a good one in High Springs. Since I could only think of two more, I will also recommend a nearby non-diner for each.

But first a recap of High Springs' Fleetwood Diner, 615 NW Santa Fe Boulevard. As I noted before, Fleetwood (formerly Floyd's) offers classic diner favorites, homestyle dinners and breakfast anytime they are open. The meatloaf dinner with mashed potatoes and corn and the patty melt with fries are both excellent.

Within walking distance of the boardwalk, pier and typical Daytona Beach junk shops is the Starlite Diner, 401 North Atlantic Avenue. Featuring a medium-sized menu with breakfast, burgers, sandwiches and homestyle dinners, the Starlite sits in the shadow of modern condominium skyrises but maintains its charm with stainless steel and neon. I recommend the patty melt sandwich with fries, but also enjoyed the breakfast plate with ham steak, eggs, homefries and toast.

A few blocks south is Hog Heaven Bar-B-Q, 37 North Atlantic Avenue. Like the Starlite Diner, Hog Heaven does a swift lunch business due in part to the nearby hotels with meeting spaces. The service was prompt and professional regardless. The menu includes BBQ favorites like beef, chicken, ribs and pork. I enjoyed the pulled pork lunch plate with fries, cole slaw and garlic bread. The indoor dining area is nice enough, but I recommend a table in the covered outdoor area.

Two-hundred fifty miles to the south and not far from Fort Lauderdale beach is Lester's Diner, 250 West State Road 84. From their large menu of classic dishes, I took a chance on and was pleasantly surprised with the open-faced roast beef sandwich with mashed potatoes and corn. This diner classic is often fatty and drowning in gravy, but this version was great. The building was looking a little worn at the time and the waitress was grumpy, but good roast beef goes a long way.

Down the street is the must-visit Old Heidelberg German Restaurant, 900 State Road 84. Featuring a comprehensive menu of old world favorites and import beer, Old Heidelberg is quaint, dimly lit and heavily decorated with art and beer steins. I still have dreams about the Oktoberfest combo: bratwurst, thüringer, knockwurst, smoked pork chop, meatball and kielbasa with red cabbage, sauerkraut and mashed potatoes. The waiter was polite and attentive, plus the live accordion player was a nice touch. If you really enjoy your meal, walk next door and pick-up some sausages and meat from the Old Heidelberg Deli, which features the products served in the restaurant and much more.

Please note it has been around five years since I last visited the Starlite Diner, Hog Heaven Bar-B-Q, Lester's Diner and Old Heidelberg. If you have more recent experiences, please share them.

Last weekend I joined Mom and Ross for three days camping at O'Leno State Park. After a tumultuous drive on Interstate 10 through fog and heavy rain, I arrived at the park and drove toward the Magnolia camping area. The park ranger at the entrance had provided me a map, brochure and permit for my car before sending me to campsite 29. Unfortunately, Mom and Ross were set up in campsite 16 creating an interesting moment when I pulled into someone else's campsite and exchanged puzzled looks with an equally confused man.

Instead of grilling in the rain and 40 mile per hour gusts of wind, we drove to nearby High Springs and found the delicious Fleetwood Diner, 615 NW Santa Fe Boulevard (formerly Floyd's Diner). Their comprehensive menu includes classic diner favorites, homestyle dinners and breakfast anytime they are open. UPDATE: During my visit on 19 February 2012, I discovered the restaurant is now called Springs Diner.

We used a break in the storm as an opportunity to build a campfire, something I had been looking forward to specifically. It was a fun time until the rain and wind returned, when hickory trees surrounding our campsite dropped golf ball-sized nuts on us like weaponized projectiles. We narrowly escaped the assault but my car and Ross' truck sustained minor damage.

The next morning after breakfast at the campsite, we walked to the swinging suspension bridge (1938) and the River Trail trailhead. The trail included views of the Santa Fe River and the sink where it becomes subterranean, flowing southwest three and a half miles to River Rise Preserve State Park.

We continued to the day use area and log pavilion, watched white-tailed deer grazing in the woods and hiked the Dogwood and Limestone Trails. We ended a perfect Sunday with Mom's chicken and veggie skewers, various beers from Republic of Panama, the early celebration of my birthday and a quiet evening by the campfire.

On Monday we wandered down to River Rise, hiked the Yellow Trail and saw where the Santa Fe River resurfaces and continues west to the Suwannee River. Since we had already vacated our campsite, we once again visited the Fleetwood Diner to have another great meal. After saying our goodbyes, we drove out of O'Leno and headed home in opposite directions. The long weekend was such a success we plan to select another park and do this again soon.

Although the winter months here are normally cooler than the rest of Florida, the past few weeks have been ridiculous. Twice this week there have been references in the local forecast to snow, flurries and sleet. The low yesterday bottomed out at 16°F and it was about that cold this morning. If the rain forecast for the overnight actually comes and the conditions are right, it could be a very interesting morning tomorrow.

Snow in Tallahassee, while unusual, is not unprecedented. There have been thirty-two occurrences, seven of which were measurable, from 1891 to present. The record for most snowfall in a twenty-four hour period was set on 12–13 February 1958 with 2.8 inches, visible in this photograph of FSU students outside Bryan Hall. The winter storm of 1989 provided the last measurable snowfall of 1.0 inch on 22–23 December.

Update: Friday, 12 February 2010, 1940 EST

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Make that thirty-three occurrences. According to National Weather Service meteorologist Tim Barry, a combination of rain and snow fell late last night. I did not see any of the flurries myself but there were a few people at work today who said they did. It will be below freezing here soon and flurries are again possible, but I am not complaining too much considering the week the northeast experienced.

