January 10, 2008: Can we stay THERE, Dad?

Time was, you'd jump in the Galaxie with your family and ride down to Florida for vacation. Your dad, wearing his horn-rimmed glasses, would point out corny (and probably false) trivia about every town you passed through. Your mom, hair struggling against a scarf, would dole out ham sandwiches cut kitty-corner to you and your siblings to eat between I Spy and Indian rubs.

You'd zoom down Highway 301 past fruit stands and gas stations, souvenir shops and motels.

Oh, the motels.

The one you stayed in was probably in better shape than this one...unless your family was very interesting.

Sadly, 301 now is a long stretch of decay and sadness, mostly a road for people visiting their relatives in the hoosegow at Starke or zipping down to Gainesville to see a football game.

The ruins of old time Florida line the highway, though, and I've always wanted to stop and take some photos.

(Alas, my camera died soon after taking these pictures when we were on our way down to Gainesville for Christmas, so I have more photos this year of a dilapidated motel than I do of my nieces. Sigh.)

Posted by Will Ludwigsen on January 10, 2008 5:55 PM | Permalink