While in transit from Buffalo with the moving van in September 1989, Hurricane Hugo was lurking about and made finding motel rooms in the southern states, well, impossible. Later as we crossed the state line amidst a torrential thunderstorm, we laughed at the "Sunshine State" slogan on the Welcome to Florida sign. A few months later, my uncle flew in to see our new house in Altamonte Springs and enjoy Christmas with us. Some snow was reported in Orlando at the time, but what I remember are the power failures. It was nearly Christmas by candlelight.

Despite the possibility, I do not expect any noteworthy white stuff. On the other hand, based on the beautiful sheets of ice on my car the past two mornings, any overnight rain will no doubt be frozen and slick just in time for my morning drive to work—with the 50,000 college students back in town this week, no less.

My only hope is an increase in temperature for next weekend when I am scheduled to camp in O'Leno State Park. Camping in the winter is one thing, but when it is this cold in Florida it usually means the humidity is extremely low as well, causing Red Flag Warning conditions that make campfires inadvisable. More importantly, I'd like the chance to hike in the woods and otherwise be outdoors and so the warmer, the better.

People frequently ask me if I am going to watch this game or that game, referring to college football. These questions amuse me because, as you probably know, I could care less about sports. When it comes to college football, there is only one question that matters. Is it a home game? Living close to Doak Campbell Stadium, this simple fact is crucial when planning to drive anywhere on game day.

Anyway, my favorite and often accurate response—"What game?"—generally provokes a stunned expression. The friendly Publix cashier on New Year's Eve, who had been happily chatting while scanning my items, said nothing further after I responded instead with a succinct "no." Honestly, I really enjoy this little game because the amazement others express at my answers equal my own amazement over everyone else's total obsession.

I gave the standard reply when asked today about my interest in sports and plans to watch some bowl game tonight. But after a few seconds, an idle neuron fired in my brain bringing to the surface information I had apparently subconsciously obtained via NPR this morning. I quickly followed up by correctly identifying the Alabama Crimson Tide and Texas Longhorns as the opponents, surprising even myself.

It had been raining lightly for several hours when 0830 EST rolled around and Claire arrived for our trip to Florida Caverns State Park, 3345 Caverns Road, Marianna, Florida. The drive on Interstate 10 was uneventful though there were a few spots of heavy rain. Taking Exit 142, we had a chance to see quaint downtown Marianna before arriving at the park.

Like most Florida State Parks there is an entrance fee ($5.00) that allows unlimited entry and exit for the day. Since I had forgotten to take the time zone change into consideration, we were parked and walking up to the visitor center gift shop to purchase cave tour tickets only minutes after 0900 CST.

The rain was steady but light enough to walk around and enjoy the nearby wooded area. A sign described this area as a former Native American village, the caves providing clay for pottery and shelter against weather and attack. We purchased our tickets ($8.00), browsed the gift shop and wandered around outside a bit before Park Ranger Frank was along to begin our tour through the cave at 0930 CST.

Due to our accidentally perfect timing, Claire and I were the only visitors on the first tour which made for a particularly excellent experience for us. Instead of the typical 45 minute walk-through with twenty-five other people, Frank was able to leisurely take us through the various sections, highlighting formations and providing historical as well as scientific context throughout. Lasting over 60 minutes, the tour was relaxingly paced, thorough and fulfilling. Frank even showed us some of the best places from which to photograph certain formations.

The original 494 acres of park land was purchased by Dr. J.C. Patterson in 1935. He had hoped to develop the area into a state park when the discovery of the caves was made. Florida Caverns was established as Florida's seventh state park on 11 October 1935. Since the Great Depression was taking a toll on the local economy, Patterson envisioned a Luray Caverns style attraction to boost the area and in 1938 development of the Tour Cave and park amenities began. Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Camp SP-12 worked for four years as the "gopher gang" on this New Deal era project constructing visitor paths, adding the entrance and exit stairways, installing electric lighting, cutting additional passageways and building the visitor center. The park opened to the public in 1942.

The tour's route can vary due to the rising and falling water table. Claire and I were surprised to learn just how high the water levels can get inside certain cavern rooms, but we were fortunate that the main paths were all clear today. Signs of the past days rain were visible in the drops flowing down stalactites onto stalagmites and in pools forming throughout.

After walking back to the visitor center and thanking Frank for the great tour, we took his suggestion and went upstairs to look at the exhibits and watch a few short films about the park's history and ecosystem. Although we were also interested in wandering around the rest of the park, we decided to come back in a few months when it is not cold and raining. On that trip we will hike the trails, check out the river and other activities, not to mention take the cave tour again for fun—and hopefully improved pictures.

Ready for lunch, we drove around the section of Marianna we had not yet seen but found no restaurants of interest. Having seen it earlier on the drive in, we decided to check out San Marcos Mexican Grill, 4867 West Side Plaza. It was a nice lunch for a reasonable price. I ate the chile relleno, enchilada, beans and rice ($7.85) and Claire had something similar sans chile relleno. We enjoyed our food and then got back on the road, this time taking local roads instead of the interstate.

I had planned to drive US 90 all the way east to Tallahassee, but later realized we were on CR 71 heading south. The route we ended up on took us through Altha, then Ocheesee Landing via CR 274, which turned into CR 286 and eventually deposited us at I-10. At that point it seemed silly to try to find US 90, so we decided to simply head back. Besides, we will have the opportunity to take US 90 when we return to Florida Caverns in a few months.

Day Trips with Claire Smith

The Georgia Plantation | The Florida Caverns Trip
The Big Bend Photo Trip

Photographs  Pebble Hill Plantation | Florida Caverns State Park
Tallahassee Antiques Museum | Big Bend Photo Trip | October Day Out